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PassPorter Handselling Tips "Handselling" books you love makes everyone happy, especially you and your customer. What is handselling? The practice of recommending books to your customer base through displays, newsletters, postcards, reading groups, and casual discussions in the aisles. Handselling works best with independent titles that flourish through word of mouth, such as PassPorter. Here are some tips on handselling: 1. Start by finding your favorites. Make a list of the books you loved in the past and those you adore now, and be sure to delve into a wide-range of categories. Can't find enough on your own? Have your staff nominate a few favorites of their own. 2. Display your favorites. Relocate one copy of each of your favorites to a bookcase, shelf, or table near the front of your store. Include a large sign that indicates the books are Staff Picks, or Recommended Books. You can even go one step further and include "shelf talkers" below each title indicating why you are recommending the book. 3. Add a "hot list" of preferred books in EVERY category to your favorites. Every category has a winner -- find the winners in your store. Now when a customer asks for recommendations on in a category, you'll know just where to direct them! You may also want to consider placing each of these "hot" titles face out on the shelf. 4. Publish a newsletter, and recommend a few books in each issue. The books don't need to be new nor bestsellers -- just good! 5. Start reading groups on particular topics and invite your customers to attend. Distribute reading lists for the group. Also consider inviting authors to speak or read to the groups; many will be interested in attending. PassPorter guidebooks are fun to handsell because they are so interesting and fill so many needs for your customer. Knowing about the "hidden features" of PassPorter (such as the calendars and lists under the flap maps, the fold-out maps, and the PassPockets) means you have several special features to point out, based on your customer's needs. And you can slip a bookmark or store postcard in one of PassPorter's pockets to encourage customers to return to your store in the future!
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