Yesterday afternoon, with a burst of energy that I attribute to the steroid shot (since my heart was racing too), I came up with several ideas for promoting/marketing LOI. I went to SCORE’s web site and took their online workshop on promoting your business, which helped me think of a few things.
Cross-promotion: There is a new Islamic clothing and gift shop in Webster called AJ. I went over there last night and talked to the owner, and we agreed to do a cross-promotion – if a customer in her shop buys a certain amount or certain product, they earn a discount certificate at LOI, and vice versa. We should have that going in the next week or so. I think it will be valuable because customers often ask for clothes at the bookstore, and she carries no books, so between us we offer both items, we’re not far from each other, and now we will offer a discount.
Conferences and shows: As much as I have been grumbling about doing the ICNA show on July 4, I think I will have to, because I need the exposure. I also have to pay more attention to the other events around town as opportunities for LOI to have a table or booth, as I did before the bookstore opened.
More free media exposure: I have a story idea I am going to pitch to the Chronicle’s religion writer. I’m at this point a little over-exposed on the Chronicle, but this story will focus on someone else.
Paid media exposure (well this is not a new idea, but worth mentioning): I’ve been meaning to place an ad in the Muslim Observer, and I have to finally make a decision about doing that.
Reader rewards plan: I’m combining this idea with another idea, which was promoting the business on clothing or mugs or some such. There are a couple companies that offer special Islamic products that I may purchase as rewards for frequent customers. I actually came up with that idea backwards – I’ve been working on a postcard encouraging people to come to the bookstore (tag line being “do you know July is anti-boredom month”?) and in trying to think of how to make it more enticing came up with the rewards plan idea.
Yesterday I got in iMuslims by Gary Bunt, which came out last month and is right up my alley. I have chosen it as the next book discussion group subject, to start by the fall, and will do a build-up with a lot of dedicated and targeted promotion, hopefully with assistance from the publisher. I haven’t yet reached out to publishers for promotional material, other than posters from the University of California Press back when I first opened – and I just asked for them so I could decorate the store for free. This discussion group will also have an online component (appropriately enough).
There may have been something else, but my notebook isn’t handy and I don’t remember.
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Light of Islam is a nonprofit bookstore whose mission is to provide the Houston-area community with accurate and accessible information about Islam and Muslims. Find out more at http://www.light-of-islam.org/.
