Blind date with a book: How to increase engagement with your bookstore

However, it’s not just readers who benefit from this exciting concept; bookstores across the country are leveraging it as a powerful strategy to help boost sales and engage customers in a unique way. By incorporating blind date with a book into your existing business model, you can introduce an additional fun and captivating experience for your customers.

If you’re eager to start this enchanting journey at your own bookstore, look no further! Read on to learn what you need to successfully set up your very own blind date with a book program.

What is blind date with a book?

A blind book date is an exciting literary adventure that adds an element of mystery and surprise to the act of reading. Instead of judging a book by its cover, readers are presented with a wrapped or disguised book, concealing its title and author. This unique experience allows them to explore new genres, authors, and stories without any preconceived notions. By unwrapping the book, readers unveil a delightful surprise, embarking on an unknown journey of words and imagination.

Wrapped in brown paper adorned with enticing clues, these books offer readers the chance to dive into a story based solely on its themes, genre, or plot, disregarding the author’s name, cover style, or even the book’s popularity. This approach not only creates an air of mystery and anticipation, but also brings attention to lesser-known writers. Moreover, it cultivates an atmosphere of excitement, anticipation, and mystery, making it an enticing prospect for any book lover seeking to venture beyond their comfort zone.

How blind dates with a book can increase sales and boosts lesser-known titles

A blind date book program can be a powerful tool for increasing sales, especially for lesser-known titles. Here’s how it works.

Removes bias and encourages exploration

By concealing the book’s title and author, a blind date with a book eliminates any preconceived notions or biases that potential readers may have. This unique approach prompts readers to take a chance on something new, increasing the visibility and discoverability of lesser-known titles that would otherwise be overlooked. With an open mind, customers are more likely to explore diverse genres and authors, expanding their reading horizons and discovering hidden literary gems.

Creates excitement and memorable experiences

The element of surprise in a blind date with a book creates a sense of excitement and intrigue. When customers unwrap the book and embark on an unknown reading journey, it adds a touch of adventure to their experience. These memorable moments are likely to be shared through word-of-mouth recommendations, generating organic buzz and curiosity around the bookstore and its selection of lesser-known titles. This word-of-mouth promotion can be a powerful driver to help increase sales.

Attracts curiosity and unconventional readers

The concept of a blind date with a book piques curiosity and appeals to readers seeking unique and unconventional reading experiences. This innovative approach captures attention and stands out from traditional book browsing. As a result, it draws in customers who are eager to step outside their comfort zones, discover new authors, and explore different genres. By providing this intriguing and unconventional experience, bookstores can captivate a broader audience and cultivate a loyal customer base for both popular and lesser-known titles.

How to get started

To kick-start your blind date with a book program and ensure its success, follow these steps:

Curate a diverse selection

Choose books from a wide range of genres, including fiction, non-fiction, mystery, romance, science fiction, and more. This can help guarantee there’s something to suit everyone’s tastes and interests. Consider your target audience and aim for a well-balanced selection that appeals to different age groups, demographics, and reading preferences.

Focus on lesser-known titles

Prioritize books that have not received widespread recognition or may be overlooked in your store. This approach promotes undiscovered gems and increases their visibility. By featuring lesser-known titles, you help minimize the risk of customers selecting books they have already read.

Highlight intriguing aspects

Look for books with captivating storylines, unique premises, or unconventional narrative styles. These qualities add an extra layer of intrigue, appealing to readers who are eager to take a chance on something new.

Ensure readability

Choose books that are relatively accessible and engaging, avoiding overly complex or challenging reads. The goal is to encourage readers to dive into the books without feeling overwhelmed.

Wrap and label the books

Wrap each book in plain or decorative paper to conceal the title and author. Attach or write a brief description or a few keywords that provide hints about the book’s theme, genre, age range, and a couple of intriguing plot hints.

Maximize your program with Clover POS

To make the most of your blind date with a book subscription program, and get your existing customers in on the action, leverage the capabilities of a Clover POS system.

Advertise through email and texts

Utilize Clover’s customer engagement features to send out targeted emails and SMS messages to your existing customer base. Announce the launch of your blind date with a book program, and entice them to visit your store and participate by crafting engaging and personalized messages that highlight the excitement and intrigue of the blind date experience. Mention the diverse selection of books, the element of surprise, and the chance to discover hidden literary gems.

Utilize Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

Leverage Clover’s CRM to gain valuable insights into your typical customers’ demographics, such as gender and age. Use this data to inform your blind date book selections. Tailor the book offerings to match the preferences and interests of your target audience, ensuring a higher likelihood of customer satisfaction and engagement. For example, if you notice a significant portion of your customer base consists of young adults interested in fantasy novels, you can prioritize selecting blind date books from that genre to cater to their preferences.

Set up recurring billing options

Make it easy for your customers to participate in your blind book date subscription program by setting up recurring payments. This allows you to set up a regular payment schedule that automatically charges your customer’s card on file when the payment is due. No need to chase down customers. And by putting payments on autopilot, this can help create program retention and enable your customers to come in and pick up their blind date books without any hassles.

If you’re looking to engage your customers and help boost sales at your bookstore, setting up a blind date with a book program is an experience that shouldn’t be missed.

To learn more about how you can use Clover’s bookstore POS system to help you launch your program, contact a Clover Business Consultant today.

Editorial Team

Loyalty, Marketing, Retail

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