August 9th is National Book Lovers Day. It is a day when book lovers across the country should pick up an extra book to read with a smile because this day is for you!
(By the way, if you haven’t picked up a book in a while, this might be the perfect day to start. )
There are still quite a few book friendly industries that have survived the digital boom. Book lovers worldwide still prefer the feel and smell of a book in their hands over digital eBooks, especially when it comes to their favorite novel or series.
Bookstores never go out of style. There will always be a market for hardcopy and paperback books for a number of reasons. Personal preferences, collectability, special print runs, and other facets of the publishing industry have continued to keep literature lovers coming back.
When franchising a new or used bookstore, there are several key foundational elements to consider. Decide if your franchise is going to offer new or used books, or a combination of both. If the model offers used books, there will need to be consistent trade-in and buyback programs. You will also need to decide if there will be an online selling component. It’s also very common for bookstores to incorporate other entertainment related products such as games, collectibles, and educational toys.
Coffee shops and bookstores go hand in and often partner together to encourage readers to come through the doors, then stay for a while. Partnering with a bookstore in specific territories or locations is a great place to start. Also consider the type of brick and mortar location that works best if the coffee shop isn’t going to be physically housed inside a bookstore.
Other important elements to establish prior to franchising a coffee shop include equipment choices, especially with key items like espresso machines. Creating menus, training baristas properly, and the personality you want to convey should all be built prior to opening. It’s also important to decide whether or not to incorporate pastries and other small food items that pair well with coffee. Partnering with local bakeries would be beneficial for a new coffee shop in many ways.
Print shops have taken on new features and services to expand and grow with the digital times. Many have adapted wonderfully well and succeeded in carving out niche services in a world that still very much needs hard copy printed items.
As with coffee shops, deciding on printing equipment when franchising a print shop will be integral. The print style and services will also play a key factor. Tapping into the local artistic market could be very lucrative. Many local artists are always in search of print shops that can create limited art print runs on special paper. Local writers also need printers that can do smaller batches of books due to their more limited budgets.
Franchising in niche markets is something Big Sky Franchise Team is well-versed in. Check out a few of our client testimonials on our website at www.bigskyfranchiseteam.com/testimonials.
