How to Get Your Book Into Independent Bookstores: A Step-by-Step Outreach Plan

How to Get Your Book Into Independent Bookstores: A Step-by-Step Outreach Plan

Getting your book into independent bookstores is absolutely possible as an indie author, but it works best when you approach it like a partnership, not a favor. Bookstores are busy, cautious about inventory, and constantly balancing what they love with what they can reliably sell. Your job is to make it easy for them to say yes, and safe for them to take a chance on you.

Below is a practical, repeatable outreach plan you can use for one bookstore or fifty.

Step 1: Make sure your book is bookstore-ready

Before you pitch anyone, do a quick reality check. Bookstores can stock anything they want, but they tend to default to books that meet standard expectations, especially if they don’t know the author yet.

A bookstore-ready book usually has:

• A professional cover that reads clearly at thumbnail size and also looks good in person on a shelf.

• Clean formatting and editing that won’t cause returns or customer complaints.

• A competitive price for your genre and trim size, especially for print.

• A scannable barcode on the back cover.

• Standard metadata that matches everywhere your book appears online, including title, subtitle, series name, author name, ISBN, and price.

• A clear genre fit so staff can shelve it without guessing.

If you are offering print, take a close look at paper quality and spine readability. Independent bookstores care about the physical object. A book that looks “home printed” will be much harder to place.

Step 2: Decide what you are actually offering the store

Most authors reach out with a vague request like “Would you carry my book?” and that forces the store to do extra mental work. Instead, offer one clear option at a time, with a second option available if they ask.

There are three common ways to work with a bookstore:

• Wholesale order

This is the cleanest option for many stores. They buy copies at a discount and sell them at retail. A typical indie bookstore expects a discount around forty percent off retail, sometimes a little less depending on the relationship and the title. They also often expect the ability to return unsold copies, but not every store requires returns for local authors.

Wholesale is most appealing to stores when ordering is straightforward and restocking is easy.

• Consignment

Consignment means the store doesn’t buy inventory upfront. They display your book, sell it, and pay you a percentage after it sells. The store takes less risk, but you have to manage inventory, check-ins, and payouts. Some stores love consignment for local authors, others avoid it because it’s extra admin.

Consignment can be a great first step if you’re unknown in that area and you want to prove demand.

• Event-first approach

If you’re not ready for stocking yet, or the store is cautious, you can offer a signing, reading, or themed event. Stores often take on books they are not fully sold on if you can bring people in the door.

An event-first approach can turn a cold pitch into a collaborative plan: “Let’s do an event, and you stock a limited number for it.”

Choose your primary offer before you email anyone, so your pitch is clear and confident.

Step 3: Build a simple “bookstore pitch pack” once, then reuse it

You do not need a fancy media kit. You need a tight set of info that answers the store’s questions quickly.

Have this ready in a single document or email-friendly format:

• A one-sentence hook that explains what the book is.

• A short description that reads like bookstore copy, not an Amazon keyword block.

• Genre and comparable titles, written simply so they can place it.

• Print format details, including trim size and page count.

• Retail price and your proposed bookstore terms, such as discount and whether you accept returns.

• Your location, if you are local. Stores care about supporting local authors.

• Any proof of demand, such as local media, awards, strong reviews, newsletter size, or relevant community connection.

• A link to your author website or a page that shows the book clearly.

If you can include one clean cover image file link, do it. Staff often want to preview the cover quickly.

Step 4: Make a targeted list of stores that actually fit your book

Independent bookstores are not interchangeable. Some specialize in romance, some lean literary, some are heavy on children’s, some do lots of events, and some focus on local interest. You will get far better results by pitching fewer stores that are a strong match.

As you build your list, look for:

• Stores that already stock your genre.

• Stores that host events similar to what you could do.

• Stores that have a “local author” section or highlight local creators.

• Stores that carry indie-press and self-published books. This is a strong signal they are open to it.

Aim for a first list of ten to twenty stores. You can always expand after you refine what works.

Step 5: Find the right contact and the right time to pitch

The ideal contact is often a buyer, manager, or events coordinator. Many stores list the best email for author inquiries on their website. If they don’t, call during a calm hour and ask, politely, who handles local author stocking or events.

Timing matters more than most authors realize. Avoid emailing during the busiest retail periods, like major holiday rushes, or during peak shopping times like Saturdays mid-day. Early week mornings are often calmer.

If you can visit in person, do it, but don’t walk in expecting a decision on the spot. Think of an in-person visit as relationship building, not a pitch ambush.

Step 6: Send a short, professional email that makes saying yes easy

Your email should be short, specific, and respectful of time. Do not attach large files. Do not write a long life story. Do not demand a decision.

Here is the structure that works well:

• Start with a friendly one-line intro that establishes fit.

• Give the book hook and genre in one or two sentences.

• State the offer clearly, such as “available on wholesale” or “available on consignment,” and include your terms in one line.

• Include one or two credibility signals if you have them.

• Ask a simple question that invites the next step.

• End with a quick thank you and your contact info.

A good pitch feels like an invitation, not a push. The store should immediately understand what the book is, how it would be stocked, and why it makes sense for their customers.

Step 7: Follow up the right way

Bookstores are busy. A lack of reply is not always a no. Follow up once after about a week, and keep it even shorter than your first email.

Your follow-up should:

• Reply to the same email thread.

• Be polite and brief.

• Restate the offer in one sentence.

• Ask if they’d like you to drop off a sample copy or send additional info.

If you still don’t hear back after the second attempt, pause and move on. You can circle back later with a new reason to reach out, such as an award, local press, or upcoming event that fits their calendar.

Step 8: Be ready for the three questions stores often ask

If a store is interested, they usually want clarity fast. Be ready to answer these without hesitation.

“What are your terms?”

Have your discount, returns policy, and delivery method ready. If you offer consignment, be clear about the split, how often you check in, and how payment works.

“Can we order it easily?”

Stores love simple processes. If ordering is complicated, they may pass even if they like the book. Make your method clear, whether that is direct from you, a wholesale platform, or through a distributor.

“Will you help it sell?”

A store is not just buying paper. They are buying the chance that the book moves. If you can support with local marketing, a signing, social promotion, or a community tie-in, say so in a grounded way. Don’t promise the moon. Offer one realistic promotional action you can actually deliver.

Step 9: Offer a low-risk first step if they hesitate

Sometimes a store likes the idea but doesn’t want to commit to a full stocking order. That’s where you make it easy.

You can suggest:

• A small initial order, like two to five copies, and you’ll promote them as “available at” that store.

• A consignment trial for a set period, then reassess.

• An event with limited copies stocked for the event date.

• A signed copy placement, which some stores like for local features.

The goal is to create momentum. Once a store sells a few copies, restocking becomes a normal business decision instead of a risk.

Step 10: Treat it like a relationship, not a one-time transaction

If a bookstore says yes, your next job is to be easy to work with.

• Deliver or ship on time.

• Label boxes clearly.

• Include an invoice or simple record.

• Check in without being needy.

• Promote the store in a way that feels genuine and supportive.

Independent bookstores are community hubs. If you show up as a professional partner, not a self-centered marketer, you build goodwill that can carry through multiple books.

A realistic outreach timeline you can repeat

• Week one is prep and pitch pack.

• Week two is your first set of emails to a small batch of stores.

• Week three is follow-up and conversations with any interested stores.

• Week four is deliveries, trial orders, or event planning.

After that, you refine what worked, adjust your terms if needed, and move to the next batch of stores.

Common mistakes that kill bookstore pitches

• Pitching without clear terms, which forces the store to do extra work.

• Sending long emails that bury the point.

• Targeting stores that don’t carry your genre.

• Assuming “local” means automatic yes. It helps, but it doesn’t replace fit.

• Overpromising marketing support you won’t deliver.

• Getting discouraged after one no. Bookstores are individual. One no does not predict the next ten.

The mindset that makes this work

Think like a bookseller for a moment. A store is not rejecting you as a person. They are managing limited shelf space, limited time, and a business that runs on careful inventory choices. When you approach them with clarity and respect, you make the decision easier.

If you build a clean pitch pack, target the right stores, and follow a steady outreach rhythm, you will get yeses. Maybe not from everyone, but enough to create a meaningful in-person footprint and build long-term sales beyond online storefronts.