Irish Publishing News

Our guest columnist this week is Bob Johnston a former Hughes & Hughes buyer who left the company back in 2009 to set up his own independent bookstore. The Gutter Bookshop website can be found here and their Facebook page and Twitter stream are very active.

Six months ago we opened The Gutter Bookshop in the middle of a recession and in a climate where small independent businesses are being forced to close at an alarming rate.

Time will tell if we are mad to do it but we went with our eyes, and our ears, open.

The following are statements from the original business plan written in 2007:

• As other Dublin booksellers have emphasized size and range as key marketing offers, The Gutter Bookshop would concentrate on offering a level of service not available elsewhere.
• Local customers will be looking for quality, a fast and reliable service, along with a competitive offer and a sense of ownership.
• Independent bookshops have become successful due to strong links with a local community, innovative offers that are not dependent on price, and by developing their ‘independent’ stance.
• Customers should have a sense of involvement and recognition in the business.

Small businesses cannot hope to compete with larger businesses by offering their customers the same things as their larger competitors. They need to find a USP (Unique Selling Point) and for many small businesses this involves building personal relationships with their customers.

[pullquote]We currently run a website that includes a personal blog, a Facebook page, a Twitter account, and a monthly mailing list which allows us to talk to and, most importantly, listen to approximately 2,500 potential customers. [/pullquote]

We currently run a website that includes a personal blog, a Facebook page, a Twitter account, and a monthly mailing list which allows us to talk to and, most importantly, listen to approximately 2,500 potential customers.

This is on top of our regular in-store events which encourage new people to visit the store and become involved with its development. We also have a number of regular customers who give us feedback on what they like, and sometimes dislike, about the store. It is hard work at times staying on top of it all but it allows us to ‘tweak’ our business to meet our customers’ needs and expectations, and to involve them in the way the bookshop develops.

We use social networking (Facebook, Twitter) to understand our customers but also to make them feel they are part of our business, that they ‘own’ part of our store. We listen and respond to their comments and questions and offer opinions of our own just like any conversation between friends.

Small businesses are personal, and whilst care needs to be taken to remain professional and courteous, it’s also important that people recognize that there are people behind the logos and that these people want to engage and have conversations with them.

Will it be enough to keep this newly born business alive? I don’t know. But I do know that we have a lot of people who are enthusiastic about our business and are willing to engage with us on making it a success, and that gives us a great deal of encouragement, and a sense of purpose.