Rare Book Monthly
Articles - September - 2005 Issue
The International Bookseller's Directory: An important free dealer tool
An example of a completed form.
By Bruce McKinney
All the talk on the internet is about how powerful it is but the underlying reality has been kind of unpleasant. Yes you can increasingly become listed on the net and even develop a rudimentary website without too much trouble and expense BUT you can not be easily seen. Yes you can build a home, an office building or even a skyscraper on the net but there is no guarantee anyone is going to show up to use it. Getting visibility is the least understood aspect of site creation and one of the hardest jobs to accomplish. The International Booksellers Directory [IBSD] provides booksellers with an important tool for raising visibility. It is created to make you visible.
The IBSD is a complex free listing that becomes searchable by the various internet search engines as well as to visitors to AE as soon as you complete the registration. Using it searchers can quickly determine who does what where and when. With this tool you can be found. For both AE's Database and MatchMaker members and those who purchase an enhanced version of IBSD, their results pages have live links and an inquiry acquisition function. For all existing and new sellers signing up as free members there is a full free searchable page in which to describe your business and be identified by collectors. For $10 you can optionally enhance your listing page with live links: an exceptional value.
To begin to create your IBSD listing file is easy. To the left on AE pages is a menu of services. Listed near the top of the page under free services is the International Bookseller's Directory. Click on it! This is how visitors and members will access this directory on AE. It is easy to find.
To join, if you are already a free member [and you can remember your account ID and password] sign-in. If you are not yet an AE member, click "Become a Member" in the log in box to the left, sign up for a free membership, and log in. Now click again on the International Bookseller's Directory link. Once signed-in you have the option to select I want to join this directory! This will bring up a page in which to create a file about your bookselling activities.
You can create a complex file or a simple one but because we are going to offer complex search capabilities for these listings beginning October 1st the more information you provide the more likely you are to come up in searches. Attached is an image of my sign-up page so you can see how I have done it. It took less than ten minutes and it is quite complete.
After the first fields where you enter your basic information there is a link to your specialties. We permit you to select up to 15 fields to specify as areas of concentration. Members are going to look for dealers using these terms and they are going to learn that you have this material. Select carefully.
