I love to share real life small business success stories and funny videos. Today I get to do both. Ozzbooks.com.au is the online book store of traditional bookshop Lake MacQuarie Used Books in Morriset, a small community north west of Sydney.
Owners Jim and Anne Owens have been perusing a hybrid business model of running a traditional shop combined with an online e-commerce store now for a number of years.
Jim and Anne are emerging as industry leaders by adapting their business to the new technologies. I got to know them last year after they contracted me to do some work for them. As Jim writes:
“I asked Steve to take a look at my various business websites to see what he could do to improve our online presence. His recommendations included not only a radical re-branding and seamless integration of our online bookstore & blog, but also a comprehensive social media marketing strategy. After considering the proposal I decided to go with his suggestions.”
After hearing the news about the collapse of giant local booksellers Angus & Roberston and Borders ( Sydney Morning Herald report) I called Jim and Anne just to see how they were getting on. I asked Jim how he was doing and his response was a great relief. Jim told me that his business was great and they were having great growth. That is consistent with the MYOB report that found that those business with proper websites were experiencing greater revenue growth than those that don’t.
Its not surprising that Jim and Anne’s business is growing when the traditional retailers are going broke. They have worked diligently at building their businesses online visibility. They have invested to make sure that their website is first class, they both blog on their ozzbooks blog site and actively promote their business on the social media platforms particularly Twitter (1,500+ followers) Facebook (236 fans) and the professionals Linkedin network.
Jim has written a very good blog about the latest events in his industry. Its well worth a read.
Bookshops, the past and new futures
Jim and Anne are actively working a planned and coordinated hybrid business strategy. They run a shop front business as well as an online e-commerce store and excellent business blog. They also promote their business across a multitude of online platforms. Right now their business is growing in an industry where hundreds of stores and thousands of employees in their own market location are facing very uncertain times.
Well done Jim and Anne !
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