Sarasota News and Books had established itself as a favorite bookstore and café for locals and tourists alike. While most independent bookstores in town had succumbed to the dominance of chains, SNB had stayed afloat, and new ownership was determined to keep the tradition going. With its prime downtown location, SNB had relied on foot traffic to attract the bulk of its customer base. But the company's events - its driving force - were sparsely attended. Management wanted a Web experience that would drive patrons to events and give them a way to relate to the store on a more personal level.
Through in-depth analysis of the company, we discovered that the store had unlimited potential through its events. We placed the store's events at the forefront of the site, highlighting upcoming happenings on the homepage. We also created a fully integrated calendar application that allows visitors to add events to their Outlook or iCal calendar applications with a single click. The site is fully staff-manageable, and offers unique features that highlight the store's community atmosphere.
The site has become a vehicle for the store to layer events with information and cross-marketing opportunities. User response has been overwhelmingly positive. Site visits increased by over 114 percent compared to the the old site's visits. And over 73 percent more first-time visitors came to the site. As Sarasota's downtown becomes more urban, one of its signature businesses has answered by bolstering its image with a sleek new identity and unique Web presence. The site has become an invaluable tool for Sarasota's thriving literary community and cultural scene.
