eStores Archives - ThinkEDU Corporate WebSite

Service Programs

Michael — Wed, 27 Dec 2017 16:57:28 +0000

The management of ThinkEDU has been working with service-based businesses for over 20 years. In that time, we’ve had the opportunity to get to know a lot of business owners who are past the startup phase and are now wondering what they should be doing to expand their business into the academic space. The goal for many of these business owners is to get to the point where they aren’t chasing down new business every month and instead have a steady flow of leads, projects going on and recurring or passive income coming in through subscription billing programs.

The Opportunity: Market Your Services

When a business gets to this critical growth point many people feel stuck, not knowing what to do next. They aren’t sure how to reach more customers, while still maintaining all of the things they already do on a day-to-day basis. Most business owners know that if they want to grow they need to market their services. However, marketing is often the task that gets put off for later when there isn’t enough time to do everything. If you are in a similar place with your business, while it might seem intimidating to get started, it’s time to put marketing to work for your business.

Six Steps to Market your Services

1. Find the time
Easier said than done (of course) but if you want your business to grow, you have to free up time to invest back into your business. What this means for most is that you’ll need to start managing your time differently, whether that means delegating tasks to others, using software solutions to streamline your tasks or outsourcing time-consuming work to experts (accountants, etc). Set a goal for how many hours you want to invest in the growth of your business. A good way to organize your thoughts around this and to get started is by conducting a checkup on your business.

2. Invest the time
Now that you have allocated the time (this is the part that’s going to take some real discipline)—don’t fall into the trap of tackling projects that have been nagging you for a long time but have little impact on your business. This is valuable time that could change the course of your business, use it wisely. Use these 5 tips for increasing productivity to help you get the most out of your time.

3. Make a plan
Free up your calendar, don’t take any calls and give yourself a couple of hours of uninterrupted planning time. Think about what you want marketing to do for your business, what will success look like? How will you get there? Map it out and write it down.

4. Keep it simple
Don’t over-engineer your plan; this is a common mistake. Start small and take notes on what is working and what is not. For example: How are you currently selling your services? How do people find out about your offerings? Do your customers have the option to buy online? If not, this is a great first step to tackle. If you can offer your services online, then you’ll be able to market them easier through your social media pages, emails and on your website.

5. Relationships first
When you take your selling online you’ll be able to introduce yourself to new customers and re-introduce yourself to existing customers. Make sure that when you start opening this new channel up for your business, you have a system in place to organize your customer information so that each transaction and order is attached to your customer’s profile. If you set this up from the beginning, you will have a wealth of information that will help you get to know your best customers better and to market more efficiently in the future (saving time and money).

6. Keep marketing
Your marketing efforts should become part your business model, something that is ongoing and consistent. This consistency will help drive a flow of new leads. Additionally, share recent projects on your website and in social media that highlight your customer as well as your great work to keep your customers engaged. Finally, make sure you are building (and marketing) a recurring billing program to establish a passive revenue stream that will help add stability to your business.

Introducing the ThinkEDU Online Store

To help business owners market their services we can assist you with an online academic eStore. No matter your service, ThinkEDU can assist. Our online stores were built with the unique needs of service-based businesses in mind. Learn how the ThinkEDU Online Store helps business owners take advantage of the Biggest Growth Opportunities for service-based businesses:

Generating more business by marketing and selling your services
Providing the online shopping experience customers are used to
Saving time with a platform tailored to service business
Managing your business in one place
Gaining financial stability by generating new customers and sales 24/7

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Independent College Bookstore Association

Michael — Mon, 25 Dec 2017 22:23:45 +0000

About ICBA

Since its inception in 1927, Independent College Bookstore Association (ICBA) continues to be the only professional cooperative dedicated exclusively to institutional collegiate retail stores. ICBA provides the opportunity for owners and decision makers committed to putting their schools and students first and to openly and enthusiastically share operational improvements. ICBA does this by providing exceptional programs and services including buying programs, professional development and much more.

The ICBA Mission is to provide the programs and services that will establish the institutional store model as the preferred management solution for higher education.

The ICBA Promise

Exclusive institutional store sharing
Unsurpassed buying programs
Industry-leading professional development
Decision-making voice & pride of ownership

A Few Facts about ICBA
The most powerful college bookstore leaders in the industry belong to ICBA.

ICBA is 100% institutional stores (not lease-operated or privately owned)
ICBA serves more than 150 college stores across the nation
ICBA stores serve more than 3.6 million student customers
ICBA represents more than 77% of the Large Stores Group (stores with annual sales over $9 million) in the United States
ICBA Stores have reported sales totaling more than $1.5 billion
ICBA Store sales average annual $10 million (industry average is $2.0 million)

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Foundation of California Community Colleges

Michael — Mon, 25 Dec 2017 20:02:36 +0000

California Community Colleges Facts and Figures

Comprised of 72 districts and 114 colleges, the California Community Colleges make up the largest higher education system in the nation—providing a gateway to higher education for over 2 million students per year. Community Colleges offer associate’s degrees, prepare students for transfer to four-year institutions, provide opportunities for lifelong learning, and train the workforce that sustains California’s economy.

The largest system of higher education in the country

California Community Colleges have the highest rate of public attendance of all community college systems in the nation.
One in five of all community college students nationwide are enrolled in a California Community College.
Three out of every ten Californians age 18-24 are currently enrolled in a California Community College.

The primary gateway to higher education, serving all Californians

Over 67 percent of California Community College students are people of diverse ethnic backgrounds and roughly 53 percent are female.
Nearly 42 percent of California veterans receiving GI Bill educational benefits attend a California Community College.
Over 40 percent of California Community College students are age 25 or older and are already working adults.

California’s largest workforce training provider

Serving over 2 million students annually, California Community Colleges offer associate degrees and short-term job training certificates in more than 175 fields.
More than 100,000 individuals are trained each year in industry-specific workforce skills.
California Community Colleges train 80 percent of all California firefighters, law enforcement personnel, and emergency medical technicians.
Seventy percent of California nurses received their education at a California Community College.

A pathway to four-year universities

Almost 51 percent of graduates of the California State University system and 29 percent of the University of California system transferred from a California Community College.
California Community Colleges are a cost-effective alternative for students who cannot afford to go to a four-year university all four years.
Transfer students from the California Community Colleges to the University of California system currently account for 48 percent of UC bachelor’s degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

A good investment

For every dollar California invests to get students in and through college, the state’s economy receives a $4.50 net return on investment.
The California Community College system is the state’s most cost-effective system of education – the revenue needed to support one full-time student is slightly more than $5,000 per year.
Students receiving a degree or certificate from a California Community College nearly double their earnings within three years.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that occupations that require an associate degree will grow by 18 percent through 2020 – faster than the new job growth for those with a bachelor’s degree.

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MBS Textbook Exchange, LLC (MBS)

Michael — Mon, 25 Dec 2017 19:51:37 +0000

MBS

MBS Textbook Exchange, LLC (MBS) is the largest contract operator of virtual bookstores for the institutional client market and one of the largest textbook wholesalers in the United States. Initially a school furniture and teacher supply store founded as “The Missouri Store Company” in 1909, the company officially became MBS Textbook Exchange, LLC in 1973. Since then, MBS has been regarded as the industry leader in wholesale textbook distribution, building several other core competencies and business objectives along the way. MBS was acquired by Barnes & Noble Education in 2017.

For more information, visit www.mbsbooks.com

You can also visit the ThinkEDU-MBS store at: ThinkEDU/MBS

MBS DIRECT

Through its MBS Direct business, MBS services more than 700 virtual bookstores in higher education and K-12 with a comprehensive e-commerce experience and a broad suite of affordable new, used and digital course materials. It also operates textbooks.com, an e-commerce site for new and used textbooks. Together, BNED and MBS offer existing and prospective clients physical, virtual and hybrid bookstore models.

MBS WHOLESALE

Through its MBS Wholesale business, MBS sources and sells new and used textbooks to over 3,700 physical college bookstores, including Barnes & Noble College’s campus bookstores, and provides inventory management, hardware and point-of-sale software to more than 480 college bookstores. MBS’ wholesale distribution channel and warehousing systems enable BNED to optimize its textbook sourcing, purchasing and liquidation processes.

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Barnes & Noble College

Michael — Mon, 25 Dec 2017 19:18:01 +0000

ABOUT BARNES & NOBLE EDUCATION

Barnes & Noble Education enhances the academic and social purpose of educational institutions. Through Barnes & Noble College, our flagship business, Barnes & Noble Education serves more than 5 million college students and faculty members on 777 campus stores nationwide, delivering essential educational content and tools within a dynamic retail environment. We act as a strategic partner to improve academic outcomes; provide value and support to students and faculty; and create loyalty and retention, all while supporting the financial goals of our college and university partners.

OUR HISTORY

Leonard Riggio, chairman of Barnes & Noble, Inc., established the Student Book Exchange (SBX) in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village in 1965, after beginning his bookselling career as a student clerk at the New York University bookstore. SBX quickly became one of New York’s finest bookstores, known for its knowledgeable staff, wide selection and great service.

By the 1970s, Mr. Riggio’s business, which had grown to include six other college bookstores, acquired the flagship Barnes & Noble trade name and flagship bookstore in Manhattan. Within a few years, Mr. Riggio transformed the Fifth Avenue store into “The World’s Largest Bookstore,” with 150,000 textbook and trade titles.

Through the 1980s, Barnes & Noble experimented with different store formats and sizes, seeking to develop a suburban superstore version of the original Barnes & Noble store. In 1987, the company made its largest acquisition when it purchased B. Dalton Bookseller from Dayton Hudson. This acquisition of 797 retail bookstores thrust the company onto the national scene, making Barnes & Noble a nationwide retailer overnight and the second-largest bookseller in America.

In 2015, Barnes & Noble completed the separation of its Retail and College businesses. Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. became an independent, publicly traded company and parent of Barnes & Noble College, focused on the broader educational services market. Michael Huseby, former Chief Executive Officer of Barnes & Noble, Inc., was named Executive Chairman of Barnes & Noble Education.

This rich legacy of retail expertise, coupled with a deep understanding cultivated from serving more than 700 college and university campuses through the flagship Barnes & Noble College business, provides a strong foundation for Barnes & Noble Education to grow and serve the broader community of learners.

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