Advocacy Articles

Our Commitment to Advocacy
By Mark Palmore, Institutional Store Advocate and Executive Director

A few years ago Connect2One made a very important decision that impacts our membership every day.  That decision was to create the Institutional Store Advocacy Program devoted to the preservation of Institutional/Self-Op college stores.  We have worked with hundreds of college and university campus stores helping them to preserve the institutional/self-op model on their campus.  Believe me, we are even more committed to this program today.  In addition to my responsibilities as Executive Director, it is my job to promote the program to our membership and to work to create more membership value through additional Advocacy program offerings.

Recently we mailed all our membership a “white paper” on the Bundling and Customization issue.  That information along with the sample letters we supplied has already made a difference for member stores throughout the country.  Text buyers, managers, and store directors are working closely with their faculty educating them on this issue and based on the responses I have received, it is working.  Keep educating your faculty on this issue, it is worth your time.  Do it for your students, your store, and your institution. 

Last, but not least, on our website is information on Bundling and Customization, an Institutional Store Advocacy PowerPoint template for your use, and all of the articles I have written for the Advocacy program.  Visit our website at www.connect2one.com or e-mail me at mpalmore@connect2one.com for more information, or to comment on this or any other program.  The Advocacy program is for YOU, let us help make your store the best it can be!

Your Connect2One Advocacy Program at work!

Thanks to Connect2One we have avoided a leasing take over! Several months ago the university administration wanted proof that our institutionally owned and operated store was better than entering into a lease agreement for our campus bookstore.  Our financials and aggressive lobbying proved very successful. The Connect2One programs, the buying group pricing we benefit from as a member of C2O, your advocacy articles and the Institutional store model PowerPoint presentation you provide on your website were keys in assisting us to avoid the leasing threat!  Thank you from a grateful bookstore manager!

Richard Ehresman
Taylor University Bookstore Manager