Stop, shop and buy—the retailer’s First Third strategy

Put on your shopper’s hat and learn to view your store through your customers’ eyes

So, try this in your store …

Walk to the front door, just inside. Put your back against the door and face the inside of your store. Close your eyes. Take three deep cleansing breaths, clear your mind and think, “I am a customer just walking into this store.”

Now open your eyes. What do you see? Hurry! Say it out loud. What is the first thing your eye rests on? The second? Third? What do you notice? What catches your attention?

Close your eyes again, and name out loud each of the specific products in the order you saw them. Not displays. Individual items.

What displays do you remember? What signs do you recall?

What was your impression of the store? Messy? Neat? Cluttered? Open? Tight?

And ask yourself, “What are customers noticing as they enter my store? Will they stop, shop and buy something?”

Welcome to First Third thinking!

The most visible area that a customer notices when coming into your store is called “the First Third.” This is the front area where most of the features and primary displays are placed and is usually where most of the sales happen. How you develop and treat this primary retail space could well be the key to your selling success.

Here are three First Third questions that will help to clarify the effectiveness of your space:

Test question No. 1

Is the front of your store set up for the customer or for your staff’s convenience? If the customer sees a counter full of clutter, messes, stacked products, catalogs and bags, what does that tell him or her? When I am an invited guest in someone’s home, I don’t appreciate being around messes, dust, clutter, dirty bathrooms and such. I prefer a clean, tidy space that feels prepared for me, their guest. Are you fully prepared for your guests’ arrival?

Clean up everything the customer sees from the counter area to the spaces under fixtures. Dust, straighten, display and sign. (Bonus question: Do people vacuum their homes when guests are present or while they are getting ready to leave?)

Test question No. 2

Do customers notice a specific product, or are they overwhelmed by visual pollution—seeing a store full of “stuff” with nothing in particular catching their eye? Most stores have more than 20,000 SKUs on hand. For a customer to see every item would take a year. Are you controlling the details so they see what you want them to see?

The whole idea of a feature display, like a table or endcap, is to get the customer to stop, shop and buy. Focused displays around themes, price points or specific items will be more sales-effective than filling a display with everything you can think of. Are you trying to highlight too many things at once, thus causing visual pollution?

Test question No. 3

On the sides and at the end of each aisle, does the customer see a nice product display or a storage area? Look down your main store aisle and notice what the customer sees. The endcaps lining that aisle should be features with good signage and special product displays. At the end of the aisle there should be an attractive display to draw them farther into the store.

Remember, you are in control of what they see and respond to. Does the line of sight end at an attractive display of specific products that make them want to stop, shop and buy?

A vital part to your ministry and business will be whether customers buy some of your life-changing products. If the merchandising is visually appealing and focused, then the whole store becomes a showcase full of features and specific items that you control. Have your staff regularly ask themselves, “What does the customer see?” and develop a First Third strategy for every highly visible, primary feature area of your store.

If what customers see as they enter your store are specific products, promotions, features and neat, organized, well-signed displays, you are on your way to more customers who will stop, shop and buy.

MICHAEL HUPP is executive director, merchandising at Cokesbury and a CBA board member representing chain stores.

Making decisions, working stress-free and leading ‘lawfully’

Dubbed the “personal productivity guru” by Fast Company magazine, coach and consultant Allen reveals the connection between our mind-set and productivity. He asserts that it is only when our minds are clear and our thoughts are organized that we can be productive and creative.

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You (Tenth Anniversary Edition) by John C. Maxwell (Thomas Nelson, 978-0-785-28837-4, 2007)

This is one of the best, most accessible books on leadership there is.  Several of these leadership “laws” run through my head at any given moment, and I know that following them makes a difference.

The Traveler’s Gift: Seven Decisions That Determine Personal Success by Andy Andrews (Thomas Nelson, 978-0-785-27322-6, 2005).

I was in marketing with Thomas Nelson when this book was published and fell in love with it when I first read the manuscript. My husband had the seven decisions taped on his bathroom mirror for years. I think it should be required reading for everyone, especially in the midst of hard, scary times.

Christian stores have a unique asset in building the all-important sense of community

I  love bookstores. I never want to see them go away. I love the smell of a new book. I love the look of shelves covered with books. I love being in a bookstore, knowing that everyone else in the store feels the same way about books as I do. The bookstore is a community. A community of readers. A community of book lovers.

My small town is surrounded by other small towns. There are three small colleges nearby, each with a public-access university store. I can name three used-book shops, a comic shop and a Christian bookstore within driving distance.

Of these eight different businesses, only one fosters that feeling of community I so love. The college stores? Nope. Plenty of “school spirit,” but they’re pretty academic in nature. The used-book shops? They’re dark, stuffy and have the feel of a pair of shoes that you’ve kept for far too long. 

As a Christian, surely I’d feel at home in the Christian bookstore? Would that it were so. Instead, I feel self-conscious, like I’m being watched and judged by the section I’m perusing, being silently measured against some “piety chart” taped to the cash register.

But wait, there is one bookstore that has earned my business: my local comic book shop. I don’t read a lot of comics. Even as a kid I didn’t read many; I simply didn’t have the money. I’d occasionally get a few copies of X-Men or Superman or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at school or at a yard sale, but that was the extent of my comic exposure. 

So how is this store different? They have events with writers and artists. They do book signings. They have “hang out” events to tie in with any comic book movies playing at the theater in the same shopping center.

Most importantly, they connect with their customers. They don’t try to pitch me the latest Fathom or Witchblade books because they’ve taken the time to learn my tastes and respect my choices in entertainment. One of the guys who works there even sends me texts and pics when there’s a new Elseworlds or Atomic Robo book coming in.

A REASON TO CHOOSE

It’s not enough to simply be the bookshop on the corner (whether you’re a Christian bookshop, a chain store or an independent specialty store) anymore; you have to give people a reason to choose you over Amazon.com and the burgeoning e-book market.

What is your bookstore doing to connect with your customers? This isn’t something you have to spend a lot of money on, or even a lot of time—especially if your staff is passionate about the books you sell and the messages of hope and life they bring to people’s lives.

Despite what you may have read elsewhere, Borders was not a victim of some grand conspiratorial e-book revolution. No, Borders was a victim of its own success in the 1990s. 

The business grew rapidly, coming out of nowhere to become the second-largest bookstore chain in English-speaking markets. So what happened? Leaders spent too much time thinking about how to expand their 1990s’ business model and not enough time thinking about how to change into a 2010s’ model. 

Borders had some things right: Foster a community. But it also made some bad (read: very expensive) expansion investments based on an outdated business model. By the time Borders figured out the whole “community” thing, its massive debt was too crushing to be able to pull out from under it.

Borders didn’t die because it didn’t have customers. In many communities, Borders was the only bookstore—which opens a huge opportunity for new and existing independent book shops to spring up and thrive. The consumers didn’t go away. They’re still there and they’ll buy from whoever makes it the most pleasant purchasing experience.

BUILDING RELATIONSHIP

People don’t consciously think of the relationship they have with a store. But you, as a store owner, can’t afford not to think of that relationship. Your customers, and potential customers, will buy from the most visible storefront and the easiest/most gratifying shopping experience. 

Despite selling everything from bolts of fabric to laser printers, books are still Amazon.com’s bread and butter. The company prides itself on ease of purchase, being the low-price leader and being everything to everybody. 

But that’s not the beginning and end of running a successful business and the leaders there know that. They’re aggressively trying to be more social, trying to build a community through their discussion forums and their Shelfari initiative. But low prices and online forums aren’t everything—just ask Starbucks. The experience matters more than price.

What is the experience someone has with your store? From the moment they see your location from the street to parking their car to walking in the front door—what does your potential customer experience? If you doubt the power of experience, take a trip to your local Starbucks and look at the prices; people certainly aren’t going there for value on a cup of coffee. Everything about Starbucks says “We love coffee! And we know you love coffee! We all love coffee!” 

What if your store said the same thing about Jesus—before you or any of your employees ever greeted a customer?

OFFERING INSPIRATION

If you can’t be passionate and excited about something that the Lord is teaching you through a book, how can you expect to inspire others to do the same? 

As a Christian bookstore owner, when was the last time you shared a new book at your local church? How about at a local church that’s not your home church? “Face time” makes people comfortable. How much “face time” are you getting with potential customers? 

You can’t be afraid to approach your local pastors to ask them for pulpit time. If you ask and they turn you down, have you lost anything? (Look up Matt. 7:7 if you doubt this principle—this verse is even in red).

Because of their unique positions in the Christian community, Christian bookstores have unparalleled access to local churches. How large is your bookstore? Do you have room to host an interdenominational readers’ club? Or what about helping each of your local churches start their own book club?

Usually all it takes is planting the idea in one person who is excited about reading and the deeper things of God, and the rest will happen for you (as long as you keep in touch). Perhaps even offer a discount for multiple books purchased at once for a book club.

Something that Destiny Image does in working with authors is to get their itineraries: Where are they going to be speaking? Is there a bookstore near a church they will be speaking in? We try to arrange for signings in those book shops when an author is going to be nearby. It’s a challenge, and schedules rarely mesh, but when everything works together, it benefits everyone.

This is how you build a community: You get out there and meet people. If a Christian bookstore is your mission, then meet people where they are. Sometimes this means being open different hours. Sometimes it means a different location. Sometimes it means continuing to do what you’re already doing. Every community is a little different. CR

Destiny Image has greatly expanded through the years from its initial structure, with the original offices now suites for Destiny Image Films.

Web Copy That Sells: The Revolutionary Formula for Creating Killer Copy Every Time  

by Maria Veloso (Amacom)

 Of course, Christian books affect my business the most, but this is the one that has made the most significant difference for my company in the past year.

It was recommended to me by Dale Anderson and John Fallahee at AMG Publishers. They said: “If you follow Veloso’s steps, your emails will double their sales.” 

I admit, I was skeptical, but I bought the book and implemented Veloso’s principles. Right away, our emails brought in two to five times more business.

Then I started using the techniques in business correspondence and printed ads. Again our sales increased dramatically.

 Veloso says that almost anyone can write better Web copy and better emails, even if they aren’t naturally good writers. She lays out several steps to doing this. One of the biggest mistakes people make is to forget the emotional part of the sale. 

In a nutshell, she helps you discipline your writing techniques: What is the customer’s problem? What are the painful consequences of that problem? Why hasn’t that problem been solved already? What does your product have or do that solves the problem and why is it the best? 

We own several copies of Web Copy That Sells and wouldn’t write an email or a Web page without it. Even though fewer people are opening emails this year, it doesn’t matter: Veloso’s copywriting technique increased responses and our sales went up.

Echo smartpen (Livescribe)

I’m not an early adopter. I’m a busy person who doesn’t have time to mess with new gadgets. I hate facing a long learning curve.

But Livescribe is so easy to use, it can be functional in just five minutes. The instructions that come in the box couldn’t be easier. (Can you tap on a square that says “Tap Here”?)

Livescribe is perfect for people who like to take handwritten notes, and yet want them on a computer to save and search them later. I am often in meetings where notetaking via laptop would be rude, so Livescribe is perfect for this. 

No scanner is needed. I simply write on the special dot paper—it comes in a journal like Moleskine or a less expensive spiral-bound notebook. Then, connect the pen to the computer and the page automatically shows up. This page can be saved to your computer, emailed, sent to Evernote, posted on Facebook. And yes, it does handwriting recognition. Text is searchable.  

Best yet, you can go back later to that same page and add notes in the margin. Next time you connect your pen to the computer, it will update that page. No need to search for the page and delete it first.

Why you must have a good-looking Web site

Even if you don't plan to do much Internet selling, an appealing online presence is absolutely vital—and doable 

Brick-and-mortar retailers may be committed to their physical operation, but having an online presence is still critical to building and maintaining their business.

While some Christian stores put significant time and energy into their Web sites, others go with the basics, recognizing that being online means regular or potential shoppers can find them and get a feel for the store before spending gas money—an increasingly important factor for many cost-conscious consumers—and taking the trip.

Do-It-Yourself might be fine at home, but unless you’re very Internet-savvy, it might be better to consider a template-driven service with minimal up-front cost, such as Innovative’s Signature Websites.

With a professional look, such an inexpensive site can help market your store 24/7 to anyone who comes across it while surfing the Internet or visits the site looking for a particular product. 

Web site service providers can also help stores reach their customers with email promotions, endcap signage and vendor-supported sale products. A significant benefit is that the store doesn’t have to stock all of the inventoried products at its physical location.

Many stores use Facebook—and it’s important to use this social-media platform, too—but a dedicated site for non-Facebook users is still needed. Don’t forget to provide your store’s Web address on your Facebook page, too.

KEEP IT UPDATED

A word to the wise—use spell-check on your Web site and double-check it yourself for errors. 

For instance, a Web site that does not capitalize “Bible” comes off as careless at least, and could even be considered as being disrespectful to God’s Word by some. 

Sites also need to be kept up-to-date. If your store was hosting an author signing three months ago or is highlighting an old VeggieTales DVD, it looks outdated and tired—and doesn’t attract new customers. 

Old blog entries and out-of-date events make for bad advertising. If you plan to use an events calendar to keep users current on Christian concerts, author signings or major church events, don’t let it lag behind. Assign someone on your staff to update it at least weekly. 

If you aren’t getting notice of events, check sites of Christian radio stations, local newspapers or major local churches to regularly freshen up the calendar. Be sure the photos and/or ads on your site don’t look dated either.

If you do build your own site, make sure it’s easy to navigate. Have a couple of people who are unfamiliar with your store test your Web site to see if they can find everything they’re looking for—store location, hours, particular products. 

Make it warm and friendly, too, by putting your personal name to it—your picture would be even better. Add something about the history of your store and/or your commitment to the community.

CREDIBILITY, VISIBILITY

Canadian Christian retail chain Blessings has added a live-chat function to its Web site, and President Mark Hutchinson says it’s a “great tool.” 

“When a customer walks into our brick-and-mortar store, we welcome them and are then there to assist them with finding product if they cannot find what they are looking for; online we were not able to offer this service,” he explained. “I said to my team, ‘We need to replicate this service online. We need to offer “wow” customer service.’ 

“We believe we can now offer the same level of service online as in the physical store. You go to Blessings.com and cannot find what you are looking for, [but] instead of getting frustrated and going to a competitor site, we now offer you the chance to talk directly with [us] so that we can assist you in making your purchase.”

On the supplier front, in similar fashion, Rose Publishing offers a live-chat mechanism for its customers. Users—mainly dealers of Rose’s products—can ask any question through its live support without taking extra time to pick up the phone. It serves the customer well and costs little for Rose to provide.

A Web site gives your store credibility as well as visibility, since many users comparison-shop before heading out the door. Not having one could lead to lost business, not to mention fewer ministry opportunities. CR

‘Keep relevant with what people want’

Lessons on surviving digital upheaval from an innovative leader in the photo world who emphasizes fun 

Guest Editor Gretchen Goldsmith speaks with Mark Comon, vice president of Paul’s Photo in Torrance, Calif., about how his business has dealt with major market changes.

How significant has the change to digital been in the retail camera store industry? 

The typical camera store paid the rent with film and processing every month. Now that is all gone, so as a camera store, you have to rely on hard-goods sales and whatever else you can do. Some people have a fairly good niche still in the processing department, doing prints, which people still want.  Granted, it’s not as much as it was, but there’s still a fair amount of business there. 

How quickly did this digital shift occur? 

Two things have happened. First of all, in the digital world, people don’t print. You guys in publishing may be seeing the same thing, that people aren’t buying books. They’re reading online, they’re downloading, but they’re not going to the store and buying a book. That’s the same kind of thing that happened to us. People are shooting more pictures than ever, but they’re not sharing them in a printed form. They’re sharing them online, they’re sharing them on their iPad, or they’re stuck hopelessly on their computer with our moms and dads’ generation not being able to look at them, view them or print them.

How fast did that turn occur?

Five years. The switch came in the late ’90s.

How many retail camera stores are there today compared to, say, 10 years ago?

It depends on how you define a retail camera store. The small mom-and-pop camera store, the small mom-and-pop, one-hour photo lab, those guys are all gone. I would be willing to guess that there are a third less camera stores in the U.S. than there was 10 years. Two big chains merged. They had thousands of stores and they’re down to just a couple hundred stores.

What methods have you used to bring in new income to replace that business? 

We just have to work hard to keep the customers we have. We still do a fair amount of printing. Granted, it’s not as much as it was before, but we’re trying to transition people into new ways of printing. We’re doing photo books, a lot more enlargements, canvas prints. Then we do education. We do classes and trips and tours to build loyal customers and keep people interested in taking better pictures. I find when people take better pictures, they take more pictures and have more fun with it.

Are there any programs or ideas you’ve implemented that have been particularly successful?

We’re still fishing for the right answer as everyone is in the printing world. No one really knows what makes people decide to print pictures. Well, no, we do know what: It’s an event, whether it’s a wedding, a birthday, an anniversary. As far as the class and education side, I just have to keep relevant with what people want to learn today. As new cameras shift, as new technology shifts, people want to learn new things and they want to learn about what’s new and how it works best for them.

The emails you send out vary. Some are quite plain and some use templates. Can you explain?

I go back and forth. When I send a personal email, I do it as text-only because I hate to get an email from someone when it’s just all these red x’s all over the place and you can’t see it, so when I send an email or a newsletter, it’s all text. So if you want to find the information, if you want colored pictures and stuff like that, you’ve got to click on the links and go someplace else. Constant Contact is fancier. I get answers on my emails from my regular customers who know me. I’ve had absolutely zero response from people who don’t know us personally with email marketing. But I find it really effective for, “We just got this new thing in. Come take a look at it.” or “We’re going to have this special event tomorrow night. Come down and check it out.” 

Are there any particular classes that have been most successful for you, and any idea why that is? 

Our photo boot camp is the most popular because it’s a six-week class to really get you going on your camera. Everyone buys a fancy camera to go on vacation or for a party or for an event, and then quite often you’re not 100% satisfied with the result. Here, you come in, we take you through the camera top to bottom. You have assignments, you go away, you come back. Hopefully you’re learning. When you make better pictures, you’re having more fun. That’s what it’s all about for me. Creating an environment where people can have fun and succeed. 

You teach classes on Photoshop and other digital photography tools. Why would you offer classes that hurt your remaining film-processing business? 

The technology is going to come whether you embrace it or not. If you put your head in the sand, you’re just going to get run over. Would I like to go back to the days of film? As a film-processing, developing guy, yes. But as a photographer and a photography coach, I see huge improvements in what people are doing and cameras and technology—and an interest. Maybe one of the aspects that your readers should be looking at is, “How can we embrace the technology and turn it to our advantage?” Why don’t you guys offer support materials? You can’t look at a map on a Kindle. You can’t look at a picture timeline on a Kindle. “Here, we have the supporting products for this new book in stock. Come down and get it.”

Was this shift in your thinking an instant thing or did you grow into it?

I had to grow into it. The other thing you have to remember—when digital photography started, it sucked. I didn’t embrace it because the pictures were low-quality. After a very short while, it got a little bit better. Then for some people, it was OK; for the serious guys, it wasn’t. Gradually, now there is nobody that doesn’t do better in digital than they did in film.

What have been some of your most successful classes?

Everything I do is successful. Everything I do is fun for the customers, fun for me. It’s just a great experience—that’s the way I build it. A lot of times I decide where I’m going to go (to lead a group) by asking my people where they want to go, and then we go there. 

How do you go about asking them? 

Generally how it works is we’re sitting at the bar on the last night of the trip and [I may ask], “Where do you guys want to go next?” In the next two weeks I’m taking my third safari to Africa, and that trip came about sitting in the bar on our last night in Germany in 2005. This is our third time going. Same thing happened in January—I’ve got a snowmobile trip to Yellowstone in the wintertime.  

People can buy cheap cameras pretty much anywhere these days. How do you keep them coming back to you? 

Number one, we sell at the same price you can buy them online for, so there’s no price advantage for buying online. The big question is, when you have a problem or need help, how much help is the Internet going to give you? They’re not going to help you at all. I understand a camera is a little more taxing technologically than a book is. For me it’s all about personal relationships. I know all my customers by name, they know me. I’m on third-generation customers. 

What advice do you have for Christian retailers?

You should be able to do it better. You can always do it better than the big guy. The bigger the guy, the more opportunity you have to find what you can do better then they do, how you can service your customers better, how you can help your customer, be the value-added resaler. Remember what you’re best at. I know what I’m good at and I don’t do things that I’m not good at. I leave that for somebody else. 

You sound pretty passionate about it.

I am. I love what I do. I get up and go to work every morning and love it. CR

Why e-books aren’t the end of the world

Christian Retailing’s Supplier of the Year on specialty retail’s enduring niche

Since our company was named Supplier of the Year for 2011 by Christian Retailing magazine, I have been asked what we do that prompted stores across the country to speak so positively about our products and service.

Rose Publishing’s market share through Christian bookstores has grown significantly through the years, making us a leader in the Bible atlas, biblical studies, denominational studies and Bible reference categories.

I believe that part of the reason for that lies in our roots and our conviction that Christian retail stores are not just another channel for the distribution of Christian products, but share in a unique partnership with suppliers.

Christian books and bookstores have always been a part in my life. My father came to Christ as a graduate student at the University of Nebraska by reading Paul E. Little and other authors. When I was 8 years old, he and my mother started a book table to serve students at UCLA, later helping open a Christian nonprofit bookstore near campus. I remember many happy hours helping in the store.

At 23 years old, I was the first full-time female trade representative to cover 200 Christian bookstores in the eight Western states for David C. Cook Publishing. Too young to rent a car, for several years I drove from store to store. 

Inventorying three stores a day, making friends with the buyers, and in some cases even staying in their homes, gave me an understanding of what Christian bookstores wanted and needed from publishers.

Those experiences inform several things we do to try to serve stores more effectively.

REASONS FOR SUCCESS

We answer the phone.

There is no “phone tree” at Rose—our 800 number is answered by a human being from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT. Inquiries during normal office hours are answered by a knowledgeable, helpful person, not a call center or part-time summer staff. We return after-hours messages the morning of the following business day. 

Two years ago, we installed a “customer service live chat line” that allows dealers visiting our Web site to get answers fast without picking up the phone. 

We remember the mission.

We never forget that Christian bookstores are the loving faces and hands of Jesus Christ to their communities. Our staff often prays with store staff about difficulties they mention. We also recommend products that will answer a customer’s question. When loyal dealers have their anniversaries, we honor requests for free products for giveaways. We help with special events.  

Some publishers don’t have time for Christian bookstores that order less than $1,000 at a time. They send stores to the distributors who don’t know the products as well. We have a dedicated sales reps and well-trained customer service reps to serve the independent Christian stores.

We aim to meet needs.

Most of our product line has come from suggestions given to us by stores—the Then and Now maps, the time lines, the comparison charts on denominations. Our best-selling Rose Book of Bible Charts, Maps, and Time Lines came about because dealers wanted 8.5-by-11-inch versions of our large wall charts for people who didn’t have room on their walls. 

We know people are sometimes too busy these days to read a 200-page book, so we give them pamphlets that condense a topic  into 14 easy-to-understand pages, complete with diagrams, photos, maps and charts.

We provide free marketing help.

We started giving away free Bible eCharts to help build our mailing list, but have offered this program to stores, too. Many don’t have time to create fancy social media campaigns or look for giveaways that will increase the open rate of their emails, so our free program lets them send a free item each month.

The link for the free chart goes to a site that does not have Rose contact details. The store’s email also explains how to sign up for the store e-newsletter.

REASONS FOR HOPE

Despite all the challenges in our industry, I remain positive about the special role and opportunity for Christian bookstores.  

 The market is still there.

There are millions of Christians in the U.S. who buy a lot of Christian products. They might buy in a variety of new ways, but the customer hasn’t disappeared.

In-store is immediate.

Online retailers cannot service customers with need for the product now, today.

Print is still strong.

Sales of Christian books are still dominated by printed books and will remain that way for a long time. Many people don’t realize that most music is still sold on CDs. People like them for gifts, for permanence, for backup. 

E-book categories differ.

Religion as a category is one of the slowest to switch to e-books. Kindle, for example, has difficulty with Bible formatting. Yes, you can get a free Bible, but you cannot jump to a chapter and verse with ease. 

In addition, common sense tells us that churches will always buy for the broadest use. You can’t tell Fred he isn’t welcome at Sunday school because he doesn’t have a Kindle or an iPad. Christianity is not an isolationist activity the way normal book reading is. Most e-books have no page numbers. How can a Bible study group stay together when there are no page numbers?

Physical is more visible.

Digital products require intentionality. You have to download something to read it. But sitting in a doctor’s office waiting room, you need only open your eyes to see magazines and books. You are captivated by a headline. Tracts and Christian books capitalize on this. 

Amazon's biggest challenge is to get people to buy more than one item, whereas a bookstore customer rarely walks out with just one item.

New technology can help.

Social media and other communication developments are enabling retailers to contact customers in new ways who might be walking or driving near the store and offer them an incentive to come in. Where.com is just one example of how hyper-local ad networks can function.

Some things don’t change.

Customers are different than they were 10 years ago in many ways—interests, demographics, buying patterns—but their questions remain exactly the same. Who is God? Does He care about me? And more.

Christian bookstore owners and managers passionate about serving the Lord insist on good-quality product because they have to stand behind it when customers come asking questions. This is a clear advantage over secular megastores. Christian bookstore staff add value by giving recommendations. CR

It's time to renew our faith, to navigate a changing industry

 The Bible says without faith it’s impossible to please God. Yet many Christians—including many in our industry—are living in fear, not faith. After the boom of the '80s and '90s, more Christian books were sold in secular channels; digital methods of distribution ate away at sales; many found the transition to the next generation wasn’t smooth; and on top of everything, the economy turned south in 2008.  

What else can go wrong, they said, as more stores closed?

As a result the industry has shrunk. Even though good things are happening and some are prospering, the prevailing thinking too often is not one of faith and vision.

I believe our industry could learn from what happened in Australia in the late 1980s when Dr. David Yonggi Cho from South Korea visited the nation and challenged the small-mindedness of the Pentecostal leaders he met with.

Australia is a very secularized nation. The percentage of Christians in church on Sunday is much lower than the United States. Australia has never had a huge revival. I know this because my late father-in-law, Harvey Ferrell, pastored in Sydney when my wife was a teenager. The churches were small and it was a struggle to grow.

Cho, who founded what became the world’s largest church, challenged the Australian leaders he met on their lack of faith.   He said their churches didn’t grow because they didn’t believe they would.  

The leaders took his challenge to heart—especially the Assemblies of God. Andrew Evans, who was head of that denomination, told me Cho’s challenge was a turning point. Today the Assemblies of God is the largest Protestant denomination in Australia. Many of its churches, including churches pastored by Evans’ two sons, have thousands of members.

One of the A/G churches, Hillsong, has had influence around the world: Ever heard the song, “Shout to the Lord”? And soon we’ll write about Koorong, the Christian bookstore chain that is thriving in Australia.

FAITH TO GROW

I’m not a Cho, but I know it takes faith to grow. I started very small in 1975 and in the early days had to believe God for every dollar that came in the door. Yet my organization and I went through a slump. I took a sabbatical in 2009, which I write about in the accompanying article. Now we have a vision for the future and have seen some amazing turn arounds. The Lord gave me some strategies a year ago which have resulted in significant growth and extended reach for our Ministry Today magazine brand.

Now Christian Retailing is making some strategic changes, too, to address the changes we are seeing in our industry.  

Internally we’re moving some of our staff as we focus on new initiatives. For example, Dave Condiff, the longtime publisher of Christian Retailing, has moved to head up our company’s entire advertising department. We welcome back to the Christian Retailing team Cliff Morales, who did a great job in advertising a few years ago.

As a magazine, Christian Retailing is more focused on the business of retailing and on featuring stores that are prospering. We’re inviting industry leaders to be guest editors beginning next month to get their perspective and to make reading the magazine a more exciting experience.  

We know you can get information from many sources. But we want to give you a vision for what is happening overall and help you to stay connected month by month with the Christian Retailing community both in print and online, with new products you’ll see coming, with small intimate events such as our West Coast ReBoot or our planned Gathering in Dallas next spring.

But we also want to encourage people to believe God. I’m reminded of the thousands of Christians in ministries like Campus Crusade for Christ, Youth With A Mission and so forth that believe enough in what they are doing that they raise their own support.  

MINISTRY CALLING

I know that some of the many Christian retailers who have the same sense of ministry calling are weary right now, even worried. They have seen others fall by the wayside. We want to come alongside those who are still standing, to encourage and equip and support them as they renew their faith and vision.  

This is not the only tough time and ours is not the only industry to undergo change. Sure, times are difficult, but what good can result as we pray, pursue business excellence and persevere? I remember Robert Schuller’s famous line that was the title of his best-selling book: “Tough times never last, but tough people do.”

That’s why we have initiated “The Christian Retailing Pledge” presented here. It may be stating the obvious and maybe it won’t change behavior, but it’s a sort of vow to keep trying and to never give up and to help others.  

We are encouraged by those at the International Christian Retail Show who were willing to quickly sign it so we could print their names in this issue. Won’t you add your name to the list as we update it in print and online? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everyone in the industry signed this pledge?

Finally, the rebranding our company did caused us to articulate our vision statement for Christian Retailing, and it’s appropriate as we institute changes to publicly state our vision for the magazine and what we believe is important.

Meanwhile, please give us your feedback. We’ll be doing more surveys; we’ll have community forums online; and we hope you'll attend our small regional meetings. Those who participated in our Retailing ReBoot event last spring in Orlando, Fla., were so encouraged. The event was so positive that we have decided to repeat it on the West Coast.  

I believe the excitement that was generated is an indication of positive momentum in our industry. I hope you plan to attend Retailing ReBoot West in October. You can find more information and register here.

For us, changing times involved changing our name

Throughout Scripture, God often changed a person’s name before something significant happened in their life. After a remarkable encounter with the Lord, Abram became Abraham. Jacob became Israel. Saul became Paul. 

It’s probably not a big deal to you, but I’ve started going by Steve Strang for the past year after using “Stephen Strang” my entire adult life. Though I’m obviously not in the same category as those biblical giants, this shift has come out of some significant changes in my own life. 

I took a sabbatical in mid-2009 to reflect in life and deal with the enormous changes that were hitting my company after 33 years of uninterrupted growth. During that time, the Lord began dealing with areas of pride in my life, and I realized that I always felt a little “puffed up” when using Stephen rather than the name all my friends call me—Steve. The truth is, I originally began using my formal given name right out of college because I thought it sounded more sophisticated. 

Don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying anyone who prefers to be called Stephen is prideful. But for me, it boiled down to answering a question someone challenged me with: What does the Lord call me? 

When God speaks to me, He calls me Steve. He’s not as interested in how sophisticated my name sounds as He is in being my closest friend. So at a time when the Lord was pointing out the pride in my life, it was an easy shift to make.

But what about my other name? Strang is more than just my last name; it’s what we have called the company my wife, Joy, and I founded more than 30 years ago. We started using “Strang Communications” partly because of the long tradition of publishing houses being named for their founders. After all, it meant I’d make sure it stood for the highest standards of quality and integrity because it was my name.

As the company grew, I began to think maybe it would become a legacy at some point. Maybe someday people would utter “Strang” in the same reverenced breath as Thomas Nelson, the 18th-century Scot who began selling books door to door and whose company evolved into today’s publishing giant. I remember as a 28-year-old meeting Pat Zondervan shortly before he died and wondering if someday I’d be an important publisher, too.

Our company’s success fueled this fire. The press occasionally wrote about the “Strang empire.” We landed a few books on the New York Times best-sellers list. I was named by Time magazine as one of the most influential evangelicals and began to be sought after by politicians. 

It all began to feel pretty good. Yet gradually the very thing I hated in others—pride—crept into my own thinking. I tried to keep my pride in check a couple of times by asking trusted leaders such as Jack Hayford and Mike Bickle if we should change the name of the company. They felt there was no reason to change, that Strang had become a respected and worthy brand. 

But as I reached middle age, I grew more and more wary of things we published and how it would reflect on me personally—after all, my name was on it. With people working “at Strang” and Google marking our office location by my name, I began to feel more like a landmark. This was hardly why I began publishing a small Christian magazine that encouraged people to embrace more of the Holy Spirit.

At the same time that we realized the company had to retool for a new generation and rebrand ourselves, I decided I had to rid myself of anything that drew attention to me instead of Christ. Was I put on earth to serve Him or to build a legacy to myself? I knew the answer. 

The scripture “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30) became alive to me. 

So as I made other changes in my life, I decided to take my name off the company. 

It took a year to brainstorm with staff, family, authors and customers. But earlier this year our company officially became Charisma Media. Charisma is our strongest brand. It refers not only to spiritual gifts, but also to our calling and passion to serve God and the church. Media signifies the diversified ways we can communicate—not only in print through magazines and books, but also online, via apps and the myriad of other digital vehicles. 

While my wife, Joy, and I are totally focused on serving God by leading this organization, we know we won’t be doing this forever. Charisma Media is the legacy we want to leave so others can reach their generation as we have tried to reach ours, just as my mentors such as author Jamie Buckingham, publisher Robert Walker and others did before us.

I’m no Saul of Tarsus, nor did Jesus blind me on my way to work one day. But my “encounter” has resulted in some significant name changes, both personally and professionally. And with Strang Communications becoming Charisma Media, we have great faith for big things in the future—all for God’s glory.

Now that you understand the reason and passion behind our corporate name change, let me take a moment to also restate our commitment to helping you and your respective business-ministries also continue to serve our Lord and your customer needs to your fullest and best potential. 

Whether you’re a retailer or a supplier, Charisma Media stands ready to help you become the best at what you’re called to do. We remain optimistic about the opportunities for our industry and passionate about reaching the world with the life-changing messages found in the myriad of products our industry's dedicated suppliers and retailers make available to consumers. I am pleased to stand by your side as a brother in Christ and look forward with enthusiasm to working together, Charisma Media and you.

After several years in which many of the post-ICRS ruminations have been post mortems, it’s rather nice that this year’s reflections amount to more of a clean bill of health.

Even some of the positive comments that followed previous events came through rather clenched teeth, but this year they seem to be accompanied by genuine smiles. Quite a relief all round.

My sense is that last year in St. Louis, the show right-sided itself, like a boat coming through white waters, and now we can stop feeling queasy and concentrate on charting the currents ahead. In some ways, it’s a new show for a new era.

Before we get too euphoric, let’s acknowledge that we’re not talking high fives and cartwheels. Ten percent attendance growth over last year is good, but we need to remember that the 2011 event was in Atlanta, which has traditionally been one of the show’s strongest host cities.

Additionally, exhibitor numbers and booth spaces remained flat—in one respect, at least. Though suppliers may not have increased their show-floor footprint much, some of them did seem to be making more of their space, with displays rising high into what for the past few years has been largely dead air. It was almost as though they were holding their heads up again.

Once again, CBA managed and orchestrated the show floor well to create a sense of energy and busyness. How creative the team was became apparent the minute you stepped outside the exhibition hall into the rest of the huge convention center, where it felt like someone had staged a small group meeting in an aircraft hangar.

More kudos to CBA for ratcheting up the educational component once again. I heard great reviews from retailers for both the variety of topics and the strength of the presentations. And the daylong retail academy was by all accounts a great success.

Worth the price of admission on its own was George Barna’s opening-session presentation on how shifts in culture and technology are shaking up the publishing and retailing world. He didn’t pull any punches, but he did provide lots of food for thought and then led a spirited panel discussion with several industry leaders. Look for a recording of the proceedings at CBA’s Web site.

The organizers also did a great job in attracting Christian and general market media to the event, bringing lots of exposure to Christian products, authors and artists. Other pluses I saw and heard about included the express registration check-in that did away with the long lines of former years and the wider range of reasonably priced food options close to the exhibit floor.

Another reason for this year’s positive outcome, I believe, is that some suppliers and retailers alike have finally adjusted their expectations. 

Many suppliers have said for some time that the show has changed, it’s not about sales, blah blah, but they seem to have still looked to their bottom line as the primary indicator of a “good” event. This time around, I sensed there was more of a genuine recognition that ICRS is not primarily about orders—though, having said that, I also heard from a number who were quite happy with the business they did and who had worked hard with advance scheduling and on-the-floor energy to draw visitors. Gone are the days when you could just sit there in your booth and wait for orders, thank you very much.

I can understand how it used to be a bit tough for exhibitors to say cheerfully that the industry needs a place to meet, when they knew how much it was costing them to provide the opportunity for others to enjoy it at no charge, but now that they have their costs down and in line, it’s easier to say that genuinely.

Then there are the retailers. Gone seems to be the doom and gloom and the sense that the suppliers owed them something. Maybe the folks that brought that cloud are no longer around. The retailers I met at ICRS weren’t pretending things were easy. But they were for the most part optimistic, determined and appreciative of suppliers’ efforts to cooperate and collaborate.

Side note: I was also encouraged to hear how different stores are responding to the challenges they face with creativity and faith. One retailer told me how, recognizing customer care was the one thing Amazon and e-books couldn’t beat him on, he had increased his staffing—despite the down economy—to be able to give more time to shoppers, to help them and offer to pray with them. Get a bunch of those kinds of people in the same place and you’re bound to have a an inspiring time.

Though few, there were some misfires in Atlanta. The Champions of the Faith fund-raising evening started late and dragged on too long. The prayer meeting was poorly attended, though it’s not clear to me whether that’s because of the time it was scheduled—as the show floor was winding down—or the way it was presented, as an “if you can make it” kind of thing, rather than, “you can’t miss this.”

But overall, that’s like passing your annual checkup and then being told by the doctor that you should start watching your diet a bit more closely. There’s always going to be some room for improvement. Trimmed of the fat, ICRS is looking pretty good. I look forward to seeing what sort of shape the show is in when it comes to my Orlando hometown next year.

Chicken Little wasn’t among the keynote speakers at the recent big industry pow-wow on the digital future, hosted by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA), but you could have left fearing that the sky was in imminent danger of e-falling.

I’m not disputing the (voluminous) data that was presented. Nor do I doubt that e-books are going to have a dramatic impact on our book world—from how we acquire and shape content at one end of the process to the way we sell it at the other. No question, business as usual isn’t a good long-term plan, for publishers and retailers.

But I think there’s some encouragement for stores to be found somewhere between the doom and gloom of nervous chickens and the disregard of head-in-the-sand 
ostriches.

 As I listened to all the prognostications at the ECPA digital summit, I couldn’t help thinking—with apologies to whoever coined the original phrase, referencing a hammer and a nail—that when all you have is a Kindle (or a Nook or a smartphone), everything is an e-book.

And when I heard from the leading edge, early adopter-type presenters about all the people that are abandoning print wholesale in frenzied favor of digitized text (my Loosey Goosey summary), I also wondered: So, just where are all these e-folks?

Certainly not in my circles. A few friends at church have e-readers or use their smartphone to follow the Bible readings, but the others (majority) choose to follow along on the overhead screen or in their own translation. My twentysomething kids are tech savvy and like to pootle around online, but they much prefer ink-on-paper for serious reading.

An informal survey among colleagues at work was revealing, too. Bear in mind, these are people immersed in journalism and book publishing: Less than half had any kind of e-reader, few had smartphones, and they overwhelmingly preferred to read print books.

Most of those who did have e-readers said that they used them for business or travel convenience and preferred a page-in-hand for personal reading. Some said that they downloaded only free books, and many acknowledged reading more than before because of the constant accessibility of their preferred gadget.

Admittedly, my personal experience and limited research (a quick email) isn’t weighty enough to get me invited to speak at a conference. But it is shared by a good number of those I have chatted with in the industry who hear the red sky warnings but don’t see many actual signs as they look around. And I don’t believe that it is because they are naïve, uninformed or stubborn.

Here’s my conclusion about e-books and Christian retailing: Some customers will never go digital and some will. Brilliant, I know. Let me unpack that a bit.

Some customers will never go digital. This doesn’t make them backwards or backwoods—and they still need serving. So, while you may want to make adjustments (for instance, fiction is seen to be more attractive to e-readers than other categories), don’t abandon the book section prematurely.

I agree with those who have observed that the reflective and personal nature of much Christian reading can have a physical, touch-the-pages and write-in-the-margins aspect to it that devices cannot replicate (something that may be especially true when it comes to Bibles, as an article elsewhere in this issue notes). Then there’s the fact that, many times, Christian books are bought as a gift or ministry touch, which cries out for physical product.

Also, the preference for print over digital seems to cut across demographics, interestingly enough: there’s been research that found e-reader ownership higher among older adults (because they can afford the devices and like being able to enlarge the print) than their iPod-bearing offspring. So don’t bail on trying to serve younger adults too soon, either.

Some customers will go digital—but this doesn’t mean you have to wave them goodbye forever, shut the doors and put up the For Sale sign. Many e-reader users will appreciate the convenience of their device and the opportunities it affords them to explore new authors cheaply (or for free), but will likely continue default to print for significant reading.

With these people, e-books are more of an opportunity than something to be feared. Digital titles could, in some way, become a great advertisement for your store—if you are providing the experience and customer service that will bring you to mind (and, hence, them to you) when they consider making a physical purchase.

In part, this is why it is so important that Christian stores provide an option for selling e-books. I am not so much convinced that it will necessarily be a big slice of income, but providing the opportunity says that Christian stores are aware of and embrace the new world of digital publishing and may help counter the view in some parts that they are outdated and out of touch with contemporary culture.

And, yes, there will be some customers who will go entirely digital. But they and their friends and family still have holidays and homes and heartaches for which gifts and giclee and gentle words in a physical card or book are desired.

So, there’s my thoughts: The horizon may be shifting, but the sky isn’t falling just yet. A Henny Penny for yours?

 For those who suggest that Christians are slow to embrace technology such as the iPad, I’d like to point out that Moses recorded his mountaintop encounter with God on a couple of tablets. ...

Weak joking aside, it’s interesting to me how two of the best-known names in the new world of communication conjure up biblical imagery. There’s Word, with echoes of unchanging truth, and Apple, whose chunk-bitten-out logo prompts thoughts of, “Did God really say?”

And therein lies the tension for Christian communicators—how do we utilize the tremendous developments in media in ways that promote faith rather than doubt?

Nowhere is the challenge more clear than in the world of news, where in the old days it was customary to do quaint things like, well, check facts before going to print. Nowadays accuracy often  gets trampled in the 24/7 news cycle rush for a scoop. Tweet first, ask questions later.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for being the one to break the story. It’s part of a journalist’s DNA. But I am reminded by Luke that being first isn’t the sole measure of impact. After all, he tells us in the introduction to his Gospel that many before him had attempted to record what had happened. 

They may have beaten him to press, but it is his account that endures.

We’re trying to balance the opportunities and challenges of technology in our work at Christian Retailing as we serve retailers and suppliers. Timeliness and truthfulness. Accessibility and accuracy. Information and insight. Relevance and reliability.

Let me give you a quick overview of some of what we are doing in our position as the hub for what’s happening in Christian publishing and retailing:

Twitter and Christian Retailing Update news postings allow us to keep you informed about breaking news. They provide the latest bullet points, but our monthly print magazine helps you join the dots and see the bigger picture. In its pages, we endeavor to tell you not just what has happened, but also to put things in a wider context and assist you in seeing why they matter.

The digital edition of Christian Retailing provides even more opportunities for us to go deeper. We include extended transcripts and audio recordings of interviews, plus video trailers for books, movies and music that help you get more of a feel for people and new products. 

In the interests of economy and the environment, we have cut back on the number of physical copies that go out, in recent times, so while others on your staff may be waiting for the latest print issue to get handed round, they can access the digital edition.

You will find both our Update reports and digital editions at our Web site, www.christianretailing.com, which also offers a wide range of other helps and resources. Among them:

Blogs that include news from the book, music and gift world and a weekly roundup of the major current specials and offers in the Christian retail channel.

An up-to-date listing of some of the
latest blogs from leading figures in the industry, from authors and artists to publishers and agents.

Industry Radar, a weekly roundup of reports about the Christian products world by other media, from network TV to local newspapers.

Online exclusives, including book
reviews.

Author Corner, our video library of exclusive interviews with leading Christian writers, intended to help stores connect more with the person behind the pen.

Detailed new release listings for all the major categories, updated regularly.

Monthly editors’ podcast, where the team gets together to chat about the latest news, releases and events and gives you a glimpse of what’s coming. 

Media appearance details of who’s appearing when on what shows, so that stores can be prepared for customers coming in asking for a title that may have been featured on TV or radio.

Our Web site also offers search options for finding past articles, a forum for comments and conversation with others and a fun weekly Industry IQ question to see how much you know about the industry. Then there’s our Facebook page, which provides another opportunity to keep up with news and connect with others.

In all of this, we are committed to getting it as right as possible (and putting it right when we don’t). Accuracy is important in any form of journalism, of course, but as an industry journal, we know that you rely on us to get the little details right, too. So we spend a lot of time checking ISBN numbers and publication dates and those sorts of things.

One of the pluses of new media is how it allows you to interact more with traditional “gatekeepers.” So please, let us know how we are doing and what you want to be reading about in the future. 

Give me 10 minutes in which to revive your passion for Christian bookselling.

Sounds a bit like one of those awful late-night infomercials, maybe? Well, I don't want you to send any money, just grab a pen and a piece of paper and sit quietly for a few minutes. I believe this simple exercise could help fan the flames of your Christian literature ministry.

Now, jot down the titles of the 10 books you have read that have made the most impact in your Christian life. Don't get too hung up on it being the definitive list. This isn't a precise science, and the chances are the list may vary a bit if you try to come up with one again next week. That's OK—the answers will be right then, too.

But don't be tempted to include the titles of books that you think will impress your friends. Or those that you are planning to read (one day). Or those that you started but never finished.

The point is to stop and reflect for a moment. Consider that these books have shaped you into the person you are today; who or where might you be without having read them?

Here's my Top 10 and why:

In His Steps by Charles Sheldon. Long before "what would Jesus do" got reduced to a bumper sticker, I was challenged by the idea that what we sometimes like to make so complicated in living the Christian life can be boiled down to one question.  And I was thrilled that one of the characters exploring what that meant was a newspaper editor. 

Prodigal Press by Marvin Olasky. This fascinating study of the rich Christian roots of American journalism gave historical weight to Sheldon's novel. It spurred my hunger to see more evangelicals commit to redeeming the "bad reporting" that Numbers 13 and 14 makes clear can lead people out of the purposes of God.

God in the Slums by Hugh Redwood. This 1930s account of the work of the Salvation Army in squalid inner city London inspired me not just because of its accounts of Christian love in action, but also because of its author—a tough-minded national newspaperman whose own life was transformed by his writing. 

Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliott, a fascinating, unsettling account of the fervent heart for God that fueled Jim Elliot and his four colleagues in their sacrificial commitment to sharing the gospel, ultimately giving their lives. It made me question how far my faith would take me: yet to find the answer.

Is That Really You, Lord?  by Loren Cunningham. As a young Christian, this book by the founder of Youth With A Mission opened my eyes—and ears—to the concept that God speaks intimately to His children and invites them to join Him on a radical adventure of faith. I'd later spend 10 years serving with the organization.

Wild at Heart by John Eldredge. I tried very hard not to like this book and dismiss it as a lad-fad, but I couldn't shake its core challenge to consider what it really means to be a man. I didn't go running off into the woods, but it did awaken a (healthy) ongoing dissatisfaction with safe "suburban" spirituality.

Love & Respect by Emerson Eggerichs. For me, he nails one of the core pitfalls of marriage—the "crazy cycle" dance that goes on when each partner misses the other's cues and needs. Worth reading alone for the light-bulb insight into why so many of us guys go quiet when our wives are waiting for us to say something.

A Tale of Three Kings by Gene Edwards. Having worked in and around Christian ministries and organizations for more than 30 years, I have seen enough "great" men and women of God become ogres and tyrants away from the platform or spotlight—but this rebukes any cynicism and reminds me that my response matters, too.

 Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. His gift for communicating a reasoned and reasonable faith was never more clearly exercised than in this book, which helped establish me in the early days of my discipleship. Belief may be supernatural, I was reassured, but it is also rational.

The Grace Awakening by Charles Swindoll came into my life at a time when legalistic weeds were starting to tangle my feet. I still have to watch my step, but the author's folksy insights taught me to watch out for the creepers of adding—whether personally or for others—to what Jesus did at the cross.

I can't imagine where or who I might be without these books. And I am grateful for those who wrote, published and sold them. I'm reminded that being part of an enterprise that has this sort of impact is noble and worthy of the challenges and demands involved.

How about you? What's on your list? May it restore in you a sense of the privilege you enjoy in being part of helping others build their own life-changing lists.

Truth to tell, I'm not very good at the having-faith thing. I'm more Gideon (looks around, bewildered, and asks, "Who, me?") than Caleb (grabs Geritol and jumps up, "Gimme that mountain!").

But I am learning to correct my glass-half-empty vision. For starters, there is a glass. It isn't broken. And it has stuff in it. With room for more. That's all reason for optimism.

Same thing with the Christian retail world. As we prepare for our Retailing ReBoot event this month—intended to help set stores for the possibilities ahead—I am pretty pumped.

OK, we've had the Internet. Wal-Mart and its followers. The recession. Oh, and digital books. But for any whose shoulders  might slump Gideon-like at the thought of all this, let me offer some Caleb-ish signs of life.

Good books. Yes, we all know about the fluff and chaff that's out there, but take a look at the substantive books that are big sellers. Crazy Love and Radical aren't quick-fix, easy life-is-a-beach reads. They are calls to action.

Then, what about Bonhoeffer? A brick of a thing, 600-plus pages about some relatively obscure German pastor from half a century ago. Wouldn't you love to have been in the meetings about that one at Thomas Nelson? Yet it's been an enormous success, not just hitting the best-seller and you-must-read  lists, but also sparking media attention and conversation about what it means to have radical faith.

There's still hunger for life-changing content.

New stores. We have seen more longtime retailers saying their farewells recently, but in some instances this has been more about a lack of succession than just business problems. And, we are also seeing a few veteran stores expanding, while more newcomers to the industry arrive—who know what they are getting into and yet are heeding the call. With no "remember when" days to look back on, they might be more open than some to new ideas and ways.

Supplier support. While I don't believe Christian suppliers ever abandoned Christian retailers in the gold-rush days of general market interest in Christian products, it sure felt like that to some. But as the high tide of get-it-at-Wal-Mart has subsided, I'm sensing some measure of a return to their first love, as it were, for Christian publishers.

They recognize, perhaps afresh, that the Christian retail channel remains their core, foundation and greatest champion. I see Tyndale House Publishers' co-opening a Christian bookstore in its own backyard to fill a long-standing gap, and Thomas Nelson's Hot Off the Press product alert and TNIndies social media initiatives at least reflective of, if not directly attributable to, this broader shift.

Then there is heightened activity at the distributor level, with Spring Arbor's recent self-avowed recommitment to the Christian retail channel and STL Distribution North America's entering the print-on-demand market to help stores.

Closer to home, this year we have seen the highest-ever number of entries for our annual Retailers Choice Awards, which gives Christian stores the chance to name what they believe to be the most important new releases of the last year. I believe this also points to suppliers' recognition that their relationship with the Christian retail market is unique. With other channels, they may do business; with Christian retailers, they do ministry.

World events. So, what has change in the Middle East got to do with Christian retailing? More than just selling some additional end-times guides. We're seeing global shifts unlike any since the fall of the Berlin Wall. People are being stirred beyond their own domestic concerns to look at what is happening abroad and consider some of the implications—and the beliefs and philosophies that are driving and shaping change. 

Funny that such a conversation should start in a year when the Bible already has a heightened place in the public consciousness, thanks to the 400th-anniversary celebrations of the King James Version and the release of the updated New International Version.

With all this in mind, I'm encouraged to switch Gideon's gloom for Caleb's confidence. How about you? Yes, you. Let's go claim that mountain—the one with your name on it.

We'll be sharing some practical ways to do that at our event for church and independent stores, Retailing ReBoot 2011, in Orlando, April 26-28. Come and rub shoulders with other Caleb-spirited retailers—whether church-based or independent—and go back to your store encouraged and equipped. You'll find more details at our Web site, www.christianretailing.com.

Come and raise a (figurative) glass to Christian retailing. It'll be half full.

So, here’s something to do while you wait (drum fingers, drum fingers) for an announcement about the industry-wide platform intended to give Christian stores a way of securing a slice of the digital book pie: Go buy an e-reader.

This will likely not be a popular idea out in some parts of our retailing community, where there are folks for whom names like Kindle and Nook are muttered with the same degree of distaste once reserved for Wal-Mart.

But, with a nod to Swiss theologian Karl Barth, who advocated Christians do life with the Bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other, let me suggest that Christian retailers need to do business with their P.O.S. printout in one hand and an e-reader in the other.

In much the same way that Wal-Mart has become accepted as just another (even if regrettable) fact of life—and some Christian stores have actually come to welcome the mega-merchant, wild as that may seem—the digital book is here to stay. So we might as well all start getting used to it.

Times are tough for many stores, but it seems to me that there isn’t one out there that can afford not to invest $100 or so in some type of e-reader. You may not like them for any number of reasons, but you can’t simply ignore them. Well, not if you want to stay in business long-term. 

Feel free to prefer the tactile experience of a “real” book and maintain that reading on a screen isn’t the same immersive experience as your turn-the-page paper copy. Worry, even, about the long-term implications for reasoning and reflection of digital publishing (which sometimes seems to think the actual words are less important than all the cool stuff you can click to).

Just be sure to use one of those devices so that you understand their appeal (at least to others)—and their limitations—and can better position yourself to adjust business in the light of their existence.

And while you are doing that, take some time to think about what the growth of the e-book market may mean, not just in overall print sales (and how you are going to make up that revenue elsewhere), but also for different categories.

"Christian retailers need to do business with their P.O.S. printout in one hand and an e-reader in the other.”

Take fiction. Lovers of novels are often ravenous readers, especially if they are enthusiasts for a particular author or genre. Just look at how well Thomas Nelson’s $5 fiction promotion has gone, for instance. For fiction buyers, the  opportunity to spend less on non-print editions may be seriously appealing, so how can you strengthen your store in their minds? Do you host or support reading groups?

Then there is backlist. This has long been touted as a strength of Christian retail, and publishers have defended general market sales by pointing out that purchases there can push shoppers to Christian stores in search of older titles. But now some publishers are giving away free e-backlist (I think I just invented a word) titles or  offering them really cheap.

Admittedly, the number of titles available like this is proportionally small, but what might the trend mean for consumers’ perceptions of backlist’s value? The category isn’t going away—STL Distribution North America believes in it strongly enough to have invested more than $1 million in equipping its center with a new print-on-demand facility that will soon be offering overnight shipment—but it is going to change.

Reference is a whole other area. Search features in digital titles are an attractive option, but some serious Bible teachers and students still like to pore over the actual paper. Of course, they can buy them online, so how can you connect more closely with local pastors and others in church leadership?

And finally, spare a thought for publishers who are wrestling with their own e-book questions. It’s not all high-fives and hallelujahs for them either.

Certainly, they are glad to have another avenue through which to sell their books, but it’s not all a slam-dunk. They get less for the copies they sell, and while some production costs are down, obviously, many houses are having to invest large amount of time and money into developing and managing new systems.

Then there is the subtle but significant impact on marketing from e-book sales as they lose secondary advertising. Consider: Fellow public-transportation passengers or Starbucks sitters now see the plain back of your Kindle or Nook, not the cover of the latest Karen Kingsbury you are reading.

But change is here, so the question is how to deal with it. When Wal-Mart led the general market inroads into Christian books, music and videos a few years ago, some in our community just bemoaned the threat. 

Others went to check out what was there to see how they needed to adjust their shelves and look for ways they could compete. Counter-intuitively, CBA even invited a former Wal-Mart senior executive to offer advice at a winter show. Now, I sometimes hear of Christian stores talking of having Wal-Mart as a near-neighbor as one of their strengths because it means there is a lot of traffic.

In the same way, the digital conversation needs to become not how we can ignore e-books and keep our customers from finding out about them, but how to find the good and the potential. And that has to start with knowing a bit more about what we’re facing.

Francis Chan has made a major contribution to the Christian products world with his first two books, but his greatest offering could be the book he does not write.

His reluctance to get sucked into the Christian publishing machine and crank out another title just because his name will guarantee strong sales has captured mainstream media attention and should cause those of us who are part of the industry to pause and reflect.

The man whose debut, Crazy Love, was recently named Family Christian Stores’ Book of the Year and which together with its follow-up, The Forgotten God, has been the closest thing to a really big best-seller we have seen for the past couple of years, spoke to CNN recently about his surprising decision to resign his pastorate and disappear for a while.