Nervous in a spare-part kind of way at the delivery of my first child, I figured I could helpfully contribute to the process by correcting junior's mom when she misquoted the psalm she had memorized to help her through the birth.

Turns out that attention to detail isn't always appreciated in the midst of transition.

Nonetheless, while keen to encourage some joyful expectancy for this year's International Christian Retail Show (ICRS) in St. Louis, I also want to risk seeming a bit of a mope.

First, the good. The content of the program is the strongest I can recall. It also is going to be a great opportunity to see and hear more of the new CBA leadership and the vision and strategy that I believe holds lots of potential. So, if you have been undecided about St. Louis, let me encourage you to be there.

See, we can talk all we like about how our industry is different from others and that, in addition to doing business, there is spiritual significance in meeting together. But unless some people are prepared to foot the bill for hosting an event (and that traditionally has been the suppliers) and others are willing to show up, it's just so much hot air.

And that is the reality CBA is facing. Yes there were high fives all round last year after such a positive response to the show in Denver. But let's be honest—while it was a good event, expectations going into the thing were, for the most part, so low that so-so became superior by comparison.

The real test, I suspect, is going to be this year, with what for many feel is a right-sized event. Will ICRS deliver the results suppliers need for them to justify returning—especially when they have so many new and growing marketing channels opening up, competing for limited dollars?

It's no secret that times have changed. You can get a snapshot of just how much by looking back, without turning to the high-watermark years of the industry and the show's resulting record attendances to make the point.

Just glance at 2005, the year in which CBA rolled out its revamped show, retiring the CBA International title in favor of ICRS.

Back then, there were around 320 exhibitors at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver—compared to the 235 or so (at the time of writing) signed up for St. Louis.

There are other signs. It used to be that attendees were spoiled for choices for evening entertainment, many splitting their time between events so they could double up on the free food and giveaways. Our office was awash with invitations to this dinner and that reception. This year you are going to be hard pressed to find much of anything to do (on a supplier's dime) after the show floor closes.

Another indicator of how things have changed can be seen in the show schedule. There was a time when the event was a who's-who of Christian books, with all the big names signing their new releases and available for media. This year it's more of a who-are-they list of new authors looking for some publicity.

I'm not predicting a failure—just wondering whether we will see enough of a success to permit an unchanged course. I wouldn't be surprised to find greater energy, after St. Louis, being given to discussions about some more collaborative event in the future, drawing together other associations and interests. The informal talks that have taken place to date are likely to take a more serious turn.

Any new effort would require those involved to give up some of their turf, but the reality is that the ground is already eroding anyway, so what do they have to lose?

And, while we're speculating, if we do end up with some sort of new event, could we please retire the current logo that is used to promote ICRS?

I've always felt that making the cross the center of a shopping bag is a little crass and certainly provides fuel for those critics who accuse our industry of commercializing the gospel. Maybe something a bit more inspirational?

STORE PROFILE

TYPE: chain

REGION: southeast

LOCATION: At the end of a suburban strip "food row," next to a Japanese restaurant with prominent visibility from two sides.

10-POINT RATING

Appearance: 10

Inventory: 10

Staff: 4

Overall: 80%

External appearance: Large red store letters above the red and white striped awning that was above each store, including this bookstore.

Window display: Fourteen full-length windows along the store side with pull-up parking. Through the windows, Willow Tree figurines were individually displayed on tiered tables, plus a variety of gift products were neatly organized. The gift section looked expansive, as it appeared there were other rooms even beyond this large front section.

Entrance: Posters were on the doors as well as a small "Now hiring" sign and the store hours. Customers walked through a security pass-through.

Eco-friendly shopping bags were priced at $1.49, while Day Brighteners and other miscellaneous gifts were to the left on low slatwall with the registers beyond.

To the right were several cardboard dumps, a stack of shopping baskets plus blue- and red-covered sale tables, one featuring tees and caps priced at $9.97.

Layout and inventory: Large signs hung above each section: gifts to the right, books at center, kids at back and to the left, Bibles, music and church supplies.

The gift area felt so spacious. Products were neatly organized and nicely displayed. A wide doorway in an angled, free-standing wall gave a sense of depth and intimacy in the large space. Curved molding on the wall above the doorway added a classy touch. Beyond the wall, even more gifts—what a huge store.

The children's department was at store back under a large black curved strip decorated with colored stars that matched the black starry rug in the area. Five rounders set along the right perimeter of the rug created an appropriate line of demarcation between the children's area and gift department. A child-sized, round table and four chairs sat in front of the television that was showing a video—though no children were in the store. Slatwall displayed product on the back wall. At the front of the rug, Guitar Praise and Dance Praise boxes leaned against a VeggieTales cardboard dump.

There were comfortable chairs in several locations, including near the books at store center. All books were face-front on units with four shelves. The height of the shelving made it easy to look across the store.

All types of music were clearly labeled and neatly organized, with print music on the wall under "music accessories." Children's music bridged the children's and music departments; a Dance Praise pad on the floor with a guitar was strategically placed between the children's and music departments, so there was a natural flow.

The large sign above "church supplies" was an all-encompassing term for a wide variety of products—three shelves of communion plates, a shelf of communion cups, two shelves of bulletins, communion bread, boxes with candelight service materials and a Murphy robe rack. There were also Bible studies, teaching resources, youth materials and VBS kits. Two additional chairs and a small end table were positioned in front of a TV playing a World Vision video.

Appearance: Pristine.

Staff: They were very neatly dressed, but it was disconcerting when on two occasions, an employee passed me in an aisle and didn't say anything.

Verdict: The organization of this store was sensible and easy to follow. The store designer also made excellent use of the large arrows in the carpeting to direct the eye toward the Top 10 in the music department and the television in the children's area.

Consider adding a small table by the chairs in front of the home school section to make it easier for customers to examine curriculum.

It would also be more pleasant if the door to the workroom at store back was closed. Customers should not be able to see the trash bags there.

If this were your regular store? I would love it.

Would a non-Christian feel comfortable here? Yes, as long as he knew what he wanted.

What will you remember of your visit a week from now? The excellent use of color coding for sale items. Throughout the store, I perked up whenever I saw yellow shelftalkers or signs, because yellow meant "sale" or "clearance." I walked through every single aisle, simply to look for that colored signage. I felt like I was on a treasure hunt, so it was a fun visit.

The store declined to respond.

Five critical areas independent retailers must—and can—master to be successful

I can hardly believe that I've been in the Christian retail industry for more than 20 years. For half of that time, I had the pleasure of operating a Christian store, overseeing several stores and working at the home office of a national chain.

I came to the Munce Group 10 years ago because I was energized by the challenges and opportunities that faced independent Christian stores. I'm always encouraged by the independence that these independents exhibit—however, when they come together to get behind a marketing campaign, a cause, a new product release or an event, amazing things happen.

Certainly our industry has changed in my 20-plus years. Economic challenges, consolidation and competition have taken their toll on chains and independents. And yet, in these past two decades, those same challenges have provided opportunities for growth for some independent stores.

As I look back, here are some of the key areas in which I've seen independent retailers struggle, but also thrive with the right strategies and systems.

EXPECTATIONS

It is crucial to know and understand what your customers want and expect from you.

While we consistently hear of what is happening nationally with the economy, we must understand that our industry is built primarily on the local economy. Stores that talk to their customers and other retailers and read the local business section are generally succeeding.

Online forums like our own "Munce Talk" and Christian Retailing's online forum can provide an "online retailer roundtable" where stores can connect with each other to share trends and solutions. In recent times, savvy stores have started using social-media services such as Facebook and Twitter to communicate and build relationships with their customers. This helps them identify what is really affecting business and shopping behavior.

Having a local "social" connection with your customers and community will help you know key areas that affect your business—such as unemployment, inflation, competition, marketing, product selection, product availability or other influences.

INVENTORY

More than ever, it is important to pay close attention to your inventory levels.

Many surveys suggest that one of the main strengths and advantages of independent Christian stores is the selection of products there. Most general market retailers cannot—and will not—stock the selection of books and music that your store will.

In recent years, many key suppliers have started providing a core-inventory report. Work with your local sales reps from those key suppliers to ensure that you're in stock on the core inventory. Recognizing how necessary it is to be on top of this aspect of business, we have begun offering inventory-control training specifically to help stores improve their performance.

It is difficult for an independent retailer to have the time and resources to dedicate to inventory control. But I have seen how an inventory-control system like Above the Treeline can provide the necessary reports and analysis in a fraction of the time it takes to do physical inventories or read a handful of various reports.

Once a store has identified its core inventory, the owner can mark down, clearance—offer or return products that are just taking up shelf space and critical inventory dollars.

Some independent retailers are hesitant to bring in new product—we get comfortable with the old product on the shelves; somehow we think that we've invested our money and it doesn't matter if it sells or not. But if a retailer can free up the inventory dollars from the old stuff, investing in new products and core products is much easier.

Through our experience I remain convinced that if, in general, independent Christian retailers have the time and resources to focus on replenishment, they can explode in sales.

PROSPECTING

While reaching your active customer base continues to be a must, retailers also need to reach beyond those engaged shoppers and pursue new customers.

As we review our member-store sales performances, we see stores that have shown an increase in sales are the ones that have purposefully gone after the church market. Whether it has been carrying a few basic items or jumping into carrying the full line, there is a recommitment to working with the churches.

We have also noticed stores utilizing social media and Web sites and going after niche customer groups such as the Spanish-speaking community and consumers in urban areas. Also, many of our stores have indicated that going after "life events" such as baptism, first communion, confirmation, babies, weddings and grief and encouragement needs have attracted new customers.

While new products are always releasing, there are a few core products for grief and encouragement that are best-selling and the local Christian store should never been without them. Take a complimentary copy to your local independent funeral home or drop one off with a few of your area pastors.

VALUE

When the economy goes soft, many consumers are interested in products with a high-perceived value.

Of course, we believe that Christian products have an "eternal" value. In earthly terms, value is seen by the customer, not just because of a low price, but in a combination of the quality and the ticket. We have seen many stores that have increased their bargain and remainder selection also have grown their overall sales.

Effective merchandising is important. Use tables, endcaps and your cash-wrap areas to communicate value. Set up a table and cover it with a bright yellow tablecloth. Stack some closeout products or great buys from a vendor. A handwritten sign can say to shoppers, "This is just in and such a great deal that we didn't have time to make a professionally done sign."

And finally, featuring the right product at the cash wrap is an excellent way stores can increase the customer's total purchase.

TRAINING

Do not overlook the need to train staff to sell the benefits of the products—not just the features.

Customers will be more willing to purchase a product if they can associate a benefit rather than just a feature. Focus on a few key items for each selling season and equip staff members to be able to explain the benefits.

What are the benefits of this product? Will it enable purchasers to be better parents? Will it help them communicate their faith more effectively? Will it enrich them by enabling them to apply the Scriptures more efficiently in their personal study?

BE ENCOURAGED

Though business continues to be tough, retail indicators are showing great hope for the remainder of this year. And, do not forget the reason independent Christian stores exist—we have the good news of the gospel woven throughout the products we represent. So be encouraged and stay the course!

"May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will." (Heb. 13:20-21a, NIV).

A chain's new look centers on providing the right kind of customer atmosphere

While Christian retailers are being encouraged to diversify in the face of ongoing competition from other channels, broadening their product mix, some are finding that a re-commitment to their core is paying dividends.

Although Mardel Christian & Education's teacher supplies and its inspirational gifts are significant factors in its continued success, the quiet makeover that has been revitalizing the regional chain has books and Bibles squarely as its centerpiece.

With 34 stores in six states, Mardel's growth has not been slowed by the economic downturn and newcomers—like the recently opened location in Corpus Christi, Texas—are based on the new-look store first introduced a couple of years ago.

Since then, several older locations have been retrofitted along the new lines, with aspects of the changes in style and merchandising also incorporated into older stores where a full makeover is not possible for one reason or another.

The Mardel makeover is based on a potpourri of sources, from internal meetings among leadership and staff to discussions with customers and focus groups, conversations with visiting supplier reps, lessons from visits to other retailers—from high-end names to small-town convenience stores—and even a phone call from one store's restroom.

Some were surprised when the chain embarked on such a major project as the economy started to dip. But "retailers have to embrace change when the opportunity arises," said Jason Green, chain president.

"One of the biggest mistakes retailers make is that they wait until they are successful to say, 'OK now we can change this,' because what ends up happening is you then become a victim of your own success and become hesitant to change—and are unable or unwilling to when the time comes."

A car enthusiast who often uses auto analogies to illustrate business points, he added: "Last year's best car manufacturer is still last year's model. ... One reason we struggle a lot as Christian retailers is we don't give people a compelling reason to come visit us. We are not entitled to their business. We have to earn their business just like everyone else."

To show how Mardel has been endeavoring to do that, Green recently walked Christian Retailing through one of his new-look, Dallas-area stores, opening the doors to share some of the chain's successful ideas and changes with others.

FRESH STYLE

The differences start in the parking lot. Gone is the old-style cartoony Mardel's logo that greeted shoppers as they walked up. Dating back to the 1980s—an era in which many Christian retailers are still stuck, style-wise—its place has been taken by a bolder, more contemporary sign whose look and feel is carried through inside.

Inside the lobby, before customers enter the store proper, they pass showcase windows in either side of the entrance. "Previously this was just where we parked our shopping carts," Green said. But he and others realized "we have great product that we want people to see as they walk in—kind of slow them down and catch their attention, set their pace and the tone of the store.

"If you've read Paco Underhill's Why We Buy, he talks about the transition space as you walk into a store and how that sets the atmosphere. We want people to tell us they feel like our store is peaceful and it's a place they want to come just to be there, so let's start that from the entrance."

The displays are changed at least seasonally, sometimes monthly and at least refreshed weekly. "The same product might be out there, but they'll move it around," Green said.

Head office determines themes and perhaps some key products for the displays, but most of the actual content is left to the local teams: "We want them to give it their local flavor," he said.

Noticeably absent in the entrance are any big sale or special-offer signs—a decision that is echoed inside the store.

"We have a policy for clutter reduction in the store, so you won't see as many overhead banners or signs to draw attention," said Green. "We feel that at some point it becomes annoying. … You go into some secular stores and you see sale, sale, sale. At the very least, you become numb to it. If everything is on sale, nothing is on sale."

The first obvious change inside the store is under foot. It's a high-end ceramic tile, "a little more expensive than we were putting down, but its life expectancy and the maintenance costs over time are actually less," said Green. The other option requires stripping and cleaning "and it gets damaged easily, so over the life of the store, it works out about the same for total investment."

Also immediately striking is that reading is central. Special offers and promotions, including gifts, are featured at the front of the store, but "we don't do it at the yell-and-scream-at-you level."

Beyond the new-release displays up front, books and Bibles are the main focus. Actual SKUs have not changed much, just the emphasis and display—a combination of revised layout and different fixtures.

"One of the main things we have done is change the style and look of the fixtures," said Green, "to bring the openness and height down." In came "darker and richer tones, away from the grays. We used warmer hues and neutrals."

The lower displays "mean we can stair-step, and it's not just one big flat surface," he said. "It gives dimension without being overpowering. It allows us to merchandise our product better.'"

Reducing the height of fixtures also means that customers can now see all the way to the back of the store. "We noticed that even in places like Wal-Mart, Target, they are lowering the shelves. In our existing stores, the counter heights were 7 feet tall, so that made the store feel smaller and made visibility poor. All the neat stuff we had back in the store, you really didn't see."

As well as making the store feel more "open," the new display heights have helped with customer service. "You can see where the customers are," said Green. "If the counter is 7 feet, you can be on the other side and not even know they are there. Now we can see all of the people in the store and it helps us find them and know where we need to go to help them."

BIBLE FEATURES

The reconfiguration means that books are central to the store, with the educational products that used to be there switched to the right-hand side. The books are anchored by a customer-service desk in the center of the store, with Bibles along the rear wall. Cherry-wood shelving lends a library feel to the area, with study stations where customers can open up copies of the 1,000 Bible products to try them.

"We want them to take the Bible and compare it, feel it, hold it in their hand, compare to different translations. We encourage them to look through them. We want customers to have the right translation, the right tool because the worst thing a person can have is the life-changing Word of God, but then they are confused when they read it or try to study or learn," Green said.

"That is why we have the selection we have and multiple translations, and we want our staff to engage with the customer to find the right Bible. We want someone to walk out purchasing a Bible that they are going to read. It doesn't do any good for it to sit on the shelf."

The children's department adjoins books and Bibles, to the right—moving from its former position at the front of the store. Shelving is even lower in the children's area than in the height-reduced rest of the store. "Nothing over 5 foot tall, so you don't have to reach to grab a book. Games and toys are down where kids can get to them or they can play with them."

The footprint for the music department has been shrunk some, but the category is still a significant one. "There have always changes in the format and delivery of music," said Green. "We went from LPs to 8-tracks to cassettes to compact discs. … But the desire for music is still there.

"The industry has declined in CD sales, but we still have people come in and this is how they discover music," he said.

When someone becomes a Christian, their taste in music may not change, but their choice of lyrical content may, Green observed. "So what that does is open up a huge backlist for Christian retailers."

While keeping a strong music inventory, Mardel has reduced the space it takes up. "We used to have a large wall dedicated to what's hot and what's new, and we decided that it was no drawing people in as it used to, so we created a different fixture for our new music and our hot music that is in the front of the department."

Some of the saved space has gone to an expanded apparel area—which includes an unlikely feature for many Christian stores: a fitting room. "We have always done your classic Christian T-shirts, and we still do phenomenal business with those," said Green. "But we have customers who like the higher-end shirts, hoodies, things like that."

As the chain scaled back on music, Green and others realized shoppers "would come in wearing Abercrombie & Fitch—and if they were wearing these shirts, we knew that they were willing to spend money for a fashion statement." So why not one that mirrored their faith, the Mardel team agreed, introducing some of the new Christian apparel lines. And "if we are going to sell nice apparel we need nice apparel racks."

The fitting room was added because "for most people a large T-shirt is a large T-shirt is a large T-shirt, and there is not a whole lot of variation. But when you get into some of the other styles, especially the women's tops and blouses, they fit differently and people just need to try them on—and they want to put a look together. They don't want to feel hurried, just pulling together things over their head in the aisle."

SERVICE FOCUS

Though the store has casual seating where shoppers can relax and browse, there is no free WiFi, and the one-time coffee shop sections have been largely done away with. There is now just one table at the front near self-service where free coffee—a special Mardel roast that can be bought—is available.

"We did the espressos and all that," said Green. "We realized that we are better at selling books than we are at selling coffee. Obviously, too, with the advent of Starbucks and places like that, we just let them be great at what they do," he added. "We want customers to linger, but we would rather them linger throughout the store rather than parking in one spot and staying there the whole time."

Similar thinking, in addition to security concerns, was behind the no-Internet decision. "We just found with our customers that was not what they really expected from us. Their 'third place,' they had … so let's do what they want us to do while they are here, which is provide a great assortment of books."

Part of that book commitment includes a significant and sophisticated bargain program, which sees remainder and discount items color-coded and progressively marked down week by week—enticing return customers. The titles are displayed randomly on bargain shelves and also featured in among the regularly priced books.

"We found that if we kept them all in one place, yes, we sell them, but we can also sell additional ones when we have them on the way to other things," Green said.

Gifts continue to be a strong category, located to the left of the store. Seasonal displays front and center are mixed with everyday items that are applicable. "It makes the flow into the gift department," Green said, who noted how lower and more open display fixtures had helped in this part of the store, too. "Because of the layout in our existing stores, in some cases we had seasonal in one area and gifts in another, and we felt like we were meant to do a better job to get the customer to see everything."

Throughout the store, signage is "warmer and less yellows" and "sale, sale, sale." We want people to see the price and the value, but we want the product and display to catch their attention too, not be overpowered by a loud sign. You see a lot of that in the nicer furniture stores that are moving away from the way from the sale kind of signage to, 'Look at this recliner and here's the price on it.' "

The cautious approach to signage extends to supplier materials. Cardboard displayers and vendor racks are extremely limited. "They have to be approved, and we are very selective. No folding tables or temporary displays."

Instead, Mardel shows suppliers how it intends to display product "and they appreciate that. At Christmas time, for example, we won't bring in the cardboard, box-card displayers, but we will give the product prominent presentation on some of our permanent nice fixtures. We are giving them presentation, but we believe that on our fixture, it is a better look and a better feel."

That better look and feel even extends to the restrooms, which feature the same quality flooring as the rest of the store. Green followed the lead of another business, whose restrooms he heard being praised, and sent one of his team to check them out and call from inside to say what he found.

Since the Mardel restrooms have been upgraded, "we had one store (manager) complaining that people come in to use the restroom and leave," he recalled. "If that gets someone into the store, praise God. Let's make sure once they are there, we keep them."

'From a products focus to an experience'

A veteran independent's new look sees sales rise

Longtime champion of independents Steve Potratz has seen new life breathed into his own business following a relocation forced on him by rising costs and a disaster.

The California retailer and founder of the Parable marketing and franchise group has been able to implement long-desired changes since consolidating operations in a new 4,600-square-foot location in San Luis Obispo.

It replaces a smaller, long-standing location in the city's prime tourist downtown area where the already pricey rent was set to be increased by 30% and a second store in Atascadero that was destroyed by a flood in July 2009.

"We've been able to implement principles we have taught, but been unable to do (until now) because of the size of our previous stores," Potratz told Christian Retailing, sharing details of the changes to offer encouragement and ideas to other independents.

Central to the new store—which is spacious compared to the former 2,660 and 3,300 square feet at the San Luis Obispo and Atascadero locations, respectively—are wider aisles and a concrete "power aisle" that sweeps round to the right from the store entrance, with shoppers stepping off it into wooden-floored and carpeted sections.

The extra space has also given Potratz more room to feature products. "There have been no major changes in what we carry," he said, "but there have been major changes in how it's displayed."

Books are at the center of the store with other departments around the perimeter, and while the reading inventory has not increased, its presence has. "We were always were a strong bookstore," Potratz said, but now the display ratio is two spines for each face-out title, instead of five spines.

Also getting a greater focus is the Bible department. Potratz has developed a hybrid system that combines Zondervan's translation-based approach to merchandising with Thomas Nelson's felt-needs system, which advocates focusing on the intended use of the Bible before getting down to options and versions.

The Bible section includes a table and area where shoppers can sit down and get their hands on the different editions that are available. "We really wanted to elevate the category," Potratz explained. The emphasis is "something that gives us a very unique selling proposition compared to Barnes & Noble or anybody else."

There is other seating in the store, too, and free WiFi, though no coffee—with Starbucks as a neighbor, Potratz doesn't need to invest in that service himself … just enjoy the benefits of the extra traffic.

The various changes have produced great results. Overall sales have been up around 40%, with the first full month of book receipts up 50% and children's revenues increasing 198% over the former stores.

"Sales overall are way up," said Potratz. "The surprise has been in books. We have always been a strong bookstore. I never expected the major increases in book sales that we are experiencing."

The business has been named the new model store for the Parable group, with plans to pass on lessons to franchise stores in monthly Webinars.

"The point is that we are trying a number of changes that are producing great results," said Potratz. "The reason people shop our store has completely changed from a products focus to an experience. … Stores can make minor changes without spending a lot of money and produce big results, if those changes are focused on the consumer experience."

Part of that has involved attention to small details, like lights and sound. Potratz uses "warm lighting that makes the store feel very welcoming and brings out the color in products," with brighter lights in some feature sections. Background music is selected carefully "so you are reproducing a sense of Sunday morning worship."

'Retweeting' is rewriting retail marketing

Anyone who has not heard of social media must have spent the last couple of years stranded on a desert island, limited to throwing out a message in a bottle and hoping that someone might find it some day.

Such one-way, shot-in-the-dark communication is a far cry from the instant, global reach of texting and online posting that has been revolutionizing the way people interact—and do business.

Social media—blogs, message boards, social networks like Facebook and Linked In and platforms like Twitter, also known as consumer-generated media (CGM)—continues to grow. Traffic to Facebook is up almost 200% in the last year, while Twitter has seen an increase of almost 1,500%.

Social media is no longer just for "techies" or the younger generation—it has become a mainstream phenomenon. Though in September 2009, 73% of teens were using a social networking Web site, according to one study, and so were 47% of online adults—and the fastest-growing Facebook demographic was women aged 55 and above.

Compared to a year ago, not only are more people visiting these sites, but they are also spending more time there—time spent per person is up 67% over 2009.

"Social media is not the next big thing—it is the big thing," said Gunnar Simonsen, former general manager of the Christian Supply Centers in the Pacific Northwest and now a social media consultant. "From a business perspective, if people are going in a different direction than you, you are going to miss out on an opportunity."

Simonsen has helped CBA take an active role in educating retailers on social media. Along with the association's business development director, Eric Grimm, he hosted two Webinars on the topic in May.

The hour-long "Social Media for Today's Business Webinar" featured topics including "How to Make Money Using the Technology," "Communicating Through Social Media Tools," "Why Use Social Media?" and "How to Gauge its Success."

CBA is also turning attention to social media at its International Christian Retail Show in St. Louis, June 27-30. "New Marketing: Using Social Media to Market Your Store" is one of the workshops, with a second targeted to church-based operations, "Using Social Media to Market Your Church Store."

"Relationships you build with customers in your store have an impact outside the store, and social media can help develop a '5:01 p.m. strategy' for how you are going to be sustainable to them when they leave your store or event," Simonsen said.

CONSUMER CONNECTION

Just as consumers now expect businesses to have a Web site, "the ability to provide customers with an outlet for their passions, their need for information and transformation, the need to feel connected in an increasingly alienated world also will become more important," Grimm said. "It will mean that what happens in the store will be more important, as relationship and experience will add value that online transactions can't."

More than 1.5 million local businesses have Facebook fan pages that allow them to interact with customers—and some Christian retailers are reporting success with their attempts.

When Kira Brant, owner of Kira's Cottage Christian Store in Franklin, Ind., was planning a move to a new location and deciding how to use the available space, she posted a question on Facebook asking what customers would like to see more of in her store.

"I got great response," Brant said. "The main request was a larger kids' area, so we dedicated more space to the department, added a play area and a mural."

While Brant maintains a Web site, blog and Twitter account, she said it's her daily Facebook posts that have drawn the most customers in-store.

"The key to Facebook is getting as many fans as you can," she said. "People are more likely to recommend you to "friend" something if they know they can win." So for every 100 new fans, Brant holds a drawing for $20 in merchandise. A member of the Munce Group, she also networks with stores on Facebook by friending them and sharing information on what has been successful and what has not.

A Virginia store has found another way to use Facebook. Through postings on the site, Capstone Christian Store in Mechanicsville offers a bonus for people who can prove that they've been to church—bring a bulletin into the store and get 20% off of a purchase.

Facebook posts from His Place Christian Bookstore in Wellsburg, W.Va., come from Buster—the store's American mastiff mascot who greets customers daily in the store. The furry friend of store owner Cinda Rogerson is named as the customer service/complaint department associate who posts a daily saying, such as "Prayer should be our first response, not our last resort."

Rogerson, who was tired of paying a company 15% of her profits to host a Web site that she had difficulty accessing, has replaced it with Facebook. "This is a free alternative and something I can do myself," she said. "The draw for us is that is makes it personal. I recently had to close the store for a day to accompany my daughter for a surgery. I was able to request prayer knowing that a core group would be willing to pray."

Some 80% of companies use social media for recruitment. His Place is also among some 80% of businesses that use social media for recruitment. The store recently posted a part-time opening on Facebook, while the C28 apparel chain regularly posts staff needs on Twitter.

UNPLANNED OPPPORTUNITIES

Success with social media can come unexpectedly, as with the viral YouTube sensation known as "David After Dentist," which exploded not as the result of some grand marketing scheme, but due to a fluke.

David DeVore filmed his son David's humorous, medication-induced trip home from the dentist following a tooth extraction for mom Tessie, who missed the appointment because of a meeting at Strang Communications, where she is book group vice president.

In January 2009, three days after the video was posted on YouTube for other family members to see, the video had gained more than 3 million views—with nearly 60 million to date, making it the second most-watched YouTube video of last year and a 2010 nomination for a Webby Award in the viral category.

Despite suffering criticism from some who claimed exploitation of young David, Tessie DeVore said it had been "worth it a million times over. All viral news is good news." She added: "Anytime anything controversial takes place, we notice a spike in attention."

When the DeVores began to figure out how to monetize online content, David left his real estate job to start a Web site selling merchandise like T-shirts and stickers. Profits from the online merchandise, paired with licensing deals and an ad partnership with YouTube, have already paid for their son's college education as well as benefiting charities along the way.

"In our experience, it is all about partnerships and strategic alliances," said Tessie DeVore. "The name of the game is nonexclusive. You cannot tie yourself to one entity," she noted, adding that it was a grass-roots effort that propelled the video on blogs, Twitter, radio and TV.

Used correctly, she said, social media can help any business monitor trends quickly, engage readers or viewers in an unprecedented way and gauge content reaction a lot quicker. Just a few years ago, only customers with major complaints actually followed through to her company's customer's service department. "Today, with just a quick click of the keyboard, people's basic thoughts are public knowledge," she said.

Social media means rethinking traditional marketing approaches, being more relational and less informational. When Simonsen helped promote the Fire Bible at the Empowered21 event in Tulsa, in April, instead of sending Twitter messages that said, "Come to our booth and buy," he used a softer approach with messages and photos capturing the conference's events and "retweeting" what others were doing.

"We got more play because we were active in community," he said. "It wasn't just about us. The Fire Bible was on people's minds, but they weren't sick and tired of it by the end of the week. The less it is about us, the more it becomes about us."

The end results: They reached 9,100 people in two and a half days of tweeting.

BUILDING COMMUNITY

Mardel began hosting Pictionary Friday events at its Web site in February, using Ustream technology that allowed viewers to chat online with Darrell Darnell, Mardel's e-commerce director, while he draws on a whiteboard.

The 50 or so people who gather weekly in the virtual room are part of Mardel's efforts to socialize and build an online community. As people are logging in, Darnell takes the opportunity to share product that will be given away to the winners.

"My philosophy is that we are a Christian bookstore, and everything that we sell should be something that we believe in or (can) change people's lives," Darnell said. "Our hope is that if they don't win it, they'll see the significance and buy it anyway, either now or in the future."

Vendors like Zondervan and Tyndale House Publishers who have caught the vision give credit to Mardel for the product that is given away and in return have their company name mentioned during the live event.

Mardel's social media has spiked, with Facebook fans doubling to 5,000 since the Pictionary Friday launch and Twitter hitting 1,000 followers. To keep up with the interest, Mardel has one staff member who spends at least part of her day updating the chain's social media.

Apparel maker Kerusso has taken the approach that social media is a tool that helps build its brand and extend its message, as well as offering opportunities to partner with publishers for campaigns and contests.

When the operator of a Crazy Love Facebook fan page announced its second annual "selfless love week" based on teachings from Francis Chan's book, winners received Kerusso's Crazy Love T-shirt and a copy of Chan's new book, Forgotten God from David C. Cook.

Chris Rainey, vice president of marketing for Kerusso, said the business results spoke volumes: "It cost us five T-shirts and 20 minutes of my time to make contact and do the status updates on our Facebook page to gain a few hundred fans, increase traffic and fulfill our mission."

But it is important that businesses don't just see social media as an advertising medium. "That is not what the customers want, and they can unfriend you very easily if you do that," said Brian Hill, owner of Lighthouse Christian Supply in Dublin, Calif. "It is a way for us to build loyalty and let our customers see who we are by focusing on two-way communication."

Following up on the success of previous random holiday promotions, Hill decided to have fun with National Chicken Dance Day on May 14 by giving away an iPad to the best chicken dancer and 25% off one item for anyone who attempted the dance.

Those who came into the store May 14 had their dance videotaped and uploaded to the store's Web site, where people voted for their favorite. The top five were invited back to the store for a dance-off, broadcast live.

"It feels like being thrown in the deep end of the pool to learn to swim," Hill said of social media. "It came so fast, and if you are in it, you have to be in it all the way and learn as you go. I feel like right now I'm keeping my head above water in the social-media pool, but just barely."

MAINTAINING BALANCE

Social media should be seen as a part of the overall marketing mix, not the entire part, Hill warned. "It can't replace catalogs and postcards and print mail because it isn't meant to," he said. "Sure, for a one-day event I may get better results when (the numbers are) broken down than with a catalog, but I can't do a social-media coupon every day. I'd lose fans really quick."

As an example, for actor Chuck Norris' birthday, the store organized a Facebook promotion that gave customers a coupon for use in the store that day, if they submitted a fact about Norris. Ten coupons were redeemed. What the statistics don't reveal is that Hill didn't know it was Norris' birthday until hearing so on the radio on his way to work. With some quick thinking, a Facebook promotion that took five minutes to plan and zero dollars to implement brought 10 people into the store that day.

"Ten people may not sound like many, but considering it was a one-day event and an average day we see 100 people, that's a 10% increase in traffic," Hill said. "If I compare it to a catalog I send out that has a coupon good for one month and I have 200 coupons redeemed, it outperforms the catalog because the catalog brings in about seven or eight people per day."

The kind of agility Hill showed with his Norris promotion is a critical factor in the effective use of social media, he said. "I don't think social media is going away, but the sites may switch, and if people start moving from Facebook to something else, then we need to be on top of it and move with them."

He added: "While there is a learning curve to any new application the key is taking the lessons we learn in social media and applying those to whatever the latest app is."

Growing student numbers offer a boost to retailers

With the traditional retail lag in July and August, back-to-school season provides a welcome opportunity for retailers because of the growing number of people that it affects.

From pre-school to pre-med, huge numbers of people will be going back to the classroom this fall. State-funded pre-schools served more than 1 million children last year, and enrollment at colleges and universities is close to 12 million and rising, said market research firm IbisWorld Senior Industry Analyst Toon van Beeck—most likely because of unemployment. Enrollment at less expensive junior colleges, trade schools and online universities is also on the rise, particularly since student-loan financing is in short supply.

Although Christian stores may not be able to offer penny deals on school supplies like Staples across the street, there are things they can do to draw back-to-school traffic.

Teachable moment

When Lisa's Gift Wrappers moved six years ago to Royal Oak, Mich., owner Lisa Gleeson looked to attract people who might never have thought of visiting her gift-wrap supply store.

The store teamed with Operation Kid Equip to be a drop-off location for the local charity's school-supply and backpack program. Gleeson, whose mother was an educator, created a box and signage for the event, and with the help of the store's public relations coordinator, Melissa Bunker, sent a press release to media contacts and e-mail blasts to the store's client base. Those making a donation enjoyed lemonade and cookies and were given a small gift.

Now in the store's sixth year of involvement with the charity, Bunker said it has become a teachable moment to engage kids in the effort. "We showed our community that although we aren't a school-supply store, we want to help when there is a need," she said. "Our schools are hurting, and teachers often pay out of their own pockets for school supplies."

Steve Chusmir, sales representative for The Rep Connection covering 25 gift companies in the Southeast, said it is important to do whatever it takes to get people into your store so they can be exposed to what you actually sell.

One opportunity Chusmir highlighted is the new, wildly popular, shaped rubber wristbands worn by preschoolers though high schoolers. The fad is proving to be as big as Beanie Babies 10 years ago or Webkinz five years ago.

InVision—one of three suppliers Chusmir represents—has been receiving daily orders between $400 and $2,500 for the glow-in-the-dark, themed "Crazy Bands."

"At $5 retail a package, Christian stores should be carrying all of them, not just the faith-based ones," Chushir said. "It gets people into your store to buy bands and while there, they can see that you sell Bibles and other Christian products. The key is to get people in stores and we haven't had people in stores for last 18 months."

'Homeschool explosion'

The growing homeschool market is something stores should not overlook, experts say.

Christian school founder Pat Holt, formerly a public school administrator, said the recession coupled with Christian parents' wanting to have more input in their children's education has meant the shrinking of Christian schools and the "explosion" of the homeschool market.

"Homeschool in the last 10 years has become so well organized that they don't need Christian schools," Holt said.

There are now 6 million homeschooled kids in the U.S., Holt said, and that number is growing—as evidenced by the MidWest Homeschool Convention in Cincinnati, which attracted 6,000 attendees in 2009 and more than 13,000 this year.

'Trendy designs'

Several grass-roots movements and organizations are providing opportunities for stores to partner with them in promoting their causes.

Soles4Souls, the international shoe charity, has teamed with Monvee, an online software tool that offers customized spiritual-growth plans as part of a comprehensive spiritual-formation program. In 2010, best-selling author and company spokesman John Ortberg will speak at several key events when Monvee (www.monvee.com) and Soles4Souls (www.giveshoes.org) take their message on tour to Christian colleges and conferences.

In response to popular demand, Bob Siemon Designs is introducing 12 new items in its popular "True Love Waits" collection, launched in 1993. The company is adding four each of girls' rings, guys' rings and pendants. Each piece serves as a reminder to the wearer to live a pure lifestyle and comes with a purity commitment card that ties into LifeWay's True Love Waits ministry at www.truelovewaits.com.

Wear It Wednesday is a grass-roots movement that encourages Christian youth to show the joy of their faith. It was the idea of college senior Chelsea Eubank, who had launched an effort to register more than 1 million students at www.wearitwednesday.com, making a commitment to wear their favorite Christian shirt every Wednesday.

Back-to-school products

Two new Kerusso (www.kerusso.com) messenger bags are available, retailing for $24.99. Each of the designs features a bold message, an adjustable strap and rubber handle, a padded inner pocket, side pocket and large pouch. Also available are new backpacks suitable for school, sports or both. With a bold message, padded adjustable straps, heavy zippers and side pouches, they are available in two designs and retail for $19.99 each.

In conjunction with the movie To Save a Life, Bob Siemon Designs (www.bobsiemondesigns.com) has created three pewter products to serve as a reminder that as Christians, teens are never alone. A keyring, pendant and bracelet all feature Luke 19:10, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." The movie (www.tosavealifemovie.com) is a story about redemption and the difficult issues teens face.

Hold That Thought (www.httinspirations.com) offers 10 artwork decks, each with 12 positive/scripture thoughts to change out each month. For memorization and encouragement, the products are designed for lockers, bedrooms and college dorms. The artwork decks, for school age through college, are: Girls, God Speaks to Young Women, The Making of a Man, God's Word for Young Men and Words of Wisdom. Suggested retail prices range from $16 for a desk frame to $20 for an easel frame.

Gregg Gift Company's (www.gregggiftcompany.com) "Bright Blessings" are iron-on patches to use on covers, backpacks, jeans, jackets, T-shirts and notebooks. They retail for $2.99 each, and a revolving counter display is available.

Based on the best-selling Jesus Calling adult edition, Jesus Calling: 365 Devotionals for Kids by Sarah Young ($14.99, September) helps kids and tweens know they can have a close relationship with Jesus. The Tommy Nelson hardcover book will be promoted on key children's Web sites and to mom bloggers.

For more new back-to-school products as well as new CDs, DVDs and more, visit the Product News listings on our Web site, www.christianretailing.com.

Relationship classics are getting a fresh look, while the category's new voices are 'edgier' celebrate the union of man and wife

It is clear from the headlines and the best-seller lists that marriage resources remain a much-needed category.

Separations and divorces among high-profile Christian couples are becoming more and more common. Nor is the trend restricted to leaders.

According to a 2008 study by The Barna Group, born-again Christians who are not evangelical were indistinguishable from the national average on the matter of divorce, with 33% having married and divorced at least once.

Among all born-again Christians, which includes evangelicals, the divorce figure was 32%—statistically identical to the 33% figure among non-born again adults, the research group noted.

"There no longer seems to be much of a stigma attached to divorce; it is now seen as an unavoidable rite of passage," said George Barna, who directed the study.

"There is also evidence that many young people are moving toward embracing the idea of serial marriage," he added, "in which a person gets married two or three times, seeking a different partner for each phase of their adult life."

Clearly, Christians don't have marriage figured out. But there is evidence that many are not throwing in the towel, but are desperately looking for help in relating to their mate.

For marriage and relationship titles regularly figure high in the best-seller charts from CBA and the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association.

More than 18 months after its theater opening and a year after its DVD release, Fireproof sits securely on the Christian DVDs' best-sellers list. The Love Dave, B&H Publishing Group's spinoff had three formats on CBA's April Top 50 best-sellers list. A gift-boxed, leather marriage edition released the same month.

Other well-known voices continue to generate new resources on the topic. Eighteen years after Gary's Chapman's The 5 Love Languages (Northfield Publishing) released, a DVD on the subject arrived in May.

Chapman references some of the principles of his best-seller in Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Got Married, to be released in September by Northfield Publishing, an imprint of Moody Publishers.

Meanwhile. Emerson Eggerichs' 2004 best-seller Love & Respect (Thomas Nelson)—a Christian Book Award and Christian Retailing Retailers Choice Awards winner—will be followed by a related devotional and gift book in early 2011.

Ten years after the publication of Stormie Omartian's The Power of a Praying Wife (Harvest House Publishers), it was re-released in 2007 with a new cover.

Kevin Leman has a new book, Have a New Husband by Sunday (Revell/Baker Publishing Group), recently released.

Having addressed men and women separately in Wild at Heart and Captivating, John and Stasi Eldredge put that knowledge together in the December 2009 release of the candid Love & War (Doubleday Religion).

Reviving the classics

Even as culture continues to drift away from marriage and commitment, some of the classics remain strong backlist titles.

"I think it's because they hit the mark," said Dan Rich, senior vice president and publisher of David C Cook. "They did it first, and no one else has been able to top it."

Instead of taking the old titles out of print and looking for new angles and authors, many publishers have chosen to update or repackage content with a more modern edge.

Willard Harley has sold more than 2 million copies of his classic His Needs, Her Needs. In February 2011, Revell will release a new edition of the book, 25 years since its original publication.

"Backlist marriage books like His Needs, Her Needs are based on principles that remain the same even as the times change," said Jennifer Leep, editorial director for Revell. "In Dr. Harley's case, his basic premise—that every person has emotional needs and that men and women tend to prioritize those needs differently—is still true. The context within which couples are applying those principles, however, certainly continues to shift.  And that's what drives us to go back and update a classic."

The new edition will include an updated look and content presented so it makes sense to a new generation. "Sometimes that involves changing the way a concept is explained or the example that's used to illustration a point," Leep said. "Sometimes it means reinforcing a principle that's at odds with a current cultural trend."

Harvest House has refreshed the cover for Norm Wright's Quiet Times for Couples devotional. Originally released 20 years ago, it has sold more than 500,000 copies. In January 2011 the book will be re-released with a new cover in paperback.

Chapman's The 5 Love Languages has been a successful test of revamping the tried and true for tech-oriented readers. For about $9, the book can be downloaded as an iPhone app from mFluent.

"When introducing new products or revitalizing older ones, it is crucial that marketing plans resonate with a younger audience, and in this day and age, those efforts absolutely must include a large digital presence," said Andy Peterson, senior creative director at Propeller Consulting. "Online resources, multimedia products and mobile applications such as the 5 Love Languages iPhone app are all critical components of well-received marketing aimed at younger demographics."

Since its December 2009 launch, more than 148,000 visitors have used the personal assessment at www.fivelovelanguages.com, which allows users to determine their love language in just 30 seconds.

The success can be attributed to two things, said Peterson, "our creation of an online widget that allows quick and simple viral sharing of the online test; and second, an updated, more youthful Web site for the brand."

Emerging voices

As some marriage experts begin to age and slow down in their writing, new voices have been slow to come on the scene.

"Publishers are always looking for fresh material on marriage, and similar core messages to Christians, but it is a crowded arena, and it is very difficult to find original thought and points of view, but I believe we (should) still look," Cook's Rich said, adding that pastors who do pre-marital counseling are a possible source for new material.

Unexpected voices come from avid Facebookers K. Jason and Kelli Krafsky whose Facebook and Your Marriage (Turn the Tide Resource Group) is a married user's guide to the popular online social network site, addressing issues such as: to friend or not friend ex-spouses, how much time is too much on Facebook and what information is acceptable to post.

The Krafskys seemed to stumble upon the widespread need for their message. In 2009, they posted several articles on their blog, including what became their most popular, "Is Facebook a Cyber-Threat to Your Marriage?"

"People shared stories of spouses leaving marriages for newly found 'soul mates' on Facebook, and mates neglecting family time spending countless hours playing games on Facebook," said Kelli Krafsky. "We even read about a husband who unfriended his wife because she asked too many questions about his Facebook activities."

Facebook and Your Marriage, designed to look like a series of threads in an online discussion board, also deals with issues like privacy and security. There is even a whole section devoted to romancing your spouse using the site.

FamilyLife is reviewing the book for a radio show, and it has caught the attention of Steve Watters, Focus on the Family marriage editor.

"It's both a new and relevant angle as well as an emerging voice," Watters said of the thirtysomething couple's title. "It's my sense that the next wave of younger voices on marriage will come from Xers, but it's only been recently that Xers like actor/writer Kirk Cameron and co-authors of The Love Dare Alex and Stephen Kendrick have earned the trust to be seen as mentor voices."

Another increasingly well-known marriage and family expert, due to her expanding role as co-host of the "Focus on the Family" daily and weekend broadcast, is Juli Slattery, a late-30s psychologist and author of Tyndale House Publishers' 2009 release No More Headaches: Enjoying Sex & Intimacy in Marriage.

"Having a young, female co-host on this highly respected broadcast is a wonderful way to reach a younger demographic who, like their parents before them, are seeking trusted counsel when it comes to intimacy issues," said Maggie Rowe, Tyndale publicist.

Between the covers

John and Anita Renfroe pushed the envelope in 2007 with Songs in the Key of Solomon (David C. Cook). Their January release, Duets, continued to raise eyebrows following a book trailer's bedroom scene that panned from a trail of clothes to a bed with a couple reading Duets, then kissing and placing the book on the nightstand before turning off the light.

Rich said Cook had a few dealers that didn't respond positively to the book, but very few. "I think believers, and book sellers, are becoming comfortable with the idea of married sexuality," he said.

Paul Wilkinson, avid book blogger and owner of Searchlight Books in Cobourg and Brockville, Ontario, recalls getting Duets and thinking it was a "little edgy," but not so much "that I thought it worth mentioning. In this marketplace, a lot of books are 'pushing the envelope.' "

He believes the problem lies in that many shoppers are ill-informed, and the result is that people read material that's targeted at a different audience.

"If seniors start reading Donald Miller or Rob Bell, they're going to be offended at some point. You can almost guarantee it," Wilkinson said. "Most Christian comedians like Anita are, by definition, 'edgy.' "

Jon Farrar, acquisitions director at Tyndale, said covers have come a long way.

"I'm seeing a trend in CBA with covers that allow images that suggest the content of the book. When Ed Wheat's book Intended for Pleasure—with 1 million copies sold and now in its fourth edition—came out in the 1970s, it had no image on the cover. Now Kevin Leman's Sheet Music, has an image that suggests what the author is discussing more."

Even tried-and-true experts are going a bit saucier.

"I think Christians have been looking for a sex guide for married couples that is wholesome for a long time," Farrar said. Gary Smalley's new September release, Great Parents, Lousy Lovers, is very timely, Farrar added, "many families are so centered around their children that their marriage relationship as husband and wife is becoming threatened."

Event-driven

Marriage conferences help drive sales because of attendees who want more of what they have just heard and are "motivated to obtain resources to help them make the changes that will improve, strengthen, even heal their marriage," said Janis Backing, publicist for Moody Publishers.

Fireproof actor Kirk Cameron and singer Warren Barfield recently collaborated on an eight-city event, running March through October, called Love Worth Fighting For.

Last year, Promise Keepers, which in the past was a strong driver of men's books, made a move to reinforce marriage by, for the first time, inviting attendees' wives to come to its lone 2009 conference.

Also for the first time in the organization's 20-year history, a woman was the keynote speaker. Aglow International's president and CEO Jane Hansen Hoyt encouraged unity in the faith. One couple even got married during the event.

Paul David Tripp's What Did You Expect? (Crossway) sprang from a conference—also called What Did you Expect?—which is popular with singles.

At conferences and Focus on the Family simulcasts, Gary Thomas, author of Sacred Marriage (Zondervan), which has sold 300,000 copies, speaks on what it means to have a sacred marriage.

Book sales are not exclusively tied to participation in the conference circuit, but it doesn't hurt either. "It's clear that personality and an author's speaking platform can be a major factor in helping to sell books," Revell's Leep said.