How to satisfy the appetite of the Young Adult market

Young Adult (YA) readers have been responsible for a significant portion of overall book purchases in the last few years, helping to make up for lagging sales in adult fiction and nonfiction print books. However, most of these YA sales can be attributed to general market releases. The Christian market has not kept pace with top-sellers like the “Twilight Saga,” “The Hunger Games” and “Divergent” series. Reaching this important audience with quality, engaging Christian books can provide a solid opportunity for greater revenues and spiritual growth for these readers who are currently purchasing their books at general market retail.

Adopt these 7 tips for serving Catholics in your community

Americans—and Catholics around the world—were transfixed by the visit of Pope Francis in September. By all reports, he felt the same way. During his first visit to the U.S., he was clearly moved by the warm welcome he received.

Media coverage of Francis’ visit was virtually 24/7. The media followed his historic appearances in Congress and the United Nations as well as his Mass for 1.5 million Catholics in Philadelphia at the end of the weeklong World Meeting of Families gathering. The papal visit resulted in a spike in interest in the Catholic Church and in Pope Francis himself. As one of the largest publishers of books about the pope or by him, we’ve seen our sales of Francis books jump with his visit, and we don’t expect the interest to die down anytime soon.

Increase Bible engagement with Scripture-focused children’s DVDs

Many adults recall their favorite stories from the Saturday morning cartoons or holiday classics they watched in their childhood. Recognizing the power of animation in conveying Bible-based stories, the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) created the Superbook children’s series in 1981.

Adopt these principles of merchandising—and watch your store sales grow

You can learn to merchandise. I cannot even begin to tell you how many store owners and managers have said to me, “I just don’t know how to merchandise product in my store” or “I don’t have time to merchandise every time new gifts arrive.” I respectfully disagree!

Yes, there are people who are born with “the gift,” but most retailers simply must learn how to correctly merchandise product to make it sell. After all, that is the whole reason why merchandising is so important.

How signings and more can help your store reach long-term goals

What if you threw a party and no one came? The very thought of nobody showing up for a specially planned event or appearance can make any retailer cringe.

Adopt a monthly checklist to stay on track for VBS success

Christian retailers can serve as vital partners to the church in the ministry of Vacation Bible School. If your store has a well-planned effort to promote VBS resources, you’re all set! But if you have never carried VBS resources or stopped doing so a few years back, the following checklist is designed to help you reconsider getting involved in this life-changing ministry.

Why VBS is still an effective church ministry opportunity

Vacation Bible School has been a staple in children’s ministry for more than a century. Launched in 1894 in Hopedale, Illinois, what is now known as “VBS” has brought many children to Christ and ministered to their families—and it all started because a teacher wanted more time with his students.