Christian Retailing

HarperCollins Christian announces big stake in Thomas Nelson Brasil Print Email
Written by Christine D. Johnson   
Wednesday, 05 November 2014 09:12 AM America/New_York

Company grows international presence in assuming majority ownership of Brazil publishing entity

// BRAZIL

ThomasNelsonBrasilHarperCollins Christian Publishing (HCCP) announced in early October its acquisition of majority ownership of Thomas Nelson Brasil (TNB) from joint-venture partner Ediouro Group. HCCP, TNB and Ediouro will continue to work closely together.

The TNB acquisition directly aligns with HCCP’s strategic plan to grow its international presence to support its English-speaking authors who have a global platform while at the same time continuing to publish local voices and content relevant to Brazilian readers.

TNB was formed in 2006 as a partnership between Thomas Nelson Publishers and Ediouro. Brazil has been one of the fastest-growing evangelical countries in the world, and Thomas Nelson used its publishing brand and Ediouro’s infrastructure to introduce its U.S. authors to a Brazilian audience. As the brand gained recognition among Brazilian evangelicals, publishing indigenous authors became a focus for TNB. In 2012, TNB published one of Brazil’s top-selling books, Casamento Blinddado (The Bulletproof Marriage) by Renato and Cristiane Cardoso, with 1.8 million copies sold to date.

When Thomas Nelson was acquired by HarperCollins Publishers in 2012, TNB became part of HCCP, which includes the Zondervan Group, Bible Gateway, HarperCollins Mexico and Olive Tree. Today, approximately half of TNB’s business is generated by Brazilian Christian authors.

“TNB gives us an international presence that helps fulfill our company mission to inspire the world with content that honors God,” said Mark Schoenwald, president and CEO of HCCP. “In 2013, we offered more than 200 titles from U.S. authors in our Brazilian catalog, which is a testament to their global platforms and messages. Additionally, we are thankful that the TNB team has been fortunate enough to publish strong evangelical voices like Ludmila Ferber, as well as new authors like Renato and Cristiane Cardoso, which is validating the TNB name within Brazilian culture.”

Tod Shuttleworth, senior vice president of international publishing, will oversee the TNB business for HCCP. Antonio Araujo will continue as general manager in Brazil for TNB and will report to Shuttleworth, with Omar Souza as publisher.

“Twenty-five percent of Brazil’s 200 million people are evangelical Christians,” said Shuttleworth. “Our partnership with Ediouro, a distinguished trade-book publisher in Brazil for more than 70 years, has been invaluable in reaching this audience. They have helped place TNB books in well-established distribution channels and provided a strong infrastructure that complements the HCCP business and Thomas Nelson publishing brand.”

TNB has continued to partner with major churches and denominations as well as local authors, and in 2013 entered the Bible-publishing market. With this new focus, TNB became the second-largest evangelical publisher in Brazil, increasing its revenue by 57% last year.

“Thomas Nelson and now HarperCollins has been a wonderful partner to Ediouro Group,” said Jorge Carneiro, president of Ediouro. “We feel honored by our continued partnership with HarperCollins, its confidence in our team, and its investment in the future of the Brazilian editorial market.”

TNB will continue to focus on Christian titles, growing its indigenous author base and publishing Bibles and HCCP titles that best resonate with the country’s evangelical population.­ —Johnson

 
Lecrae becomes 5th Christian artist to top Billboard 200 Print Email
Written by Christine D. Johnson   
Tuesday, 07 October 2014 04:19 PM America/New_York

GRAMMY-winning hip-hop artist’s ‘Anomaly’ becomes top-selling album in the U.S.—a first for Reach Records

AnomalyChristian rapper Lecrae achieved No. 1 status on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart with Anomaly. The Sept. 9 release by the GRAMMY-winning artist sold 88,000 copies in its debut week, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and is the first to land atop the chart for the Reach Records label, which he co-founded.

Anomaly is the artist’s sixth No. 1 release on the Gospel Albums chart and his fifth leader on Christian Albums, according to Billboard. It also hit multiple other Billboard charts.

“It’s a lot to take in,” Lecrae tweeted after receiving the news of the feat. I haven’t had time to download it all. I am so grateful for the support.”

The release is just the fifth album to top Christian Albums and the Billboard 200 simultaneously, following Chris Tomlin’s Burning Lights (2013), TobyMac’s Eye on It (2012), LeAnn Rimes’ You Light Up My LifeInspirational Songs (1997) and Bob Carlisle’s Butterfly Kisses (Shades of Grace) (1997).

Lecrae’s single “All I Need Is You” also debuted atop the iTunes Hip-Hop chart.

“This marks the first time that a Christian hip-hop artist has hit No. 1 on the iTunes Hip-Hop/Rap song chart and the first time a Christian hip-hop artist has hit No. 1 on the iTunes song chart overall!” according to Rapzilla.com.

The rapper has sold 1.4 million albums and 2.9 million track downloads.

Lecrae invited fans to share what makes them an anomaly. He planned to use their stories and pictures on a billboard in New York City’s Times Square. —Johnson

 
Brits brave bad weather for Christian Resources Exhibition Print Email
Written by Clive Price   
Tuesday, 04 November 2014 05:11 PM America/New_York

// UNITED KINGDOM

HolySocksDespite challenging climates—financial and meteorological—for churches and charities across Britain, many turned up “willing to buy” at the recent Christian Resources Exhibition (CRE) North in Manchester, England.

Nearly 2,500 exhibitors, buyers and guests—including no fewer than three Anglican bishops—converged on Event City, the second-largest exhibition space outside of London, for the show Oct. 8-9.

“The Christian marketplace had had its tough times,” event organizer Bill Allen told Christian Retailing. “But here were serious people coming to buy.”

Allen added that attendance was “totally on a par with what we would’ve expected.”

People were determined to sample “the ideal church show”—as CRE is affectionately known—even as rainstorms lashed parts of the country and a main route, the M6 motorway, was closed in both directions for a time.

Undeterred, visitors attended CRE’s three major art displays, took in seminars and walked around the 210 stands occupied by almost 190 exhibitors. On show was everything from biblically themed “holy” socks to the highly unusual bicycle hearse.

Among those attending CRE for the first time was singer-songwriter Lara Martin. She led morning devotions for exhibitors and lunchtime worship concerts for visitors.

“I was really blessed to see CRE was coming up north,” said Martin, who lives in neighboring Yorkshire. “It was great to see so many familiar faces. There were people running organizations in the Christian world—and they were on my doorstep.”

She pointed out what seems to be a north-south divide in England.

“Especially with music tours or preaching tours, the south is quite saturated with events,” Martin explained.

But CRE appears to be helping to bridge that gap with its regional shows.

Martin is known for such worship songs as “The Voice Of Hope” and “Divine Exchange.” A number of her compositions have been recorded by other artists, including Sonicflood, Michelle Tumes, Christine Dente and Susan Ashton.

In between sessions at CRE, the singer met delegates who were armed with shopping lists for their churches. They’d planned which stands to visit and found exactly what they wanted—including children’s ministry resources.

Martin believes CRE is “a real gift to the church,” bringing “a personal touch” to a market that’s increasingly found online.

Another first-timer at CRE North was comedian Tony Vino, who helped keep visitors entertained.

“I’m not exactly an exhibit,” Vino said with a laugh. “I was just performing!”

Lancashire-born, the comedian did a showcase set and emceed from the Spotlight stage. He previewed the seminar program, which tackled issues from reaching fathers to “web evangelism.”

Vino tours the comedy circuit as well as churches. He is a favorite at festivals like Greenbelt, New Wine and Spring Harvest and says he has a “special heart for men’s ministry.” He is also chaplain at Strangeways Prison and at the YMCA gym in Manchester.

He thought that holding CRE in Manchester offered a display of church life in the region.

“The church is strong in the north,” he said. “There are lots of exciting projects.”

Vino observed that Manchester is home to The Message and Redeeming Our Communities—just two Christian initiatives that have been transforming parts of the U.K.

“CRE is more effective when it becomes regional,” he added.

As the CRE organizer, Allen doesn’t believe CRE is more effective in the regions, but he does think it is reaching new audiences in places like Manchester, Birmingham and Exeter.

After three decades of steady growth, CRE will hold its international show at London’s Excel for the first time next year, May 19-22. Previously the event was at Sandown Park, south of the capital.

“We felt it was time to bring the international show into the center of London,” Allen said. —Clive Price

 
Harvest House Publishers author John Weldon dies at 66 Print Email
Written by Christine D. Johnson   
Tuesday, 07 October 2014 04:10 PM America/New_York

More than 20 years of research and writing with John Ankerberg extended readership of apologetics books

JohnWeldonHarvest House Publishers author John Weldon died Aug. 30 after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 66.

Weldon was born Feb. 6, 1948, in Chicago and became a Christian as an adult. He earned multiple graduate-level degrees, including a Ph.D. in comparative religion and a D.Min. with an emphasis on contemporary religious movements. He employed his expertise for more than 20 years as a researcher for The John Ankerberg Show. Weldon authored or co-authored more than 100 books, including the “Facts On” series that has sold more than 2.5 million copies in 16 languages.

Weldon was a part of the Harvest House family of authors for nearly 30 years.

“Working with John, as an author and a friend, was always a great blessing,” said Bob Hawkins Jr., president of Harvest House. “His books and his life have left a lasting legacy, and we feel very honored to have known and worked alongside him in ministry.”

Weldon authored and co-authored more than 65 of his Harvest House books with sales of nearly 3 million copies.

“Every single one of these books clearly proclaimed his deep and abounding love for God’s truth,” the company said.

Harvest House also noted that Weldon was “exceptionally knowledgeable and yet exceedingly humble,” traits that were “clearly evident in his many written defenses of the Christian faith, in which he spoke God’s truth with love (Eph. 4:15). Even in the face of tremendous opposition—such as when it was necessary to respond to a lengthy and unwarranted lawsuit—he was able to take a strong stand and do it with grace.”

Weldon was also known to have “enormous compassion” for the lost, the statement said, observing that it was appropriate that Weldon’s last book was How to Know You’re Going to Heaven.

Weldon’s life and ministry influenced many people.

“John’s life and work have touched countless others seeking to grow spiritually and better understand the Bible,” said a statement on the Ankerberg show’s website. “His friends describe him as genuine, humble and passionate to share the hope of eternal life with everyone he met. His work will continue through his many books, his online writings at The John Ankerberg Show website (JAshow.org), as well as through the many people John has personally influenced through his ministry.” —Johnson

 
Zondervan ‘Man in the Mirror’ marks 25 years Print Email
Written by Christine D. Johnson   
Tuesday, 07 October 2014 04:05 PM America/New_York

Patrick Morley launched a men’s movement with his 1989 book

ManInTheMirror-25Zondervan has published Patrick Morley’s The Man in the Mirror: Solving the 24 Problems Men Face for 25 years, a choice that has paid off in more than 3 million copies sold since its initial release in 1989.

Man in the Mirror was selected as one of the most influential titles of Christian publishing by authors William J. Petersen and Randy Petersen for 100 Christian Books That Changed the Century (Revell/Baker Publishing Group, 2000) and has appeared on CBA and Christian Retailing best-seller lists 18 times. A revised, updated version of the book will be released Oct. 7.

“Twenty five years ago, Patrick Morley delivered what would emerge as the seminal title for Christian men,” said David Morris, vice president and publisher of nonfiction trade books for Zondervan. “The Man in the Mirror has been a source of timeless, insightful advice for millions of men. Now with updated statistics and revised data for today’s markets and personal financial schedules, it is sure to bless the lives of millions more.”

In the book, Morley helps readers understand what to do about the 24 most difficult problems men face. As life’s demands pressure men to run faster and jump higher, this book invites them to take a look at their identities, relationships, finances, time, temperament and the means to bring about lasting change.

Having founded Man in the Mirror as a discipleship ministry, Morley has written more than 750 articles to help men and leaders, has appeared on several hundred radio and television programs, blogs almost daily and speaks to men through “The Man in the Mirror” daily radio program that’s carried on more than 700 stations. —Johnson

 
B&H Kids acquires select Standard titles Print Email
Written by Christine D. Johnson   
Tuesday, 07 October 2014 04:02 PM America/New_York

Well-known children’s authors, series find new home

B&HKidsB&H Kids acquired 90 children’s titles from Standard Publishing in August. A number of titles from best-selling authors Sally Lloyd-Jones, Mary Manz Simon, Dandi Mackall, Andy Holmes and Susan Lingo as well as brands My Goodnight Bible, Baby Blessings, “Baby’s First” series, First Virtues and The Young Reader’s Bible were included in the deal.

“Standard Publishing’s core strengths are in providing curriculum, adult Bible study and special programming resources for the church,” said Peter Esposito, CEO and president, CFM Publishing, Standard’s parent company. “We are glad to have found a home for these books where their ministry value can be continued.”

Before the acquisition of these preschool products, the majority of B&H Kids content was for children 4 to 8 or 8 to 12.

An imprint of B&H Publishing Group, B&H Kids will be releasing some of the newly acquired titles in 2015 and redeveloping some of the content for the future.

“We are so pleased that we’ve been given this opportunity,” said Dan Lynch, publisher. “Our team has already begun to evaluate these products, and we see great potential in bringing these biblical resources for kids back into the market.”

Selma Wilson, B&H Publishing  Group president, said the acquisition “strengthens our mission.”

“Since we entered the kids’ category in 2012, we have seen strong growth as we built both our product line and the B&H Kids editorial and marketing team,” Wilson said. “We are committed to serving the market, both here and around the world, by providing great kids’ resources that help parents connect with their children on biblical truth.”

Mackall, one of the authors whose books were transferred, said: “What a privilege to see these books instilled with new purpose and new life under B&H Kids! Working with Standard, and now B&H Kids, feels like a double blessing to me.” —Christine D. Johnson

 
Zondervan readies Christian retailers for ‘Believe’ line Print Email
Written by Christine D. Johnson   
Tuesday, 07 October 2014 03:52 PM America/New_York

New product campaign grew out of success of ‘The Story’ Bible as churches warmed to longer studies

Believe-Merchandise-Endcap mockupChristian retail chains that saw success with Zondervan’s The Story products are now preparing for a similar campaign with the publisher’s forthcoming Believe line.

The all-church Believe program was created by Shelley Leith, director of church relations for HarperCollins Christian Publishing, of which Zondervan is a part. Trained as a systems analyst, Leith also forged similar campaigns, including The Story and 40 Days of Purpose, which was tied to Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Life.

She and Beth Murphy, director of marketing at HarperCollins Publishers, recently worked with senior management at the Mardel chain’s sales conference “to try to leverage bookstore sales to take advantage of the church market to a greater degree,” Leith told Christian Retailing.

Zondervan is challenging Mardel and other stores to build on their church connections. If pastors get the Believe kit, which has all of the curriculum, Leith thinks it will lead to many more book purchases than if individuals just came into the stores.

The Believe campaign is a 30-week program, something that churches are accustomed to now, having gone through the 31-week program for The Story.

“As more and more churches began to do the program the way that it was laid out, they ended their ministry year saying, ‘We want to keep doing church this way. This is creating a hunger in our people for having every member of their family aligned with each other, for doing something for a prolonged period of time—there are many great benefits to that—but coming out of The Story, churches overall were saying we want more.”

The idea for Believe was borne out of talks between pastor Randy Frazee and Zondervan because “there was nothing else out there” like The Story, and churches wanted more of the same.

The Story saw age groups within congregations engaging with the same study as well as cooperation across denominations. Such can be seen in Frankenmuth, Michigan, where churches across town used The Story products and then held a rally together with Frazee as their keynote speaker.

Usually, however, Zondervan holds a day of training for churches in a certain area, walking them through how to use the study for different age groups. Churches from Lutheran to Baptist to Catholic all have engaged with The Story curriculum, and are expected to do the same with Believe.

“There are 10 beliefs, 10 practices and 10 virtues that are explored through the lens of scripture by putting together a complete story from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament along with other ancillary scriptures that describe and explain each one of these beliefs, practices and virtues,” Leith said of Believe. “So the idea is that churches would preach through these 30 beliefs, they would teach though the 30 beliefs at every age level in the church and then an individual could read through in these individual books.”

There is freedom for each church to teach the basics that they would have in common with all Christians, but to expound on doctrines according to their specific beliefs.

“With The Story, they were worried that we were messing with their Bibles, and I think with Believe, they’re going to be worried that we are messing with their theology,” Leith said.

To head off such controversy, Zondervan has filmed a panel discussion  with Larry Hart, a professor from Oral Roberts University; Leonard Sweet, a professor from the Wesleyan tradition; and Don Sweeting, president of Reformed Theological Seminary. The publisher will encourage stores to use it as a promotional piece and churches to view it to answer theological concerns.

Zondervan is recommending that stores keep on hand a loaner kit for churches to let their leaders take home and use.

Stores then need to “be prepared to offer discounts on bulk purchases to encourage the churches to send their people to your store or the church could buy them from your store and then offer that discounted price to their people.” Leith said.

Zondervan is planning a lengthy product rollout. In December, books for each age group will be available and then in 2015, the curriculum comes out in May and the church kits in September.

Believe can be run in three 10-week segments. The publisher has been marketing to pastors since April and started testing the campaign with a group of 30 churches in September.

Leith noted that they are “all reporting incredible enthusiasm, can’t keep the books in stock, record attendance.” —Johnson

 
Davis Bunn’s ‘great storytelling’ appeals across markets Print Email
Written by Ann Byle   
Tuesday, 07 October 2014 03:43 PM America/New_York

Christy Hall of Fame author and four-time winner plans to enter new phase of his writing career

DavisBunn-ChurchDavis Bunn loves his job. He writes from his Florida home, his home in England, on airplanes, in airports, hotel rooms and waiting rooms. A best-selling author with nearly 8 million copies sold and books translated into nearly 20 languages, he has more ideas than time to write them into books.

“I came to faith at age 28 and started writing two weeks later,” Bunn said from his Florida residence. “There was an absolute certainty that this was what I would do for the rest of my life.”

He and his wife, Isabella, were on their way to California for talks about movie rights and screenplays, then on to England where they live for half the year. Isabella Bunn teaches at Oxford’s Regent’s Park College and at a college near their U.S. home in Vero Beach, Florida.

When Bunn began writing novels, he was managing director of an American consulting group and running its European operations. He has worked in 40 countries and made homes in six.

“I wrote seven books in nine years before the first was accepted for publication, all while I continued to work,” he said.

His first book, The Presence, was published by Bethany House in 1991, and Bunn has never looked back. Since then, he has published with River North/Moody Publishers (The Turning), Howard Books (The Sign Painter) and others.

He has written with Janette Oke, known for her prairie settings, and set other stories in countries from Russia to Syria, from Greece to the United States. He has ventured into such unusual subjects as breakthrough energy devices in Unlimited, the dangerous aftermath of the fall of communism in the USSR in Winter Palace and messages from God in The Turning. Ancient antiquities, bribery in the United Nations and nuclear war—there is little on the world stage that Bunn hasn’t plumbed for plotlines and characters, from the ancient world to modern times.

His current work, released by Bethany House (Baker Publishing Group) in November, is The Patmos Deception, a modern suspense yarn that pits a reporter, antiquities expert and Greek fisherman against unscrupulous thieves who will do anything to acquire a long-hidden scroll that may exist only in legend.

David Horton, editorial director at Bethany House, appreciates what the author brings to the publishing table.

“Davis—who has a long history with Bethany House, including his first published work—has a keen interest in—and knowledge of—issues of national and international scope,” Horton said. “Paired with his prolific capacity for great storytelling, that makes for an attractive combination.”

Bethany will support The Patmos Deception with print and online advertising, and work toward word-of-mouth outspread via social media and blogger reviews. Bunn will add to the efforts with his own promotions.

Co-op options for independent Christian stores remain vital, and the company will put money toward the book appearing in catalogs from Munce Group and The Parable Group.

“We are hoping Christian retailers will love the book and hand-sell it like crazy,” said Noelle Buss, Bethany’s marketing manager for fiction. “There is nothing like having a sincere personal recommendation from someone to [persuade] a customer to buy.”

ThePatmosDeceptionNever content to stick with the same-old, same-old, Bunn is entering a new phase of his career in early 2015 with the first of two new series to be published by Revell, a sister division to Bethany House.

Emissary, the first in the “Legends of the Realm” trilogy, is a classic fantasy that “will definitely appeal to the evangelical reader of fantasy,” Bunn said. “But it’s not exclusive to that community. It will appeal to all believers and fantasy readers.”

Another new series, which he calls “real-time sci-fi,” begins in August 2015 with Trial Run, first in the “Fault Lines” trilogy. Bunn writes both series under the pseudonym Thomas Locke, a change he’s not trying to hide, but instead is using as a way to differentiate his fantasy and science-fiction writing from his other work.

“This is a big step to launch two new series under a pen name,” he said. “It’s a new direction for me and a new direction for Revell.”

Bunn said Thomas Locke was the name of his first forebear to immigrate to the United States in the early 1700s.

“These are two categories that haven’t been a staple for Revell, but now it’s the right time and the right author,” said Jennifer Leep, fiction editor for Revell. “Davis is tremendously talented, and he’s got a real passion for these books. We’ve dubbed it as writing classic fantasy for a modern reader. One thing to his benefit is the general darkness in fantasy writing these days. Davis offers fantasy in which the light is brighter than the darkness.”

Part of the fun is that he’s already been contracted to write the screenplay for Emissary. Nicholas Burgess-Jones, the most successful producer of music videos in Europe, will produce and direct the film, which is to begin in April 2015 should investors be found.

“We knew the movie potential,” Leep said. “When I read Emissary, I could understand why he was able to capture the interest of the film world.”

Bunn also wrote the screenplay for Unlimited (B&H Books). The movie stars Fred Thompson and will be released by Provident Films in March or April of next year. Bunn is also working on two screenplays based on novels that will become made-for-television movies.

He served as emcee of the 2014 Christy Awards held during the International Christian Retail Show and as an inductee into the Christy Hall of Fame. He was inducted after winning four Christy Awards in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2013.

“The word most often used to describe Davis Bunn is ‘gentleman,’” said Donna Kehoe, executive director of the Christy Awards. “He holds the position of statesman in the Christian publishing world.”

Bunn recalls the first time he ever walked into a Christian retail store. He’d been a believer for just over a year when his sister told him about Sign of the Fish in Raleigh, North Carolina.

“The store was just magic,” Bunn said. “The owner, Joanna Hicks, came over, and we got into a conversation about how much I wanted to be a writer and how much my faith meant to me. The high point of my trips home was to visit the store.”

Bunn sees bookstores as vital to sales.

“It’s absolutely crucial in this market to hand-sell, but for the Thomas Locke books it’s going to be even more so,” he said. “Christian retailers do this better than anyone out there.”

Leep said Revell will tap into fantasy markets with ad placements and other opportunities but also expects full support from Christian retail.

“Davis walks that line very well,” Leep said. “He understands the sensibilities of the Christian market and doesn’t alienate it, but also feels relatable and interesting to the general market.”

Despite Sign of the Fish closing, any visit to a Christian retail store is an event for Bunn.

“I go in and spend way too much money,” he said with a laugh.

 
[ STORE SUCCESSES ] Building a better business Print Email
Written by Deonne Lindsey   
Tuesday, 07 October 2014 03:31 PM America/New_York

Make use of these 8 tips to improve your store—and its community reach

Virtually every retailer today is seeing changes to how business is done. Shifts in marketing and promotion, methods of delivering product, customer shopping preferences, and the length of time products are considered new are all changing the retail landscape. As Christian store owners and managers across the U.S. work to stay ahead, they have found some successes along the way, offering ideas that their fellow retailers may wish to try.

1. Be Willing to Try a Variety of Events.

When Jim Pitman, manager at the CLC Bookcenters location in Wyncote, Pennsylvania, realized that Thursday and Friday nights in the summer were slow times for his store, he started brainstorming. The result was a Karaoke Kids night, which he held Thursdays, 6-7:30 p.m. With a few soundtracks and a sound system the store already had plus a couple of microphones, the event was equipped.

“We thought that parents would like to give their kids a chance to perform, and we really wanted to create a fun family atmosphere, plus we thought that parents might likely invite family and friends in the area when their child was planning to perform,” Pitman said.

The store got the word out with a postcard mailing, an email blast and Facebook posts keeping the momentum going by posting photos or videos of kids who had performed and whose parents gave permission for their children’s images to be used.

Each child who performed received a gift certificate for $5 off a $10-or-more purchase. Most of the gift cards were redeemed, many used the evening they were earned, providing an immediate return on the store’s promotional effort.

Originally, Pitman said, the plan was to limit the event to kids 12 and under, but they realized early on that they didn’t have many kids in that age range coming so they opted to allow everyone in the family to participate. While the event didn’t break any records, Pitman thinks it’s worth possibly trying again with some modifications next summer.

“You have to be willing to do a lot of different things,” the manager said. “We do some things to appeal to teens, some for parents and families, and some that appeal to older customers.”

Another thing Pitman said boosted store traffic this summer was using 10-foot directional flags in the shopping center in which the store is located to draw attention to their store’s offerings that have broad appeal. In part, the flags helped to draw attention to the store beyond the daytime when that side of the shopping center is busiest in an effort to build evening foot traffic.

2. Embrace That Project You’ve Been Putting off.

Concert---Dale-Powers-&-FriendsAs with any project requiring renovation, this summer’s remodel of Wheaton Religious Gift & Church Supply in Wheaton, Illinois, started small, and the snowball just kept getting bigger.

“After almost 20 years, we knew that the carpet was basically shot,” said Joe Taschetta, store owner. “Then we started thinking that while we had the carpet out, we might as well do the fixtures and then came the lighting, some fresh paint and finally we decided to remodel the office and call-center area.”

One of the biggest changes was the removal of a staircase in the center of the store leading up to the office and call center. Since there were several other ways to access those areas, eliminating the staircase allowed much-needed space for displays. Also added were merchandising fixtures with greater flexibility that allowed for more seasonal cross-merchandising between departments. Now, Taschetta says the space is “less like an obstacle course.”

Another important consideration for the store, which is housed in a building dating from the 1900s, was finding a solution that worked with the uneven floor of the building and was much more maintenance friendly. Faux-wood flooring fit the bill, handling the high-traffic area and adapting to the building’s quirks.

Choosing August, the store’s lowest volume month, for the remodel also made sense. And the customer response? “All positive,” Taschetta said.

People tell the staff that the store smells nice, looks bigger and best of all, they comment about products the store has always carried, exclaiming, “I didn’t know you had that!” Taschetta also says he’s noticed an influx of new, younger customers browsing the updated space.

3. Build on Your Unique Shopping Experience.

Updating even small areas in the store tends to draw customers and often leads to sales of products that were not moving.

“We realized that retail is changing all around us, so we wanted to make sure we were keeping our look fresh,” said Heather Stofer, marketing manager for The Bookery Parable Christian Store in Mansfield, Ohio. For the store, that meant an updated image with new flooring and fixtures and an infusion of new gift items, including scarves and jewelry, as well as other gifts of interest to a broader audience.

But the choice of more product was more than just a cosmetic improvement.

“Even though we didn’t decrease books and Bibles, we also know that gifts are a category that people don’t buy online as readily,” Stofer said. “Even though the impact of downloading on book [and music sales] has leveled out for the most part, we know that music alone won’t draw people into the store. They may end up downloading what they want if they aren’t in the store for another reason.”

A changing gift selection also helps keep the store visually fresh and draws in those who aren’t sure what they want but know it when they see it, Stofer said.

Another way the team is keeping the store of interest to customers is through its events schedule. Throughout the year, the store hosts a variety of events like their pastor-appreciation luncheon and a Christmas open house, as well as events with locally and nationally known authors.

One new addition to the roster this year was a concert series with local artists, made possible because one of the store’s employees had a number of such contacts. The series was held the second Friday of the month year round, taking place in the store’s conference room in cooler or inclement weather and outside on the lawn during the summer.

Promoting the concert series through email and Facebook reminders drew in some new faces who Stofer says “may never have been in our store before” and netted a consistent audience of at least 50 people each month.

4. Brainstorm Your Way to Winning Ideas.

ChocolateFountain 0044At Arrowhead Parable Christian Store in Johnson City, New York, brainstorming has paid off.

“I meet several times a month with all the department heads, and we just started brainstorming things that would be fun to do and would draw people in,” said Paul Kuntz, store manager. “Some of the women there saw the movie Moms Night Out and liked it, so the idea of creating our own ‘Girls Night Out’ was born.”

The team at the store got busy contacting the movie’s distributor and other companies that could partner with them on the event, providing items for a goody bag for everyone in attendance, offering prizes and making plans for a chocolate fountain, homemade desserts and other perks. Knowing that they had space in the conference room where they planned to project the movie for 100 people, the team got busy promoting the event.

“We sent out an email on Friday, and all the slots were reserved by Monday,” Kuntz said. “We still had a lot of people calling and wanting to come, so the staff convinced me to do a second evening for the event, and we sent out word on Saturday. This time, it was full by Tuesday.”

While he was happy with a packed house each night, Kuntz is considering some strategic changes to such an event for the future. With roughly 20% of the reserved spots being no-shows each night, he wonders if charging a minimal amount returned as store credit toward a purchase the night of the event might be a better way of encouraging attendance by those who made a reservation.

“It’s sad because we had turned down people wanting to make reservations,” Kuntz said.

5. Employ Flexible Merchandising.

In 20 years, the Kregel Parable Christian Stores location in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has grown and evolved, but not all of that shifting was positive. As a result of years of small changes, the store lacked a cohesive feel and was in need of a makeover to bring its overall look up to date.

“I had jewelry in three different places,” said Kathie Kregel, the store’s co-owner. “Being able to organize the gift product and make the area more fluid were our primary objectives.”

The store’s carpeting had become stained through the years, so it limited the ways the floor could be configured. Replacing one large gift fixture with several smaller ones also made the gift area easier for multiple customers to browse at once. Introducing fresh paint, new carpet and more flexible fixtures in a few key places, the new look was complete in just five days.

6. Reimagine What Doesn’t Work.

Rainbow-West-photo4All it took to persuade owner Rick Adams to give Rainbow West in Albany, Oregon, a second chance in a new location was its history of more than 30 years in the community, an energetic store manager and a workable one-year lease—well, those factors and Adams jokingly admits he “got a little stupid.”

When his father had a stroke a year-and-a-half ago, the responsibility for the bookstores his father owned shifted onto Adams’ shoulders. He knew that the Albany store needed new life and wasn’t entirely sure what to do at first. There was a buildup of old, irrelevant stock; the store layout no longer had good flow for the customers; and something needed to change with regard to the store’s location. Content with the success of his other stores, Adams considered closing the Albany store at first. But Manager Connie Ayers brought her experience and enthusiasm to the table, which convinced him to formulate a plan for moving the store.

He culled fixtures from his other locations, sold outdated stock at a loss to clear space, expanded the Bible section and brought in more bargain books. He also reset music and DVDs on a wall face-out and strategically added to his gift and kids’ areas to capitalize on walk-through traffic in the store’s new mall location.

“I think we often underestimate how open the general population is to an inspirational message,” Adams said.

With a new lease on life, the store seemed to find its focus.

“One of the biggest changes that has kept us successful in recent years is developing better focus,” Adams said. “I used to think that the average shelf life of products like books or music was two years. Now I’d say it’s one year at the most because prices are changing as they are released. If it’s not moving, it’s losing.”

Keeping track of inventory is still a relatively low-tech task for Adams and his team though. Using peel-off inventory tags, they track what has sold and needs to be reordered in books and music, both of which are driven heavily by new releases. Adams looks at the tags each evening and places reorders as appropriate. He also doesn’t underestimate the power of simple observation. Doing so helps him make connections on what products might sell well at his other stores, which products have simply been around too long and which items are moving briskly.

So far, the store has been doing well in its new location, showing doubled sales the first month, but Adams admits its success remains to be seen. The mall the store is in has drawn Oregon’s first Hobby Lobby and is seeing its own resurgence with increased foot traffic. He’s hoping that rising tides continue to lift all ships.

7. Understand Your Customer Distinctives.

LightHouse-ExteriorWhen Scott Gabrielson, owner of Church Mart in Rocky Mount, Virginia, made the decision to open a new store by the name of Lighthouse Gifts and Books in Hardy, Virginia, he felt that there was a need in that area.

“There’s no bookstore in the entire county, and since it’s a resort area, the clientele was very different,” Gabrielson said.

While brainstorming about how to reach shoppers in the new location, Gabrielson’s daughter came up with the name Lighthouse. It was a nod to nearby Smith Mountain Lake’s 500 miles of shoreline, and it made sense in a Christian context, but without being a turnoff to those who are not regular church goers.

Gabrielson also has been intentional about carrying not just Christian books and gifts, but many titles from the New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-seller lists as well as popular gift lines to appeal to local customers.

“I think that it’s easy for us to get stuck on [carrying] items that have nothing to do with [a faith message],” he said. Yet in a town where there are few other sources for such items, choosing to do so represents a unique opportunity to draw people in for more than just one item.”

The store also uses special stickers that list the store name, Amazon’s price and “our price” on books. Lighthouse aims to meet or beat Amazon’s price, particularly on hardcover titles. While its pricing may not always have the store making money, Gabrielson says it does leave a critical first impression with customers that his store is competitive.

8. Tune in and Listen for the Lord’s Direction.

Even though Kitty Jones recently closed the doors of Spirit & Life in Cortland, New York, she knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that the store was successful in reaching people in her community. Despite having cerebral palsy, Jones came off of disability benefits and lived in faith starting just a few years after founding the store, which she operated for 32 years. She started it around the time that one of the factories moved out of the area, and the community saw an economic downturn.

At the time, Jones said she “had no experience and couldn’t have done it on my own. [Our store’s success] was only [because of] God.”

Jones said she initially resisted suggestions that she should get into retail because her cerebral palsy made it difficult to put product in a bag, and she didn’t want people to see her struggle. But when she felt God told her He was going to move in a mighty way and then provided the finances to purchase and later operate the store, she decided to take Him at His word.

Time after time, Jones said, God guided her through the challenges of learning how to run the store by sending people she could trust to help, and He spoke to her about the needs she and the store had. One day, Jones said she was faced with a stack of bills to be paid and no idea how that would happen. After her prayer time, she went to the store and remembers how people “came out of the woodwork” shopping that day. She was able to write all the checks that were needed.

Jones frequently felt she walked a tightrope between business and ministry, as many Christian retailers do, but she received good advice early on that she used as a guide for the life of the store.

“I had a gentleman sit me down and say, ‘You’re a business. Don’t give everything away,’ ” she recalled. “After that, I decided that if I couldn’t do something for everyone, I wouldn’t do it for anyone.”

Through the years, Jones always looked for ways that the store could invest in the community, from hosting Redemption game nights, a positive activity for kids, and holding other family activities. Now that the store has closed and Jones is adopting a less hectic pace of life, she’s more aware than ever that the community really was the heart of her store.

Jones said she doesn’t miss the stress, but she does “miss the people.”

 
Christian book industry addresses ‘gay Christian’ controversy Print Email
Written by Ken Walker   
Wednesday, 03 September 2014 10:34 AM America/New_York

CBA retailers, publishers consider how grace and truth apply today in midst of escalating issue of homosexuality

Baker Book House has hosted discussions at its community forums on such controversial topics as author Rob Bell’s views on heaven and hell, the theology of William P. Young’s novel The Shack and the doctrines of Calvinism. But it wasn’t until its exploration of homosexuality in mid-August that the Grand Rapids, Michigan, store ran out of room for guests and was compelled to add a live webcam telecast.

Manager Sue Smith said these annual discussions allow the church a safe place to freely discuss current issues.

“I’ve had a lot of feedback, good and bad,” Smith said. “A few people said it was a gutsy move. I did get a few comments from customers who thought I was jumping on the pro-gay bandwagon.”

Some objected to the homosexual identity of both speakers. Wesley Hill is a professor at Trinity School for Ministry and the author of Washed and Waiting (Zondervan, 2010). Justin Lee is executive director of the Gay Christian Network and author of Torn, published last year by Hachette Book Group imprint, Jericho Books.

However, Smith said, the purpose of the forum was not to debate biblical views of homosexuality, but to help the church and the gay community to learn to listen to each other and still act in loving ways.

“How do we do that when we can’t even sit for a civil discussion because we are more concerned with who is ‘right’ and who is ‘wrong?’ ” Smith asked.

However, many in the Christian-products industry feel perspective makes all the difference when it comes to homosexuality.

The weekend after Baker’s forum, Creation House author and ex-gay Janet Boynes led her second Called Out conference at Charisma Media’s offices in Lake Mary, Florida.

“It’s not enough to share the truth,” Boynes said. “We also need to walk alongside those who have a desire to walk out of this life. We need to offer the tools and resources they need.”

One Christian retailer who refuses to stock any of the increasing number of titles with a pro-homosexual or more accommodating stance finds it sad that Americans seem to rationalize the matter.

“This twisting of the gender roles has been sickening to watch,” said Donna Baker of Dightman’s Bible Book Center in Tacoma, Washington. “Our store is a nondenominational store, and we do stock books which have different viewpoints, but I draw the line on things that clearly are not biblical.”

Like it or not, Christian store owners are about to face more controversy.

This year has seen the release of such pro-gay books as God and the Gay Christian by Matthew Vines (Convergent), The Bible’s YES to Same-Sex Marriage by Mark Achtemier (Westminster John Knox Press); and A Letter to My Congregation by Ken Wilson (David Crumm Media).

This month, Howard Books releases Facing the Music, the memoir of Christian singer Jennifer Knapp. A past Dove Award winner, Knapp revealed her same-sex attraction in 2010 following a seven-year sabbatical from Christian music.

Howard’s publisher, Jonathan Merkh, said the Nashville house isn’t trying to take sides but chose to publish the book because homosexuality has “become an elephant in the sanctuary.”

“We hope that readers will take a moment and put themselves in the shoes of someone walking this path,” Merkh said. “We hope it will help them understand where someone may be coming from as they open up about their sexuality and their faith.”

In May 2015, Baker Publishing Group will release Hill’s next book, Spiritual Friendship, under Brazos Press. This follows the Brazos release last May of Generous Spaciousness by Wendy VanderWal-Gritter.

Brazos’ marketing manager, Bryan Dyer, said both books encourage churches to respond to gays in a loving way.

“Wendy and Wesley are voices of reconciliation,” Dyer said. “Both seek to bring healing and unity to the church. No one questions that how the church responds to its gay and lesbian members and neighbors is of vital importance.”

While some don’t question the need for ministry, they insist on maintaining support for traditional marriage.

Moody Publishers’ October release, Loving My (LGBT) Neighbor by Glenn Stanton of Focus on the Family, embraces this view. However, the author advises avoiding the extremes of uncritical acceptance of gay relationships or hateful exclusion.

“We appreciated Glenn’s ability to courageously and compassionately share his convictions in public debate and his ability to make genuine friendships with folks from a polar-opposite moral perspective,” said Duane Sherman, Moody’s acquisitions editor.

Michael Brown is author of Can You Be Gay and Christian? (FrontLine/Charisma House). In Brown’s “In the Line of Fire” blog for Charisma News, he addressed the topic after Christian singer-songwriter Vicky Beeching said she is gay.

“At any other time in church history, ideas like this would not been countenanced for a split second among committed followers of Jesus who were grounded in the Word,” Brown wrote. “But today, professing Christians are questioning some of the most basic scriptural truths about morality.”

Eric Opferbeck, owner of Life Resources, a Munce Group store in Amherst, New York, said that when a customer recently requested Making Gay Okay by Robert Reilly (Ignatius Press), he insisted on researching the author’s views first.

“We would not special-order a book just to make a sale,” Opferbeck said. “For us, that becomes a bit of a fine line because we try to be an ecumenical store, and there’s a wide range of beliefs. But when it’s in disagreement with Scripture, we can’t do that.” —Ken Walker

 
Gospel Music Association celebrates 50 years Print Email
Written by DeWayne Hamby   
Wednesday, 03 September 2014 10:26 AM America/New_York

GMA aims to foster community, create cohesion in Christian music industry

GMA-Anniv-Final-1-boldThe Gospel Music Association (GMA) continues as a unifying force for Christian music as the Nashville-based organization celebrates 50 years in 2014.

GMA was founded in 1964 to bring “cohesion” to a diverse industry, said Jackie Patillo, the association’s executive director.
She believes this need still exists today.

“This group of Southern gospel music executives formed the organization because they wanted to centralize the resources and bring some cohesion,” Patillo told Christian Retailing. “They were concerned for the fragmentation of our industry. It’s interesting that 50 years later, we still need that.”

Patillo, who became director three years ago, points to the diversity of Christian music—which encompasses R&B, pop, country, bluegrass, Southern gospel, rap and more—as an example of an industry whose common vision is spreading the gospel of Jesus. She wants to continue to bring more people under the umbrella of the organization, reaching beyond Nashville, which has typically been considered Christian music’s headquarters.

“It’s important to us, we believe, that as a community, we are stronger together, and we represent all different facets and genres,” she said. “And becoming a member of the GMA keeps everyone connected.”

This diversity is best displayed at the GMA’s most popular event, the annual Dove Awards ceremony, which will take place Oct. 7 at Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena in Nashville. Lecrae and Bart Millard (MercyMe) have been placed strategically as Dove Awards hosts to raise awareness of the category’s wide scope of artists.

“It’s the only platform that brings together all types of music,” she said. “To be able to reveal that onstage is our goal.”

The evening will include performances and appearances by artists Matthew West, One Girl Nation, Andy Mineo, Love and the Outcome, Erica Campbell, Hezekiah Walker and Bill Gaither as well as authors Rick Warren and Karen Kingsbury. Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) is this year’s telecast partner, helping the awards reach a potential 100 million homes in the U.S.

The awards are the best way of honoring what’s happening in Christian music, Patillo said, noting a Scripture verse she found when she first became director.

“The verse [Matt. 5:16, paraphrased] said, ‘Let our lights so shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven,’ ” she said. “That’s as relevant now as it was 45 years [ago in the early days of GMA]. We need to honor the current artists that are making the sacrifices that they make for our families and spreading the gospel through music.”

In an effort to reflect what’s happening in today’s Christian marketplace, a new category for Inspirational Film of the Year was added, with God’s Not Dead, Grace Unplugged, When Calls the Heart, Son of God and Heaven Is for Real as the inaugural nominees.

“God is using faith-based films to reach the world,” Patillo said. “More often than not, those films are including our music.”

At the same time, the organization celebrates what’s happening in today’s Christian entertainment world, it is also charged with honoring the heritage and future of Christian music through events such as GMA Honors, an awards night to honor GMA Hall of Fame inductees, and IMMERSE, a training conference for next-generation talent.

While GMA has been inducting artists and other leaders into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame since 1971, this past April featured the inaugural GMA Honors, this year celebrating the contributions of inductees Brown Bannister, Take 6, Rich Mullins and Gaither Vocal Band.

 “It was a great inaugural event, and it really emphasizes not only the talent and their hearts, [but also] how they’re walking out their faith in practical ways,” Patillo said.

IMMERSE provides training ground for upcoming artists and songwriters. Held in June at the LifeWay campus in Nashville, the event featured author Ed Stetzer, Christian pop artist Jonny Diaz and songwriter and worship leader Jennie Lee Riddle as speakers.

“It’s very pertinent that those of us that are seasoned begin to speak into the next generation,” Patillo said.

IMMERSE has been a success because of the organization’s partnership with LifeWay, which is one of several alliances Patillo said has helped the GMA “stabilize” its events, another being Lipscomb University’s hosting of the GMA Dove Awards.

Beyond the big happenings, GMA also hosts local networking opportunities for industry leaders such as NEXT and Band Wives for wives of men who frequently travel in the industry.

“Ministry and commerce live within our Christian-label agencies and what not, but at some point, we need to know each other not as competitors, but as people,” Patillo said. “We’re trying to encourage community.” —DeWayne Hamby