Christian Retailing

Combined show brings together retailers and consumers Print Email
Written by Clive Price in London   
Monday, 22 June 2009 10:34 AM America/New_York

‘Dynamic’ new-look Christian Resources Exhibition rescues a threatened trade convention

United Kingdom

 

British companies have welcomed the pairing of the UK’s leading Christian trade shows—but have spotted areas where the “marriage” might improve.

The Christian Booksellers Convention (CBC), the long-running trade-only equivalent of CBA’s International Christian Retail Show in the U.S., and the consumer-focused Christian Resources Exhibitions (CRE) came together under one roof, May 12-15 at Sandown Park, Surrey—and under one management entity, the Bible Society.

The two formerly separate events ran across three floors, with separate exhibition areas and seminar programs. CBC’s awards ceremony was combined with a banquet marking CRE’s 25th anniversary. Total attendance for the event was more than 12,433—a 4% increase from CRE turnout in 2008. Out of 372 exhibitors, 80 took part in the trade section—and some companies served trade and retail visitors from their one booth.

“I’m very grateful to CRE for putting this on,” said Director of Integrity Media Europe Jonathan Bugden, former chairman of CBC, “because there was only one alternative—which is to have no CBC event at all.”

Organizers could not afford to go ahead with the trade event on its own this year. Bible Society took over CBC last year, having bought CRE from its founder in 2007.

Bugden said he viewed the 2009 combined event as “a transition year,” and felt CBC’s new managers had done “as good a job as they could have done” for 2009. “But obviously I’m looking for 2010 to be something new and something bigger,” he added. “The last thing I want to do is to be critical of CRE. They’ve rescued CBC.”

Attending the new show as “simply an exhibitor now,” Bugden’s company was promoting, among other things, a unique worship album recorded in Beijing called The Door. Meanwhile, Lindisfarne Scriptorium launched an album of instrumental music Life Journey by Dave Bainbridge and David Fitzgerald, founders of internationally known Celtic band Iona. The recording accompanies a devotional book of the same name by Mary Fleeson.

Lindisfarne Scriptorium’s Mark Fleeson, who has been at CRE for a decade, said the addition of CBC “added a new dynamic ... because we’re used to this as being retail.” He thought the mix had worked, he said, though “not necessarily” for those focused solely on trade.

“I think it’s been a very interesting experiment this year,” said Jean Whitnall, sales and marketing director of publisher Hodder Faith. “Being part of CRE has been very exciting and dynamic—and very busy—for us. But the CBC element has perhaps got a little lost inside the bigger exhibition.”

Hodder Faith was marking the 30th anniversary of the New International Version of the Bible at the show—and celebrating the runaway success of The Shack. “We’ve certainly seen fewer trade customers here than we are used to seeing, and also found it difficult to give trade customers dedicated time which we are used to doing at trade fairs,” Whitnall said. “So it’s a bit of a mixed response, really.”

CRE featured a number of unusual items—such as the world’s first solar-powered church noticeboard from The Church Noticeboard Co., a charity church cookbook launched by celebrity chef Kevin Woodford and a devotional aid for women in painful relationships by counselor Joanne Robinson.

Bible Society Events Director Steve Briars said organizers “did try and create an area exclusively for trade customers” this year. “That was the theory. But some of the exhibitors were already here anyway, like Scripture Union, and they said, ‘We’ll stay where we are and service trade and retail at the same time.’ ”

Briars said he believed the new-look event gave publishers the opportunity to engage with the people who buy their books—as well as those who sell them. “Some people have gone away thinking, ‘This is a real insight,’ ” he said.

Briars and his team are planning “a really significant show” for next year. “We’ve made changes, we’ve improved things, our numbers are growing,” he said. “But there’s also a sense that we just want to take a deep breath and ask the bigger question about how do we develop this for the future, so it continues to meet the needs of the church.”

Meanwhile, CRE Award winners included The Shack by William P Young (Hodder & Stoughton) for Book of the Year. Hodder & Stoughton was named Publisher of the Year, while Kingdom of Comfort by Delirious (Fierce/Kingsway) won Contemporary Album of the Year.

 

 
Casa Creación wins again Print Email
Written by Harold Goerzen in Miami   
Monday, 22 June 2009 10:19 AM America/New_York

Strang imprint scoops Spanish industry awards

Expolit

 

Casa Creación continued its dominance of the Spanish Evangelical Products Association (SEPA) Awards at the 17th annual Expolit convention in Miami in May, winning three of the six major trophies during the event. Last year, Casa Creación captured seven trophies, including three of the six major awards.

¡El Cielo es tan real!, the Spanish translation of Heaven Is So Real! by Choo Thomas (published in English by Charisma House in 2006), won the Harold Kregel 2008 Book of the Year award for “most inspiring and impactful book.”

Also published by Casa Creación, Aprenda inglés con la ayuda de Dios (learning English with God’s help) by Francisco B. Güell was honored as the Best Original Spanish Work of 2008, making this the seventh consecutive year that the Spanish imprint of Strang Communications—Christian Retailing’s parent company—has won the category.

Casa was also named Publisher of the Year for the fourth time for its third major SEPA Award. A major award also went to Ricky Feliciano of Puerto Rico-based Pura Vida Books for Distributor of the Year.

SEPA and Editorial Unilit President David Ecklebarger told Christian Retailing that Pura Vida—which distributes for Grupo Nelson (Thomas Nelson), Editorial Vida (Zondervan), Editorial Unilit, B&H Español (B&H International), Tyndale Español (Tyndale House Publishers) and Casa Creación—saw “fantastic growth” in 2008 despite the downturn in the economy.

“At Editorial Unilit, we’re doing better working through Pura Vida than with some of the secular distributors,” Ecklebarger explained. “It’s been a positive thing for the whole industry.”

Editorial Unilit won 15 awards—including the Top-Selling Book of 2008, a pocket-sized version of Josh McDowell’s Más que un carpintero (More Than a Carpenter)—and the Top-Selling Reference Book, Fiction Books, Bible Study and Specialized Bible. Editorial Vida won four awards, including Best ad and Top-Selling Annotated Study Bible and Gift Book.

Más que un carpintero also won a Platinum Award for lifetime sales of more than 250,000. In addition, Editorial Unilit captured Platinum Awards for James Dobson’s Cuando lo que Dios hace no tiene sentido (When God Doesn’t Make Sense) and Stormie Omartian’s El poder de la esposa que ora (The Power of a Praying Wife).

Additionally, Editorial Unilit received Gold Awards—lifetime sales of more than 100,000—for Gary Chapman’s Los cinco lenguajes del amor (The Five Love Languages), Joyce Meyer’s El campo de batalla de la mente (Battlefield of the Mind), and Benny Hinn’s Buenos días, Espíritu Santo (Good Morning, Holy Spirit).

Editorial Unilit also garnered Silver Awards—lifetime sales of more than 50,000—for Yiye Avila’s La ciencia de la oración (the science of prayer), T.D. Jakes’ ¡Mujer, ¡eres libre! (Woman, Thou Art Loosed!) and Elizabeth George’s Una mujer conforme al corazón de Dios (A Woman After God’s Own Heart).

Editorial Unilit was also recognized with the Top-Selling Reference Book for Alfonso Lockward’s Nuevo diccionario de la Biblia Unilit (Unilit new Bible dictionary); Top-Selling Bible Study Book for R.C. Sproul’s Cómo estudiar e interpretar la Biblia (Knowing Scripture); Top-Selling Specialized Bible for Biblia de promesas (The Promise Bible) and Best Book Cover for La danza de la restauración (The Dance of Restoration) by Abel Ortega and Melodie Fleming.

Editorial Vida won four awards, including Best Ad and Sales awards for fiction for Frank Peretti’s Esta patente oscuridad (This Present Darkness); Top-Selling Gift Book for Sheri Rose Shepard’s Su pequeña princesa (His Little Princess); and Top-Selling Annotated Study Bible for Biblia de referencia Thompson Reina-Valera Revisada 1960 (The Thompson Chain-Reference Bible Revised Reina-Valera 1960).

Editorial Luz y Vida (Light and Life Publishers) had the Top-Selling Children’s Book with (Smilingüido Bible), while B&H International was recognized for the Top-Selling Text-Only Bible for Biblia Reina Valera 1960 Premios y Regalos (Reina-Valera 1960 Awards and Gifts Bible).

Sociedades Bíblicas Unidas received a Platinum Award for Biblia RV-1960, Serie 60 económica (RV-1960 series 60 low-cost paperback Bible) and Gold Awards for two additional RV (Reina-Valera) Bibles.

Operation Mobilisation founder and author George Verwer—keynote speaker of the May 17 awards ceremony—was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to publishing, evangelism and training in Latin America for more than 50 years.

 

 
Event ‘exceeds expectations’ for organizers, vendors Print Email
Written by Harold Goerzen   
Monday, 22 June 2009 10:16 AM America/New_York

Spanish Christian sector sales rise despite downturn, reduced floor space and lagging registrations

Expolit

 

Despite the economic downturn, reduced floor space and lagging registrations, sales at the 17th annual Expolit conference—held May 14-19 in Miami—were on the rise, organizers said.

The largest trade fair in the U.S. for the Spanish-language Christian literature and music world drew nearly 5,000 people a day to view the exhibits and attend the nightly concerts, featuring many of the leading Christian Latino musicians. Held at the Doubletree Miami Mart/Airport Hotel and Exhibition Center, Expolit attracted hundreds of booksellers, publishers, distributors and music label representatives along with thousands of members of the general public.

“We were cautious coming in, but pleasantly surprised at the success of the show,” said Peter Cerra, president of the Spanish Evangelical Products Association (SEPA) and senior sales director at Editorial Vida (Zondervan). “The sales on the floor were some of the best we’ve seen in the last few years.”

SEPA Executive Director and Editorial Unilit President David Ecklebarger added: “There was optimism amid the economic crisis. The distributors in Latin America haven’t been hit very hard, even though things haven’t looked that good in the United States with a number of bookstores going under and struggles being faced by distributors.”

Marie Tamayo, executive director of Expolit, said the conference “exceeded our expectations.” “We were thrilled with the response from the public and the publishers,” she added. “Friday (May 15) was the best day for sales that publishers have had in the last four years.”

Wendy Rodríguez, exhibitors coordinator of Expolit, said the number of exhibitors was down from 150 last year to approximately 100, but companies that had booths saw increased traffic. “Some people were afraid there wouldn’t be enough business this year, but some said it was even better than last year,” Rodríguez explained. “The distributors and publishers said they got the business done they wanted to do.”

Tessie DeVore, executive vice president of the Strang Book Group and an adviser on the SEPA board, credited Expolit organizers “for doing a tremendous job in adjusting to the times we’re going through.”

DeVore said Casa Creación—the Spanish imprint of Strang Communications, Christian Retailing’s parent company—had “a great year.” “We scaled back, moving remainders and overstock,” she added. “That strategy has proved very successful. People are looking for good deals, and they’re getting them.”

Tito Mantilla, publisher of Editorial Portavoz (Kregel Publications), said Expolit enabled his company to connect with key contacts from across the Americas and Spain.

“Our sales are up 16% year to date,” he said. “It’s been a combination of tapping into some new markets, increasing our visibility and having some very good new products and a strong backlist.”

Tyndale Español Director Andrés Schwartz added: “Despite the economic crisis, this was a good year for us at Expolit. Orders from distributors and bookstores were up this year with the exception of U.S.-based Spanish distributors, which seem to have suffered the most from the economic crisis. Sales to consumers at the show were about the same as the previous year. The economy has required us and our distributors and stores to be more creative and efficient.”

Tyndale Español used Expolit to release the new Spanish translation of its New Living Translation’s New Testament, Nueva Traducción Viviente, with plans to release the entire Bible translation in 2010.

Keynote speakers during Expolit were Operation Mobilisation (OM) founder George Verwer, pastor and author Henry Blackaby and Argentine evangelist Dante Gebel.

The event’s nightly concerts were broadcast live for the first time across Latin America via DirecTV.

Ecklebarger said this year’s conference fundraising project—OM ministries related to HIV/AIDS among children in South Africa—brought in more than $43,000 from attendees, which included $10,000 in matching funds from Expolit.

The event also provided numerous training opportunities for people in the industry, again offering the SEPA School for Booksellers. A host of smaller workshops and seminars featured topics such as uniting the church and literature ministry, goals and realities of the Christian music industry, and women’s and youth ministries.

 
‘Webshop’ program for churches to launch Print Email
Written by Clive Price   
Monday, 22 June 2009 10:12 AM America/New_York

IBS-STL initiative will link congregations to its warehouse , offers ‘new paradigm’ for retailers

United Kingdom

 

Malcolm Stockdale hopes to move the marketplace into the church with customized “Webshops” across the U.K.

The former chief of the Wesley Owen bookstore chain—part of IBS-STL UK—is now busy setting up a new charitable foundation to help churches enter the digital age, with an official launch set for the fall.

By using the online community software of ChurchInsight—whose programming helps non-technical people run Web sites—congregations will be able to host stores on their own Web sites. The retail section will look like part of the church’s ministry, but customers will receive their purchases from the IBS-STL UK warehouse in Carlisle.

“What we want to create is the ability for churches to have self-funding Web sites,” said Stockdale, explaining that churches will receive a commission from sales that originated through their shop. “We’re slowly putting things in place,” he added. “We want to do collaborations with other people. It’s very exciting. I think it’s the future.”

Publishers with whom he had shared the idea were “all excited,” he said. Stockdale has a wealth of experience in the wider trade—he was managing director of Wesley Owen for seven years, and previous to that had spent 25 years working with the major British high street chain Marks & Spencer.

But that time has also been marked by a dramatic shift in the U.K. shopping culture, as people started selling online.

“There’s a huge move toward MP3, video and PDF—all that sort of stuff,” Stockdale told Christian Retailing. “It’s trying to look at what the next chapter is in this whole cycle of selling.”

Stockdale said he believed that the new church Webshops could work alongside the U.K.’s existing brick-and-mortar Christian bookstores. But, he added, stores “have got to be aware there will be other ways of doing business.”

Bookstores could even have their own Web sites and create interactive environments using the Church Insight application, he said. “There are shops that are interested in moving forward,” Stockdale said. “It’s a new paradigm.”

 
Loss of wholesale service raises concern Print Email
Written by Staff   
Monday, 22 June 2009 10:09 AM America/New_York

International trade leader says foreign suppliers miss ‘nuances’ of market

Australia

The closure of a long-established wholesaler has caused concern for some independent Christian retailers.

They fear that the loss of Family Reading Publications (FRP) will add to the challenges they face with some American publishers selling their products exclusively to Australia’s two major Christian chains, Word and Koorong.

“Many independent Christian stores are being forced to close because they cannot be price competitive, with catalogs, because publishers are selling direct to chains without adequate regard to ensuring that all of Australia has fair access to their product,” said Christine Nicholson, of Greensborough Christian Book Centre in Greensborough, Victoria.

She said that U.S. suppliers should consider how their distribution arrangements in Australia impact the industry. “Independents are so important—maybe not in turnover/sales, but in outreach, hence new customers. They shouldn’t be underestimated.”

The end of FRP—which had also provided independents with catalogs—has “changed the dynamics of the trade,” said Fiona Spriggs, owner of Eagles’ Wings Christian Bookstore in Wollongong, New South Wales. “What we do in our smaller independent stores is no less important, but we lose local sales because people can get stock cheaper at the big chains.”

Christian Trade Association International President Jim Powell said he did not believe foreign suppliers intended to add to Australia independents’ challenges, but “it’s easy to say, ‘Let’s just let one of the major retail chains take care of the country for us.’ This approach misses the nuances ... and loses (an) important opportunity to increase the impact and distribution of our products.”

Craig Moulton, co-CEO of The Word Group Australia, said he recognized that FRP’s closure had been upsetting to independents, but some were now able to get better discounts through his company’s Word Australia distribution division than they had from their former provider, depending on the size of their orders.

“We are trying to do things to help stores as much as we can, while at the same time we need to be good stewards of what God has given us to do,” he said. His company—whose Word Bookstores has 19 locations—and Koorong were “not the enemies here,” he told Christian Retailing. In addition, he said, Word Australia had long been the main distributor for Christian music and films in the country, and serviced independents in those categories competitively.

Rod Schumacher, director of export international sales for Thomas Nelson, said since the closure of FRP, his company added CLC-Australia to its distribution network, which includes Word and Koorong.

“We’ve heard from several retailers that they would prefer to order from a wholesaler that is not also a retailer,” Schumacher said. “My goal is to offer retailers a wider variety of sources for Nelson product. Each wholesaler has unique strengths that enable them to serve the market, and I believe that when the retailer has the freedom to purchase from the wholesaler of their choice, the end consumer is better served.”

Looking to extend its reach following the FRP closure is Independent Distribution Solutions (IDS), part of the not-for-profit trust CMC Australasia Group that has represented some publishers and music companies for many years. IDS distributes to more than 300 Christian bookstores in Australia and New Zealand.

“Australasia is a large territory but with a small population,” said IDS CEO Stuart Duncan. “This, added to the fact that less than 5% of the population attend church, makes the economy of scale for distributors into the Christian marketplace very difficult.”

Meanwhile, InterVarsity Press (IVP) has entered into a distribution agreement with Rainbow Book Agencies , based in Victoria, Australia. Effective this month, Rainbow will distribute IVP titles throughout Australia.

“We’re grateful to have this new partnership in place to meet the changing needs of the Australian book marketplace,” said Jeff Crosby, IVP’s associate publisher of sales and marketing.

 
Interest grows in church store partnership model Print Email
Written by Staff   
Monday, 22 June 2009 10:05 AM America/New_York

Independent-run business on campus seen as ‘a great fit’ for both parties in tough times,

The economic downturn has turned the spotlight on what some believe may be a new model for Christian retailing, bridging the worlds of church and independent stores.

While church bookstores have been a growth spot in recent years, they have not been immune to recent financial pressures, with some closing and others reducing their hours of operation.

That has brought more attention to the unusual partnership that has quietly been forged at Christian Fellowship Church in Ashburn, Va., in the last three years. The church gives free space to former independent store owner Bill Tilley, who runs The Faithful Source there. With reduced overheads for him and no financial commitment to the church, both sides say it is a win-win scenario.

“Having a great bookstore is a value to us,” said executive pastor Phil Holliday. “It’s a convenience for our congregation, and it allows me to focus on ministry. I don’t know anything about buying and selling books.”

Tilley said he had received inquiries from others interested in taking a similar approach, and believed that the model’s time may have come. “There are so many independents out there who have had to close their stores who have the knowledge (churches need),” he said. “It’s a great fit.”

Margaret Umble, owner of J.O.Y. Bookstore in Sinking Spring, Pa., recently opened a bookstore at Spring Valley Church of God in Temple, Pa., after talking with Tilley about his operation. “It’s working reasonably well so far,” she said. “We are not seeing the sales in it that we would wish, but I think that’s just the name of the game today.”

As a long-time independent retailer, she said she was “not a fan” of churches operating their own stores, though she saw the need to have Christian products available there. “This might be the future,” she said of the Spring Valley partnership model.

Opened around services on Sunday and Wednesday, the new church store is managed by Michael Bennett, pastor of counseling at Spring Valley. With no other bookstores in the area, being able to provide resources for people at the church helped extend its ministry, he said.

Church-independent initiatives were “an excellent idea,” said Geni Hulsey, president of the Church Bookstore Network. “I think we will see more independents coming in to churches like this. It takes away the financial liability from the church.”

George Thomsen, manager of The Harvest Store at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside Calif., and a CBA board member, said Tilley’s model was “an excellent option for a church that wants resources for its congregation on church grounds. The church gains the benefit of having good resources, but without the risk and hassle of running a retail business.”

Thomsen said his store had seen significant sales increases in the first four months of 2009 despite California’s having been hard hit by the economy—attributing the operation’s health to continuing to practice “the basics of above-and-beyond customer service, excellent inventory levels and selection, nice merchandising displays and a clean store.”

Hulsey told Christian Retailing she had heard of other church stores also seeing growth, while some were struggling.

The Potter’s Wheel bookstore at T.D. Jakes’ The Potter’s House megachurch in Dallas, has reduced its opening schedule to two days a week, around Sunday and Wednesday services. In Honesdale, Pa., the Free Methodist Church has decided to close the Salt Shaker Christian Store it had run in the town since taking over the former independent business’ inventory in 2007.

“It was an important ministry we wanted to continue, but it was just losing money,” said Dan Pahls, the church’s finance committee chairman. The decision to close had been made reluctantly, but sales were not at a level that made the business sustainable.

Meanwhile, Market Street Square Church of the Nazarene in Chesaning, Mich., has just opened Written Miracles Bookstore in the retail section of a former mall the congregation has leased, where other tenants include a jewelry and collectibles store, and an antique and fine arts shop.

Managed by church youth pastor Jeremy Mayer, the store is privately funded, with a portion of profits going to the church. “We have had a great response from the community so far,” he said. “Most of the people that I have seen so far have not been from the church.”

 
Liturgical show sees fewer exhibitors due to tough economy Print Email
Written by Terry Walsh   
Monday, 22 June 2009 10:02 AM America/New_York

Annual trade convention for Catholic, Episcopal product industry had stable attendance and steady sales as ‘market tries to find itself’

Organizers of the Religious Booksellers Trade Exhibit (RBTE) convention reported stable turnout among retailers and steady sales for exhibitors for the 18th annual gathering, held May 26-29 at the Pheasant Run Resort in the suburban Chicago area of St. Charles, Ill.

Held around the time of Book Expo America in New York City, RBTE drew approximately 140 booksellers, roughly 10 less store representatives than last year’s show.

Due to the continuing tough economy, there were fewer exhibitors as the show drew 121 suppliers—down 22% from 2008, organizers said. At least five booth areas in the exhibit hall’s empty back section were converted into meeting areas.

“Our revenues come from exhibitors,” RBTE President and Program Director Bob Byrns told Christian Retailing. “So when exhibitors who traditionally had three booths took only two this year, it hurts our total revenues.”

Chicago-based Loyola Press was notably absent in the six-aisle exhibit hall. “We decided not to exhibit this year at RBTE as we’re putting our marketing dollars into other initiatives,” said Melissa Tomar, director of marketing for Loyola Press.

Veteran bookstore owner Nancy Marshall said the economic downturn impacted publishers and booksellers at RBTE.

“We’re on a roller coaster ride,” said Marshall, owner of Episcopal Bookstore in Seattle and founder of the Episcopal Booksellers Association. “But we’ll make it. I’m sure.”

For newcomer Billy Mitchum of The Cathedral Gift Shop at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Miami, RBTE was an “eye-opener.”

“I’ve done much bigger shows,” he said. “But at RBTE, every single booth is relevant to my store. This experience caters to those religious retailers that cannot buy evangelical product.”

Gift suppliers saw steady traffic, with Episcopal booksellers “a buzz” over DVB New York’s contemporary jewelry line, Mitchum said.

Several exhibitors said they were “pleasantly surprised” that sales from the show were nearly on par with last year.

“I think the market is trying to find itself,” Joe Riley, marketing director at Liturgical Press, told Christian Retailing. “We’ve adjusted our (sales) forecast to be less (for RBTE) this year.”

RBTE’s Dealer Day seminars featured several topics, including “Customer Loyalty: How Do You Keep Your Customers Coming Back to Your Store?” and “Explode Your Sales Even in Tough Times”—both led by Bob Negen of WhizBang! Training—and “The Future of Religious Retailing.”

Chris Weickert, Vineyard Books, Gifts & Church Supplies in Rockford, Ill., said the dealer seminars offered excellent programming that will strengthen the stores. “The workshops offered concrete ideas with a fresh perspective,” he told Christian Retailing.

Paul Fortney, of Viva! Books in San Antonio, said his business was down 10-15%, but this year’s Dealer Day seminars were the best workshops in his 17 years of coming to RBTE.

The show’s speakers included Bert Ghezzi, Esther de Waal, Paul Wilkes, Richard J. Foster, Gayle Beebe, Robin Meyers and Frank Hanna.

The 2010 RBTE convention is scheduled for June 1-4.

 
Attendance rises for nation’s largest book trade fair Print Email
Written by Becky Garrison   
Monday, 22 June 2009 09:33 AM America/New_York

Christian publishers report ‘pretty good traffic,’ titles with crossover appeal at Book Expo America

Despite the downturn and some religious publishers scaling back their presence at the U.S. book world’s biggest event, Christian publishing houses reported lively traffic during Book Expo America (BEA).

Held May 28-31 in New York City, BEA drew 29,923 people—a 30% increase—compared to 28,494 when the event was in Los Angeles last year, according to organizers. Attendance, though, was down 11% from 2007, when it was last held in New York. With approximately 140 religious publishing companies, the number that exhibited was flat or just slightly down from the 2008 event, BEA officials said.

Baker Publishing Group chose to cut costs by only having one booth, which the company positioned in the African-American pavilion.

“We’ve found over time that we can reach a number of the same accounts we reach at BEA through existing relationships,” David Lewis, director of sales and marketing, told Christian Retailing. “However, our budding presence and meetings with authors and stores interested in the urban market cannot be as easily replicated outside the BEA experience.”

Some of the increased traffic could be attributed to the positioning of Christian publishers’ booths throughout the main exhibition hall instead of placing them in a separate religious section—as in past years.

Football-themed titles were showcased during the expo, with HarperCollins imprint HarperOne previewing Pulitzer Prize winner Jeffrey Mark’s The Long Snapper—the life story of former NFL player and Fellowship of Christian Athletes speaker Brian Kinchen that is to be released in September.

Tyndale House Publishers spotlighted several football-related books, including Uncommon by recently retired NFL coach Tony Dungy; Game Plan for Life by NFL Hall of Fame member Joe Gibbs; First Things First: The Rules of Being a Warner by Super Bowl MVP Kurt Warner and his wife, Brenda; and LT & Me: What Raising a Champion Taught Me About Life, Faith, and Listening to Your Dreams by Loreane Tomlinson—mother of NFL star and San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson.

Christian fiction proved to be a strong selling point to both Christian retail channel and general market booksellers. The publishing arm of the United Methodist Publishing House, Abingdon Press doubled its booth size from last year to accommodate the fall launch of its new fiction line. Best-selling author Karen Kingsbury was on hand to sign copies of the recently released Take One (Zondervan), the first book in her new “Above the Line” series.

Other books with crossover appeal that were promoted at BEA included The Furious Longing of God by Brennan Manning, Be a People Person by John C. Maxwell and Breathe by Lisa T. Bergren—all published by David C. Cook—as well as Role of a Lifetime: Reflections on Faith, Family, and Significant Living by sportscaster James Brown and Nathan Whitaker (FaithWords) and The Love Revolution by Joyce Meyer (FaithWords).

Brown was on hand to sign galleys and “the response was overwhelming. He had a line for two-and-a-half hours,” Pamela Clements, associate publisher of marketing for Center Street and FaithWords, told Christian Retailing. “The show was quite successful for us.”

Additionally, Free Press—an imprint of Simon & Schuster (S&S)—showcased Joel Osteen’s It’s Your Time: Finding Favor, Restoration, and Abundance in Your Life Every Day, to be released in November. Osteen’s previous Free Press book—Become a Better You, released in October 2007—had a first printing of 3 million copies, the highest for a hardcover book in S&S history, company officials said.

Meanwhile,Harvest House Publishers spotlighted leading author Stormie Omartian’s new prayer book, The Power of Praying for Your Adult Children, and prophecy expert Mark Hitchcock—whose 2012, the Bible, and the End of the World was to be released in October.

Barb Sherrill, vice president of marketing for Harvest House, said the first two days of BEA was “lively with pretty good traffic,” but the last day was much quieter. “The economy may have played a part in that, but it’s also the nature of the show to wrap up and slow down at the end like that,” she said.

 
Publishers to launch new line, branding at ICRS Print Email
Written by Staff   
Monday, 22 June 2009 09:29 AM America/New_York

Standard to return to children’s books, while Crossway to unveil new name ‘to strengthen outreach’

While most publishers are scaling back their presence at this month’s International Christian Retail Show (ICRS), two companies are using the event to launch major initiatives.

Standard Publishing will announce a return to children’s books, while Crossway Books & Bibles will unveil a new name and image at the July 12-15 show in Denver.

“For many years, Standard was well-known for their children’s books,” Bob Wallace, marketing director, told Christian Retailing. “The past couple of years, we took a break. Now we’re back in.”

Wallace said the return to children’s books came at the urging of new Standard President Larry Carpenter, who brought trade experience from his previous position with Thomas Nelson as vice president of marketing.

Standard will begin the new push with the revised “Baby Blessings” line, releasing seven newly revised and updated titles in September—followed by more new titles in the future. The Ohio-based publisher will also premiere new 380-page giant coloring books priced at $4.99 and up.

Additionally, Standard will debut at ICRS its 2010 Vacation Bible School program, “Hero Headquarters,” which plays off the comic book superheroes trend—but instead focuses on nameless heroes found in the Bible.

“It’s a great theme because it takes five Bible stories of unnamed heroes and how God used them in one day to make a difference,” Wallace said. “The big focus is that so many times you hear about the big things people do, but these are stories about people who do everyday things to make a difference.”

Meanwhile, Crossway Books & Bibles’ new corporate identity will include a new logo, advertising brand and Web site. Doing business to date as Crossway Books & Bibles and Good News for its evangelistic tracts, the company will change its name to Crossway. The move is to avoid confusion and capitalize on a really good year for the company, said Geoff Dennis, executive vice president, sales and marketing.

“This last year across the industry, most publishers were down about 20%, (but) Crossway has seen about a 35% increase,” he told Christian Retailing. “We feel like we’re positioned in the right way at the right time to strengthen our outreach.”

Much of the company’s growth has come from the ESV (English Standard Version) Study Bible, which was previewed at last year’s ICRS in Orlando, Fla. Dennis said the company intends to again showcase the Bible at the Denver show, which took the top honors of Christian Book of the Year and Bible of the Year at the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association’s Christian Book Awards earlier this year.

To date, the ESV Study Bible has sold more than 225,000 copies and two additional print runs are scheduled. “Our goal is to provide resources that will build the body of Christ, not necessarily be the biggest blockbuster book in the marketplace,” Dennis said. “The customer base we’re serving—the young, restless and reformed group—they have a real hunger for content.”

 
Economic downturn forces some suppliers to skip ICRS Print Email
Written by Eric Tiansay   
Monday, 22 June 2009 09:25 AM America/New_York

But organizers believe exhibitor attendance ‘will be strong’ for CBA’s annual summer convention

Blaming the recession, some suppliers are skipping or scaling back their presence at CBA’s annual summer show this month. But retailer trade association officials say vendor participation “will be strong” for the International Christian Retail Show (ICRS)—which will mark CBA’s 60th anniversary in Denver, July 12-15.

“I believe exhibitor attendance will be strong,” CBA President Bill Anderson told Christian Retailing. “Most every supplier who was at ICRS 2008 will be exhibiting in Denver. Unfortunately, some companies have gone out of business this past year. But we also have 38 new companies exhibiting.

“Some exhibitors have downsized, while others have actually increased in size,” he added. “The fact is all of our suppliers are going through these same tough economic times. Yet they place high value on ICRS and are there—259 companies strong and more talking about contracting.”

In comparison, last year’s ICRS in Orlando, Fla., drew 353 exhibitors—including 66 first-time suppliers—occupying 992 booth spaces.

Besides Thomas Nelson, which will again skip ICRS just like last year, WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group has chosen not to attend the world’s largest Christian product industry convention.

“Our decision followed a close review of our overall promotion plans, while making the best use of our marketing dollars in our evolving marketplace,” Melissa Sturgis, publicity manager for WaterBrook Multnomah, told Christian Retailing. “We did have a presence at Christian Book Expo (CBE) this year. For 2010, we will re-evaluate our attendance at ICRS, but no final decision has been made at this time.”

Industry insiders have speculated that CBA’s main trade show could be impacted by publishers’ investment in the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association’s inaugural, consumer-oriented CBE—which yielded a disappointing turnout in Dallas in March.

Colorado-based Grizzly Adams Productions (GAP) decided not to exhibit at ICRS. “We primarily dropped out this year to conserve cash as it has been difficult to raise money for new show productions,” David Balsiger, vice president and senior producer for GAP, told Christian Retailing. “We expect to return next year as an ICRS exhibitor. We are optimistic that the economy will be better next year.”

Kirk Walker—a first-time exhibitor at last year’s ICRS and co-owner of Shadrach, Meshach & ABeanToGO, a coffee company in Goodrich, Mich., that caters to Christian retailers and church bookstores—said the economy contributed to his decision to “stay home” and focus on local markets. “We could not see spending the enormous amount of money it takes to go to the show,” he said.

Meanwhile, NavPress will streamline its presence at ICRS. “NavPress is as committed as ever to the retail trade industry,” said Jessica Chappell, trade marketing director for the Colorado-based company.

“However, the current economic climate has required us to re-evaluate our presence at trade shows. We will have reduced booth space. Staff presence will remain steady (for) sales, marketing and author/public relations.

“ICRS has been a great event that has continued to bring all areas of our industry together,” added Chappell, noting that NavPress will partner with CBA to launch a special edition of The Message Solo at the show. “While our industry is facing some tough challenges right now, this is the time for us to work together, and we are looking forward to our time in Denver.”

John Whitaker, vice president of Anchor Distributors, said the company will maintain the same amount of booth space as last year.

“But we are working to greatly reduce the cost of our booth structure and set up,” he told Christian Retailing. “With the reduction of one day of exhibit time, we’ll spend less on manpower. … This convention is invaluable to us in making and maintaining many relationships that have been built over many years.”

Bob Whitaker Jr.—vice president of Whitaker House, Anchor’s sister company—agreed. “I can’t emphasize enough how important this convention is to our company,” he said. “One area where we’re expanding is in the number of featured authors attending. We will have 12 authors at ICRS who will be signing copies of their books. … ICRS is the most productive atmosphere for connecting retailers with our authors, and their hearts and inspiration for writing.”

After hosting a retailer event at last year’s ICRS, Washington-based Book Brew Coffee plans to expand its products and services.

The company will increase the number of personnel at the show “as we’ve received an increase in demand and interest,” said Joshua Williams, Book Brew’s events manager who also serves as manager of The Salt Shaker Christian Bookstore in Enumclaw, Wash., an hour south of Seattle.

“This year we will offer free freshly brewed coffee samples, new product showcasing and new special pricing options to attendees,” he added. “We are very excited about this year’s ICRS.”

 
Christian publishers unveil new Bibles, strategies Print Email
Written by Staff   
Monday, 22 June 2009 09:20 AM America/New_York

Thomas Nelson launches versions of Scriptures, while thousands download free TNIV and ESV

Bible publishers are ramping up their efforts to spread the word about new Bibles and promotional strategies by using new technology.

To launch The Expanded Bible in August, its new Bible version, Thomas Nelson has offered a free PDF of the entire New Testament on its Web site. Since early May when the promotion began, the publisher has reported that more than 2,000 copies have been downloaded.

In April, Zondervan ran a promotion offering a free download of Today’s New International Version (TNIV) on Amazon.com and saw more than 19,000 downloads in May. Compatible with Amazon’s Kindle book reader, the digital TNIV has risen to No. 36 on the Amazon Kindle charts, followed at No. 37 by Crossway Books & Bibles’ English Standard Version Bible—also a free download. More than 4,000 free copies of Baker Publishing Group’s God’s Word Translation were downloaded on Kindle.

Crossway has also promoted its ESV (English Standard Version) Study Bible with a special price of $9.99 in the Kindle store, garnering sales of nearly a thousand. The publisher has also given away the ESV translation, which hit No. 1 on the Amazon Kindle list with downloads from more than 48,000 users.

“The ESV and ESV Study Bible exemplifies Crossway’s desire to make our content available in the channels that people desire to access our content, including most electronic forms,” Geoff Dennis, executive vice president, sales and marketing, told Christian Retailing.

Customers purchasing a copy of the ESV Bible were also given access to the online edition. Out of the nearly 225,000 copies the Bible sold, more than 65,000 users have registered for and used the online version, Dennis said.

Meanwhile, Thomas Nelson’s The American Patriot’s Bible—which released in May with its own Web page that included a sneak preview, video, news and online referrals—has been the source of some controversy. The special-interest Bible—which incorporates articles of American history and national landmarks—was criticized in an online editorial written by Gregory Boyd, author of The Myth of a Christian Nation (Zondervan).

Writing at the Christianity Today Web site, Boyd said he was “appalled” by the new Bible because of “selective, idealized” American history being given “divine authority by weaving it into the biblical narrative.”

“Every special-interest Bible imposes a certain agenda to some degree that colors the Word, but The Patriot’s Bible takes this ‘coloring to a whole new level,” he wrote. “The text of the Bible is merely used as an excuse to further the patriotic agenda of the commentators.”

Nelson responded to the review with an editorial by the Bible’s editor, Richard G. Lee, who said that The Patriot’s Bible’s “clear purpose is to present the ‘strong cord’ of the Bible’s influence that runs through the fabric of our nation’s past and present.”

“Our great nation has not used the Bible to form some system of ‘nationalism’ and ‘superior isolationism,’ but rather our founding fathers learned from its teaching the principles, values and ethics of law, government and proper social order,” Lee added.

Despite the criticism, the Bible was “doing extremely well,” according to Wayne Hastings, senior vice president and publisher of Thomas Nelson’s Bible Group.