Christian Retailing

GENI: Planning for a strong final quarter Print Email
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Tuesday, 08 June 2010 04:14 PM America/New_York
A message from Geni Hulsey, president of the Church Bookstore Network:

It is well-known in retail that the last quarter of the year is the most financially important one of the year. The same period is the most important when it comes to church planning, too.

Fall sees people settling back into routines after the summer break-school, work, volunteering. Churches plan for special events, beginning new Bible studies, discipleship series and music programs. In retail there is an emphasis on back-to-school, fall festivities, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Many church bookstores see their activity slow down in the summer, which makes it a great time to look ahead and be sure that the August-through-December period is the best it can be. Here are a few things you might consider during your summer "slowdown," so that you finish strong at the end of the calendar year.

Christmas: If you have not already "bought Christmas," now is the time to do it. Many of the secular markets have June events that still have Christmas items available. CBA's International Christian Retail Show, at the end of the month, will have vendors with Christmas items available. If gift reps come to your store, you certainly should have seen their Christmas lines by now.

Buying for the Christmas season is a huge task, and the earlier it is done, the less burdensome can be. It is nice to put your head on your pillow in July knowing that December is taken care of.

Many of the same sources you use for Christmas products will also have those back-to-school and fall items you will need to get you through the early part of the season.

Books: If you have publisher reps who come to see you, they will present those seasonal releases, but if not, and you buy primarily from distributors, be sure that you check Christian Retailing magazine for titles like Thanksgiving stories, Advent devotionals and other season-specific titles.

Network: The next thing you can do this summer to prepare for that last quarter of the year is keep your ears open. The ministerial and program planning staff at your church are having all sorts of planning sessions to be sure they are ready for the return of the flock in the fall.

Plan a time to be with each of them—twice. In your first meeting, just listen. Ask a few questions about the direction they hope to take in the fall and about any special activities they have planned. Tell them you would like a week or so to do some research and then would like to meet with them again.

After that first meeting, you might meet with your staff and share what you have learned. If you have volunteers, meet with them, too. They may have some wonderful ideas about books or other ways the bookstore can assist a particular ministry.

Do your research. Whether you look at catalogs online or in hard copy, search those lists for upcoming releases that might fit into the plans of each ministry. For backlist ideas, talk with your sales reps or do a subject search on the search engine of your favorite distributor.

And don't forget gifts in your strategy. Most ministers give gifts to their volunteers for Christmas. When there are multiple gifts to be bought, they are usually looking for an inexpensive but relevant book or gift item. You may want to offer gift baskets, if you have the volunteer staff to make that happen.

When you are prepared with ideas for each ministry, make that second appointment and share your thoughts with each program director. They will be pleased that you have taken the time to think about their ministry and most likely will allow you to order some items for them. If you jump in front of this now, you will avoid the dreaded response, "I have already ordered our items from ____________."

The days are getting hot and muggy, and the crowds are getting smaller at church as people take vacations, visit family and go to the beach for the weekend. Take advantage of the slower traffic to prepare and make this the best fourth quarter you have ever had.

 
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN RETAIL SHOW: Church bookstore experts Print Email
Written by Staff   
Tuesday, 08 June 2010 04:11 PM America/New_York
In addition to providing church store-specific training at the International Christian Retail Show (ICRS) in St. Louis, later this month, CBA is also calling on some people well known in the church bookstore world to be part of the program.

CBA Chairman-elect George Thomsen—the director of Harvest Bookstore at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, Calif., who assumes his new role at the trade association in October—will be taking part in the proceedings.

In addition, Geni Hulsey, president of the Church Bookstore Network, will be presenting one of the workshop sessions targeted to church stores. She will speak on "Aligning Church Leadership with Your Ministry" on Tuesday, June 29, 10-11 a.m.

On Wednesday, June 30, 8.30-9.30 a.m., Bookstore Manager President Randy Voorhees—a regular columnist in The Church Bookstore magazine—will speak on "New Marketing: How to Reach Your Customers on a Shoestring Budget." The session will be presented with Gunnar Simonsen of Potizio Solutions.

For more information about ICRS, June 27-30, go to http://www.christianretailshow.com.

 
INSIGHTS: How gift extras can promote your store Print Email
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Tuesday, 08 June 2010 04:07 PM America/New_York
by Kelly Graham

It is amazing how the wrapping of a gift adds to its perceived value and makes the recipient feel even more special. Gifts wrapped at stores also have a special quality about them that helps brand the retailer, too: Everyone knows a blue Tiffany box comes from the famous jeweler.

If you are considering a gift service in your store, think about:

Budget: Will you offer it for free, as a form of advertising, or charge some minimal fee for the time and effort involved? Some stores charge for gift-wrapping but then offer to waive the fee if a customer spends more than a certain dollar amount.

Supplies: Flat wrap, gift bags, decorative boxes or a combination? Your budget will most likely determine the quality and quantity of materials you choose. To keep costs low and maintain a uniform look, it is wise to choose an all-occasion wrap in which you can just change out the color of the ribbon for seasonal use.

If your budget does not allow you to personalize in such a way, you might consider choosing a color that represents your store or church, and add a seal or sticker with your store's information that will complement the packaging.

Training: Some staff will have the natural ability to gift-wrap and will need little training. Other employees will needs lots of training and practice. Many craft stores as well as gift markets offer free seminars and classes throughout the year.

If you do not train your staff properly, you will be wasting supplies and may not get the look you are trying to achieve.

Alternatives: If you do not have the space, manpower or budget to accommodate a gift-wrapping service, you could hand it over to another group or ministry within the church. Some church bookstores let their youth groups, schools or mission groups provide gift-wrapping services for donations to their ministries.

Before you enter into an agreement with another group, you might want to make sure your business administrator is on board and that you come up with a written agreement with the ministry that will be offering the service.

This agreement should stipulate who purchases the materials, the times the service will be offered, the advertising that will take place and expectations of conduct and quality of the gift-wrapping.

-Kelly Graham is co-manager and buyer for Prestonwood Bookstore at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, the 2006 Church Bookstore of the Year.

-Click here to read the complete article: http://www.thechurchbookstore.com/a.php?ArticleID=16174

 
PICTURE OF THE WEEK: Dynamic displays Print Email
Written by Staff   
Tuesday, 08 June 2010 04:01 PM America/New_York
Items of household furniture can be turned into striking and effective display units, with a little creativity. An old chest presents cushions attractively at The Well Bookstore at The United Methodist Church of the resurrection in Leawood, Kan.
 
ADVICE: Dear Betty Print Email
Written by Staff   
Tuesday, 08 June 2010 03:59 PM America/New_York
I want to expand the gifts I carry in my store to include more for men. What should I do?

I spend many hours each year searching out great gifts for men. Of course, you already have the best gifts of all with books and Bibles. But then, even ol' dad needs a little pampering, so take heart. There are wonderful gifts out there for the finding.

In purchasing gifts designed for men, remember that women, who represent more than 75% of all retail sales, will actually be the ones buying many of these gifts. So, make sure that your displays appeal to women, while keeping the overall look "manly."

Purchase items that a woman thinks a man needs. Bible markers, journals and audiobooks are winners. Books that fall in the Christian Living category have great offerings. Books by sports figures, leadership motivators and doctors are good choices.

In apparel, you could add ties with scripture designs. For the sportsmen in your church, there are outdoorsmen T-shirts and hunting hats as well as Bible covers and hats in camouflage.

Wooden pen sets, leather journals and key rings are all available with scriptures engraved on them. And for the handymen, there are flashlights and tape measures. Also, beautiful framed art pieces could hang in an office.

With a little research, the right display and positioning in the store is all you need to make men's gifts fly off the shelves.

Got a question for Betty Bookstore? Write to her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 
CHURCH LIFE: 'Let's talk about sex' Print Email
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Tuesday, 08 June 2010 03:57 PM America/New_York
You may want to review the resources you provide related to relationships, sex and marriage, in the light of a new initiative by the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE).

The group representing 40 denominations and scores of evangelical organizations has produced the document, Theology of Sex, as part of a move to reduce the number of abortions by encouraging young adults to respect sex and the sanctity of life.

"America has an abortion problem," said Leith Anderson, NAE President. "Yes, we are grateful that the abortion rate has declined. But, a million abortions in the United States every year is unacceptable. The NAE is engaging a fresh national dialogue seeking effective ways to significantly reduce the number of abortions."

The NAE board of directors recently adopted a resolution supporting "constructive efforts toward decreasing the number of abortions in America."

The NAE's Generation Forum will host events across the country to "create dialogue" about how local churches can be involved in effectively decreasing the number of abortions in their congregations and communities.

"We do not wish to exalt a one-size-fits-all approach to abortion reduction," stated the NAE resolution. "Rather, we urge church leaders, always with a mind to honor God's gifts of life and sex and his holy institutions of marriage and family, to seek out strategies appropriate for their congregations and communities."

Source: National Association of Evangelicals

For more information, go to http://www.nae.net/news-and-events/447-nae-launches-new-effort-to-curb-abortion-rate.

 
QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Small group resources Print Email
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Tuesday, 08 June 2010 03:50 PM America/New_York
Providing study resources for small groups in your church is a great way to serve the congregation and also introduce members to your store and the other materials you have available. How do you connect with and promote to small groups—and their leaders—in your church?

Share your thoughts and experiences with others by e-mailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 
SCRIPTURE OF THE WEEK Print Email
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Tuesday, 08 June 2010 03:49 PM America/New_York
"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."
Phil. 4:19, New International Version