Fall Regionals
presses was up 14% in 2018 over 2017, according to the AAP,
and some indie stores are already taking steps to capture sales.
“Indie booksellers do have an opportunity, yet it needs to be
supported with strategies to curate a selection and promote it
to let customers know we are here to serve them,” says Donna
Paz Kaufman, a bookstore trainer and consultant who owns
Story & Song Bookstore Bistro in Fernandina Beach, Fla.
Kaufman says she is working to let customers know that
the store is adding to its Christian books and Bible selections
via email blasts and by hosting events with Christian authors.
Nevertheless, Kaufman points out two key challenges book-
sellers must face to effectively promote their religious books:
understanding the products and finding ways to reach evan-
gelical customers. “We need resources to help us not only
identify new books, but essential backlist, too,” she says. “For
Bibles, we need to know how to special order the right one.
All of the features—highlights, covers, notes, study guides—
make this a time-consuming special order.”
Bill Westfall, v-p of sales at Barbour Publishing, says indie
stores could seize the sales opportunity by adding shelf space
for religion books. “ABA stores could increase awareness that
they carry faith-based products by expanding the category,
relocating it to a more prominent location in their store, or
by adding additional signage to call out the category,” he says.
Westfall also notes that outreach to local churches, as well as
effective use of social media, can help bookstores boost awareness
of their religion sections, and that information about what titles
to stock can be drawn from bestseller lists such as the ECPA’s,
as well as PW’s Religion Bestsellers.
In addition to bestsellers lists, senior director of sales and
marketing at IVP Justin Paul Lawrence suggests that ABA9781493042340
TwoDot • October 2019
9781493037773
Lyons Press • October 20199781493037797
Falcon Guides
October 20199781493044948
Globe Pequot • August 20199780811703284
Stackpole Books
September 20199780811738224
Stackpole Books
October 2019Globe Pequot’s Fall
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