Marketing consultant and long-time friend of Christian stores Steve Miller has offered a good talking point for retailers thinking through how they can differentiate themselves from other channels.

A presenter at the International Christian Retail Show who has also worked with CBA on the look of its summer show passed along a lesson he learned from a recent experience with his bank, in a video blog post at his Two Hats Marketing Web site.

Missionary bookselling leader David Almack offers some great food for thought in what he calls a manifesto for Christian retail "thrival."

The U.S. Director of CLC International, who oversees eight Christian bookstores in the country run by CLC missionaries, presents ten suggestions to help retailers "not only survive but to thrive in he new world that we live in," in his latest blog at http://faithlit.wordpress.com/2009/11/29/a-manifesto-for-christian-retail-thrival/

Among the highlights:

Focus on market niches. Though there is plenty of competition in the Bible marketplace, there is less competition for Bible accessories and Bible covers. Some other areas for niche thinking include kids, tweens and teens products, church supplies, gifts.

Embrace new media marketing. Migrating our marketing efforts to e-blasts, Facebook fan pages and blog posts is an essential. People want to receive their information in the ways that they are most familiar with and that is rapidly becoming online for most of us.

Be community focused. Our stores did not really begin to grow in any significant way until we began to understand our community and its specific needs.

Here are some questions to ask: What really matters to my customers? How can I make heart connections with the people I serve? What is going on in my community that I need to get involved in as an advocate? How can I make "local" a strength for my ministry, not a weakness?

Do events that matter. They are the proven method for driving traffic and bringing people back to your stores again and again (But) customers today are very busy people who do not have time to attend just "any kind" of event anymore. These events must be meaningful and targeted.

Consider some of the following: Kids' reading times for weary moms; Bible reference workshops for people not sure how to study the Bible; Sunday school and VBS workshops with new ideas for teachers to consider.

Read the rest of David's ideas and then let us know what you think—and offer your own suggestions—at our community forum.

The news that the U.K.'s leading Christian retail chain is up for sale has prompted one pastor there to suggest it's time for a new look at the strategic role such stores can play.

The threat that hangs over the future of the 40-odd Wesley Owen stores currently run by IBS-STL UK—which is seeking a buyer for them, along with its publishing and distribution divisions—is "an opportunity for fresh mission thinking and creative partnership between churches and the high (main) street," suggests Simon Jones.

" After all, our neighbors are regularly on the high street and rarely in our buildings," he observes at his blog. "The high street offers something they want.

"Analysts argue that shopping is a leisure activity and a source of 'spiritual' fulfillment in the absence of traditional organized religion. Missional thinkers have been rightly identifying consumerism as a rival god over recent years which makes the high street the place where we should be—as Paul was in amongst the idols of Athens—living and modeling a different form of spirituality to our neighbors.

"And where better to do this than in a retail space that offers coffee, conversation, Internet access, books for browsing and buying, people to pray, space for groups to gather on a regular basis. The Christian bookshop could become a vital missional space with a bit of imagination on the part of church leaders and Christian retailers.

"So are we up for this or will we all be lamenting the passing of the Christian presence on the high street the next time we gather at a conference to talk about how to do mission?"