‘No doom and gloom’ from publishers, distributors and booksellers

The global economic turmoil was the topic of conversation during the fifth annual Spanish Evangelical Products Associa tion (SEPA) Summit.

A record number of publishers, distributors and booksellers from across the U. S. and Latin America attended the event, held Nov. 20-22 in Nashville, which was hosted by B&H International.

Spanish Evangelical Products Association (SEPA) Executive Director and Editorial Unilit President David Ecklebarger said the 71 attendees were surprisingly optimistic.
“For the most part everyone seemed to be upbeat yet conservative and watching expenses,” he told Christian Retailing. “Not that the industry is seriously hurting yet, but we’re all fearful the economic problems … will have an impact.

“The credit crunch (in the U.S.) may not be felt in Latin America for three or four months,” he added. “Some people mentioned being slightly down, but sales remain steady, and we’re not deeply concerned at the moment.”
SEPA Treasurer and Editorial Portavoz Publisher Tito Mantilla said “there was no feeling of doom and gloom.”

“Everyone was still pretty positive,” he told Christian Retailing. “They mentioned the crisis and appreciating U.S. dollar, but they were more concerned about learning how to better operate their business.”

SEPA Vice President and B&H International Vice President of International Sales Jim Cook said “a lot” of the Spanish publishing houses were either restructuring because of the economic downturn or in anticipation of a looming crisis. “There’s a little bit of nervousness,” he said.

Ebett Rivera-Kading, owner of Pan de Vida, a Chicago-based Christian bookstore that specializes in Spanish products, said she was concerned about the sliding economy.
“I’m buying very carefully—and I’m not normally a frugal buyer,” she told Christian Retailing. “Now I’m thinking three times before I buy anything.”

The summit featured workshops on topics such as branding, ethics and business, reaching pastors, developing a business plan, and tips on opening a bookstore.
The gathering also allowed publishers to present their latest products “in a less hectic setting than Expolit”—the largest trade fair in the U.S. for the Spanish-language Christian literature and music world, Cook said.

“The camaraderie was high,” he added. “What happens in our industry is special. I don’t see that existing on the English side.
“We sit in on each others’ presentations,” Cook added. “We’re not threatened by that. We’re in this together.”

SEPA President and Vida Publishers Senior Director of Sales, Marketing and Client Services Peter Cerra added: “Our industry still has a lot of room for growth.”
SEPA’s 17th annual Expolit convention is set for May 14-19 at the Sheraton Miami Mart Hotel and Convention Center in Miami.

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