It's Thanksgiving time again. We pause to thank our God for the abundant blessings only He can provide.  Among the things we are thankful for are the values and culture of our Christian products industry. It's not just talk, but real action by real warriors. 

Our Christ-centered industry is waging its own “creative revolution” undergirded by a bedrock of optimism and a can-do attitude that I believe will drive more positive results into 2011. 

Five years ago, our industry was not as strong in the optimism department. We needed to think and act like winners—recognizing that there's a huge difference between just being a player and playing to win. Now we have honed our creative skills, and more of us are in the game to win.

I applaud the new leadership and voices of wisdom emerging in our industry. Following their lead, stores and suppliers have been crucial to setting the proper culture going into 2011. It's clear to see now that many of you are on the winning track, and here’s why: 

--Check out the number of new companies that are now selling Christ-centered products worldwide. More souls are being reached every single day.

--Look at the great products from Kerusso, Carpentree, Universal Designs, Robert Spooner Galerie, Gracefully Yours, Warner Press, DaySpring, Dicksons, Standard Publishing, Moody Publishers, Thomas Nelson, Group Publishing and many others.

--Many retailers are delighting consumers. Take Karen Grosse of Lighthouse Christian Books in Green Bay, Wis., a name oft mentioned, but for good reasons. Her team aims to promise and deliver experiences consumers love and look forward to time and again. Contact Karen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to find out more about her team’s success.

--Many of you are getting back to basics, going back to square one, where connecting the right product with your store guests is the start of change. Such incremental changes become the turning points of business. The challenge is to translate that connectivity into sales and then watch while your product/store reputation is virally spread and helps to grow your enterprise. With vendors helping stores stay in stock, check out the improved look at retail of "full and ready to sell." We still have a long way to go, but the improvement is marked.

While we have made these improvements, the challenge is to get closer to the consumer. I'm not suggesting that we have lost touch, but that we need to spend more time listening, watching them closely and responding with product that is user-inspired.

In that regard, let's take a tip from the Vacation Bible School publishers such as LifeWay Christian Resources, Group Publishing, Standard Publishing, Gospel Light, Concordia Publishing House, Abingdon Press and Bogard Press, who are tuned into the relevant, timely, interactive needs of their audience. Their creative, yet simple focus on a delightful learning experience is of great value to churches and has made a powerful difference.

Zeroing in on one more overarching challenge, as an industry let's move into 2011 transforming our approach to innovation. We don’t have a monopoly on all the best ideas to bring people to Christ or to strengthen believers, so ask people who have never bought one of your products why they haven’t done so. Ask shoppers who have never set foot in your store about the products or services that would attract them.

How do you find them? Intercept your fellow churchgoers at a potluck and ask if they’d be willing to do a quick phone survey or buy coffee drinkers a cup at the local coffee shop and ask them to fill out a brief form. I believe there are more answers “out there” than within our own circles.

Give yourself permission to believe in your product, your services and your store in 2011 and beyond, fueled by our industry’s cultural wave of winning attitudes, a deep respect for your store guests and a pervasive spirit of innovation.

Rick Tocquigny

CEO

Artbeat of America/Gracefully Yours greeting cards

Host of the national radio show "Life Lessons"

www.blogtalkradio.com/search/rick-tocquigny-life-lessons/

• Prev