Jack Scott, owner of Scott Marketing & Training, shared his store marketing expertise with Christian retailers at a Breakout Session at the 2015 International Christian Retailing Show.

First, Scott emphasized a focus on the consumer above all else. According to Scott, retailers should emphasize having a large, dedicated customer base. Not only are many customers good for business, but as far as advertisers are concerned, a store's customer base can also be its most valuable product.

"The wave of the future is to track who we sell, not just what we sell,” said Scott, who has had several roles in the industry, serving as director at Provident Bookstores, as marketing and development vice president at Herald Press and as director of training and member development for Christian Trade Association International.

Scott also advised retailers on how to spend their marketing budget most effectively. He advocated the 60-30-10 Principle: 60 percent of the budget is spent on a store's customers, 30 percent on people who resemble the store's customers and 10 percent is for mass-market advertising. Scott strongly recommended avoiding mass media promotions like television or bus ads, saying that Christian retail has become “a narrowcast business.”

He also cautioned against spending too much of a store's marketing budget on social media efforts. He explained that Facebook, Twitter and other social media websites can become big commitments without equivalent payoff. Although he’s not completely opposed to social media, he believes the Christian retailer's emphasis should be elsewhere.

“If we’re going to have a brick-and-mortar store, we have to give the time to it because retailing is detail,” he said.

In the end, Scott advised Christian store owners to take small, manageable steps toward reforming their marketing strategy. He recommended setting concrete goals, measuring and analyzing employee performance, delegating responsibility to the team and having fun. After all, “If you’re not having fun, your customers aren’t having fun,” he said.

Claudy and Jack Jones, who own Lighthouse Cards and Gifts in Detroit, attended Scott’s seminar.

“He gave some very good information about how to go about the principles for marketing a Christian bookstore,” Jack Jones said.

Overall, the couple found Scott’s instructions very helpful.

“We have purchased our second store,” Claudy added, “and we are looking to take this information and help us grow with that for the glory of God.”

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