CBA's pre-Advance Prospective Retailer School drew 40 participants yesterday. The intensive eight-hour program was led by retail consultant and CBA Training and Consulting Manager Mike Hockett.

Hockett, a retail veteran who managed a Family Bookstore-when the chain was owned by Zondervan-and has worked for Lemstone in addition to owning a store in Port Huron, Mich., outlined in detail the process to making a successful business plan for prospective retailers.

The event began with a breakfast sponsored by Design Identity, attended by about half of the seminar attendees. Other sponsors for the seminar included Barbour Publishing, Spring Arbor and store-design firm Integra GP. Time also was spent detailing CBA's many retailer tools available for purchase, such as the 2006 CBA Marketing Strategies Report and 2005 CBA Operating Statement Survey.

Hockett shared data showing that the Christian retail channel's falling market share had slowed, from a 5% decrease between 2000 and 2002 to a 3% drop between 2002 and 2004. “Other channel” sales, which Hockett said consisted of Internet sites, direct-to-consumer sales and catalog sales, decreased 2% between 2002 and 2004, having risen 5% between 2000 and 2002. The general market's share in the sales of Christian product rose 5% between 2002 and 2004, after remaining steady in the previous two-year period. The 2005 numbers, Hockett said, will release at CBA's International Christian Retail Show in July.

Using a five-point rating system consisting of price, service, access, experience and product selection, Hockett encouraged retailers to aim to excel in two areas and gave examples of well-known companies that achieved each. He also detailed how to calculate the proper amount of inventory per square foot, how to calculate how many inventory turns are needed to achieve successful sales and how much inventory to allocate per department.

Michelle Amster, president and senior store manager of Integra GP, outlined store design, the cost of lighting, installing fixtures and ordering signs, while Hockett gave 10 principles for visual merchandising. A 12-week “homework assignment” was included in the seminar materials.

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