Starting a small company is no easy feat in today’s environment. There is a lot to consider when opening any company, but if you’re planning of starting a Christian bookstore, there’s even more to consider. You’ll have to cater to your consumers’ spiritual requirements while still following the standard procedures for launching a business.
A Christian bookshop might be the realization of a lifelong ambition of yours, as well as a means to promote your religion and give back to the community. Opening a Christian bookstore refers that you have to beautifully plan your spiritual, physical, and financial parts.
If you are wondering how to start a Christian book store, you have come to the right place. We will discuss ideas and strategies for starting a Christian bookstore.
Ideas about how to start a Christian book store
Starting a Christian bookstore is not an easy task taking into consideration the huge expectations of targeted clients. Some of the strategies for opening a Christian bookstore are:
1. Your targeted customer base
Determine who you believe to be your calling and who would benefit most from the items and services you want to provide. Some Protestant shop owners, for instance, refuse to sell Catholic-themed things like saint statues, while more theologically conservative bookstore owners avoid stocking liberal literature, as reported by the Cathedral Consulting Group.
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If you or your group tend to tilt to the left on moral and political issues, you may choose to emphasize more liberal works.
2. Add Books which depicts the Christian lifestyle
According to a poll conducted by the Christian Booksellers Association in 2013, books and Bibles accounted for almost 60% of bookshop revenue. Add to your print selections by including genres like fiction, Christian lifestyle, and biblical studies.
For opening a Christian bookstore, you may consider extending your initial stock to include gift items, music, movies, greeting cards, church supplies, and clothing to boost your sales. Pay special attention to unique items that are harder to locate than standard books online. Home-schooling resources are available at certain stores.
3. Making an Ambient Environment
If you want to keep your start-up expenses down, renting rather than buying a building is a better idea. Establish a tiny storefront and expand as you see fit. The Christian Retailing Association suggests repurposing dressers, drawers, windows, and other items found in second-hand shops into bookcases, tables, and jewellery display cases rather than putting presents on bookshelves or books on gift racks.
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Neutral colours, such as off-white and beige, should be used for the major walls, while bold colours, like navy blue, vibrant red, and chocolate brown, should be reserved for accent or smaller walls.
However, an online Christian bookstore business is also a good idea if you have no money to own or rent out a business.
4. Identify Compatible Churches
If you are thinking, about how to start a Christian book store, try to Develop relationships with churches in the area. According to Cathedral Consulting Group, one store owner claims that his connections with churches account for 25 percent of his business.
For instance, you may let the congregation know about sales in which a percentage of the proceeds would go to the church’s mission work. You may get your message out to churchgoers by having posters, business cards, or brochures put up in the lobby.
Some Tips that should be kept in mind before starting a Christian book store
1. Buy a Franchise
There is no need to reinvent the wheel if you want to capitalize on a well-known name: just buy a franchise. For instance, to open a Parable Christian Stores franchise, you would require between $70,000 and $90,000, with a total investment of between $317,000 and $433,000.
If you don’t have the capital to start a franchise, you may still get help promoting your business through groups like The Parable Group and the Association of Logos Bookstores.
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Distributing catalogues, postcards, and other marketing on your behalf is an option whether you’re a franchisee or a partner business.
2. Get license/permits
Before opening a Christian bookstore, get a permit to run a company from the appropriate government agency. You must choose between forming a corporation, an LLC, or a limited partnership.
It is necessary to file paperwork with the state to incorporate various types of legal business organisations, although forming a basic partnership or operating as a sole proprietor does not. The IRS allows businesses to apply for an EIN online.
3. Develop your unique identity
This encompasses not only the more tangible components of company ownership, such as signing a lease and securing insurance, but also the more intangible but no less important aspects, like developing a corporate identity package that includes a logo, letterhead, and website.
4. Get some stock in hand
Among evangelicals, the New International Version is the go-to Bible translation, while Catholics choose the New American Standard Bible and students prefer the New Revised Standard Version. A wide variety of “specialty” Bible translations are available from a wide variety of publishers.
These may range from cheap “missionary” Bibles to more expensive Bibles intended as gifts. You should visit other churches of different denominations and do market research to learn their respective styles.
5. Decide a date for the opening of a Christian bookstore
If you put in the legwork to build relationships with local churches, you may even be able to get some publicity in the form of a mention on Sunday morning or in the church bulletin. Contribute time, money, and expertise, and take on leadership roles to increase your organization’s goodwill and profile.
Long-term success requires, in some way, cultivating and sustaining connections with religious institutions.
Conclusion
We hope this blog cleared up your queries about how to start a Christian bookstore. In case of any queries related to starting a christian bookstore, let us know.