
June 2025 CPE: What, Why, Who…YOU??
If you are an author or a future author, there’s a special event coming up this summer you need to consider attending – the 2025 Summer Christian Product Expo (CPE) being held August 10-12 in the Atlanta area, with an opening reception and movie premiere on Saturday night, August 9.
And if you are an author, you need to consider your participation. Why?
Let’s start with the What.
Sponsored by the industry trade association, Christian Retail Association (CRA) in conjunction with The Munce Group, CPE is described as “Where the industry does business.”
The August trade show event for Christian retailers brings together the year’s biggest gathering of bookstore folks, publishers and authors – plus marketers and media – who will meet at a new convention center called Gas South Convention Center in Duluth, Georgia, with adjacent Westin Hotel Gwinnett.
The main purpose for the gathering is for Christian retail stores to see new product and place orders for Christian books, gifts, and other items such as toys and greeting cards.
But Why should authors attend?
If you have a book that hasn’t been presented to Christian bookstores at CPE, this might be something you ought to consider as one part of your book selling strategy. Most indie authors I know seek to sell books through multiple channels, not just through Amazon and other online retailers, so work with their publisher on finding locations where their books can be sold, including bookstores.
The CPE shows offer authors an entrée into the friendly, Christian but still businesslike world of Christian retail. The CPEs are attended mostly by independent retailers who have a Christian book and gift store, or a store that dedicates at least part of its space to selling Christian books and other products.
But unlike products displayed at trade shows in other industries, books have authors: living, breathing people who are passionate about the message God has given them to write. No one can represent a book like its author.
Thus, in my opinion, it’s authors who make CPE special. It’s a special joy for both the authors and the other industry professionals to meet authors and hear from their hearts.
Media folks who interview authors agree. They increasingly come to CPE to interview authors for their radio shows and podcasts.
Into that mix, Buoyancy PR also attends to assist authors with connecting with those media folks, as detailed below.
But the time at CPE is also valuable for authors for the training, networking and encouragement to be gained. One of the purposes of CPE for all in the industry is to provide opportunities for training, networking, encouragement and fellowship.
And that is the Who – and maybe this year, it should be you.
If you read this missive at least once in a while, you may have noted that it was only about a month ago we started talking about this summer event. In the Buoyancy shop, we are now ready to receive commitments for authors to join the small group of authors we can represent.
We do this in two ways – by being an exhibitor highlighting some author clients in our booth, and by seeking and coordinating media interviews for authors. Authors can opt to invest in one or both services.
First, we exhibit. The Buoyancy PR booth provides an opportunity for a small group of authors to showcase their books, and a place to work from to meet people. Each participating author will have a large graphic panel featuring their photo and their book cover, with space to display multiple copies of all of their book titles and sales material.
Publisher booths are busy places with many books on display and the publishers focus on appointments they have set with bookstores to review books and write contracts for book orders. They may participate in some events to promote their authors, but on the whole, they need to keep their focus on those book ordering appointments. They understandably limit the amount of time their authors can be at the booth.
But for authors, one of the greatest benefits to being at CPE is the opportunity to meet those bookstore owners and get to tell them about their books. So, the Buoyancy booth highlights our participating authors.
Thus, for many authors, the ability to have a large graphic and space to meet people is a worthwhile investment even though their publisher is also exhibiting and will be handling their orders.
In addition, we also offer media interview coordination and preparation. Buoyancy PR understands how to prepare materials the media needs and how to work with them to obtain and then coordinate resulting interviews. We also come alongside the authors to smooth the way for them, many of whom are doing their first ever in-person interviews.
Plus, for CPE Buoyancy PR also provides additional promotion outside of CPE to obtain interviews and maximize visibility for clients.
The media representation is available separately from participation in the booth.
But there is some urgency. Deadlines are looming for various CPE-related things, so we need to hear from you about the opportunities Buoyancy PR is offering. Let us know if you want to know more about one or both of these opportunities as we are seeking to finalize our author roster just a few weeks from now.
You can learn more about it at www.CPEshow.com.
If CPE is new to you, and even if you aren’t yet a published author, you should consider purchasing a ticket to attend at least one day of the show. While in an informal and friendly atmosphere, you’ll be able to participate in author training, become familiar with publishers, learn from bookstore owners what they look for in a successful product, and benefit from meeting other authors.
And it’s fun and uplifting, offering movie previews, Christian speakers and good food at shared meals. You’ll come away with a better sense of the Christian retail market and may even be inspired with ideas for future books.
Let us hear from you.
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