Solving a classic Christmas movie conundrum: Trulaske faculty share ideas to save the struggling business in every TV holiday movie

We reached out to faculty and staff at the University of Missouri’s Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business — top experts in the fields of marketing, entrepreneurship, technology and more — with a simple question: You’re the “Big City Executive” in a holiday movie. You’ve returned to your small hometown in the Midwest to visit your parents, only to discover that the local bookstore is on the brink of closing. This cherished local establishment has been a popular gathering spot for years and holds a special place in your own heart. Using your Trulaske know-how, what is your plan to save this local treasure in time for Christmas?

Needless to say, as the individuals charged with introducing students to transformative technology, providing experience-centered learning opportunities to tomorrow’s business leaders, and inspiring an entrepreneurial mindset in the next generation of innovators, members of Team Trulaske had some ideas to solve this classic holiday movie conundrum.

Coffee-fueled market expansion

“I would say, add a coffee shop! If nothing else, my patronage alone would save the store! More realistically, converting a single use of storefront into a place of business that services a slightly broader market works great. Especially when your existing audience (booklovers) are known to love a good warm drink. Plus, the equipment for coffee can support making tea and hot cocoa for the winter months, which could be an enticing seasonal offering. Generally speaking, in order to appeal to a typical Midwest town, I would recommend keeping the offering relatively simple, a standard bookstore/coffee shop combo. It is a tried and Tru(laske) model.” Sophia Rivera Hassemer, Director of Operations for the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Trulaske College of Business

Season’s greetings, SEO-style

“I would immediately help the store set up a website to allow for omnichannel retailing and reach customers from near and far. A paid search strategy would also be needed, so that customers could find our book offering online as they search. We would want to be near the top of the search engine results page, right as customers have the intent to buy. A social media strategy would also need to be activated straight away to drive website traffic and engagement, likely focusing initially on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. We would make our social posts unique by sharing personal recommendations by the bookstore owner and team, with a content calendar for the holiday season to include gift-giving ideas and ‘The 12 Books of Christmas.’ We would also share popular holiday phrases related to books, such as ‘I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year’ from ‘A Christmas Carol,’ and ‘Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men’ as a variation of the quote from ‘The Pickwick Papers’ by Charles Dickens and ‘Christmas Bells’ by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Finally, we would celebrate the brick-and-mortar bookstore with experience-centered marketing efforts for our community. During the holiday season, these would include holiday book readings with cocoa, gift wrapping services, a visit from Santa, pet night with photos, and live music featuring local artists and carolers. We would invite local children to draw pictures of their favorite holiday stories and feature them in our large glass storefront. We would offer a charitable program in which books could be donated to local schools, hospitals, and senior centers. Our customers want a place to gather with friends and family, and we would create this welcoming and memorable experience.” Katie Essing, Assistant Teaching Professor of Marketing, and director of the Certificate in Digital Marketing and the CPG Career Pathway with Brase RISE Scholars 

Experiential retail strategy

“As the bookstore is already a popular gathering place in the community, it should leverage that strength by introducing additional experiential retail offerings. The store is competing against online retailers that offer convenience and low prices, so customers need a compelling reason to visit in person. Hosting events would be an excellent way to strengthen community connections, draw customers, and increase sales.

“For example, the business could launch a monthly book club where customers receive a 25% discount on a book selected by the owner. Each meeting could feature themed appetizers and décor from local businesses, promoting other independent retailers and broadening the store’s customer base. The event should also include an Instagram-worthy backdrop to encourage social sharing, boosting awareness and word-of-mouth.

“Additional events could include readings from local authors or even a Scholastic-inspired book fair (credit to Sydney Dolan, Macy Goodwin, Elle Jaworski and Alyssa Rodgers, students in my Retail Marketing class this semester who included the book fair idea in their submission for a case competition).” Courtney Cothren, Associate Teaching Professor, Marketing

Mizzou’s Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business prepares students for success as global citizens, business leaders, scholars, innovators and entrepreneurs by providing access to transformative technologies, offering experience-centered learning opportunities and fostering an entrepreneurial mindset.