Publishing Research Quarterly

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12109-020-09723-3

Religious Publishing: An Analysis of Marketing Measures

by German Religious Publishers

Karina Kowatsch1

© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020

Abstract
The German religious book market is a small market segment that is dominated
by small publishers. Because the number of companies and overall turnover in the
market segment show a negative trend, the German religious book market can be
described as a mature saturated market. Also, the classic and professional customer
groups are decreasing or at least changing due to changes in the role of religion in
society. However, the population still has an interest in religious topics, which is
why it is important for religious publishers to target them with specific marketing
measures. Content analysis of the bi-annual publishing program brochures reveals
which titles religious publishers attribute the greatest sales potential to and which
product, price and communication measures are used to support their top titles.
The results of the analysis show that German religious publishers choose non-fic-
tion books, but also practical guidebooks and gift books as top titles, which take
up current topics and trends from church and society. Books with authentic content
by authentic authors are favored. The analysis also indicates (somewhat unsurpris-
ingly) that marketing decisions that are made depend on the financial capabilities of
religious publishers. Measures related to the price are therefore hardly offered, and
cost-intensive communication measures are only taken at a low level.

Keywords  Religious publishing · Religious publishers · Top titles · Marketing

measures · Content analysis

This article is based on the master’s thesis Der religiöse Buchmarkt im 21. Jahrhundert, which was
submitted by the author to the Johannes Gutenberg University in August 2019.

* Karina Kowatsch
1
Dannstadt‑Schauernheim, Germany

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 Publishing Research Quarterly

In order to understand the marketing measures of the German religious publishers,1

it makes sense to first consider their target groups and the religious book market in
general. Unfortunately, there is currently only insufficient data on publishers, read-
ers and buyers of religious books2 available, which is why the market for religious
books and its players can only be partially described and examined.

The Religious Book Market in Numbers

An indication for the number of market participants are the members of the two
denominational publishing associations. In 2017 the Vereinigung Evangelischer
Buchhändler und Verleger (VEB) had 128 members. Within 10 years, VEB lost 53
members.3 The Katholischer Medienverbund (KM) lost 34 members in the same
period and in 2017 had 107 members.4 An overview card provided by St. Benno
Verlag still records over 1300 “Christian bookstores”,5 which are to be understood
in particular as point of sales for religious books, but there are regular reports about
the closure of bookstores that are specialized in religious literature.6 The turnover
of the religious book market cannot be quantified exactly either. Figures given in
relevant articles to show the development of the overall turnover actually give little
information about the situation of the religious book market. The reports of sales
increase alternate with articles that report a negative development of the religious
book market.7 The article in the issue of the Börsenblatt des Deutschen Buchhandels

1
  In this work religious publishers are understood as those who have religious and theological literature
in their range and are active on the religious book market. Non-religious public and scientific publish-
ers that produce religious and theological works and small religious publishers that produce some book
but mainly newspapers, magazines or art objects are not considered. Because Germany continues to be
shaped by Christianity and Christian values, the focus of this work is on Christian-religious publishers,
even though Jewish or Islamic publishers can be described as religious publishers too, cf. Peter Meyer-
Dohm, ed., Handbuch des Buchhandels. Teil 2. Verlagsbuchhandel (Hamburg: Verlag für Buchmarkt-
Forschung, 1975), 96; Thomas Petersen, Heilige Nacht?, ed. Institut für Demoskopie Allensbach, 2017,
6.
2
  The term includes books of various literary genres and small prints, provided that the content of the
works deals with a religion or with a religious topic or has a broad religious orientation. Mainly, the
religious book is understood to mean the Christian-oriented religious book, which conveys the content of
Christianity, deals with Christianity or deals with a wide variety of topics from a Christian perspective.
3
 Cf. Buch und Buchhandel in Zahlen 2018, ed. Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels e.V. (Frank-
furt a. M.: MVB Marketing- und Verlagsservice des Buchhandels, 2018), 40, table 16; Buch und Buch-
handel in Zahlen 2009, ed. Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels e.V. (Frankfurt a. M.: MVB
Marketing- und Verlagsservice des Buchhandels, 2009), 27, table  14.; see "Mitglieder,“Vereinigung
Evangelischer Buchhändler und Verleger, last accessed on March 22, 2019, https​://www.veb-medie​n.de/
mitgl​ieder​.html.
4
 Cf. BuBiZ 2018, 40, table 16; BuBiZ 2009, 27, table 14.
5
  See “Christliche Buchhandlungen,”. St. Benno Verlag, last accessed on May 23, 2019, https​://www.
kathw​eb.de/chris​tlich​e-buchh​andlu​ngen-de/karte​.php. The map also includes bookstores that only offer a
larger range of religious books and monastery shops.
6
  Cf. „Buchreport-Umfrage. Gegen die Marginalisierung des religiösen Buchs antreten,“ in buchreport.
spezial Religion & Theologie, no. 4 (April 2014): 6–11, here 6.
7
  Cf. for example Sabine Schmidt, Stefan Hauck, „Für Zielgruppen mit Flip-Flops,“ in Börsenblatt des
deutschen Buchhandels, no. 28 (July 10, 2014), 12–15, here 12; Barbara Schmidt, „Großer Bedarf an
verständlichen Texten,“ in Börsenblatt des deutschen Buchhandels, no. 34 (August 20, 2015), 20–23,

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Publishing Research Quarterly

of August 23, 2018, for example, states that the market for religious books declined
by 3.26% compared to the same period in the previous year, but an absolute number
is not given.8 However, it can be assumed that the religious book market acts like the
general book market. Turnovers in the book industry are on the decline. Since the
last high point in 2010 with sales of EUR 9.7 billion, sales have decreased to EUR
9.1 billion by 2017.9 Moreover, it can be observed that the religious book market is
strongly influenced by events like, for example, the election of Pope Benedict XVI
in 2005,10 the election of Pope Francis I in 201311 or the anniversary year of the
Reformation in 2017,12 which enabled the publishers to grow their sales. Of the reli-
gious publishers or publishing groups, only three were among the 100 largest pub-
lishers in Germany in 2018: Herder Verlag (rank 53), Stiftung Christliche Medien
(rank 73) and Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht (rank 90).13 The probably largest Christian
bookstore chain is currently Alpha. But with a total of 35 bookshops spread across
Germany, it is still a small bookstore chain.14 Another indicator to capture the reli-
gious book market is the total title production. The title production statistics show
from which subject group the most titles are produced. In 2017, the total title pro-
duction was 72,499 first editions. With 5064 first publications, the subject group
“Religion” only made up 7%. Since 2013, the number of titles in this group has
remained at a constant level, in comparison the total number of new publications has
decreased in recent years.15 All available information clearly shows that the German

Footnote 7 (continued)
here 22; Schmidt, „Frischekur. Zur aktuellen Situation des religiösen Buchhandels. Jünger werden,“ in
Börsenblatt des deutschen Buchhandels, no. 34 (August 24, 2017), 18–21, here 19; „Religiöser Buch-
markt. Nachfrage nach theologischen Themen ist weiter rückläufig,“ in buchreport.de (April 25, 2018),
last accessed on March 31, 2019, https​://www.buchr​eport​.de/news/gesch​aeft-mit-relig​ioese​n-buech​ern-
ist-weite​r-rueck​laeuf​i g/#; „Media-Control-Auswertung. Warengruppen Religion im Minus,“ in Börsenb-
latt des deutschen Buchhandels, no. 34 (August 23, 2018): 31.
8
  Cf. „Media-Control-Auswertung“, 31.
9
 Cf. BuBiZ 2018, 5, table 1.
10
  Cf. Ulrich Keller, „Abflauende Nachfrage_Der Religionsbuchmarkt. Im Allgemeinsortiment ist jetzt
wieder das Basisniveau erreicht,“ in buchreport.spezial Religion & Theologie, no. 11 (November 2009),
6–7.
11
  Cf. Schmidt, Hauck, „Für Zielgruppen mit Flip-Flops“, 13.
12
  Cf. „Religiöser Buchmarkt. Nachfrage nach theologischen Themen ist weiter rückläufig,“ in buchre-
port.de (April 25, 2018), last accessed on March 21, 2019, https​://www.buchr​eport​.de/news/gesch​aeft-
mit-relig​ioese​n-buech​ern-ist-weite​r-rueck​laeuf​i g/#.
13
  Cf. Thomas Wilking, Daniela Zielber, Sabine Müchler, „Die 100 größten Buchverlage. Vermessung
in Zeiten neuer Geschäftsmodelle,” in buchreport.magazin, no. 4 (April 2019), 18–24, here 19. It should
be noted that Vandenhoeck &Ruprecht was established as an protestant publisher but today does generate
large parts of its sales with books from the area of humanities and social science.
14
  See “Unsere 35 Buchhandlungen,” Alpha-Buchhandelskette, last accessed on May 23, 2019, https​://
www.alpha​-buch.de/buchh​andlu​ngen.
15
 Cf. BuBiZ 2018, 81, table 39 and 83–85, table 40. Since 2004, books have been classified according to
the DDC-Sachgruppen der deutschsprachigen Nationalbibliografien. Deutsche Nationalbibliografie, Das
Schweizer Buch, Österreichische Bibliografie. Leitfaden zu ihrer Vergabe. Version 1.1 [Stand: 1. Juni
2014], ed. Deutsche Nationalbibliothek (Leipzig, Frankfurt a. M., 2014), last accessed on June 7, 2019,
https​://d-nb.info/10527​00705​/34, 18. The subject group “DK 200 Religion” lists all non-fiction and spe-
cialist books about religions and religious sub-disciplines as well as the associated source texts. Fiction,
children’s books, gift books etc. are not considered.

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 Publishing Research Quarterly

religious book market is a small market segment that is dominated by small market
participants. Even if the title production remains constant, the number of companies
and the total turnover show a negative trend, which is why the German religious
book market can be described as a mature, saturated market.

The Change in the Role of Religion in Society

The available statistical data of the book market reflect changes in society. Due to a
larger media and leisure offer, media usage and leisure behavior have changed and
interest in the book has decreased.16 But religious publishers are also facing a sec-
ond socio-structural development. Statistics show that the number of members in the
denominational churches has been developing negatively for years.17 It seems that
the interest in religion and the importance of the churches for society are decreasing.
The latter is also confirmed by statistics on sacramental acts such as baptism, first
Communion or ordination. These are declining too.18 However, interest in religion
is not related to membership in a Christian church. Belonging to a church shows
neither religiousness nor interest in (Christian) religious topics, let alone the will-
ingness to deal with these topics in the form of a book. In their 1969 study, Elisa-
beth Noelle-Neumann and Gerhard Schmidtchen were already able to show that the
circle of people interested in religious questions is larger than the group of read-
ers and buyers who are loyal to one of the Churches.19 The study MDG-Trendmon-
itor “Religiöse Kommunikation 2010” confirms that membership in a church and

16
 Cf. Studie „Buchkäufer – quo vadis?“ Kernergebnisse, ed. Börsenverein des deutschen Buchhandels
(Frankfurt a. M., 2018), last accessed on February 21, 2019, http://www.boers​enver​ein.de/sixcm​s/media​
.php/976/Buchk​%C3%A4ufe​r_quo_vadis​_Beric​ht_Juni_2018_Kerne​rgebn​isse.pdf, slide 8 and 10.
17
 Cf. Religion in Deutschland und weltweit (Statista, 2017), slide 6; Gezählt 2019. Zahlen und Fakten
zum kirchlichen Leben, ed. Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland, last accessed on July 23, 2019, https​
://www.ekd.de/ekd_de/ds_doc/Gezae​hlt_zahle​n_und_fakte​n_2019.pdf, 12 and 20; Katholische Kirche
in Deutschland. Wiederaufnahmen, Eintritte, Austritte 1950–2018, ed. Sekretariat der Deutschen Bis-
chofskonferenz, last accessed on July 23, 2019, https​://www.dbk.de/filea​dmin/redak​tion/Zahle​n%20und​
%20Fak​ten/Kirch​liche​%20Sta​tisti​k/Eintr​itte%2C%20Wie​derau​fnahm​en%20zur​%20kat​holis​chen%20Kir​
che%20sow​ie%20Aus​tritt​e%20aus​%20der​%20kat​holis​chen%20Kir​che/2018-Wiede​raufn​ahmen​-Eintr​itte-
Austr​itte_1950-2018.pdf.
18
 Cf. Katholische Kirche in Deutschland. Priesterweihen nach Diözesen 1962–2018, ed. Sekretariat
der Deutschen Bischofskonferenz, last accessed on July 23, 2019, https​://www.dbk.de/filea​dmin/redak​
tion/Zahle​n%20und​%20Fak​ten/Kirch​liche​%20Sta​tisti​k/Pries​terwe​ihen_Neupr​ieste​r/2018-Neupr​ieste​
r-Pries​terwe​ihen_1962-2018.pdf; Katholische Kirche in Deutschland. Erstkommunionen, Firmungen,
Taufen 1978–2018, ed. Sekretariat der Deutschen Bischofskonferenz, last accessed on July 23, 2019,
https​://www.dbk.de/filea​dmin/redak​tion/Zah-len%20und​%20Fak​ten/Kirch​liche​%20Sta​tisti​k/Erstk​ommun​
ionen​%2C%20Fir​munge​n%2C%20Tau​fen/2018-Erstk​ommun​ionen​-Firmu​ngen-Taufe​n_1978-2018.pdf;
Gezählt 2019, 12.
19
  Cf. Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann, Gerhard Schmidtchen, Religiöses Buch und christlicher Buchhandel.
Eine Untersuchung des Instituts für Demoskopie Allenbach im Auftrag der Vereinigung Evangelischer
Buchhändler und der Vereinigung des katholischen Buchhandels, Schriften zur Buchmarktforschung 18
(Hamburg: Verlag für Buchmarkt-Forschung, 1969), 18.

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Publishing Research Quarterly

the purchase and reading of religious books are not necessarily related.20 The sur-
vey ARD-DeutschlandTrend and the study Heilige Nacht? of the FAZ—both from
2017—showed that there is still a basic Christian religious understanding in the
German population.21 The fact that people are turning away from the Churches does
not necessarily lead to a decrease in the number of potential buyers and readers. On
the contrary, the population still has an interest in religious issues. However, there
are new target groups which, in addition to the still existing classic, professional and
church-related customer groups, must the religious publishers address with specific
marketing measures.

Marketing Measures of the Religious Publishers in Relation to Their

Top Titles

Which marketing measures are mainly used to survive on the mature, saturated book
market and to address the established and new target groups? Because it is common
to highlight the titles in the bi-annual publishing program brochures that publishers
believe have the greatest sales opportunities and to indicate the marketing measures
taken for the top titles, the content analysis of the publishing program brochures can
reveal which product, price and communication measures are most commonly used
to support the top titles.22

Results Related to Program and Product Marketing Measures

Broad ranges are characteristic of religious publishers. This means that the reli-
gious publishers generally do not concentrate on certain book genres or selected
subject areas and have also non-books in their ranges. The division of the pages of
the publishing program brochures shows this indirectly, because about 39.1% of the
available pages were not used to present books. Non-books complement the range

20
  Cf. Rüdiger Schulz, Steffen de Sombre, Marc Calmbach, MDG-Trendmonitor „Religiöse Kommuni-
kation 2010“. Kommentarband II. Einzeldarstellungen der Mediengattungen. Ergebnisse repräsenta-
tiver Befragungen unter Katholiken sowie der Gesamtbevölkerung, ed. MDG Medien-Dienstleistung
GmbH, München, conducted by Institut für Demoskopie Allensbach and Sinus Sociovision, Heidelberg
(München: MDG Medien-Dienstleistung GmbH, 2010), 67, fig. 22.
21
  Cf. Petersen, Heilige Nacht?, 4, 6, 7, fig. 3 and A4; Welche Bedeutung haben Religion und Glauben
für Sie? ARD-DeutschlandTREND (Statista, 2018).
22
  For this work the publishing program brochures of autumn 2018 from 15 randomly selected typical
religious publishers or imprints were coded and finally evaluated. A sample of 28 program brochures and
29 top titles was found. The 29 books account for 4.5% of the total new publications of the selected pub-
lishers in autumn 2018. The analysis cannot make all marketing measures and decisions of the religious
publishers visible. Since the program brochures are intended for bookstores, no measures considering
distribution are listed. The publication of one or more program brochures, of course, indicates that the
publishers want to continue to consider and reach the bookstores as a point of sale. It turns out that reli-
gious publishers, in addition to the "normal" sales structures of the book trade, serve a large number of
other specific sales channels or have a large selection of sales channels available, of which the religious
bookstores still an important one, but also internet shops become more and more important.

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 Publishing Research Quarterly

of the religious publishing houses because they enable the publishers to generate
customers among the non-readers. Among other things, they can be sold not just
through the traditional distribution channels but through other stores such as gift
shops or monastery shops and so people can be reached who do not go to (religious)
bookstores. It is also interesting that a third of the remaining pages of the publish-
ing program brochures examined were used to present backlist titles, although they
are actually meant to present the new publications and products. Religious publish-
ers apparently use their program brochures as a platform to keep their older titles
present and if possible, to generate new sales. Even if many religious publishers
continue to see potential in the scientific-theological and pastoral area,23 the analy-
sis shows that as top titles were chosen mainly gift books (13.8%), practical guide-
books (17.2%) and non-fiction books (44.8%), while scientific books, specialist
books and traditional religious books such as Bibles, prayer and devotional books
were only rarely or not selected at all. This suggests that from the publishers’ point
of view, these books have little chance of being sold to a broad audience while with
non-fiction, practical guide and gift books, therefore, both the established and new
target groups will be reached. The selected top titles are mainly life or experience
reports, books that deal with spirituality, and titles that move in the tense atmos-
phere between religion, church and society. This shows that publishers see the
greatest sales opportunity in books that take up current topics and trends because
there is a demand for titles that provide facts and background information and give
room for critical voices on church and society, as well as for books that deal with
the fundamental questions of faith and the meaning of life.24 The authenticity of
content and authors also play a particularly important role. Most of the authors are
not people who are theologically educated or have an ecclesiastical profession, but
the proportion is relatively large (41%). The other authors also stand for the book
they wrote with their path of life especially when it comes to life or experience
reports. A look at the top titles out of the sample that were placed on a bestseller
list (20.7%) confirms the strategy of the publishers and make it clear how impor-
tant the factors author and topic are. For example, Samuel Koch, Anselm Grün,
the Dalai Lama and Johannes Eckert are not only well-known personalities in Ger-
many who have already made a name for themselves with other publications, their
books convince with their authenticity. The same applies to the autobiographies of
debut authors Wilhelm Buntz and Christopher Schacht. Samuel Koch’s practical
guide book StehaufMensch! was on the Spiegel Bestsellerliste Taschenbuch Sach-
buch for 10 weeks in 2019. Anselm Grün’s book Staunen was on the Spiegel Best-
sellerliste Hardcover Sachbuch for 2 weeks in 2018 and was listed in two themed
bestseller lists. Also, Das kleine Buch der Harmonie by the Dalai Lama, the non-
fiction book Steh auf! by Johannes Eckert and Wilhelm Buntz autobiography Der

23
  Cf. Schmidt, Hauck, „Für Zielgruppen mit Flip-Flops“, 14.
24
  Cf. Eva Killy, „Verlagsprofile. Nicht das Profil schärfen, sondern den Diskurs anregen,“ in buchre-
port.spezial Religion & Theologie, no. 2 (Februar 2018), 12–13; Schmidt, Hauck, „Für Zielgruppen mit
Flip-Flops“, 14; Christiane Petersen, „Griff zum Kompass – oder zum Kochlöffel,“ in Börsenblatt des
deutschen Buchhandels, no. 8 (Februar 25, 2016), 22–25, here 24.

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Publishing Research Quarterly

Bibelraucher were listed in themed bestseller lists. The most successful title was
the autobiography Mit 50 Euro um die Welt by Christopher Schacht. The title was
on rank 10 on the 2018 annual bestseller list and was listed in the Spiegel Bestsell-
erliste Hardcover Sachbuch for several weeks. The book achieved the best place-
ment with rank 2 in week 32/2018. So, the small selection of bestsellers already
shows that religious publishers are careful when designing the publishing program
and selecting the top titles. The publishing house seems to choose rather well-
known and well-proven authors than new “fresh” authors who have the potential
to write a bestseller. All in all, 77.1% of the authors of the sample had already
published before. The books of these authors offer publishers more security, since
the publisher can orientate itself on the previous books and calculate sales better,
especially when planning communication measures. Finally, the queries about the
design of the top titles also revealed that the top titles of the religious publishers are
of high quality. On the one hand, the books, which in most cases are equipped with
a hardcover (93.1%) and a rippon bookmark or dust cover and are therefore expen-
sive, are aimed at the solvent middle and upper classes who are willing to spend
more on a beautifully designed book. On the other hand, the titles should attract as
much attention as possible on the bookshop shelf. Most titles have to advertise for
themselves solely by their appearance. Only 40.7% of all new publications of the
selected religious publishers were considered to have any communication or pric-
ing measures at all. This rather low percentage is partly due to the fact that certain
types of books, such as scientific books or specialist books, receive less support,
but more important is that, as part of the “policy of top titles”25 fewer titles are sup-
ported with marketing measures overall, because publishers focus on the few books
selected.

Results Related to Communication Marketing Measures

All in all, religious publishers use various communication measures to present

their books, both with regard to end customers and the book trade. According
to the information in the publishing program brochures of the top titles marked,
82.8% were advertised with at least one communication measure. So, there are
some titles, which are called top titles there, but no other communication meas-
ures are mentioned at all. Precisely because these are the top titles, it would be
expected that further communications measures would be named. Furthermore,
the results of the analysis show—not unsurprisingly—that religious publishers
offering primarily sales promotion measures in the program brochures, that are
intended for bookstores. So, for 62.1% of the top titles supportive sales-promoting

25
 The term is used by Bärbel Renner, Kommunikationspolitik im Kinderbuchmarkt. Eine empirische
Untersuchung zu den kommunikationspolitischen Maßnahmen von Kinderbuchverlagen im Kontext
des Marketing-Mix, Buchhandel der Zukunft 60 (München: Peniope 2006), 11. For example, Wulf D.
v. Lucius, Verlagswirtschaft. Ökonomische, rechtliche und organisatorische Grundlagen, 3rd ed. (Kon-
stanz, München: UVK Verlagsgesellschaft GmbH, 2014), 209 took over the term from Renner.

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 Publishing Research Quarterly

measures are mentioned. This shows that the publishers want to include the book-
stores in the advertising of the books. The funds offered are mainly giveaways
such as excerpts (46.2%), but bookmarks, paper bags or postcards are also offered
to bookstores to promote top titles. Sales support for the bookstore is available for
48.3% of the top titles. These are almost always posters (85.7%). In addition to
the clear preference for supporting measures for the bookstores, the results reveal
that the choice of measures is primarily made within the financial possibilities
of the small religious publishers. This becomes clear in the context of the press
measures. Press measures were taken for 48.3% of the top titles. Classic arti-
cles, interviews and portraits in print media were selected with a clear majority
(57.1%) and not, for example, expensive reading tours (14.3%). If a religious pub-
lisher chooses to promote a book through advertising (41.4%), the advertisements
will appear either in special interest journals and newspapers or in magazines
for specialist booksellers (33.3% each). According to the results of the top title
analysis, social media and online measures are generally used the least (37.9%),
but if they are selected then Facebook (63.6%) and, surprisingly, book and prod-
uct trailers (54.5%) are apparently used frequently. The book and product trailers
are probably interviews with or book presentations by the authors themselves.
The Internet, and especially the social media, enables publishers to address end
customers more directly. Addressing end customers is becoming more and more
important as many media compete for customers’ money and time budgets at the
same time.26 It can therefore be assumed that religious publishers will use more
direct, online and social media marketing measures to convey the benefits of their
products to their end customers (especially via their own websites and internet
shops), than can be determined by analyzing the publishing program brochures
for bookshops.

Results Related to Price Marketing Measures

Conspicuous are the high book prices of the subject group “religion” compared to
the generally stagnating overall average price. For example, the average price for
religious titles in 2017 was EUR 29.44, well above the overall average price of
EUR 24.54.27 The continuously rising prices are related in particular to the falling
demand per title in the area of specialist interest books. The smaller the demand,
the smaller the print runs and the higher the prices.28 Due to the fixed book price
agreement, (religious) publishers in Germany have only limited options for using
short-term pricing measures with regard to the end customer. The analysis of the top
titles only showed that the majority of religious publishers set even prices for their
titles. 83% of the top titles were offered at an even price, 17% of the books at an odd
price. With full prices psychological price thresholds can be reduced. The publishers
thus correspond to the developments in general trade and the demands of the book

26
  Cf. Lucius, Verlagswirtschaft, 59–60.
27
 Cf. BuBiZ 2018, 73.
28
  Cf. Schmidt, „Großer Bedarf an verständlichen Texten“, 22.

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Publishing Research Quarterly

trade.29 With regard to the book trade, there are more effective opportunities to set
incentives, for example by granting certain purchase conditions such as discounts,
bonuses, advertising grants or delivery and payment terms such as special offers or
grated discounts where more copies are delivered than charged,30 but the results of
the analysis show that special pricing measures for the top titles are only taken on a
low level. In the sample, special conditions were offered just for 27.6% of the titles.

Conclusion

Overall, the analysis showed that not every book, not even every book that was marked
as a top title, was supported with communication and/or pricing measures. The con-
tent analysis cannot show how, and with which measures the publisher supports these
titles otherwise. In summary, the results of the content analysis show that the selection
of the top titles is based on reaching the widest possible audience, including non-pro-
fessional, non-ecclesiastical, but religiously interested people of the middle and upper
class. Especially, the content analysis and the subsequent review of the bestseller lists
for actually successful titles from the sample of the top titles confirmed that credibility
of the book content and the author is of particular importance for the success of a book.
Depending on the financial possibilities of the publisher, on the topic and the level of
awareness of the author, the other marketing decisions are then made. In view of the
information in the publishing program brochures, religious publishers have consider-
able price and communication deficits. Price measures are hardly offered, and cost-
intensive communication measures are only taken at a low level. Since it has also been
found that religious publishers continue to see bookstores as important customers and
partners in the sale of books, efforts could be intensified here. In particular, to support
the remaining religious bookstores, more communication activities and more intensive
price measures could be used in this direction, so that they are not lost as a sales chan-
nel. The paper reveals that further research is needed in the area of the religious book
market and religious publishers. And in order to get more comprehensive results on the
marketing measures of the religious publishers, more extensive analyzes would have to
be carried out than was possible with the content analysis of the publishing program
brochures. An expanded approach would also make it possible to show the distribution
decisions of religious publishers.

Publisher’s Note  Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published
maps and institutional affiliations.

29
  Cf. Aristid Klumbies, „Die 99-Cent-Illusion,“ in Handelsblatt (March 15, 2016), last accessed on July
4, 2019, https​://www.hande​lsbla​tt.com/unter​nehme​n/hande​l-konsu​mguet​er/preis​e-im-hande​l-die-99-cent-
illus​ion/13317​448.html?ticke​t=ST-38746​74-mi1x0​qdyr0​xIwC6​4trce​-ap2; „Viele Buchhändler drängen
auf glatte Buchpreise. Das 99-Cent-Ärgernis,“ in buchreport.de (January 29, 2016), last accessed on July
4, 2019, https​://www.buchr​eport​.de/news/das-99-cent-aerge​rnis/.
30
  Cf. Thomas Breyer-Mayländer, Wirtschaftsunternehmen Verlag. Märkte analysieren und bewerten -
Herstellungsprozesse verstehen und planen - Medialeistungen bewerben und verkaufen - Medienprodukte
vertreiben - Arbeitsprozesse in Redaktion oder Lektorat organisieren, Edition Buchhandel 5, 5th ed.
(Frankfurt a. M.: Bramann, 2014), 180–181.

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