By Kathy Deters
Dec. 8, 2025
Photo by Dewa Made Satrya Wiryawan
It’s the classic holiday movie trope: A big city professional returns to her quaint hometown only to find a beloved business about to go under.
The University of Missouri’s Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business took the Christmas conundrum to faculty and staff — top experts in the fields of marketing, entrepreneurship, technology and more.
The scenario put them in the role of the “Big City Executive” in the holiday film. They were asked to imagine returning to their small Midwestern towns only to discover that the local bookstore — a cherished establishment and popular gathering spot — is on the brink of closing. The Mizzou experts were then asked to use their Trulaske know-how and devise a plan to save this local treasure in time for Christmas.
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 not only keep the bookstore afloat but to help it thrive.
Season’s greetings, SEO-style
Katie Essing, assistant teaching professor of marketing
“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.”
Experiential retail strategy
Courtney Cothren, associate teaching professor of marketing
“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).”
Coffee-fueled market expansion
Sophia Rivera Hassemer, Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Trulaske College of Business assistant director
“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.”
Read more from the Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business
