February 2008 Newsletter

Editor’ Notes

Welcome to the first issue of Craftrends E-News, from the editors and contributors of Craftrends magazine. Each issue of our print publication (6 per year) is filled with helpful business articles, product and trend information, news, commentary, and more, but there are never enough pages to say everything we’d like to say! So, this monthly newsletter will allow us to fill in the blanks. And coming soon, we’ll extend the Craftrends brand even further with an improved Web site (http://www.craftrends.com) that will provide even more valuable information beyond what we provide in print and in this newsletter. We’re the only trade publication that serves all segments of the craft industry, so we’re constantly making improvements to earn your trust as a reliable source of helpful information.

The early months of the year always bring us a fair share of trade shows, from The National Needlework Association

Editor Bill Gardner

(TNNA) show in early January to the Memorytrends Conference & Expo and Photo Marketing Association shows in late January, to the Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) show in mid-February, and the International Textile Exposition in late March/early April. Those will soon be followed by Quilt Market, the summer TNNA and CHA shows, and more.

With trade shows on our mind, this first issue of Craftrends E-News focuses on how you can prepare for a show, as well as what you can do with information following the show. Plus, we include a Book Review and Product Pick featuring offerings from exhibitors you’ll find at one or more of the many industry trade shows.

We look forward to greeting you the first of every month with this newsletter, as well as every other month with Craftrends Magazine, and round-the-clock with our Web site.

Here’s to successful retailing!

Bill Gardner

Editorial Director

Optimize Success at Trade Shows

By Rich Kizer & Georganne Bender

Do Your Homework

Prior to the show, review all the show-related advertisements in Craftrends. Note new items, plus vendors you want to visit, and their booth numbers. Also review all pre-show materials sent by vendors.

Review all pre-show materials sent by show management, and register for not-to-be-missed technique classes and business seminars.

Hold a store meeting to discuss trends, hot items, new categories, and other things you found in your pre-show research. Ask store associates for ideas as well – and maybe even key customers – they will offer a fresh perspective on what to look for at the show.

Carefully examine product and vendor sales histories. Review both current and committed inventories, so you don’t duplicate what is currently still on order.

Set an open-to-buy or budget, detailing what you can spend at the show. Include basic and new merchandise categories.

Review all homework before leaving for the show and adjust your goals if necessary.

Before Visiting Your First Booth

Go through the show book and list all vendors you want to see. List them by booth number so you can work the show aisle by aisle. This will prevent you from wasting precious time.

Flag important pages and other information in your show book for future quick reference.

Arrive early on your first day so you can study the show floor layout. Before you visit your first vendor, make a quick pass through the entire floor, scanning each booth, noting which ones to come back and visit later.

Carry a small cassette recorder and notebook. Record your thoughts as you walk the show floor. Review your spoken notes at your convenience, recording them in your notebook for future reference.

Take note of each item, or line of merchandise, that catches your eye, adding important details about each one. If the product still looks good after you review your notes, go back and place your order. This will prevent placing “emotions of the moment” orders.

Set Appointments With Vendors

Set your appointments in this order:

1. Current vendors. See these vendors first to ensure that any, and all, important and on-going merchandise issues are being properly taken care of.

2. Vendors you work with occasionally. These are the lines that are building in your store, becoming more important to the growth of your business.

3. New vendors. Look for new vendors based on your current and future merchandise needs. Your pre-show homework, plus your on-site research, will help here.

Inside Tip:

Many shows allow you to set appointments either before or after normal show hours. Meet with your most important vendors, and those that will require the most time, during these hours. This will ensure that you receive the vendor’s undivided attention.

Questions For Venders

Companies spend millions of dollars each year designing ways to make their product fly off your store shelves. Take advantage of this important research! Ask each vendor:

What’s the best way to sell this product line? Alone or cross-merchandised with yours, or another vendor’s, product?

Who else is selling this merchandise? What are they doing to move it that’s important for me to know as well?

Where should this product be displayed in my store?

Many vendors have a host of extras to help you display and sell their products, sometimes they are readily available, but sometimes you have to ask. Bring this list of questions with you to each booth you visit:

Do you have presentation and display tips for his product or product line?

Are there racks available to better show and inventory the product in my store?

Do you have signing or other point-of-purchase materials available such as project sheets or brochures?

Do you have videos I can uses for associate training and for in-store play?

Do you offer merchandise plan-o-grams?

Do you offer made-up samples for model boards and other in-store displays?

Do you have people who can help with store sets and departmental relays?

Do you have people who can train my staff on how to best use your product?

Can you recommended designers I can bring in to help during special events?

Can you recommend an in-store event or other idea I can use to promote your product and build foot traffic in my store?

Do you have items I can have to use as giveaways and as door prizes during my special events?

Are there co-op dollars available to help pay for bag stuffers and other advertising media?

Are there co-op dollars available to pay for part of my Yellow Pages ad if I list your product line in the ad copy or feature your logo?

Do you have articles or photographs I can use to promote your line in my e-mail blasts, newsletter and on my website?

For more excellent advice from Kizer and Bender, visit their Web site:

www.KIZERandBENDER.com

Or check out their “Retail Adventures in the REAL World” blog:

www.KIZERandBENDER.blogspot.com

Retailing Tips

By Kizer and Bender

Trade Show Success

Trade shows are a solid investment in your future if you approach them correctly. They take you out of your daily routine and stimulate your thinking process. You are exposed to new products and applications and you get to meet new people – all good things that are destined to help make your business even more successful than you already are.

Just before you leave for the show take a fresh batch store photos, both inside and out. These will come in handy during discussions with vendors, seminar leaders, and other retailers you can networking with.

Sign-up on every mailing list you can find – to stay one step ahead of your competition, you need to know about new product release, applications, and industry goings-on before they do.

Bring a camera and take photos of yourself with every vendor and VIP you can find. Hang them in your store to increase visibility and credibility – customers will enjoy seeing you rub shoulders with other movers and shakers in their favorite industry!

Bring plenty of business cards – you don’t want to run out.

Introduce yourself to the people at the trade publications booths. When you stop to pick up the latest copy, introduce yourself to the editors and other staff members. They are an invaluable source of industry information and they want to help you succeed.

Review your trade show experience on the plane ride home. Did you meet the goals you set before you left town? Note anything you will need to follow up on at a later date.

At classes and seminars, luncheons, association business meetings, and social gatherings, look for other retailers to compare notes with. Introduce yourself. Say, “You’ve got challenges and I do, too. how can we help each other?” Set a goal to meet least five new retailers each day. You’ll find this network of non-competing retailers will become an outstanding resource to you throughout the year.

Immediately after the show schedule a store meeting to discuss what you saw while it’s still fresh in your mind. Brainstorm ideas to display and sell all the new goods that will begin to arrive shortly.

Consumer Education

This space is usually dedicated to giving you class or in-store demonstration ideas, but since this Craftrends newsletter is dedicated to helping you get the most out of attending trade shows, we wanted to give you a few tips on how to use your time at shows to bring back ideas for your store’s classes and demonstrations.

Look for the crowds and long lines! Usually we avoid long lines and crowded areas, but at a tradeshow it’s important to take notice of any demonstrations or make-and-takes that are getting attention. You might be able to recreate that buzz in your store. Talk to the people who are watching or waiting in line. What got their interest? Are they planning to buy the products for their stores? Do they already carry the product lines?
Bring a small notebook to write down any project details, product tips, and observations. Use it to sketch designs or techniques that caught your eye.
Notice how demonstrations are set-up. What is the table and audience layout? How does the demonstrator get the audience involved and interested? How does the demonstrator handle questions? Little things make a big difference and the demonstrators you see at shows are well-trained professionals. Take advantage and ask questions.
Some companies offer wonderful class and demonstration support from project sheets to sample products to use during a class or demo. Make a point of asking venders what support the company may have available to help you sell more product.
Sign up for classes! Every trade show has educational classes. Some are business related while others are pure creativity. Make sure you sign up for both. When in a creative class take the time to finish the project since you’ll be able to use it as a finished sample in your store.

Book Review

Knit With Beads Beautiful Gifts by Scarlet Taylor

The New Year is a great time to cross promote product lines to your customers. Mix it up and match it up, giving your customers lots of ideas to get creative after the rush of the winter holidays, the long cold days, and as a way to keep hands busy (and hopefully fulfill a few of the most popular New Year’s resolutions like dropping a few pounds or kicking a bad habit).

Knit With Beads Beautiful Gifts by Scarlet Taylor (ISBN-13: 978-0-8230-1676-1 Watson-Guptill Publications) is perfect to display with many product lines that work together like yarns, beads, purse components, knitting and beading tools. Entice a member of your staff or a loyal customer to make up a few finished samples and you’ll be amazed at the excitement created.

This book includes 18 projects including some great purses (clutches and bags), a throw, Christmas stocking, beaded socks, neck warmer, bridal gauntlets and garter, scarf/mittens/hat set, vintage lace cap, a cute puppy sweater, and a baby photo album cover. The reader will get well-rounded bead basics, knitting yarns, blocking, laundering, and explanation of skill levels needed for each project. Instructional (step-by-step) and finished project photos are exceptional. The highlights of the book are the designer quality projects, whimsical detail, excellent color combinations, and the ease of instruction.

Product Pick

by Ka-Jinker

Blumenthal Craft

www.buttonsplus.com

Some products seem born to be a part of cross merchandising and the Ka-Jinker is the perfect example of such a product. This Quick-Click attachment tool is held much like a glue gun and has the same “no sew” benefit and adds the bonus of also having a “no glue” advantage! Along with the Ka-Jinker tool, Blumenthal Lansing developed a line of decorative embellishments called Jems and Links. Links are the attaching plastic tags (thin like fishing line) and come in an assortment of colors, including clear, white, green, black, blue, yellow, pink, orange, and purple. Jems come in coordinating colors and are similar to craft gems and buttons, but have a single hole, and include shapes like flowers and stars.

But what our product reviewers found most interesting about the Ka-Jinker was how versatile the tool was for so many different types of arts and crafts. The most obvious is using the tool and links to attach embellishments to clothing, which is a top creative pastime for all ages. You can use the Jems or use your own stash of sequins, ribbon, charms, and buttons. But we couldn’t stop at clothing and fabric, we attached embellishments to cards, scrapbook pages, collage work, needle art projects, hats, lampshades, trading cards, altered books, shrink art jewelry (punch your holes before baking), and one tester even used her Ka-Jinker to quilt a small wall hanging.

The instructions for use are clear and easy to follow on the packaging, but detailed instruction is also included. The tool and embellishments hang smoothly for display and the rainbow of color is eye-catching. Replacement needles for the tool are available making the Ka-Jinker a quality tool that will be used for years to come. We recommend you display the Ka-Jinker in several areas so show-off its ability to work with so many different types of supplies and techniques. The company’s website supports the product with some great projects. This tool should be a part of every artist’s and crafter’s toolbox.

Industry News

For up-to-date news, visit Craftrends? Web site at www.craftrends.com/industry-news. To receive e-mail News Updates, e-mail your name, e-mail address, and company name to bgardner@ckmedia.com.