"When we accept tough jobs as a challenge and wade into them with joy and enthusiasm, miracles can happen." -- Arland Gilbert
 

by Jami Petersen

This week is the last installment of Dennis' three-part series on sales training. He shares tips on where to train your sales staff and once again emphasizes why training is so important.

If you missed any part of this series, visit our newsletter archives.

We would love to hear how this series may have helped you. Feel free to email me your thoughts on these articles and topics you would like to see addressed in future issues.

Jami Petersen
newsletters@a-z.com

Sakura of America 

Permapaque® Dual Point and Fine Point Paint Markers

Twenty colors of the rainbow – seven are metallic - all are odorless, quick drying and non-toxic. Create scrap pages, personalize, or decorate objects with brilliant accents and intricate features. Works well on standard scrapbook papers and vellum, and best on canvas, plastic, metal, glass, wood crafts, ceramics, and pottery. Chemically stable, waterproof, and fade resistant, the dual point’s chisel point has wider coverage and bullet point detail. Our fine bullet point sets are great for general drawing.

http://www.sakuraofamerica.com/Marker-Paint-Markers

Press Releases

News you can use about the latest media coverage of hot trends, noteworthy events and dynamic industry leaders. Learn more about the current headlines in arts and crafts by clicking on the title of each article segment.

RV Storage Turned Craft Store? Thirty-four crafters display their wares in new antique and craft consignment shop.
 

Finding a hobby can make summer not such a bummer. Some travel studies show more families are vacationing close to home or spending time as a family around the house, birthing the term "stay-cation."

The Next Step: Glitter Blogs. What is the next big trend in scrapbooking? Launched in January, this online gallery of "glitter blogs" allows users to drop and drag photos, music, text, videos and other images to create a colorful medley of self expression.

Tumblebeasts 

CLICK HERE for Tumblebeasts Free Catalog Download plus 30% Discount Coupon.

Receive 30% off your next order with an exclusive coupon code found in our FREE Catalog. Check out Tumblebeasts online store for coordinated stickers, papers, embellishments, titles and poetry with a classic hand-drawn look. Catalog includes our latest Summer, Halloween, Horse, Western, Animal, Christmas collections and more. Take advantage of our discontinued rolls on sale 50% off.

Download our catalog and 30% coupon now!

by Dennis Conforto, A-Z Media, Inc.

The question "where to do sales training" is not as simple as one would think. The answer is varied but let me give you some thoughts, insights and suggestions on this issue:

Have the appropriate room setting. It is important that most of your training be done in a classroom environment, which will demonstrate your commitment to the training and provide a neutral area where your students can focus on your objectives. Post sales goals and progress charts on the classroom wall during trainings, to be removed when customers are using the room.

Note: This is why it is so important to have your crop room set up for multiple uses. Get the most out of the space you pay for by accommodating crops, community events, family history technology, and sales training sessions.

Ensure your training is effective. Use your classroom space from time to time to present a pop quiz for your employees. Some of the quiz questions may be related to overcoming objections, product knowledge, manufacturers, pricing, policy, product usage, and techniques.

Maintain a Training Manual. In addition to the room and the training you provide, you will want to keep a company sales training manual. This is a booklet that includes all of your training points. Document every lesson you give so that you can repeat it later. Also, make the manual accessible for your staff to peruse often.

Hold occasional off-site events. Occasionally, you should plan off-site meetings that you can use for long range planning and/or awards dinners for outstanding performance. Recognition events are vital to your staff and to the long term well-being of your company. Recognition becomes part of your corporate culture, and your corporate culture affects both your sales and profits. The better your culture, the better your profits and sales will be.

Why Train?
The "why" of sales training is based on this simple business principle: The more you know about your business, the more successful you are going to be. Ultimately, knowing more about your business than your competitors know about theirs will set you apart from them.

Click here to read the entire article>>>
 

If you would like to comment directly to Dennis about this article or have him address a subject matter in future articles feel free to email him directly at dconforto@a-z.com.

PSRO 

Dedicated to those helping consumers preserve treasured memories.

The Professional Scrapbook Retailers Organization™ (PSRO™) bridges together retailers and suppliers for insight into the memories market.

Through educational programs, business services, industry research, networking, and events, PSRO leads its members to discover, understand, and act on new business opportunities.

For more information, or to join PSRO, visit www.psro.org or contact our member service department at 517-788-8100.

Spanish Memories, Inc. increases brand recognition within the craft industry 

After four years in business and a steady growing pace, Spanish Memories, Inc. continues to increase its brand recognition within the scrapbooking, stamping and paper craft industry. This young manufacturer has been a trendsetter that combines modern design, expertise in the nuances of the Spanish language, and a Hispanic creative team designing in Spanish for the Hispanic market.

Spanish Memories’ newest releases to their product line are: Simply Spanish!TM RUB-ONS—now in a versatile and popular 6X12 size—offering fresh and inspired words and phrases in Spanish with plenty of swirls, flourishes, page corners and journaling spots. They are available in five bestseller themes for scrapbookers, card makers, and home décor crafters: Bebé [Baby], Cumpleaños [Birthday], [Familia] Family, Vacaciones [Vacation] and Instantes [Instants]. Each set contains twenty five to thirty individual rub-ons and are available for $4.50 (MSRP).

Simply Spanish!TM Clear Stamps are the first ever created set of crystal clear stamps with fun and creative words and phrases in Spanish. They are available in five favorite themes: Baby, Birthday, Friendship/Love, Family and Expressions. Each set contains eight to ten individual stamps and are available for $12.99 (MSRP).

Bebé Niño [Baby Boy], Bebé Niña [Baby Girl], Cumpleaños [Birthday], Familia [Family], Niña [Girl] and Niño [Boy] 12X12 double-sided patterned cardstock ($.85 MSRP) and Simply Spanish!TM Cardstock stickers ($2.99 MSRP) complete the assortment for the season.

Spanish Memories’ vice president, Nelson Ortiz, comments: “We are very happy and pleased with our newest products. One of the key findings of CHA’s Hispanic Quantitative Research—conducted by Cultural Access Group and published in April 2007 by CHA—revealed that Hispanics across all acculturation groups are very
interested in trying scrapbooking, which means that they need to start from the basics. Our products give them everything they need! They will find their language to inspire them, and also our product line has a very strong designer touch while keeping the creative process exceptionally simple. And of course, we have also seen artistic masterpieces created by advanced crafters”.

In addition, Omayra Ortiz, founder of Spanish Memories, says: “We also add a personal touch when dealing with our retailers. They know they can count on us to help them sell our products. We provide free projects for store display created by our design team members, we work with them in terms of quantities and we’re always willing to help in everything we can. Our industry has been lacking of products for the Hispanic customer for a long time, and retailers are finding our company and they understand that is profitable to offer products in Spanish. Of course, we have also seen a great interest among English speaking customers thanks to our tasteful design and the popularity of cruises to the Caribbean, adoptions in Latin America, Spanish classes at school, etc.”

Spanish Memories, Inc. was established in 2004 as a pioneer manufacturer of scrapbook and paper craft products in Spanish. With their unique and fun selection of products, this novel and quickly growing company, has been meeting the needs of Hispanic customers. As shown by recent statistical trends, this market is steadily expanding and has an increasing buying power. The company’s tag line says it all: “Legacies in the language of your heart” («Legados en el idioma de tu corazón»).