"If you want to achieve a high goal, you're going to have to take some chances."

-- Alberto Salazar

by Jami Petersen

Marketing research is more important than ever in the down-turned economy. But why is marketing such and big deal and how will it benefit your business? Guest author, Susan Katz, has insight into these questions. She explains how investing in research up front can result in big profits in the end. Learn more in this week's business SMART article. 

Jami Petersen
newsletters@a-z.com

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.
 

 

Rumors that CK Media is Ending CKU. After one of the instructors of CKU blogged about the end of its educational events, corporate representatives responded. "Due to the recent speculation about whether CKU-Provo will be the last CKU event. A final decision has not yet been made, however as the industry evolves we continue to adapt our events to best fit the needs of our attendees. With limited event staff, we find it necessary to be selective about what events we are able to focus our energies on. We will continue to bring new event opportunities showcasing the highest caliber event experience you have come to expect. Any changes to CKU will not affect our other events, including CK Scrapbook Conventions (CKC?s)."

Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L?

SCRAPBOOK ADHESIVES BY 3L? offers you a new opportunity to gain more sales!

They now have launched an online store powered by Shopatron! This move also bolsters the commitment SCRAPBOOK ADHESIVES BY 3L? has to their fulfillment partners by driving sales through independent retail stores. The addition of in-store pickup available for brick-and-mortar stores will create ancillary sales of complementary products when customers arrive to pick up their orders.

Sign up for FREE today!!  

by Susan Katz, Katz Strategic Solutions

Savvy marketers know that cutting back on marketing research during a recession is risky. There are many benefits to continuing marketing research efforts despite a downturn. Riding out this recession depends on staying relevant in the eye of the consumer. Consumers? attitudes and needs are changing rapidly. Americans are cutting back on purchases and looking for deals. How do companies compete effectively in this new environment without giving away the farm? Companies need to continue marketing research to manage this uncertainty. How will marketing research benefit your company?

Increase sales. Quantitative and qualitative studies can be conducted to help you better understand consumers? attitudes and needs and determine how well your products meet those needs. Properly designed research will lead to marketing strategies that will target increased product usage from current consumers as well as non-users. Marketing research will help with new product development, advertising and promotion, paving the way for a larger return on investment.

Maximize profit. There are many things a company can do to maximize profits beyond just cutting costs, such as item optimization, customer profitability analysis, and price elasticity. Weeding out unprofitable products and customers takes time and focus, but the company as a whole will be in a stronger financial position for it. A price elasticity study will help to determine how much a price increase will impact sales and profitability. It can also determine the optimal price point or the price in which a product is most profitable. Developing goals based on profitability rather than sales will encourage the entire company to act in a profitable and more responsible manner.

Minimize Risk. The more you know and understand about your consumers, competition and customers, the better able you are to make informed business decisions with confidence. Tracking surveys are a good way to assess attitudes and behaviors over time, and qualitative research will fill in the details and help you understand what works and doesn?t work with your marketing strategy and communication.

Large companies understand the need for market research and have their own market research departments. There are more ways than ever to reach consumers in today?s digital world. You can utilize social networking sites as a cost effective way to conduct market research. But be careful, those websites may not provide you with the total picture. You will want to supplement the research with more traditional methodologies. There are ways to keep research costs low without sacrificing the integrity of the results. The benefits of the market research can outweigh the costs.

Susan Katz is a Marketing Consultant and Market Research Expert with 20 years of experience helping companies develop strategies and tactics to grow their business. She can be reached for questions or consultation at skatz@katzsolutions.com or 248-444-5283.   

For Portraits Creates Natural Skin Tones

Artists now have a convenient oil pastel kit to create natural skin tones for portrait renderings. Sakura of America (Sakura) announces the new Multi-Cultural Cray-Pas Expressionist? set for portraits containing a twelve piece selection of smooth, blend-able oil pastels. The standard from which all other oil pastels are measured, Expressionist oil pastels are formulated with extra fine quality pigments, wax and oil. Cray-Pas Expressionist Extender, a unique oil pastel medium that reveals a color?s hue range, extends a color and combined with blending techniques produce authentic complexions. The package artwork of the Multi-Cultural Expressionist? set for portraits was selected from the 1999 Cray-Pas contest which Sakura administers to support art education and applaud the efforts of schools and teachers.

?Artists requested that Sakura produce a set of Cray-Pas oil pastel colors specifically to blend genuine complexions, and we?re happy to oblige them,? states Julia Reed, Sakura Marketing Manager. ?The Multi-Cultural set, comprised of Expressionist oil pastel quality, gives artists the ability to build texture and blend extremely smooth color.?

About the Multi-Cultural set:
- The 12 piece Expressionist Multi-Cultural set, order code: XLP12(SA)
- Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price: $7.50
- Stick size: 10mm diameter x 71mm length round stick
- Surfaces: paper, cardboard, canvas and wood
- Meets ACMI non-toxicity standards, and is ?AP? seal certified

For company, product details, and a retailer locator, visit: www.sakuraofamerica.com or call 800-776-6257 for more information.

About The Wonderful, Colorful World of Cray-Pas Contest:
2010 marks the 15th year Sakura has sponsored ?The Wonderful, Colorful World of Cray-Pas Contest.? This contest continues the founder?s tradition of supporting art education and giving school children an opportunity to express themselves. United States and Canadian students inspired by their teachers vie for one hundred and fifty finalist positions. Three winners are selected by a panel of judges for each age category: kindergarten through second, third through fifth, and sixth through eighth grades. A contest gallery is posted: www.sakuraofamerica.com/contest-winners.

About Cray-Pas? Oil Pastels:
Invented in 1925, Sakura Color Products of Osaka, Japan, formulated Cray-Pas? oil pastels with premium quality pigments, wax and oil. The motivation was to provide school children with a blend-able, smooth textured art material to help promote creativity and self-expression. With innovation, first-class ingredients, and the belief of an individual?s Power to Express? at its core, the company expanded the family offering, which now consists of Junior Artist?, Expressionist?, and Specialist?. Today, the finest elements continue to make up Cray-Pas? oil pastels. The Cray-Pas? family is ideally suited to compliment technique and expression development from childhood through high school, college, and into the professional level.

About Corporate Philosophy
The corporate philosophy states that all people have ideas and thoughts worthy of expression, and each individual has the right and Power to Express? their beliefs and creativity. This translates into the company goal of providing state of the art writing instruments and art materials that are high quality and affordable.

About Sakura Color Products of America, Inc.:
Sakura Color Products of America, Inc. (Sakura) is committed to the development of writing instruments and artistic mediums that empower individual self-expression, creativity and enhance communication. Headquartered in Hayward, CA, the company services the U.S. and Canada, and is the U.S. subsidiary of privately held, Sakura Color Products Corporation of Osaka, Japan. Sakura manufactures the popular Gelly Roll? gel pen, Pigma? Micron? fine-line pens, Cray-Pas? oil pastels, as well as many other high-quality writing instruments, art materials, and industrial markers.