"Each person is the architect of their own fortune."

-- Appius Caecus, builder

by Jami Petersen

It is now 2010 and time to assess where you are with your business. Are you on target to reach your goals by the end of the fiscal year? Are you staying on top of the latest technology for your customers? Is your turn rate headed in the right direction? Dennis helps answer these questions and more in the SMART article of the week.

This week's quote inspires us to look towards the future and see the endless possibilities before us. Consider that for a moment and make it a reality for a successful and profitable 2010.

Jami Petersen
newsletters@a-z.com

Sakura

Stock up on proven sellers from Sakura of America.

Consumers want products of consistent quality and value, so be sure to have Sakura's Pigma Micron, Quickie Glue, and Gelly Roll Stardust pens in stock! Create additional impulse sales with low profile displays and cup displays including:

Micron 05 Low Profile Display
Gelly Roll Stardust Clear Cup Display
Quickie Glue Cup Display

Contact your local wholesaler for details, or visit www.sakuraofamerica.com for more information.

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.

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The Memory Tradeshow

The Memory Tradeshow is the premiere market for scrapbooking and related products, family history and digital imaging.

It is the most important gathering of this industry regionally, and it’s attracting executives from all sectors: manufacturers, retailers, distributors, suppliers, sales reps, designers and press. The show’s goal is to provide the highest ROI show within the industry with a greater focus on the business of the memory industry, education and best business practices.

Learn more and save >>

by Dennis A. Conforto, A-Z Media Group, Inc.

When looking at the overall industry, one can safely assume that some had the best year ever while for others it was the worst. No matter where you are in the cycle of your business, the marketplace is changing at an unprecedented rate.

The scrapbooking industry with its ties to the craft industry rolled through the crafters market like a freight train. And, the industry spread by word-of-mouth like wildfire. And before you knew it scrapbooking had become a multi-billion dollar industry.

Scrapbooking began to appear in movies, TV shows and pop culture. For many, scrapbooking became the “in” thing to do. Beyond that, millions of women enjoyed crop nights and shared their lives through scrapbooks. For many it became a weekly social event, and for others it was a deeply personal journey.

The scrapbooking industry tapping into the crafters market gave it the fast growth and boost that both markets needed. However, the burn-out cycle of a craft for 90% of the women who adopted it is 7 years. As a result, in 2005 the fast growth of scrapbooking stopped. All the while, the industry flooded the market place with new products for the same consumers who were buying less. Thus the retail business crunch began.

Many scrapbooking-only manufacturers sensing the slowdown started to shift to other craft markets to show how their products could be adapted in those markets. Ironically, craft-only manufacturers moved into the scrapbooking market place because of slowdowns in the crafting sector. As a result, the manufacturing business crunch commenced.

During this transition, technology was also changing. Film cameras were replaced by digital cameras, and camera stores, once dominated by men, were flooded by women who loved these new easy to use cameras. This meant that women could take more pictures than ever without worrying about the high cost of film.

While cameras were changing, the software that runs them was changing as well with more features to store, organize and display photos. Printers were also changing, improving, and dropping in price allowing consumers to print stunning photos at home.

Cell phones with cameras and web access became popular and again the number of pictures being taken greatly increased. Almost instantly, the digital age became a reality for just about every person on planet earth.

Given the rapid changes in the market place what should you consider doing in 2010 if you are a scrapbooking retailer or manufacturer? To answer this question, let’s start with the top three business challenges and explore the best possible solutions.

The top three industry challenges are a shrinking market within the crafting sector, a lack of expansion into larger newer markets and an inadequate amount of funds spent to bridge and promote these transitions.

To solve the first challenge, retailers and manufacturers need to plug into communities where scrapbooking is the perfect hobby and solution. Retail stores need to consider displaying products by brand, theme and category as well as by communities (i.e. local high schools, universities, scout groups). Not only do retail stores need to have the product but must be actively plugged into those communities. For manufacturers who own licenses of communities like Harley Davison or Boy Scouts, you need to build the product and a marketing program to provide retailers detailed information regarding each community.

For the second challenge, retailers must seriously consider a digital solution so that their scrapbooking store is not perceived as a craft-only option to scrapbooking. Manufacturers should license designs in the digital world that they no longer make in the paper world, build corporate scrapbooks, and create a B2B business model within their retail stores. Manufacturers should also create closer alliances with photo retailers and custom framers. This partnership should be solution-oriented in introducing consumers to instant scrapbooks, which will in turn help drive traffic to standard scrapbook stores. Retailers should consider subleasing part of their store to a portrait studio and to a custom framer to increase traffic and sales through cross promotions.

Finally, to solve the third challenge retailers must face the fact that in order to grow they need to spend at least 5% of their revenues on impactful call-to-action ads to create new consumers. In addition, future scrapbooking stores need to heavily invest in the digital photobook market, which is projected to surpass the market size of the entire scrapbooking industry within the next 18 months. Manufacturers within the scrapbooking craft sector need to offer matching co-op funds to insure a higher level of consumer advertising for their brands and the success of their retail partners. In addition, retailers must increase their inventory turn rate which will allow retailers to invest into additional aspects of scrapbooking.

Growing, expanding and investing are the keys to success for the rest of 2010. The status quo doesn’t work and slight changes will not be enough. Today we need bold fact-based moves to achieve real growth. And those moves are what being business SMART is all about.

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.

Wooky Entertainment

Target New Consumers:

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Visit us online: http://pariscreativity.com/
For more information : info@wookyentertainment.com

American Crafts and scrapbooker Elizabeth Kartchner today announce Dear Lizzy, the first product line from the company created in conjunction with a guest designer.

The spring-themed Dear Lizzy line adds another stellar collection to the American Crafts range of products, providing novice and expert scrapbookers, cardmakers and crafters with fun new products and inspiring materials.

Kartchner is the 2007 Creating Keepsakes Scrapbooker of the Year and author of the recently released book 52 More Scrapbooking Challenges. She worked closely with American Crafts’ design team to produce a line that strikes a balance between American Craft’s clean, vivid shapes and patterns and the decidedly feminine, playful touch of the designer herself.

Kartchner, who also authors a popular blog, says, “I’m so excited to debut our months of hard work on the Dear Lizzy line. I’ve always loved the bright, fresh look of American Crafts, so I knew they’d be the perfect company to help bring these ideas to life.”

The Dear Lizzy line is not only perfect for expressing springtime memories, it can also be used for everyday projects, providing unlimited possibilities for layouts and cards. The line, with its recurring flowers, trees, bicycles and nature motifs, was inspired by the concept of an outdoor tea party. Kartchner and American Crafts have combined indoor and outdoor elements into a fun and fanciful collection.

Included in the Dear Lizzy line are 24 patterned papers – including adhesive-backed fabric paper, a first for American Crafts – along with other new products introduced for the first time like multi-color Thickers accents. Other American Crafts staple items round out the collection with acrylic stamps, Fla!r, Remarks stickers, Minimarks rub-on transfers, multi-layered Details shapes, premium ribbon, House chipboard shapes, glitter buttons, jewel brads and two new Thickers fonts.

The full Dear Lizzy line will be on display at CHA Winter 2010 in Anaheim, Calif. Retailers interested in pre-ordering the line now can contact American Crafts at 800.879.5185.

American Crafts has created stylish and innovative scrapbooking products since the early 1990s. The company has established itself as a leader in the industry by providing stylish, high-quality products and responsive customer service. In addition to patterned paper, American Crafts produces Thickers, AC Cardstock, albums, unique pens and markers, Premium Ribbon, Fla!r embellishments, Remarks stickers, Minimarks rub-on transfers and other embellishments that always rank as customers’ favorites.