| Greeting cards and scrapbooking are a huge | | | | details for keeping in touch with your customers. |
| industry. The US scrapbooking industry has now | | | | You can have a monthly or quarterly prize. Find |
| reached $7 billion. This has happened since the | | | | out how they prefer to be contacted. Either by |
| first modern scrapbooking store was opened in | | | | post or email are ideal. If you want to give |
| 1981. In the UK every year the average person | | | | customers a discount coupon to be used by a |
| receives 55 cards. That figure is only slightly lower | | | | certain date this will encourage website sales and |
| in the US. | | | | give publicity to your website. |
| These are massive markets and you can become | | | | Giving details to everyone of all the services you |
| involved in them part time to start with and then | | | | provide is useful because if you are friendly |
| build it up to full time if you really like it. There are | | | | people will be more likely to contact you in future. |
| many different ways to sell products and services | | | | Keep in touch by email with your special offers. |
| related to papercrafting. | | | | Another way to promote your business locally is |
| Supplying local shops on a sale or return basis can | | | | to team up with non-competing crafts such as |
| work very well if you like designing cards. This will | | | | cake making and pottery painting businesses to |
| mean you need to come to an agreement with | | | | hire an inexpensive area and have a Craft Day |
| each shop on a per card or percentage basis. | | | | locally. Be sure to distribute flyers giving locals the |
| You will need to write an invoice with the cards | | | | information in plenty of time. |
| you have supplied to the shop and the terms that | | | | Design cards to show your style and display them |
| have been agreed. You can return every few | | | | in the library or supermarkets to find new |
| weeks to re-stock and collect payment. It should | | | | customers. Be sure to let them know the sort of |
| be possible to get into a routine. | | | | paperwork projects you are prepared to |
| You could supply a large number of different | | | | undertake for them. |
| stores in your area with cards providing you are | | | | As soon as you have happy customers ask them |
| imaginative and can find ways of designing cards | | | | if they will provide you with a testimonial. This is |
| that suit their style. The important thing to | | | | important and can be used in your advertising . |
| remember is that a traditional shop will want | | | | You must get their permission first. This is second |
| traditional cards and a modern shop will favour | | | | only to personal referrals for encouraging |
| very modern cards. Try to design for the outlet. | | | | prospective customers to give you a try. |
| A large number of people like handmade cards. It | | | | A really good idea is to start a new customer |
| is important that they are well presented and if | | | | relationship by pointing out that you expect them |
| you do scrapbooking as well or you are prepared | | | | to be so delighted with the service you provide |
| to make invitations etc be sure to have a label on | | | | that they will refer you to 5 friends as as a result. |
| the back of each to let people know how to | | | | They will be reassured about the effort you will |
| contact you. | | | | make for them and expect to be asked in future |
| Another way to get yourself known is to have a | | | | if they know anyone else that may benefit. |
| market stall or car boot sales. You will want to | | | | There are companies that you can be a company |
| bring a large variety of different cards to suit all | | | | representative for but these each have different |
| the types of people that may be there. Have | | | | requirements and with some you need to buy a |
| signs made beforehand with your prices clearly | | | | certain amount every month. Always understand |
| displayed. Try buy 3 get one free. Also buy 10 | | | | what you are committing to before signing up. |
| get 5 free. | | | | You need to have your own marketing plan that |
| To judge the best price look at what other cards | | | | suits your circumstances and the time you have |
| are selling for in your area. Price yours so that | | | | available. If you decide to expand your business |
| they reflect the fact that they are handmade but | | | | you can do that when it suits you and when you |
| are also competitively priced for the area. It is | | | | have the funds available. |
| also an opportunity of getting your name known | | | | It is best to start small and not commit too much |
| in the area which is an added benefit to you. | | | | too soon. There are a lot of online scrapbook and |
| Always have a genuine competition for your | | | | card making opportunities available also. eBay is |
| purchasers or anyone interested to enter. Have | | | | one. |
| the prize on display. This is useful for collecting | | | | |