Business Cards- think of them as miniature billboard signs!

Business cards come in lots of different shapes, sizes, and colors.They use different fonts, some are printed only on the front, some on both sides, some have lots of info, some only the basics. And some are really done well. Most are not so great. But sadly there is one thing almost every business has in common; they are under-valued and under-utilized.

The first and most important thing about your business cards is of course how they look. Your card should contain at minimum the name of your business, address, phone, fax, email, and website. If you are a retail store owner, you will want a set of cards with the store name only, and a set with the store name and your name. Do yourself a huge favor and do not have the cards with your name on them at the front counter. If you use them as your primary card, everyone who comes into the store will ask for YOU. That might sound okay right now, but in the long run, you really don't want to be that accessible to everyone. The cards with your name on them are the ones you use at trade shows, chamber meetings; they are your personal/business card. Your standard card is the Shop only card and that is the one you will hand out most often.

A retail store needs to have very fixed days and hours. It's okay to open MORE often for special things, but it is never okay to open less than your posted hours. That said, having your days and hours posted on your cards can be a really good idea.

If your store name is somewhat ambiguous- like Annie's Attic, then you definitely need to say what the store is. Hopefully in the form of a tag line. Here's one example of a lovely sounding tag line; Annie's Attic-where memories and fun come together! One problem though, it STILL doesn't say what you DO. Here's another example; Just Add Photos; Custom Framing, Scrapbook Supplies, Classes, and Fun! Now we know what the store does. Don't assume something is clear, it's a case of not being able to see the forest for the trees. Asking a complete stranger their opinion, or a few of them can be really helpful.

The next thing to pay attention to is what your cards are printed on. You cannot tell how a card will feel by handling a large piece of paper. You need to handle the different weight stocks in a business card size. Get a really high weight stock, it doesn't cost much more and you will be surprised at how many people notice the difference and comment on it. If you are a scrapbook store owner, you are in the paper industry- so use excellent quality. No matter what industry you are in, quality matters, and good- really good business cards stand out. As to what color stock you should use, white is good, so is ivory, and any color at all in between white and ivory. Stay away from anything more distinctive; it will look dated and cheesy real quick. And just to be clear,printing your own business cards is just not a quality statement.

Obviously the next point is what is on your card besides the text. Let me start with what doesn't go on your card- photos of you, your staff, your store unless it is just amazing beyond words, photos of scrapbook pages, embellishments, or anything that will at some point become dated looking. This is when it counts to have a professionally designed logo, and definite "colors". Don't busy up the background, and don't put a bunch more info. People look at business cards for your business name, where you are located, your contact info, and whatever note you wrote on the back of the card. You do not need to laundry list everything you do or have, just the facts ma'am.

Fonts are so much fun and there are literally thousands and thousands to choose from-don't get real artsy here. Use a font that is easy to read,and bear in mind two important distinctions about the over 40 crowd. They typically have the most disposable income and they need reading glasses. So make your font size big enough to be seen by over 40 eyes. I can't tell you what that is because every font is different, but you can print out several sizes on your own computer and see for yourself. If you're fortunate enough not to have that problem (just wait), then ask some friends for their opinion. It makes a big difference!

In good design, maintaining a strong amount of white space (blank space) is critical; your eye needs a place to rest. Think about the most highly visible logos we have in the U.S.; Target has the red bulls-eye on a white background, Nike is known for it's swoosh in black or orange on a white background, Starbucks is instantly identifiable by it's white block text in a green background circling a black line drawing. Starbucks however has achieved a near cult status, and it can get away with a lot. In any solid color, an upright apple with a bite taken out of the right side- we all know Apple's logo the second we see it; even their music commercials are just solid colors.

These logos are so strongly entrenched in our conscious and sub-conscious minds that we do not even need to see or hear the name to know what company they represent; it's called branding. And branding is not just for the big guys. Branding your small business is just as valuable for the small business owner. By creating recognition of your store name, your logo, your colors (and that's a big piece of what branding is right there), you are making it easier and faster for customers to spot your ads, your signs, anything having to do with your store. How does this relate to the design of your business cards? Those cards, those mini billboard signs should be absolutely representative of your branding. This is important stuff Grasshopper!

Hand out at least 10 business cards every single day. Handing out your business cards are kind of like releasing a bunch of helium balloons with notes in them . You just never know where they are gonna land, or who they are going to lead to your store. Hand your business cards over with respect. In Japan, a business card is taken quite seriously, they are never in a gentleman's back pocket where he sits on them; they are in a jacket pocket. They are handed to another person with two hands holding them, and with a bow. The receiving party accepts the card with both hands and a bow, and for just a brief few seconds, both parties hold the card at the same time; it is a matter of respect. We on the other hand dig in the bottom of our purses and find one that isn't too crumbled, with the fewest crushed corners, the fewest dents and mars. We pull them out of a leather wallet with a curve formed by close proximity to a certain part of the body. We flick them over to another person as though they are nothing, are of little importance. I'm going to ask you to add a tiny bit more ceremony; give the cards that represent your livelihood more respect. And use them- as often as possible. When you tell someone about a restaurant you like, write it down on the back of one of your cards, but hand it over with your business name up. Make a point to always tell people, this is my store, you can reach me there if you need to. And I'd love to have you stop by sometime and let me show you what we do. Many times people will say they have always wanted to scrapbook, or their sister-in-law does, or they have lots of things that need to be framed and they just haven't had time to bring them to someone. Be sure you offer a second card to pass on to the sister-in-law. Offer to pick the items up for framing-go out of your way to do business. That card with the restaurant name? Maybe that person isn't a scrapper, has no photos to be framed, isn't interested in professional photography. But the name of your business, the nice exchange they had with you, and very possibly even that card stick around for a long long time. And you just never know who it will make it's way to. It's not so hard to hand out 10 cards a day in this way- and over time it will increase your business, your brand recognition, and your bottom line.

PMA-and what is it anyway?

I spent last week in Las Vegas at the PMA show. I really like Las Vegas- and no I don't gamble, I just love all the great people watching and that darn near everything is always open. You can sit or stand ANYWHERE in that town, and be entertained for hours just watching what everyone ELSE is doing. I am always awed at the money people are willing to gamble, and how seriously slot machine players take what they are doing. On the other hand, I guess you should take it seriously if you are going to sit at a machine for hours pumping it full of your hard earned money. But do they ever consider that the machines used to be called One Armed Bandits for a REASON? Anyway...

PMA is the Photo Marketing Association- it is HUGE. And under it's umbrella are numerous industry associations encompassing the gamut of photo related industries- from school photographers, framers, art promoters, sports photographers and it includes PSRO; the Professional Scrapbook Retailers Organization. I have been fortunate enough to be asked to speak at PMA for the last several years, and it is delightful. The members take education to grow their business seriously, and that makes doing seminars an absolute joy. It's also quite interesting to have such a variety of business owners in a room. And that just adds credence to one of my soapboxes- business is business is business.

So many people want to believe that THEIR business is unique and no one else knows how to make it work. Everyone's business is unique, but, and it's a really BIG but- the business part of business is the same whether you own a restaurant, a hair salon, a veterinary practice, or a scrapbook store. Every business needs a written vision statement, what their goals are in the big picture, what their commitments to their community are, how they intend to treat employees, build relationships with vendors. yes, all of that really is in a great vision statement. Every business needs a business plan. Even if they have been in business for a long time, if they never had one, the business will improve as a result of the formulation of a strong business plan. Each business needs an annual plan, a marketing program, and so on.

Business owners are entrepreneurs, and entrepreneurs may well "fly by the seat of their pants"a lot of the time, it is ferquently a part of the general make-up of entrepreneurs to take big risks. But the most successful entrepreneurs are those who have a strong foundation to build on, and are committed to continual improvement. Improvement may come as a result of learning something new. It may be because of a flash of inspiration, or they saw something another business was doing and felt it would be a great thing to implement in their own.Very often improvement is focused on in a times of panic or desperation. And when that happens the improvement may be done piecemeal, not be well planned and thought out, and as a result may not be successful.

At the end of my seminars it is my custom to ask people to write down what their commitment to change is, give a date, and what they expect the change to do for them. I often hear from people that this is the first time they've ever written all of that down. Even if you've never done it before, today is a great day to start. Write down one thing that you want to do differently, by when you will implement the change, and what you expect that change to create or result in. And then I'd love to have you write about if here.

Til next time- happy scrapping!

After the Show...

Well, CHAW has come and gone, and the new products are just beginning to trickle into the stores. I did fall in love with several of Basic Grey's new lines, including Marrakesh, Porcelain, and Lime Rickey (oops- I think that's almost ALL of them!). I also really like the small rub-on books that are available for each line! And at $5.95 MSRP for a book of five 4.75 x 4.75 sheets, the price is decent too. I of course loved everything in the Cosmo Cricket booth- in fact it's pretty much all I used on my recent 4 day scrapbook retreat! Making Memories had the most complete lines that I saw at the show, with some very unique embellishments. One thing that really struck me was how few embellishments (as compared to past years) many of the companies came out with at this show. And how many paper punch-out shapes there were (never my personal fav), taking the place of the metal, chipboard, and other yummy tactile embellishments we have have to love and expect.

The hit of this rotten economy was clear at this show. From the frequently wide open aisles to the relatively meagre offerings at so many booths, not to mention the empty spaces where exhibitors who simply never showed. CHA reports a decreased attendance of 13%, which all in all, just ain't bad considering the economy. So there's the bad news, and yes-there is great news! The vendors who showed up reported great sales! Numerous vendors told me they were actually experiencing near record sales, which can only be a good thing! So while both vendor and buyer numbers were down, sales were not, and that bodes well for the industry.

It is an interesting phenomenon that when the economy suffers, crafting tends to increase. People are staying home more, making more gifts, and "cocooning", a term coined by Faith Popcorn by in the 80's during that recession. According to Ms. Popcorn, we are going to embrace what she calls the four New Rules of Engagement: Reclaim, Retrench, Reset and Reinvent; it's all about reclaiming personal values, redefining what success really means, and opting for a simpler life. All of which equals more time at home, more personal community, more DIY, less consumerism, more staying home. Few of us are completely insulated from this mess. In my own life, our adult son and his family of four have moved in. Between both of them losing their jobs, my son being injured in an accident, and the downturn; it was the only thing that made sense. Sighing deeply... I personally know two families who have lost their homes, and many more who have lost their jobs, and are unable to find new ones. And while all of that is difficult, and even tragic, it is also an opportunity for each of us. I can be frustrated at my house no longer being very tidy and all MINE ( well mine and DH), or I can be grateful for all the grandson time I'm logging ( and I am- every minute of every day).

I think that a lot of people are picking up a craft they have done previously rather than necessarily picking up a new one. It makes sense; if you already own the "hardware" for a craft, you just to buy the consumables to get going again. A knitter who already owns lots of needles, counters, holders, and such, she only needs to purchase yarn and maybe a pattern. A scrapbooker who already owns- well everything, doesn't need to buy anything at all. even just making all the birthday, Holiday, and other cards that are used throughout a year can mean a savings of as much as $250.00 and even more! Scrapbooking with a group of friends and a potluck meal makes an evening that costs pretty much nothing, and is an activity any scrapper would jump at. my daughter and I spend one evening every other week at a friend's house, knitting with her. My daughter and I are learning to knit, our friend Sharon gets to run her new pattern designs by us, we chat, and just knit. It's relaxing, an excuse to spend time with my daughter and Sharon, and maybe someday I'll even finish that sweater.

So what can a retailer do in the face of all this? First of all evaluate your business, is it viable or are you living on credit cards? Only a viable business has any chance of thriving in this economy. Does your business model include provisions to cater to the customer who is cutting back on spending, staying home more? One store in Canada has a great website, with a shopping cart with nearly every single product in her brick and mortar store. But the most interesting part of that is that almost all of her online customers aren't really. That is to say, her customers go online and place an order, pay for it, and then pick it up at the shop. Of course a the shop they see other things they just can't live without. Her person sales are the highest I've ever seen, day in and day out! As stores have struggled with class sign ups, many have completed eliminated their classroom space, and with it, all cropping space. Offering Monday or Friday night crops are a great way to help develop your local scrapping community, and get customers into your store. If you aren't paying an employee to staff them, consider charging $10.00 for these evenings, BUT give $5.00 in credit toward their spending for that evening only. And if they spend at least $50.00, give them the whole $10.00 credit, that's actually only a 10% discount in wholesale dollars.

Well, it nearing midnight, and I'm teaching a Cricut class first thing in the morning, so I'll sign off for the evening- look at your store from a different perspective-see wah tyou can do to take advantage of the opportunities this economy is creating in YOUR life.

CHAW 2009

Here I am at CHAW in Anaheim, expecting (hoping) that the weather would be gorgeous, mild, SUNNY, and perfect for visiting the Mouse. Instead it is the same as we have been having at home- wet, grey, and COLD. Okay, so if you live in Minnesota, it isn't so cold. But come on, this LA, and it's SUPPOSED to be sunny all the time-right???

The show opened today, education started yesterday. I took a Melissa Frances class and just want to say that the instructors were among the most organized and terrific I've ever seen at a trade show in this industry, and I really appreciate that! Fun project, great product, very altered scrapbooky using a board book format, but the boards look like old Bingo cards-nice.

I am presenting today- a class on Community Based Marketing, and I'm very excited to share this great information for retailers to take back to their stores and pout into action. Community Based Marketing is so relevant in today's economy- it serves the community, creates interaction among friends and neighbors, costs little to do a lot, and can create tremendous positive buzz about the store! In other works- it's ALL good.

I'll post photos and maybe even some video later today- so check back. I'll also let you know what lines I'm loving and think would do well for retailers, and I'll have my ear to the ground for the trends and concerns of retailers around the world. after all, CHA is touting THIS show as the World's Fair of Crafting! See you soon..

Welcome to my blog!

After being asked by to start a blog by so many business owners as well as by Beth Mauro, my wonderful editor at Scrapbook Retailer Magazine, I am finally doing it! My hope is that this space will help you to more effectively run your business, develop marketing plans, make a profit, and not least of all; enjoy your business. At least weekly I will post current thoughts on the scrapbooking industry, good ideas that I hear about from other store owners, as well as solid ideas for making your store the best it can be- and that includes making money. If you have ideas or questions you'd like me to address, send me an email at TamaraLipori@gmail.com and put Shoot the Moon blog in the subject line. I will answer as many questions as I can.



Your comments and input are welcome, and are subject to being edited or deleted if I consider them inappropriate. That's one of the perks of being the boss of the blog! Together, as a community we can help the LSS stay in business in every community.