Trends in Your Business: In the Clouds

Every Thursday on my blog www.andreawalford.com I create a project based on a current hot trend in the paper crafting industry.  The purpose of my Thursday Trend Watch posts are to show you how you can re-create those same “hot looks” using all Stampin’ Up! product.  Here on the Demo to Demo blog, I’m planning on taking that trend and talking to you about how you can use it in your business.

Creating a cloud template is actually extremely easy.  By far the easiest way to do it would be to use the scalloped oval punch to create the clouds.  If you want more realistic clouds then you can do what I did and freehand draw the clouds onto acetate, cut them out and then use them as your template. I used Dotto adhesive to hold them in place.  Of course if you don’t have Dotto you could always use a 2-way glue pen, and allow it to dry so that it is a temporary rather than permanent adhesive.

Featuring this fun and whimsical technique as a demo in your workshops or as a project for your clubs or classes allows you to upsell our Stampin’ Sponges, our Dotto adhesive and/or 2-way glue pens, and even the scalloped oval punch if that’s what you use to create the clouds.

To see the full-sized card and the directions and dimensions for this card on my blog.

Do you follow the trends?

As a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator it’s so easy to get caught up in our own products – after all, they ARE fantastic.  But do you know how our Stampin’ Up! products relate to the paper crafting industry as a whole? Maybe a better question is “should you care” about how Stampin’ Up! products relate to the paper crafting industry as a whole?

In my mind the answer is an unequivocal “Yes”.  While you may personally have made the decision to only buy Stampin’ Up! products, I can tell you that chances are, many of your customers or potential customers, are not the same.  Very few avid paper crafters limit themselves to one product line or one company.  And it is those paper crafters that are passionate about their hobby that tend to spend the most money – so those are the ones that you WANT buying from you. 

How does staying on top of trends help? Simple. People love ”trendy”. When you know what the current trends are, you are then able to show your customers or your blog readers which Stampin’ Up! products are trendy, or, how to use Stampin’ Up! products to achieve the same trendy looks.

So how can you stay on top of trends?  By taking a little time to read current paper crafting magazines (such as Paper Crafts magazine or CARDS magazine) & by taking a bit of time to blog surf and see what products, colors, themes, etc. people are using over and over again.  Of course, you can always come here, because trend watching is something I LOVE to do.  In fact, as a way of helping you save time, I’ll trend watch for you. Every week, starting next week you can look forward to my Thursday Trend watch post.  I’ll post a project on my blog www.andreawalford.com and then there I’ll talk about how you can use it in your business.