December 13, 2002, Newsletter Issue #108: Scrapbooking for money - Opening a store

Tip of the Week

Scrapping for Others and Direct Sales are two low cost start up businesses in which you can earn big returns. Many Scrapbookers dream of opening their own store. Obviously, opening your own store is going to be a much bigger upfront investment! You will need to find a building and pay rent and utilities, pay for inventory to stock your store, hire employees to help run the store.

Secrets of Scrapbooking Success: Making Money, Making Memories
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0967613884/ltc-Scrapbook

Covers the do`s and don´ts of starting your own scrapbook business. This is an interesting read for anyone contemplating going into scrapbooking as a business.

The Memory Group is a company that consults on opening scrapbook stores.
http://www.thememorygroup.com

You can become an independent which means you source your goods and on sell them. This can be fraught with problems--make sure your suppliers are reliable and that you are prepared to put in the long hours. Running a store is not just about sitting in your nice store scrapbooking and sharing special moments with like minded croppers--it is about investing a lot of money, spending hours doing books, and checking inventory as well as teaching and putting up with tire kickers and people out for a bargain.

You can become a consultant for one of the direct selling companies. If you do not have any consultants in your area to investigate the products and selling style of the company then search the internet to look for consultant bulletin boards and ask around. Choose a style that suits you. It is no good pushing top loaders if you are a strap hinge style scrapbooker. Also, be picky about choosing your upline as that is the person who will be supporting you with training, information and recognition. In my opinion, you are better to select someone you like and who scraps in a style similar to you and has a family situation similar to you as well.
Remember with any scrapbooking business option to ask lots of questions and don´t let your heart rule.

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