There is this conventional wisdom that when the economy turns down, crafting activity ticks up. That stands to reason- less time to spend on leisure activities means more time at home and more opportunity to do activities with your children.

Whether increased crafting activity translates into increased sales will depend on how proactive a retailer is about getting customers into the store. Most crafters I know have big stashes of supplies bought with good intentions or just because "I love this and I'll use it somehow." So true blue crafters won't necessarily be running into your store when pennies get pinched.

Who may be coming in your door is the mom looking for creative activities for her children as an alternative to too much TV and video games. It may be the party planner who wants a cost effective alternative to expensive custom invitations and table top decor. It often will be a person who wants to turn that box of photos into some kind of organized memory book.

If you don't already have programs in place to reach out to the casual crafter here's why I think it is worth it....

1. Opportunity to sell tools. The casual crafter needs to outfit her craft closet.
2. Non-traditional crafters have less price sensitivity- they have no pre-conconceived ideas about what crafting costs.
3. Casual crafters can be encouraged to bring in friends- all the better to increase sales.

Just like most consumer magazines, scrapbook stores cater to the advanced beginner/intermediate customer. Those folks are the mainstay of your business and merit a lot of focus and attention. But as you are servicing those folks, be sure you are doing the developmental work needed to ensure financial health.

Let me give you a real world analogy. A friend was refinancing his mortgage. The advisor urged my friend to open a line of credit when he refinanced the mortgage- even if he didn't need it. Why? Because if he did need suddenly need a line of credit due to an accident or loss of job he probably wouldn't be eligible for one.

Developing new customers while times are good is a way retailers can build their own "line of credit." If you bring in new customers all along, when times get choppy you have a broader customer base. So if people move, give up scrapbooking or for some other reason stop patronizing your store, you do not have a business-altering drop in customers.

 I think scrapbooking and crafts in general do not have to be as adversely impacted in tough economic times. If you always make an effort to bring in new customers, you'll never need that line of credit.

Here's t'hoping the wind is at your back on St. Patrick's Day and always. And may there be a pot of gold at the end of your rainbow. Slainte!-- Beth