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Your #1 Resource For: Starting a Successful Scrapbooking Business Growing Your Existing Scrapbook Business Insider Information on the $3 Billion+ Scrapbook Industry |
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Valerie Randall is the kind of person many present and future entrepreneurs aspire to be - self-employed for 25 years, creator of several companies, and earning her living by employing her talent and creativity as a graphic artist and illustrator. During the past six years, one of Valerie’s clients has been Broderbund® Software. She was creating “output” for the company - the examples featured on the software boxes. The product lines she worked on include The Print Shop®, PrintMaster®, ClickArt®, American Greetings® CreataCard®, Calendar Creator®, and Family Tree Maker®, among others. “I have learned to create some incredible projects with their print productivity software and as a result, as a designer, I have become very specialized,” Valerie notes. “The folks at Broderbund were amazed at what I could create using their software and I thought that their consumers would enjoy learning new techniques,” she continues. “At first I approached Broderbund with my concept to create a series of educational tip sheets. But each time we seemed to move forward, Broderbund had a new owner and I had to start again. “Eventually, what started as a series of simple tip sheets became a series of 20 books on computer crafts. After many years of imagining what could be created together with Broderbund, I decided to do it on my own. Suddenly, I had created a publishing company. “The day I made the choice to move forward with this
project was so incredibly exciting for me. Although the amount of work was
overwhelming, and the financial risks were frightening, I felt a vitality I had
not experienced for many years. I still draw on the memory of this excitement to
keep me going.”
The company’s first book, FanCraftic Party Crafts, is available now. The next three books, Birthdays, Showers and Winter Holidays have been outlined and the crafts are currently being designed. Each book has 12 craft chapters with over 120 crafts to create. The chapters feature large full color photos of each party or event, and detailed written instructions on how to make each item. Near the written instructions are photos of each crafted item and as needed, illustrated guidelines. At the end of the book is a chapter of tips and tricks called Materials, Tools & Techniques. It is packed with illustrated guides for making gift boxes, bags, place cards and more. “What sets these books apart is the CD which is included with each book,” Valerie says. “The CD contains every craft in the book, already designed. This makes it very easy to use. You simply insert the CD and find the folder that features the party crafts you are interested in making. Some things, like invitations and place cards, require you to personalize them, by typing in your party details and the names of your guests. Then just print and craft! “Chapters conclude with a list of other suggested crafts you can create to augment each party. Realizing that not everybody would want to take the time to design these suggestions, I designed each craft and produced a second companion CD, called Use Your Imaginations Sets, making it easy to add more fun projects to your parties. The companion CD can be purchased online at our site, www.FanCraftic.com. You can see all of the project designs on this CD, plus get free downloads in the Creative Extras section of my website. “The design templates used in the book’s CD must be used with Broderbund®’s print productivity software: The Print Shop®, PrintMaster® or American Greetings® CreataCard®. If you are new to this software, based on my association with Broderbund, they are allowing me to offer (for a limited time) a free download of PrintMaster® Express. Details are in the book. “The companion CD includes both Broderbund templates as
well as Adobe® PDF® files. Using Broderbund software will give you full design
control and personalization, but the .pdf files allow everyone to make fantastic
crafts as well.
Digital scrapbooking has been a growing trend and will continue to expand. Valerie has noted this, and is now creating digital designs for scrapbooking pages. “Right now, I am creating scrapbook pages using Broderbund’s current print productivity software,” Valerie explains. “Plus, I am using several programs to draw unique elements that scrapbookers use. For example, buttons and tags are easy to create in Broderbund’s software. For more complicated things, like a torn piece of paper, I draw it in Adobe® Illustrator® and then export it as a file that can be placed easily in, for example, The Print Shop®. “I am currently creating different designs of digital ‘torn’ paper, digital mesh, photo corners and patterns that scrapbookers can use to make their own background papers and borders. I plan on offering these designs early in 2004. Plus I hope to provide instructional guides on how-to create digital scrapbook pages both online and in popular scrapbook magazines on a regular basis. “Using software to create scrapbook pages has many
bonuses,” she notes. “First, I love using a digital camera and the software
gives me many artistic ways to treat the edges of my photos as well as apply
photo effects. I can print out my photos on glossy paper and then mount them
into position traditionally or I can build the entire page digitally. I can
create my own stickers to add to my pages. Plus I can add embellishments either
digitally or traditionally. I can easily change a layout and the color palette.
Using a computer to build my pages makes it really easy to create extra copies
for family and friends. And best of all, I can make a .pdf file and email it.”
Having set up several other companies already, the basic
steps were easy for Valerie. One aspect was different, however: "I have worked with attorneys to help me understand some of
the legal issues that exist. I have had to develop contracts for working with
other illustrators and creative people. I also worked with a business coach. He
was instrumental in helping me focus on the tasks at hand, and not going into
overwhelm.”
“My website is ever evolving and the more I learn about websites, the more I want to incorporate,” Valerie says. “I work with several people who help me immensely. I believe online presence is important, but there is a lot to learn about this medium. “I created the opening Flash sequence of the paper being printed and then folded into a fan. The concept came to me one day while I was driving to San Francisco, and then I illustrated it. Someone else put it into a Flash format and brought it to life. "I did the first layouts for my site, but they were too word-heavy and static. This is another area where I am out of my element; I am not interested in writing code, but I can art direct. I have found someone who can understand the clutter in my mind and distill it. I often write down my thoughts about how I want the website to perform and then we determine a realistic plan based on need and budget. “The vision I have for my website is pretty large and we
are already beginning to build another structure. The goal is to have a very
active site, updated daily. I would like to include training videos and tips. I
imagine a huge archive of projects that can be downloaded.”
“I stopped counting the hours; it is all consuming and a labor of love,” Valerie says. “There are times when I have spent many days creating press kits that include actual crafts. I am always looking for ways to market my book and website. I continually create new crafts to be featured in magazines and I develop projects for make and takes which I teach at one of the local scrapbook stores. Plus, I continue to design output for Broderbund’s product lines as needed, as well as work with other clients. “Because I am self-employed, I combine business and personal errands. My husband is especially supportive, and this monumental task would not be possible without him. He believes in what I am doing, gives me strength when I fear failure, and takes over grocery shopping and other errands so that I can create. It helps that he is self-employed as well, and an artist. Plus I have a huge fan club of friends and family who give me a lot of support. “Certainly there are times when I just take a day off. Escape time is dream time and it all feeds my soul. I try to put my family and friends first; there is a balance I try to achieve in my life, between my family, my friends, myself and my work.”
“Someone told me that writing the book would be easy compared to marketing it,” Valerie says. “That is proving to be true.” Valerie started her marketing campaign by emailing family, friends, and business associates letting them know what she was up to. She then hired a small public relations firm for about eight months to get media attention. “I designed a teaser in the shape of a fan,” she explains. “We mailed this teaser announcement out to magazines and newspapers to let them know the book would soon be out in print. Once the books arrived from China, we shipped a copy to everyone on the media list. Press releases were emailed. Then a four tiered campaign of media kits followed, targeting magazines and newspapers for Halloween and Christmas. These included a CD of photos of the book and the author as well as several party sets; an actual craft from the book showing the quality, a press release and author bio. “We have received interest, some publication, and I was interviewed on Computer America, a radio program. It is still too soon to tell how effective our efforts are. Valerie also spends time online searching for sites that would be advantageous to link to. At the company website, she offers a free newsletter to keep people up to date with what’s new at FanCraftic. She has also been working with different people within Broderbund to develop different ways to market computer crafting and her book. “So far all of the materials I have created have been done by desktop publishing,” she notes. “I print everything on my Epson® printer. This gives me the freedom to do smaller, targeted mailings with pieces that are unusual in shape and in full color. Though it takes time, it is less expensive than commercial printing. And it reinforces my primary selling position of fantastic crafts. “The only thing I feel I really know how to do well is create, so though I understand marketing and find it fascinating, it is still difficult. I think that since my target audience uses computers, they would be more accessible online, so I continue to go online and search for sites in order to build interest. It takes time, but I think it will be worthwhile in the long run."
“My first foray into scrapbooking was to check out all the cool products and apply them to crafting,” she notes. “Then, I decided that it would be nice to teach some crafts to an audience. We have a great craft store in Santa Rosa called Scrap Attack. They offer regular classes. I approached them and asked if I could teach a class so that I could share what I was doing. I designed some unique boxes for a Halloween make and take and sold some books as well. “Then I decided that it was important to begin to show scrapbookers how easy it was to create scrapbooks on their computer. I have been designing scrapbook pages and writing how-to tips. My first attempt to reach scrapbookers was to connect with online sites such as yours and then to send my designs to major scrapbook magazines for publication. We’ll be adding this new aspect of digital scrapbooking to our website. “I really like the idea of throwing a party or event, making fantastic party favors, taking pictures of everyone with the favors and decorations in the background and then making a scrapbook to match, incorporating the art and style back into the pages of the scrapbook. I love the cohesiveness of it. “It’s too soon to tell what works, but once scrapbookers find out how easy it is to create and duplicate scrapbook pages created with the help of a computer, I believe it will open up a whole new aspect of this exciting field.”
“There are other people who create computer crafts, but so far, from my research, most of them don’t have the design and illustration background that I do,” Valerie says. “I believe that there is a level of quality and sophistication that I bring to the projects that I create. And I haven’t yet found anyone who is taking the approach that I am, which is to provide predesigned templates on a CD. “There are a lot of issues regarding licensing that I have been getting a fast education in. The licensing aspect makes it expensive and complicated to do what I am doing, which is why there isn’t much direct competition. But ultimately computer crafting and scrapbooking can be made easy. And that is what I want to create: an easy and fun crafting experience whether you are making crafts for your party or wedding, or a scrapbook, or both. “There is some software on the market for scrapbookers, but there is a lack of education,” she continues. “No one is teaching how to design and build digital pages. I believe education will strengthen a consumer’s connection to a product. Personally, even though Broderbund is a client of mine, I have tried their competitor’s software and I still find Broderbund’s print productivity software the easiest to use and the most intuitive. Their art and photo galleries are easy to access and they have many graphic shapes which I use extensively to draw with. With these shapes I have created digital buttons, eyelets, and ribbons. And I have just started. It’s really fun.”
“This is the scary part,” Valerie begins, “but I think it’s important to share this. I finally made an emotional commitment to build this dream in April 2002. My design firm, TransMission, helped with the beginning expenses. When I started to pull together the numbers to produce and print my book, create a website, and everything else needed, I realized I didn’t have enough. We decided to refinance our house and pull all the equity out of it in order to fund this project. Even then, there was an overrun and I took out a second mortgage. “FanCraftic was officially created in January 2003 and the money to run it still comes from TransMission. Every extra penny goes into financing this adventure. I received my books in July and have not yet turned a profit. In fact, I may not make any money on this first run, though I hope to cover my cash outlay. “I have spent money on other illustrators for some of my craft projects to add a more well rounded product, a copywriter and proofreaders, web designer (plus the monthly site fees and e-store fees), business coach, a graphic design firm to help with the logo (a weakness for me) and the final book design (I needed someone better and faster), a public relations company, photographers, photo retouchers, a production manager, attorneys (for business contracts, licensing issues and trademark), and then a printing company who printed the book and printed and burned the CDs. There has been a lot of money spent on postage and supplies. Plus there are still regular expenses: every month the website changes, and we create a newsletter. “OK, here’s the scary part: I’ve spent well over $100,000,” she finishes.
“Oh boy, I am a risk taker,” she says. “I don’t know if the way I approach business is good. I tend to jump into things and then learn the hard way. I am self taught, so it seems to work for me. I wish I could approach my business more logically, write a business plan, get the financing, and so on. Instead, I have a vision and I just create it. I have had some disappointments, but with each one comes wisdom. It’s part of the process. “Launching a business is hard work. If I had known everything it would take, it would have scared me and I never would have done it. It can be hard to live the way I do. There are times when cash is flowing and times when it is not. There have been times when I have had to use credit cards just to get by. But after twenty five years, I can’t imagine living any other way. I envy some of my friends’ security while they envy my freedom. “Things I have learned: deliver what you promise, meet your deadlines; try to do your best, find great people to help you with what you are weak in. Most of the work I get as a designer is through referrals. But becoming a publisher with products is very different from being a designer and illustrator. There are a whole new set of rules to learn. I have to introduce a new group of people to my products, hope they like them and that they will start that great referral process."
“My husband has been just incredible,” Valerie expresses. “Even if this goes sour, he says at least I can say I did it instead of always wishing I had tried. He helps me pack and ship books (right now we do everything; the books are stored in the garage). He went with me on the photo shoots and was really great to work with. He did a painting that we used for the main art in the Valentine’s Day party set. He listens to my excited prattling when I create a new craft and offers helpful suggestions. And on those days when I hit an emotional speed bump, he reminds me: ‘No fears, baby, no fears.’ I truly could not have traveled this road without him by my side. “His daughter, who is now 10, is a big source of inspiration for me. She is very proud of my book and took it to school for her share day. She is an amazing artist, and offers great critiques. She encourages me in ways she is too young to understand.”
“A new website, a stronger focus on scrapbooking, including digital art, and with luck…producing the next 19 books that are floating around in my head. Can I dream big? Online video and a television show,” she smiles.
“It sounds like such a cliché but it’s vital,” Valerie says. “Follow your heart, build your dream. Inspire, encourage, teach, love.” FanCraftic products are available retail and wholesale. Please visit FanCraftic.com to learn more - be sure to tell Valerie that Fun Facts Publishing sent you! Valerie Randall
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