Tips to the Trade: With stores and galleries flooded with holiday shoppers, now is an excellent time to gather email addresses and begin a fresher, cheaper marketing campaign. Jay Conrad Levinson describes the methods of promotion that revolve around imagination instead of money as "guerilla marketing." Read his article on the necessity of email and skim other ideas on the benefits of guerilla marketing.

Wrap It Up: Is your first impression a lasting one? Take a sneak peek into the world of fine wrapping. Visit Packaging Specialties at the Buyers Market this February.

Money Maker: Frustrated by your POS software? Still hand-writing receipts for every sale? Look into the Certek system (at the February Buyers Market) and find solutions in these reliable, easy-to-use products.  

Design to be Different: There is no substitute for attending a trade show in person, being able to see detailed craftsmanship for yourself, building relationships face-to-face with artists and retailers alike, and learning innovative marketing and sales techniques from leaders in the business. Join us Sunday night for the 2006 NICHE Awards to celebrate excellence and innovation in the craft arts. You can register for the show, reserve a hotel room, receive travel discounts, and order tickets to these useful seminars all online now. Or, if you'd rather, give Emilie, Pat, or Kristen in Buyer Services a call at 1.800.432.7238, ext. 211.

Craft Retailer News© is an e-newsletter for those interested in the American Craft industry. Published by the Rosen Group, CRN consists of six issues annually: four quarterly reports and two Buyers Market special editions.