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of The Craft Queen.

PROMOTIONS & EVENTS

Japan Hobby Show
For the fourth year in a row, CHA will participate in a demonstrator exchange program with the Hobby Association of Japan in which a craft artisan or designer is sponsored to appear at each respective show. The idea of the exchange is to promote new trends and categories overseas while adding a learning opportunity to the Winter CHA Convention and Trade Show.

CHA is proud to be working with Margot Potter, a celebrated jewelry designer and author of the highly successful Impatient Beader series for North Light Books. She is scheduled to host a total of nine demonstrations over the course of the show’s three days.

In addition to the exchange program, CHA will present information about the 2009 CHA Winter Show and will tour craft retail shops, meet with the US Embassy to discuss craft research in the Japanese Market and will schedule meetings with CHA Members.

The Japan Hobby Show will take place at the Tokyo International Exhibition Center from
May 8th – 10th, 2008. For more information on the Japan Hobby Show, log onto www.hobby.org.jp.

If you are interested in learning more about Margot Potter, visit her website at www.margotpotter.com.


National Craft Month
In March, CHA celebrated the 14th annual National Craft Month (NCM) promotion with the debut of a new logo design.

This year, NCM coverage included:
  • Over 100 news stories ran reminding 124 million readers across the
    country about National Craft Month
  • Blogs, online editorial, and business websites that delivered the NCM
    message to another 40 million consumers
CHA sponsored a satellite media tour (SMT) featuring our National Spokesperson Terri O and 12 member companies’ products (check out the video to the left to see the SMT) that reached more than 1.2 million viewers and aired on network stations including:
  • USA
  • Bravo
  • TBS
  • TNT
  • Local stations in 39 markets
Additionally an Audio News Release and radio interviews ran on 914 radio stations to more than 35 million listeners across the country.

Manufacturers, retailers and wholesalers alike benefited from the month-long promotion by using the new National Craft Month logo. CHA also provided promotional materials like posters, window clings, and balloons as well as the free localized retailer press kit downloaded from www.craftandhobby.org. Over 126 thousand visitors went to www.craftplace.org for craft ideas and to search for their local craft retailer.

In efforts to create a timely, rich, newsworthy media platform for CHA members, a theme of fashion crafting was established. The fashion crafting theme gave the media an opportunity to look beyond a “sales promotion” by exploring crafting as part of fashion and lifestyle trends the craft and hobby industry is actively shaping. By all accounts this year’s National Craft Month promotion was a huge success resulting in member participation, greater consumer awareness of crafting, as well as extensive media exposure in newspapers, TV, radio and on the Internet.



The following is a list of manufacturers that participated in the CHA 2008 National Craft Month Satellite Media Tour:


Rubber Stamps by Artytart Inc.

Beaded Belt by The Beadery

So-Soft Fabric Paint by Deco Art, Inc.

Tulip® Express Yourself™ Iron-On Transfers™ with Paint
by Duncan Enterprises


Fabric Embellishments and Trim by Expo International, Inc.

ComputerCrafts Transfer Sheets by Janlynn

Patera™ Pendants by JudiKins

Bling Bling Stencils, Crystals and Tools by Kandi Corp

Artsy Fiber Kits by Museables

Solder Kits by Simply Swank

Creative Textile Tool™ by Walnut Hollow

BooksReconstructing Clothes For Dummies and Jewelry Making & Beading For Dummies by Wiley Publishing, Inc.




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Head Back to School with CHA!

Crafting is currently an over $30 billion industry and the education market makes up a large part of it. Why? Because teachers know the educational value of teaching with crafts! The education industry spends $1.3 billion annually on craft supplies and teachers spend on average $250 a year of their own money on craft supplies. They know that hands-on assignments stimulate the imagination of their students and reinforce learning. As such, making your store “teacher-friendly” is an excellent way to build your customer base as well as develop positive community relations.

In 2002, the Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) released the groundbreaking study, The Academic Value of Hands-On Crafts Projects in Elementary Schools. It was one of the first studies ever to investigate the impact of hands-on projects and learning. The findings confirmed what teachers have known for years, that through crafts, students retain more information and learning is made easier. It was then that it became quite clear that educators are important promoters of crafting and they need to be targeted and catered to.

In response to the study results, CHA began outreach to the teacher community. The first step was implementing www.teacherplace.org, a special online resource site developed just for educators. The site is chock-full of information including creative project lesson plans, craft tips, educational research, testimonials and information about how teachers can work with local craft retailers. The site is an invaluable resource in giving practical ways educators can incorporate crafts into the classroom.

CHA has published the Making the Connection to the Educational Marketplace booklet that outlines how retailers can effectively market to their local teachers and leverage the power of hands-on learning. This step-by-step guide offers CHA members a range of suggestions and practical advice to reach the education arena and increase sales. The booklet is complete with ideas for setting up a store environment, staff training for educator's needs, sample letters that illustrate ways to reach out to teachers, and promotions that help build teacher and administrator support. The Making the Connection to the Educational Marketplace is a wonderful guide for retailers who would like to tap into this specific market. CLICK HERE to download the booklet.

You may also use the step by step guides and "fill in the blanks" media aids provided below to effectively plan and promote your in-store promotions and cater to the education market. Leverage the power of CHA's "Teacher-Friendly" branding campaign by incorporating the "teacher-friendly" logoin your promotional material. Most importantly, as you get ready to head back to school, keep an ear open for your customers" needs; this will help drive teachers to your store and keep them coming back all throughout the school year!

Guides and Media Aids



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