Tell us your favorite smart business tip and be entered to win a free die!

Posted by Jen Cramer

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UPDATE: We are having such a great response with TONS of smart business tips that I changed my mind -- we'll be giving away THREE dies instead of just one. Keep 'em coming and make sure that you check back and read all of the ideas!
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UPDATE #2: This drawing is now closed and the winners were announced on March 17. We would still love to hear your smart business tips though!

Let's give away one of our new dies this week! First we'll talk about the fabulous die you can win and then I'll tell you what you have to do to be entered to win (it's easy!)....

The die up for grabs is the long cut version of our Birds #1 die, which has three different bird styles on it. I love the fact that there are two separate wings on the die so you can cut those out separately to add dimension to your birds!

Here you can see an example of one of the birds used as a hanging element on this Bare Elements Spring Purse:

How can you win this great die? Just post a reply and share your favorite "smart business tip" for how to make money with an AccuCut die cutting center. You have until the end of the day this Saturday to leave your answer and I'll announce the winner on Monday!

Need some help figuring out what a smart business tip is? Most of our craft customers who buy the AccuCut GrandeMARK machine and dies are business owners who are looking for a way to offer more services for their own customers and to help drive sales of other products.

For example, a scrapbook store owner may cut out their own chipboard shapes to sell or they may offer a die cutting club to help pay for new dies. If you're a scrapbook store owner, tell us what works in your store... if you're a scrapbooker, tell us how store owners could get you more interested in a store's die cutting center.

People also use our AccuCut GrandeMARK machine to make custom invitations and favors as well as other stationery items. How do you get the most out of your machine? What do you make? How does it save you time?

There are no wrong answers... just a lot of great ideas to help use an AccuCut die cutting center to work smarter. So let's hear your ideas!

Comments

[Silvia Muñoz]

Sorry I not speak english. I used in my work in preeschool for elaborated cards.

[Shawn]

I would love to see a little "flyer" that customers could take home with some ideas on how to embellish dies. Sometimes I just dont have the creative juices going and I would be more inclined to buy dies if I had some ideas on what to do with them. Nothing fancy just a 8.5x11 piece of paper with some ideas on it. Maybe make it free if you purchase so many dies. Then periodically change those ideas to keep it interesting.

[Deanna Shain]

Have a free die cut of the week that customers get with a purchase - they love freebies and it introduces them to the wide range of dies in the store that they may have missed otherwise.

[Susan Juskowiak]

Accucut diecuts are the BEST! I don't just use them for diecuts. I design Iris Folding patterns for the templates, or negativie piece left after removing the diecut. (I would love to show you some of my designs!) Iris Folding is a spiraling design that can be used for card making or in scrapbooking. You DOUBLE the use of every diecut with Iris Folding.

[Jeneane Floyd]

Teach me how to use my imagination. Give 1 simple idea and let me customize to make it personal buying store's supplies. Some days I do not have time and that day have pre-made idea to purchase.

[wanda Kerstetter]

I have been a nurse 20 years. When I started using die cuts it was for the units I worked on so the kids and adults would have something to do while being in bed tv becomes old after a while. I started bringing them in made up kits. Before I knew it I was selling kits to other nurses and families for childrens projects at school. I also do a impaired unit and I make up kits for my unit and other activity directors. So I sarted sharing them and and have got a small side business from being kind. After all that is what a nurse is . The best thing about accucut dies is you can make so many things fast and they do bring smiles. Wanda

[Mitsyana Wright]

I like to demo one particular die at a time. Have several different projects, using that one die, on display so people can see the versatility of that die. This way it would give customers more ideas to play with that just one project. I will then demo each project using the die and choose someone at random in the crowd to give the finished project away to. This gets them excited and keeps their interest while learning new techniques.

[Barbara Rossman]

Some of my ideas:

Include a seasonal die cut with every paper purchase over a certain amount. In example, spring would be an undecorated egg - then keep a decorated egg die cut at the check out. Put the free die cut in the bag and be sure your client sees the decorated one. Merchandise the embellishments for the decorated one at the check out.

Put the die cutting center in the front of the store, not in the back.

Create "excitement" around the machine with demos and make-n-takes. Position the products mostly often used with the die cut machine nearby.

Strategically position die cut examples, atc's, pages, cards, etc. through out the store.

Assign one rep to the machine area and insure that your valued customers get to try it out. Always, provide hands on demos.

[Jeanne MacDonald]

I have a business tip. It is to put together kits that have the basic dies cut,along with and other accessories that are usually sold in large quantities, and package them with instuctions and ideas. This would be an item that will be used as a special gift and personalized with just photos and other trims. That way, busy women can put together very creative items like an 'explosion album' or a 'cupcake box', or something else, without spending a great deal of time. With this semi-prepared package these moms can participate in a creative project and not feel stressed. It also save themselves from being put-off over buying accessory supplies they do not need.

[Tina Reed]

One other thing we do is give a free die cut per month with each online order. They don't get to come in for the freebies in the store so I pick one a month, sometimes a card, or gift tag and sometimes a die cut shape.

It gives our online customers a chance to try out a die they may never have ordered. We get lots of reorders from them, sometimes for the freebie we just sent them.

Tina

[Allison Pauls]

My tip is give the customer a chance to use the Accucut machine with every card class- they make free envelopes for their cards. Lots of places do not have envelopes that fit, but my Grandmark machine makes it possible for a perfect fit every time. They get to see just how easy the machine is to use, and at the die cut centre they see tons of samples using the machine. It sure sells more paper and classes. Just recently a lady used the machine to cut envelopes for her card class, then came back a week later to purchase paper and supplies to cut out 200 little dress and tuxedo boxes for her niece's wedding- she saw the idea at my die cut centre. The 50 cent investment in envelope paper translated into $80 profit for me!

[Judene]

I give sample to my clients. For example, at a wedding show, I'll use the purse favour boxes and give to the brides, with my card and a treat inside of it. When I follow up with them after the show, they always remember who I am.

[Denise]

I offer a kit that is made with die cuts. It comes with instructions and colored photos for assembly. It is something unique and promotes more usage of the accuct. I started purchasing die cuts over 10 years ago and have never been disappointed. They are the reason I am successful.

[Dianne Hill]

I love AccuCut dies! I am teacher and a crafter. I'm working on getting a business up and running. Right now I use the dies for my students. They make great calender markers and tools for learning! My co-teachers always ask me to die cut items for thier classrooms. It is a great way to share ideas!

[Kay Zahn]

I always cut extra of EVERYTHING I am cutting for myself. Mostly I use the Quilting dies, so when I make a quilt, I also cut a "kit" and it usually pays for the cost of MY fabric. I remember when I hated cutting with a rotary cutter and I Payed others to cut for me. So it seemed to reason that someone would buy squares and strips cut by me too . . . and I was right!

[Jan]

Die cuts are great for window decorating. I make different cut outs to be used in my window displays in my business. Some are for the holidays others just for fum. Please enter me in the drawing. Thanks

[Ruta]

All of our dies are categorized alphabetically and numerically. The corresponding die cut shapes are displayed on sample boards according to theme (baby, school, animals, etc.) When appropriate, a die cut shape may appear in more than one category (a heart-shape may appear in valentines and wedding). A letter-number code appears with each die cut shape. The customer is then able to easily locate the specific die in the display cases.

[Allie Gower]

I love to offer incentives with purchase. Die cuts are an inexpensive item I can offer and give away with purchases. I can cut them from paper scraps, damaged paper, chipboard, etc. This keeps people coming back, and encourages customer loyalty. They are also fun to have as contests during crops - decorate - and award the best one with a kit - again with the die cuts - exposure, exposure, exposure to what you have to offer.