Craft Focus - Jun/Jul (Issue 67)

78 craft focus the last days of summer Don’t miss the vital back to school sales window. Here’s what you should be stocking EXPERT ADVICE Clement Rouillard, Marketing Manager at stationery specialist ExaClair reveals how to increase sales for the new school term How important is back to school for ExaClair? This is our biggest trading period of the year and a key sales time for our retail customers. We have ranges across Clairefontaine and Exacompta, including Iderama, Europa, Mimesys, Koverbook and Campus, which are all designed specifically for the student market. What type of products should craft retailers be stocking to take advantage of this key time? Craft shops should offer a diverse portfolio of products to cover the needs of students. Clairefontaine is a useful brand, as it offers one of the broadest selections of art papers, covering multiple techniques with the Paint’on range, watercolours with Etival, pastel with Pastelmat, sketch with Cray’on, Graff Book and more. In addition, consider coloured mount and foam boards, as well as traditional notebooks and filing equipment. What can we expect from ExaClair this summer – does the company have any key promotions or launches coming up? As always, we have a great deal in store for this period. Most notably, and for the first time ever, we will be advertising on TV, with two separate ads. One will feature Exacompta and the other Rhodia, and they will run between mid-August and the end of September. Exacompta is also providing a fantastic consumer offer, giving away 100 free photos with any two items purchased in store. The promotion will be in association with Piiics. Does the company provide any sales support or merchandising equipment? To help support retailers to promote our TV and consumer campaign, we’re providing full POS merchandising support to all customers engaged in the promotion. This includes the provision of consumer brochures, window displays, FSDUs and shelf wobblers. Case files ExaClair has expanded its vibrant Iderama filing collection to provide a full range of coordinating products aimed at students and young professionals. Latest releases include A4 magazine files made from long-lasting polypropylene in pink, lime green and light blue. Also included are clipboards in signature bright colours, which can be used for single sheets or refill pads. “The magazine files and clipboards combine robust and durable material technology with fun and attractive design,” explains Clement. The company is also releasing new elasticated filing boxes and flat folders in four eye-catching shades. These are available from a number of stationers and wholesalers including VOW, Spicers and Exertis. +44 (0)1553 696 600 exaclairlimited.com