January 2010

Positively Heather

Classing up the joint

Heather Gooch

If one of your goals for 2010 is to bring in more customers through classes, here are five tips to help you meet it:

1. Make it a party. If it costs $15 for the class individually, make sure that your prospective student knows that if she rounds up four of her friends, there’s a discount for groups of five or more. Also let her know that discount doesn’t come into play until after the class, so she knows all five students have to come through. Position this as a great way to celebrate someone’s birthday or as an after-work alternative to the bar.

For Heather's full article, click here.

Recent Musings

It’s about time — and content and consistency, too

While you could likely find people to support any certain day and time as “the best” to send an enewsletter, the general consensus is to send it Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. The prevailing wisdom is that sending it on a Monday runs the risk of it getting lost among all the clutter sent over the weekend, and Friday — well, too many people are thinking about their weekend plans to be bothered with a call to action from their inbox....

What’s your take — literally and figuratively — on online craft communities?

I am curious, however, about what my readers think of Etsy (and similar sites like Indiepublic and American Craft Guide Community, all three of which I actually belong to, but am not very active in). Is it something that your customers love to discuss, or even buy or sell from? Is it something that you use yourself, to unload old inventory, to buy great deals on supplies, to sell your own creative offerings or just to peruse to get ideas and inspiration? Is it passe at this point, or even something that has never really touched you or your customers...

Links I Love

Craftside: 'A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world'

Craftside's bright colors and consistent "Here's how to make this cool thing" copy makes me want to stick to one of my (many) New Year's resolutions: Do more creative projects.

The blog's author, Stefanie Girard, is doing a number of things right with her Typepad blogging outlet. Her calls to action on the home page are many: In addition to the main text highlighting a project from some new book or magazine, she has graphics that invite you to follow Craftside on Facebook and Twitter; register for the enewsletter; or even hit the "video bar" and watch her interview fellow crafters for a glimpse into making a trendy project. Click on a category that captures your fancy, whether it's decoupage or steampunk, quilting or retro knits.

As a published industry author herself (check out her other blog that builds on her brand, SweaterSurgery: How to make new things out of old sweaters), Girard got her start as a Hollywood set designer. She has since worked as a producer, writer and editor for a variety of shows on HGTV, DIY Network and Lifetime TV. And according to her official bio on Amazon, "she has designed and written directions for over 400 craft projects for clients." Needless to say, when she picks a project to highlight, it's going to be one that's clear, concise and fun to do!

Got a link you love? Tell me!

Check this out!

CCTV reports that the world's largest piece of cross-stitch is a 6x6-meter map of China and its surrounding region. The piece will be on display at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, which will take place May 1-Oct. 31, 2010.

The Knitty Gritty

X Emphasis on education: Shelly Stilge is the owne of Twist Yarn Shop in Wichita, KS, and her recent business profile in The Wichita Eagle focused on how the shop literally devotes half its space to classes and a gathering spot.

Tip: Spread the word that needlework enthusiasts can congregate here. Stilge said that while knitting in coffee shops and bookstores is fun, she felt guilty taking up hours of time in their space. At Twist, you can leave your guilt at the door. Oh, and bring food, too!

X Location, location, location: Karen Baier, owner of Off the Beaten Path Yarnery in Monona, WI, smartly did a poll of customers and found that 85 percent of her customers were from across town. So when it came time to relocate, that's where she went.

Tip: Go to where the market is. As she points out in her profile in the Wisconsin State Journal, Baier's new location is anything but "off the beaten path." She notes that the neighborhood has a lot of foot traffic and is community-oriented, which fits her business plan. (Spreading the word about her new place via the local media is another great thing!)

X A new life for older pieces sums up what's happening to 88-year-old Maxine Hadfield's more than 30 years' worth of cross-stitch work. According to an article in the Northwest Florida Daily News, the Fort Walton Beach, FL-based stitcher is donating her work to the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics.

Tip: Talk to customers about their plans for their work. As I've shared in a previous column, it can be devastating to see the lifelong creations of someone who has passed away or has to downsize their living space simply thrown away — but on the other hand, it's not fair to expect the person's family to keep every single project, either. Why not make it a topic of discussion during the next stitching gathering, and see what they have to say. Chances are their mindsets range from "I'll let Jenny have that quilt after I'm gone" to "I'll let Jenny enjoy that quilt now, since it's just sitting in a drawer anyway." By bringing it up in a non-threatening manner ("We're all in the same boat here"), you're opening the dialogue for them to have some say over what happens to their stash and work.