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Yes, Alana had a spring break for
April...so here are your April and May tips.
We will start doing the marketing tip updates every other month unless Alana has
a major marketing breakthrough to report, or is very bored and right now the
store is a tad too busy for that!
Is everyone aware that large glass front soda refrigerators are free for your
store? I cannot tell you how many drinks I sell per day. I called Dr. Pepper to
get their glass front fridge, which looks much nicer than a machine you put
change into. As long as it is stocked with only Dr. Pepper products, it is free
to you and the customers give you the money. In the large glass bottles
you make about .50 per drink. I chose Dr. Pepper because they own Snapple and
Arizona teas which kind of goes with the image of the store...I have probably 15
different drink selections. Dr. Pepper is pretty big in Texas. They won't tell
you it's free...you have to ask. And they load it weekly for you.
This one will be in your CCSA
newsletter as they have asked me to write marketing tips for that as well now:
Most of the contemporary studios are in upscale areas, henceforth, most of your
customers will have e-mail. E-mail is much cheaper for you to send than flyers
so if you keep e-mail lists and send your customers updates on your promotions
or special events via the net, you
are doing a free mailer. If you have them fill out a form before firing, ask if
they have e-mail as well and save a bit. You can keep two lists...one for paper
mailings, and one for the net.
You can keep a warmer with candle wax and scents in your store and pour it in to
items (mugs, boxes, etc) that your customers paint for a small (or large) fee so
they have not only made their own pottery, but have made their own
candle...paraffin sets up very quickly so there isn't much wait time for it to
dry. Add a scent and a wick and kids will love this one. Good for father's
day. Just be careful to keep it in a safe place away from the kids and watch
that you don't heat it too hot. Look in art catalogs such as Dick Blick, Nasco,
or School Specialty Arts and Crafts for candle items as well as good tools to
teach art camps.
You will have lots more kids for summer art camps if you make it an art camp and
not just a pottery camp. I am teaching lessons before I open in the morning and
my class filled up within a week so I am going to do workshops in July as
well...you don't have to be an art teacher...look through those catalogs and
they have lots of kits.
Do free workshops for companies...fax
them a flyer saying you will do a corporate party painting workshop. Allow each
person to do a tile but show lots of different techniques. It's cheaper than an
ad and it will work for you. Remember, people are intimidated by art until they
realize how fun and easy this is. Make it a team building event.
It is summertime! Put patio tables out front for people to paint and enjoy the
weather! If nothing else, it will make people notice your store with tables out
front! When you aren't busy (God forbid!) paint in front of your store.
Fax schools about doing teacher parties, retirement parties, showers etc at your
store rather than the teacher lounge.
Steve and Tina Wilson, who own Adventures in Art in Santee, CA (a
suburb of San Diego) do a lot of parties for scout troops and to help make
things attractive for the troops they waive their normal studio fee and explain
how items are made from slip to mold to firing. They then give them a tour of
the back room where the glazing and firing takes place. All this helps them earn
a badge! In their party room, which seats 45, they have mounted tile handprints
of each person who has had a party there. When others see it they are dying to
get their handprint tile on the wall as well. Great ideas!
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