by Shasta McLaughlin
The Extravaganza Craft Productions
copyright 2010

?How can you make your booth stand out at jewelry shows?

1. Specialize in something!

Artisans can specialize in:

* gold or silver jewelry
* vintage pieces
* bridal jewelry
* jewelry from natural gemstone, precious or semi-precious stones
* Western, outdoor, rugged, or nature jewelry
* Silverware jewelry
* Pieces inspired by any race or nationality
* Beaded jewelry
* remake antique jewelry

Your pieces can be inspired by a place such as all your pieces having the colors of the Grand Canyon or your favorite mountain scene. They might be inspired by your favorite city, or even by an industrial building.

The key in specializing is to choose a large group of people with similar tastes in handcrafted jewelry and design jewelry specifically for them.

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The article contains suggestions that help you cut costs at craft shows and market your business to grow your craft show business during tough times.

View the article at http://www.art.mt.gov/soa/pr.asp?ID=1289

Thank You Montana Arts Council!

You’re in the elevator and your friend John introduces you to Barbara who is the CEO of one of the companies you’d like to do business with. Barbara asks, “What do you do?”

Here is your chance to make a connection with a prime member of your target market. You want to get her attention, make a positive impression and get her interested enough to continue the conversation. You’ve got about fifteen seconds to do this.

Do you have an elevator speech?

Whether you are in the elevator, or on the phone, the way you start the conversation will determine whether or not it will continue. You could tell anyone what you do if you had half an hour, but with fifteen seconds you’re likely to simply label yourself, as most people do.

Labels don’t tell us much. Imagine you told Barbara, in the elevator, that you are a coach or a consultant. Are you talking about working with high school kids, senior managers, or actors? Few job labels tell your audience who you work with. Most labels are not only vague but don’t help to prompt the conversation to continue.

You could be more specific and tell your prospect you are a tax accountant or an automation specialist. That gives people some idea of what you do, but still doesn’t explain why your prospect should care.

Instead of using a label, you could tell your prospect how you do your work, the processes you use. You might say, “We analyze light manufacturing companies to identify areas where the addition of a programmable logic controller could boost throughput.” If she understands what you are talking about, you still haven’t given her a reason to contact you.

Whether you are an executive coach, lawyer, accountant, or automation specialist, when you start talking about the processes you use eyes glaze over and minds shut down. While you may have developed processes that no one else uses, prospects don’t car about the process, at least not initially.

One of the most common mistakes people make is assuming their message should be about themselves. If you are in business to provide services and products to clients and customers, your marketing message should be about their needs and wants. Here’s the difference:

• “I’m a marketing coach.” (It’s about me, and who really cares?)
• “I help independent professionals attract more clients and make more money.” (It’s about what I do for others and should prompt the question, “How do you do that?”)

Your prospects’ primary concern isn’t you. They want to know what you can do for them and how you can help them profit, financially, physically or emotionally. They want to know if you can solve a problem for them.

To get attention with a short sentence about the problems you solve, you might tell Barbara you “help reduce manufacturing operating costs and increase profits”. Cost containment is a continual problem for any CEO and should pique her interest and prompt follow up.

Stop shutting the door to new business with your business marketing message. When people ask you what you do, avoid using a label or a discussion of process. Instead, quickly clarify who you help and what type of problems you solve. One sentence should do the job.

Talking about what you do in a new way takes a little getting used to. The first couple of times you stop yourself from saying, “I’m an executive coach or consultant” and replace it with a marketing message or elevator speech that describes how you actually help clients, it will feel awkward. Keep using and fine tuning your small business marketing message and soon it will not only give prospects a clear idea of what you do but you’ll be comfortable using it.

Once you have a 15 second marketing message that works you can use it in the elevator, in the airport, on the phone, and at parties and watch your business grow.

You’ll b e more successful with a brilliant marketing message and elevator speech. You’ll be able to quickly help people understand how you can help them so they’ll buy from you.

The author, Charlie Cook, helps small business owners and marketing professionals attract more clients, whether you are marketing in print, in person or online. Sign up for the Free Marketing eBook, ‘7 Steps to get more clients and grow your business‘, full of practical marketing strategies you can use to increase profits at www.MarketingForSuccess.com

I’m having a hard time finding the motivation to write here.  Usually it’s because of personal problems but it doesn’t help that I just don’t know what you would like to hear about.

Are you having trouble with your craft show booth display?

Craft show promoters are you having trouble finding craft show vendors?

Need to know how to make more sales in your show booth?

Email me the specific questions that are plaguing your craft show booth.  I’ll do some research and do my best to answer your questions here on the blog.

I’m sure that if you’re facing those problems someone else is also.  So let’s help each other out send me your questions and I’ll do my best to get back to them.

Thanks,

Shasta McLaughlin
The Extravaganza Craft Productions

Recently I signed up to do business with a big company and have had nothing but a terrible experience.  They have however helped me to realize what good customer service is and what it is not.

Good service is delivering what was promised, on time.  It is realizing that as a business person it is your job to deliver value for your customers dollars.

Good customer service is having a way for your customers to reach you regarding any problems they are having with your art or craft, your policies or your business in general.  It is having a clear effective way for them to report problems.  It is listening to them and valuing their opinions.

Good customer service is NOT giving people the run around.  It is NOT making them call and leave several messages to resolve a problem.  Customer service is NOT WAITING two weeks before returning phone calls.  It is returning their calls within 2 days of them calling even if it is only to tell them you are sorry for the problem and working to resolve it.  Then resolve it and let them know.

Providing good service ISN’T about correcting customers misconceptions about your business after they happen.  It is preventing them in the first place, or taking responsibility for them if they do occur.

Good customer service is having a 100% satisfaction guarantee that states:

If you are unsatisfied with our product or service for any reason we will refund you money completely.  No questions asked.  However if you would like to tell us what is was wrong with our product or service we would be happy to listen so we can improve our business in the future.

It is informing all your employees of this policy.  It is telling them that listening means not talking.  It is giving them the authority and resources they need to refund the customers money.

Lastly good customer service is about seeing upset customers as an asset.  Upset customers can do the most damage to your business OR you can see that they are your best opportunities to grow.  By hearing your customers complaints you know the places that your business needs improvement.  If you resolve their problems with your business satisfactorily they may even become your best customers.

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Easy instructions for creating a website are located at:

http://www.extravaganzacrafts.com/index.php?pr=Build_a_website

I received an email the other day from Give to Get Marketing expert, Joe Gracia, that shows how Mullen’s Ice Cream Shop uses their business card to do double duty.

The business card contains the business contact information including name and phone number, but also includes an offer to the business’s customers.

The business card functions as a coupon for $1.00 off purchases of $6.00 or more, $2.00 off purchases of $12.00 or more, $3.00 off purchases of $18.00 or more, or 2 scoops for the price of one.  They easily fit all this information on one side of a business card.

There are several ways this concept could be adapted to any business, but I immediately thought of art and craft festival vendors.

Different craft vendors can use different offers.

For instance lower priced jewelry might use an offer very similar to Mullen’s offer above with just a small increase in savings for a slightly larger purchase.  Instead of two scoops for the price of one you could use get a free pair of earrings valued at $x.xx with every necklace valued at $xx.xx purchased.  For higher priced items like fine art or furniture you might want to increase the size of the discount (or use a % off offer) and purchase to fit more with your items.

The idea is to encourage a customer purchasing one item at craft festivals to purchase an additional item or complimentary item as they will receive a larger discount or savings the more they purchase.

Other offers that could be used on a business card include:

• $x.xx off offers
• x % off offers
• buy x get x -1/2 off and other similar offers
• buy x get x free

The back of the card should have a picture of your best seller and say, “Bring this card and a friend to any show and receive xx offer.  See our website for current show schedule.”  It should then list your website address.  NOTE:  Your website should tell what shows you will be attending, have other places they can purchase your items (such as galleries, specialty shops, etc.), and have pieces for sale.  By including a coupon code beneath each offer on the front they could use the coupon on their online order to encourage larger online sales.

HOW TO ATTRACT CUSTOMERS LIKE A MAGNET
Marketing is all about ‘helping people get what they want.’ Simply do that and you’ll have all the customers and sales you’ll ever need. Learn this simple formula and your business will begin to grow instantly. For more information, visit:  Give to Get Marketing

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Recently I’ve been getting a lot of calls from craft show vendors who wanted to sign up for my newsletter about craft shows.  When they called they needed a little information about the newsletter and then asked how they could sign up.  I lost the sale when I referred them to my website because I’m not set up to take orders over the phone.  What could I have done better?

I could have  signed on to my website and walked them through the process.  This way I would have guided them through the purchase rather than leaving them to go to the site on their own.  I could have also collected their name and address while talking to them so that I could contact them later if they didn’t go and sign up right away.

Craft show vendors know when your customer is ready to make a purchase and guide them to the cash register.  Don’t walk away before the sale is completed.

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I’ve been looking for sources of grants for artists and crafters for a very long time. This week Dee Bishop the craft shop examiner for examiner.com contacted me and when I asked about grants she posted an article that I wanted to share with you. Grant and funding sources for artists

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