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PAQA 2011 Spring Retreat

"Thrive not merely survive as a Studio Professional"

with
Bruce Baker (www.bbakerinc.com )

Reserve your spot NOW!

Registration deadline is February 1, 2011

 

March 21 – 23, 2011
The Siena Center
Racine, Wisconsin

About the Presenter

Bruce Baker has led over 500 workshops throughout the United States and Canada in the last twenty years. He speaks on a variety of direct marketing related topics such as display, sales and customer service. Bruce has a special talent for making his workshops relevant to the audience's needs. Those who have taken his workshops report phenomenal increases in sales as much as 20 to 30 percent (if they are willing to take an active role in the sales process). Currently, he and his wife Nancie own Sweet Cecily, which features folk art and fine crafts. When Bruce is not on the road consulting he works as a jeweler.

Bruce has served as the secretary of the American Craft Council; he is currently serving on the board of directors for the Arts Business Institute. He is a contributing editor to "The Crafts Report" and writes a regular column on the subjects of booth design, craft merchandising and sales. He has conducted workshops for the Society of North American Goldsmiths and The Precious Metal Clay Guild, The Connecticut Farm Bureau, and the NE Direct Marketing Conference. He has been a speaker at the National Conference of the Association of Small Business Development Centers for 2002 (Nashville) 2003 (San Diego.) 2007 (Denver) and 2009 Orlando

Cost

We need 40 people for a cost of $60 each ($80 non-member) for the two day workshop.

Register NOW!

Day 1: Agenda

  1. Booth Design and Merchandising for Art Galleries and Trade Shows
    1. This topic covers from laying out your booth to lighting your art. Tips and techniques that work to merchandise and sell more art are the focus of this section. The focus will be on ways that artists can ramp up their merchandising without spending a lot of money.
  2. Marketing Issues
  3. Sales Techniques to close more sales
    1. How to greet customers, overcome their objections and close more sales.
    2. Can be the biggest stumbling blocks for an artist. This workshop is for anyone who finds themselves in a sales position. This lively and entertaining section will help you to greet your customers and close more sales.
    3. • Learn how customers expect to become repeat and loyal buyers.
    4. • Discover how using the senses and body language will create more sales!
    5. • Learn why it is important to never say "thank you" to your customers until a sale is transacted and how to avoid other customer "turnoffs"

END OF DAY ONE.

Day 2: Agenda

  1. Product Trends and Development
    1. Using trends to expand your business by making products that customers want to buy. Most artists do not know the power and advantage of using trends to create products. Do you know how to identify current trends and use this information to develop your product to make them irresistible to your customers?
    2. Learn how to identify current and future trends and their effect on the market place. Learn how to use trends to create products that sell with ease, from what you call it to the way it is packaged will affect your sales. See clearly the difference between a Trend and a Fad.
    3. To get the most out of this section each participant should bring an open mind and a few examples of their work to stimulate product development "show and tell" discussions. At the end of this workshop participants will know how to divine for trends and how to use these trends to develop products that will sell with ease.
  2. Mock Jury - Slide Presentation
    1. What the jury wants to see and how to get into better shows consistently. Each person in the room is jurying the images of the individuals in the room. They get their images scored plus they get a written evaluation from every person in the room. See "advanced work requirements".

Advanced Work

First 50 retreat participants that submit 2 images will be providing content for the mock jury.

Kathy Downie will put slides in power point to be used during workshop just as a jury would on the second day.

Supplies

Each participant should bring an open mind and a few examples of their work to stimulate product development "show and tell" discussions. Bring pen and paper.

PLEASE NOTE: Soon you will be able to reserve overnight accommodations and meals. Registrants do* not* have to stay at the Sienna Center campus or attend meals in their cafeteria.* More information will be coming in the next newsletter, if not before.

*PAQA Retreat March 21 – 23, 2011* Sienna Center, Racine WI *Registration Form*

ABOUT THE LOCATION


The Siena Center, Racine

Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, the Siena Center is an idyllic setting to renew, re-energize, and reawake your creative juices. 

The retreat center run be the Racine Dominicans,  is short drive from Chicago and Milwaukee.  The retreat facilities offer an ideal setting for conferences, workshops, staff planning and retreats - a few hours, a day, an overnight or longer. 76 private bedrooms, along with home-cooked meals, are available. Siena Center is accessible to moderately handicapped persons.


Located on the shore of Lake Michigan, it is a
wonderfully inspirational site to rev up your creativity.

 

ABOUT PAQA

PAQA, The Professional Art Quilt Alliance, fostering and nourishing innovation in the art quilt and art garment field.

Learn more...

 

Reserve your place in the workshop by sending your check made out to PAQA.

 


 

Check out past retreats