What to do about wholesaling?

Well this question is becoming more and more prevalent. At ABI workshops it is common for artists to inform me that they do not wholesale and have been in business for 20 years without wholesale.

So why should they wholesale? Wholesaling brings a new element to your business. It allows you to reach an audience that you would otherwise never reach, create reliable income, receive professional feedback about your work and sharpen your business skills.

What are the downsides? It is another level of bookkeeping, it requires a different set of business skills and more customers to keep track of. What we see is that there is an entire industry built of the model of wholesaling. It is how products end up in stores nation wide. The craft industry is a prime example of this. You might be an artist living in the backwoods of Vermont and you can still have your work in 30 different states.

One way to start wholesaling is to exhibit at a wholesale show, however that has a pretty large learning curve. You can also start with a grassroots effort. The door-to-door salesman method, we here at ABI do not recommend this method, but that does not mean it doesn’t work.

ABI Wholesale Workshops The Business of Wholesale Relationships with Galleries, Teleconference

There are also online wholesale resources WholesaleCraft.com

There are several wholesale shows in the craft industry Buyers Market of American Craft American Craft Council American Craft retailers Association

Arts Business Boot Camp

Arts Business Boot Camp
March 7-8, 2009
Haywood Community College
185 Freedlander Dr.
Student Center/Auditorium, Building #1500
Clyde, NC 28721 (20 minutes from Asheville NC)

We are back from the Haywood event and happy to report that the event was a huge success. We had a total of 78 people attend, from Haywood Community College, local artist from the WNC community and quite a few folks who traveled from other states.

The event was planned to be a two presenter event, Milon Townsend and Nancy Markoe. At the last minute Wendy Rosen decided to join us to add her perspectives on marketing and trends. It was wonderful to have such a wide range of information and topics. I have posted the schedule below for a reference.

On Sunday we had a panel discussion about marketing trends. Wendy Outland, Wendy Rosen, Betty Hurst, Kimberly Miller and Elijah Wyman sat on the panel. The panel was full of opinions. It is very refreshing when the panelist have different opinions, it keeps us here at ABI objective and on our toes. Thanks to our wonderful panelist for providing us with their time and objective opinions.

Our next event will be in Mansfield PA on May 18th. We will have more information up on the ABI website soon.

Please feel free to post your thoughts on the weekend. We love to get feed back!

Schedule
Saturday March 7th, 2009
8:00- 9:00am.......Registration
9:00- 9:30am.......Opening Remarks, Wendy Rosen
9:40- 11:20am.......Pricing, Nancy Markoe
11:30am- 1:00pm......Relationships with Galleries, Nancy Markoe
11:30am- 1:00pm.......Creativity, Milon Townsend
11:30- 1:00am.......Web marketing Through Social Networking, Wendy Rosen
1:00- 2:00pm.......Lunch, Tour of Haywood Community College Craft Facilities
2:00- 3:30pm.......Creation and Evolution of a Wholesale Product Line, Milon Townsend
2:00am- 3:30pm .......Trends, Wendy Rosen
2:00- 3:30pm.......Display & Merchandising Techniques, Nancy Markoe
3:40- 5:00pm.......Vocabulary Voice and Vision, Milon Townsend
3:40- 5:00pm.......Finding Your Market, Nancy Markoe
5:00- 6:00pm.......One-on-One Mentoring

Sunday March 8th, 2009
10:00am- noon.......Salesmanship, Milon Townsend
10:00am- noon.......Trends, Wendy Rosen
Noon- 1:00pm.......Lunch
1:00- 2:30pm.......Keeping Up with the Economic Times, Milon Townsend
1:00- 2:30pm.......Display & Merchandising Techniques, Nancy Markoe
1:00- 2:30pm.......Trends, Wendy Rosen
2:40- 4:00.......Trends in the Market Place, panel discussion with local arts professionals
4:10- 4:30pm.......Closing Remarks
4:30- 5:00.......One-on-one Mentoring

Hello Creative Friends,

ABI is officially blogging! We are committing energy to creating an active blog. Why are we doing this? Our mission is to provide creative business owners like yourself with relevant business information. This is one way we are committing our efforts to help build the community of artists, gallery owners, boutique owners and the arts community.

We are going to use you as a resource to gather good content. Because who knows better about ABI will be periodically sending out emails asking questions and then reporting on that relevant information. Look for features such as interviews from artists, the latest from ABI and thoughtful articles about how to improve your business.

We are hoping that as we dive into the world of blogging that we can do a link exchange with you and keep up with your work, too.

We are very excited about entering this new world of blogging and hope you are excited to read our posts.

Sincerely,
Your Friends at ABI

Arts Business Boot Camp, Haywood Community College

Arts Business Boot Camp
March 7-8, 2009
Haywood Community College
185 Freedlander Dr.
Student Center/Auditorium, Building #1500
Clyde, NC 28721 (20 minutes from Asheville NC)

Dear Artist,

You are registered for the Arts Business Boot Camp, Clyde, North Carolina, March 7-8. The Arts Business Boot Camp being held in partnership with the HandMade in America and Haywood Community College.

When you arrive at Haywood Community College (map below) please park in the first parking lot on the right of Freelander Drive. The conference will be held in the main Auditorium Building #1500 and the workshop will begin at 9:00am on Saturday March 7th and 10:00am on Sunday March 8th. Please arrive 50-30 minutes early to register.

Due to the large interest in market trends and opportunities I am ecstatic to announce that we are adding Wendy Rosen to the roster of presenters at the Arts Business Boot Camp! Wendy Rosen, founder of the Rosen Group and the Arts Business Institute, she will be offering seminars on social networking and market trends.

The Arts Business Boot Camp is tailored for 3 dimensional artists, 2 dimensional artists. We are very excited to be able to offer you a wide range of topics each day. All of the seminars presented by Wendy Rosen will be held in auditorium number one, all seminars held by Milon Townsend will be held in auditorium number two and all seminars presented by Nancy Markoe will be held in auditorium number three.

The full schedule is listed below for your convenience; you can choose your own path each day of the workshop. You are welcome to switch seminars through out the workshop. I recommend choosing your path before you arrive at the workshop.

If you registered in advance for a mentoring session, please check the list at registration. The time slots are subject to change, so please confirm your time slot on the day of your mentor session. Please be prepared for your mentoring session 5 minutes before your scheduled time.

As you can see, we have a busy schedule ahead of us! We’re glad you’re here, and hope that this weekend will put you on your path to Growing Your Business. If you have any questions, look for a faculty or staff member to point you in the right direction.

Enjoy!

Sincerely,
Meghan D. Bunnell
Executive Director
Arts Business Institute
877.ABI.5771


Map of Haywood Community College

Mentor Sessions
(To have a one-on-one 15 minute mentor session, you must register on the ABI website)
Please arrive 5 minutes early for your mentor session. During this time you will be able to set up your materials. Please bring a portfolio of your work, marketing materials and anything you would like the mentors to review. Printed images are suggested; we will not have slide lights, so slides will be very hard to read. We prefer that you bring images and not the actual pieces.

Schedule
Saturday March 7th, 2009
8:00- 9:00am.......Registration
9:00- 9:30am.......Opening Remarks, Wendy Rosen
9:40- 11:20am.......Pricing, Nancy Markoe
11:30am- 1:00pm......Relationships with Galleries, Nancy Markoe
11:30am- 1:00pm.......Creativity, Milon Townsend
11:30- 1:00am.......Web marketing Through Social Networking, Wendy Rosen
1:00- 2:00pm.......Lunch, Tour of Haywood Community College Craft Facilities
2:00- 3:30pm.......Creation and Evolution of a Wholesale Product Line, Milon Townsend
2:00am- 3:30pm .......Trends, Wendy Rosen
2:00- 3:30pm.......Display & Merchandising Techniques, Nancy Markoe
3:40- 5:00pm.......Vocabulary Voice and Vision, Milon Townsend
3:40- 5:00pm.......Finding Your Market, Nancy Markoe
5:00- 6:00pm.......One-on-One Mentoring

Sunday March 8th, 2009
10:00am- noon.......Salesmanship, Milon Townsend
10:00am- noon.......Trends, Wendy Rosen
Noon- 1:00pm.......Lunch
1:00- 2:30pm.......Keeping Up with the Economic Times, Milon Townsend
1:00- 2:30pm.......Display & Merchandising Techniques, Nancy Markoe
1:00- 2:30pm.......Trends, Wendy Rosen
2:40- 4:00.......Trends in the Market Place, panel discussion with local arts professionals
4:10- 4:30pm.......Closing Remarks
4:30- 5:00.......One-on-one Mentoring

Topics Description

Pricing, Nancy Markoe -- Pricing mistakes – selling your product for too much or too little, is the single greatest cause of business failures. Learn the formula to use in order to earn enough money to maintain an acceptable standard of living while accommodating your artistic inclinations. Price your work for profit!

Relationships with Galleries, Nancy Markoe -- Developing a successful relationship with a gallery is a two-way street. Discover what galleries expect from their artists, and how to make reordering easy for them. Find out how they mark-up your work, and why.

Display & Merchandising Techniques, Nancy Markoe -- The art of displaying works that enhance their special qualities and lead to sales. Creating the environment - details to ambiance.

Creativity, Milon Townsend -- Discusses 40 specific ways to access what should be a regular, everyday tool in the arsenal of every working artist. Seen as ephemeral, it becomes so. Seen as essential, useful tool, it becomes that, instead.

Creation and Evolution of a Wholesale Product Line, MilonTownsend -- Illustrates the power of working within established categories as a means to direct market access. Explains about breadth and depth; design evolution; discontinuing lines/items; price ceiling; selling in multiples; price points; many other points.

Vocabulary, Voice, and Vision, Milon Towsend -- Discusses the development of an artist's work, through the steps of vocabulary - the basic elements of artistic language; voice - the way that the artist chooses to use these vocabulary elements; and vision - the point at which one begins thinking in the language of art, and ideas come full-fledge to the mind. How do we help this process along?

Salesmanship, Milon Townsend -- Being a dynamic craft seller takes practice. Learn the methods that will help you improve your sales with all kinds of customers.

Keeping Up with the Economic Times, Milon Townsend -- Changing and adjusting your business model allowing you to continue to survive and new make exciting work.


Social Networking & Internet Marketing Beyond Facebook -- Learn how internet networking sites and online marketing can leverage your access to experts, galleries, corporate commissions and even museum acquisitions.


Trends: Staying Ahead of the Curve -- From product design and social experiences to the changes in the marketplace. Explore the source and nature of trends, how they impact your business and the work you create.

Visiting Artists Program

Dear Visiting Artists,

You are registered for the Arts Business Institute’s Visiting Artists Program held in Philadelphia, PA at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The Visiting Artists Program is held in partnership with the Buyers Market of American Craft.

When you arrive at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, please enter using the Market Street and Arch Street entrance. Take the escalator and follow the signs to the Buyers Market of American Craft located on the second level. Registration will be set up in the foyer in front of Hall A. The Visiting Artist Registration will be held at Exhibitor Will Call. At registration you will receive a binder with supplemental information provided by the faculty to reinforce the topics that they will be presenting.

All of the workshops will be held in Room 201A of the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The Visiting Artist Lounge will be in room 303AB on the third floor. The lounge will have resource materials as well as a wonderful view of the show floor.

If you would like to be considered for the group mentor session with Wendy Rosen, please submit 4-5, 300DPI or less, 3-5", images of your product line to artsbusinessinstitute@gmail.com by February 9, 2008. 2-3 artists will be chosen and mentored by Wendy Rosen in front of the group. The artists will be chosen on a basis of image quality and product line.

As you can see we have a busy schedule ahead of us! We’re glad that you’re attending, and we hope this weekend will help you Grow Your Business of Art.

If you have questions regarding the upcoming event, please feel free to contact me.
Enjoy!

Sincerely,
Meghan D. Bunnell
Executive Director
Arts Business Institute
877.ABI.5771

info@artsbusinessinstitute.org
www.artsbusinessinstitute.org

Mentor Sessions
(To have a one-on-one 15 minute mentor session, you must register on the ABI website)
Please arrive 5 minutes early for your mentor session. During this time you will be able to set up your materials.
Please bring a portfolio of your work, marketing materials and anything you would like the mentors to review. Printed images are suggested; we will not have slide lights, so slides will be very hard to read. We prefer that you bring images and not the actual pieces.

Full Schedule:
Visiting Artist Schedule
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13TH
10:30am-Noon Wholesale 101, Bruce Baker
1:00-2:50pm Booth Design, Bruce Baker
3:00-4:00pm Mentoring Sessions with Experienced Gallery Professionals
4:00-6:00pm Tour of the Buyers Market Floor

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14TH
10:30am-Noon Relationships with Galleries, Nancy Markoe
1:00-2:30pm Pricing, Milon Townsend
2:40-3:40pm Ins and Outs of the BMAC, Panel Discussion with BMAC Staff
3:50-4:50pm Mentoring Sessions with Experienced Gallery Professionals
4:00 – 5:00pm Visiting Artists Meet and Greet
5:00-6:00pm Tour of the Buyers Market Floor

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15TH
10:30am-Noon Group mentor session with Wendy Rosen
1:00-2:30pm Impacts of Wholesale Panel Discussion with Experienced BMAC Artists
2:40-3:40pm Mentoring Sessions with Experienced Gallery Professionals
2:40 – 3:40pm Visiting Artists Meet and Greet
3:40-6:00pm Tour of the Buyers Market Floor
6:00-9:00pm NICHE Awards Reception and Ceremony


Friday, February 13th, 2009 Wholesale 101, 
Bruce Baker
10:30am – 12:00pm

Now that you know the benefits of wholesaling, Bruce Baker will lead you through the basic steps to prepare your business for the wholesale marketplace. This session will cover the basics of building a production schedule, staffing, designing a dynamic booth display, and how to create contracts and order forms.

Successful Booth Design, Bruce Baker
1:00 – 2:50pm
Display and lighting can make or break an exhibit. Booth displays need not cost a fortune—creativity and resourcefulness are what count. You will learn to design a display that complements your work while being led through the many possibilities of construction and lighting techniques.

Individual Portfolio Reviews

3:00 – 4:00pm

Sign up for a 10-minute individual portfolio review with Buyers Market staff. Space is limited and advance registration is required.

Visiting Artists Meet ans Greet
3:00 – 4:00pm
This time is designed for you to have a chance to mingle with the other Visiting Artists attendees. Spend an hours looking over the materials and discussing business strategies with the other artists.
Guided Tour of the Buyers Market Floor
4:00 – 6:00pm

Join Visiting Artist program leaders for a guided tour of the Buyers Market of American Craft, featuring interviews and Q&A sessions with select exhibitors. Tour groups are divided by medium so Visiting Artists get the most out of the tour experience! 


6:00-8:00pm The BMAC Happy Hour After the show, join your Buyers Market friends for a special happy hour! The Happy hour will be held at the Field House, 1150 Filbert Street (inside the Convention Center complex) Enjoy this opportunity to network with fellow exhibitors and buyers. Mix and mingle, and order up a drink from one of our special guest bartenders. Present your BMAC badge at the hostess stand to get a wristband good for BMAC Happy Hour discounts: $3 domestic draft beer; $5 house mixed drinks; $4 house wine; 10% off food orders. See you there!

Saturday February 14, 2009 Relationships with Galleries, Nancy Markoe
10:30am- Noon
Developing a successful relationship with a gallery is a two-way street. Discover what galleries expect from their artists, and how to make reordering easy for them. Find out how they mark-up your work, and why.

Pricing, Milon Townsend
1:00-2:30pm
Pricing mistakes – selling your product for too much or too little--are the greatest causes of business failures. Learn the formula to use in order to earn enough money to maintain an acceptable standard of living while accommodating your artistic inclinations. Price your work for profit!

Ins and Outs of the BMAC, Panel Discussion with BMAC Staff
2:40 – 3:40pm
This time will be designated for you to ask questions and get answers directly from the BMAC staffers.

Individual Portfolio Reviews
3:50 – 4:50pm

Sign up for a 10-minute individual portfolio review with Buyers Market staff. Space is limited and advance registration is required.

Visiting Artists Meet and Greet
4:00 – 5:00pm
This time is designed for you to have a chance to mingle with the other Visiting Artists attendees. Spend an hours looking over the materials and discussing business strategies with the other artists.

Guided Tour of the Buyers Market of American Craft
5:00 – 6:00pm

Join Visiting Artist program leaders for a guided tour of the Buyers Market of American Craft, featuring interviews and Q&A sessions with select exhibitors. Tour groups are divided by medium so Visiting Artists get the most out of the tour experience! 


Sunday, February 16, 2009
Group Critique with Wendy Rosen
10:30-Noon
Wendy Rosen, the President and Founder of The Rosen Group and author of Crafting as a Business, will be mentoring two of the Visiting Artists in a group setting. This will be an exciting opportunity to hear what one of the leaders of the craft industry has to say about an artist's line of work.

The Impacts of Wholesaling, Panel discussion with experienced artists
1:00-2:30
Join a panel of established artists for an informative discussion on the impacts of wholesaling. Topics will cover the fundamental differences of retail shows verses wholesale shows and how incorporating wholesale affects your business financial. Get the inside answer to your questions from established artists.

Individual Portfolio Reviews
2:40 – 3:40pm

Sign up for a 10-minute individual portfolio review with Buyers Market staff. Space is limited and advance registration is required.

Visiting Artists Meet and Greet
2:40 – 3:40pm
This time is designed for you to have a chance to mingle with the other Visiting Artists attendees. Spend an hours looking over the materials and discussing business strategies with the other artists.

Guided Tour of the Buyers Market of American Craft

3:40 – 6:00pm

Join Visiting Artist program leaders for a guided tour of the Buyers Market of American Craft, featuring interviews and Q&A sessions with select exhibitors. Tour groups are divided by medium so Visiting Artists get the most out of the tour experience!