CRAFT: It's Friday, December 12

CRAFT: It's Friday, December 12

Although we are hearing from our members that business is indeed down this year, there are positive steps to take, even in this economy. Consider:

Greg Worden and Deb Kneale are exploring John Schallert's advice on 4th quarter strategies. Read John's Top 3 December Resolutions here.

Hanson Galleries in Houston reports that their business has remained healthier than expected considering Ike, election and economy because they have developed a strong e-marketing program with their newsletters.  Using Constant Contact for the past 17 months, Hanson Galleries has increased their repeat customer business beyond expectations (or at very least they stayed in business).

In the last newsletter, they had over a dozen click-through opportunities and had 40% of those opening the email go ahead and click-through to one or more of the hotlinks.  That got the customer to the website.  That meant that before the newsletter was sent, many hours were spent on photography and updating the website so that the click-throughs were as strong as possible.  When they get photos from artists at time of placing order, it is always a big plus.

They plan these newsletters by quarter and work ahead as much as possible.  They send out one per month with two each month in Nov and Dec.  They have included incentives (gift with purchase, customer birthday discounts, for instance) that have met with only a small success.  

The buyers' education programs that Donna Milstein handles with her committee always includes a Table Topic on this valuable marketing tool.  Power Point seminars have been offered at wholesale venues as well.  Constant Contact is an affinity partner.  Hanson Galleries has spent under $500 a year with Constant Contact on this effort.  Many, many hours of photography, writing, proofing and gathering the email addresses is the price you have to pay to have these results.

They were certainly not the first in the craft community to use electronic newsletters and have never been nominated for any awards on them, but believe strongly in their use and hope that this note gives others not using them already the incentive to forge ahead and get started.

See Hanson Galleries' newsletter by subscribing here.

Submitted by Donna Milstein, owner, Hanson Galleries, Houston

Post-holiday, mark your calendars for the January CRAFT T3-Third Tuesday Free Teleconference: 

Tuesday, January 20 from 10-11 am EST

Check the website for updates on the number to call.

Submitted by Susan Clayton, susan@thegrandhand.com