Monday, January 29, 2007

COLORADO WORKROOM GROUP

The first meeting of the Colorado Workroom Group took place this past Saturday, Jan. 26.

Our Mission Statement is to develop exceptional skills and educate designers.

Meetings will be held in individual workrooms this year with field trips to manufacturers, show homes, and other places of interest.

Meetings will be the 3rd Friday of each month from Noon to 3. Pot-luck lunch at noon with a 2 hour learning session to follow.

February Meeting to be held at Gina Emily's studio. She will be talking about the business of slipcovers.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

New Publishing Group

There is a new publishing group for our industry. They are looking for exceptional books that will enhance our businesses. If you have been thinking about writing a book, have an outline of what you would like to write about, contact Southwest Publishing Group at their email address: Southwest@charter.net

Happy Tuesday Gang!

Saturday, January 13, 2007

DIALING FOR DOLLARS

Need more work? Need more QUALITY work?

Time to pull out the phone book & DIAL FOR DOLLARS!

Thursdays or Fridays are my favorite days to give local designers a call. These are the days, in my area, when they are the least busy & might have time to talk a little.

If I set my goal at making 10 phone calls, that's easy! My first question to a designer is to ask THEM what they may need from a workroom. Then I try to fill it. If they need pillows completed, then I set an appointment to show them pillow samples the next week or if they are in dire straits, then the next day!

If you can show your client QUALITY, they will come!

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

WE'RE LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD....

WORKROOMS!

We want YOU! We want you if you are proud of your Workroom to attach your .com to this site.

There are SO many decorators & designers out there looking for GOOD WORKROOMS & I'd like to push them towards YOU'ALL.

Please email me your .com & we'll start attaching you to this site for new & exciting marketing adventure......

Sunday, January 07, 2007

What makes an EXCEPTIONAL Workroom?

First, having been in the Home Furnishings & Interior Design biz for 30 years, I have watched MANY workrooms, the level of expertise and their pricing.

My Opinion: There seems to be 3 levels of expertise in the workroom field, & possibly in the interior design field also.

1. Mechanic -- follows directions reasonably well. New to business. Not a lot of expertise in actually manufacturing treatments.

2. Journeyman-- Commercial Workrooms & many home based or small workrooms -- You get what you ask for, if you know what to ask for.....some bells or whistles.

3. Master-- Couture Quality, Exceptional Quality, Top-0f-the-Line! Someone with years in the business, can assist with fabric selection (knows there is a differnce between how sheers & velvets hang...a story for another time), always pattern-matches! Sets high standards for any item that leaves. Educated.

Workrooms are only as good as their designers.....