DECOR Nov 2001 overall comments

[Marc Lzier]

I thought I brought home the Dec issue. I'll do the Dec issue on Monday instead.

So let's begin Decor with November.

On another note: I'll do the breakdowns for DECOR and PFM.

If someone wants to do AWN and/or ABN/FBN that would be great.

In those mags: Bingham's article is always good ( he may be a silent Grumbler too, but I am not sure)

And Fred Schnieder's tip is always fun (but I wish he would use something other than Framica).

C'mon folks. Let loose. This, after all, is The Grumble.

[B. Newman]

OK, I'll bite. I did read all those articles, but now, I'd have to go back and sorta review them to make comments. One thing that might work for the magazines is a review card. The Crafts Report Magazine includes a review card to check which articles were most helpful. I generally fill it out.

But in this case, I wanted to comment, but couldn't decide which post to use. Since you mention ABN here, I'll use this one.

I have about 8-10 years worth of Raphel's marketing articles from ABN. For a long time, all I did was scan the magazine, then tear out his article to keep. Over the past year or so, I find myself reading more and more of it. But I still only keep the marketing info.
I enjoy those articles, but I probably wouldn't pay for a subscription. There's just not enough to justify it business-wise.

As for Decor and PFM. I have every issue I've ever received. I thought about tearing out articles, but I know me too well. They'd just pile up somewhere. So instead, when there's an extra interesting article, I write it on the spine of the magazine so I can spot it in the bookcase.
I also go back occasionally and pull a couple at random and re-read them.

See, I'm a read-a-holic. I cannot sit down without reading something. I love business and I especially love marketing, so I'm ALWAYS reading.

My weak point is merchandising. I'm good at designing. I'm good with color. But I'm just not good at ideas for merchandising. I just finished reading "How to Sell More Framing" It gave me some great ideas for merchandising. That's what I really need, the spark!

In my van I've got "The Street Smart Entrepreneur" It has short quick to read "lessons" (just right for waiting on the school bus, etc.) I've learned bunches about employees from that.

Now, don't get me wrong. I think preservation framing is vitally important, but sometimes I really get tired of hearing the same thing over and over in PFM.

We hear repeatedly, "Hire a salesperson, and teach them framing" Well, we're already framers, teach us how to sell. Teach us how to create more business. Teach us how to have controlled growth. We need design articles to satisfy our creative sides, and we need articles on other galleries to enliven us, but we need business articles to help us survive.

Well, that's my 45 cents worth. Marc, you asked for it.

Betty