Teaching Framing at Local Continuing ED> Program

GUMBY GCF

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
In Memorium
Rest In Peace


Gone but not forgotten
Joined
Dec 7, 2001
Posts
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Loc
oHIo
First off this is in regard to Normandog OPRah post.

I am with you Betty I have no respect for bait and switch posts or any thing. It ranks with a telemarketer who calls a dinner time only not to accept I am busy thank you good bye.

I think teaching A framing class per Continuing ed. has never been a value.

You know they will want to know who your suppliers are. Your suppliers will sell to them you Know most of them will & hardly no questions asked thats what they do.

You get paid $15.00 to gain 1-2 customers and you loose maybe 3-4 to doing it themselves the rest go to the chain stores?
You are better off teaching a 2 day work shop and Charge $895.00 in other cities.
Next If you really want to teach which is more an ego thing than profitable. You must teach them something that you will gain $ from. Sell an item they buy from you. Do not teach them how to circumvent you. For instance a book that is mandatory reading, or a mat cutter or the equipment to make a frame.
Teach only a small segments of Framing. Such as a class on just matt cutting. But do you have six mat cutters for them to use? do you sell matt cutters?
Better yet teach a class on how to choose mats and the different types of matting.
Teach one on How to pick out a Frame for different types of Art/Photos.
Teach one on Conservation matting or What You Need to Know About Framing a Thomas KinKade. Teach just what the materials are that are needed not the actual how to hands on stuff.
Better yet for a much better return on time. Put a 1 hour to 45min. presentation together and offer this to local clubs as a guest speaker. Do camera clubs, women's clubs, garden clubs etc. Just think it will come to you. your return will be much better than a class teaching everyone how to do exactly what you do.
Now if you just want to teach offer to give a workshop at your local chapter of PPFA, Or for that fact how about National.

Hey to much too long sorry about that.

Take what you want and leave the rest!!!!!
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On the original thread, I said I'd never considered teaching a framing class and couldn't see a business advantage to doing so. I'm really not interested in selling mat cutter blades or boards by the sheet. I have sold a few low-end matcutters to photographers and hobbyists and have yet to sell a blade or a sheet of matboard to any of them. Some of them are buying direct from wholesale vendors. (BTW, this is why I support L-J's very restrictive policies.)

I have trained a few framers for businesses outside of my own market area. I charge my regular shop rate for one-to-one instruction.

Ironically, I'm moving my shop into one of those market areas right now.
 
Thank you Gumby for your input about my post. The line about Oprah was also meant as being funny (somewhat lame I admit) but in light of Walmart getting into framing I thought why not Oprah now that Martha is in shackles.
The ego critisism is a little harsh. I left my big ego behind with my twenties. I thought educating people why they should pay us what we want for what we do might be a good idea. In the old shop where I taught more than a few "students" got fed up with the hands on and appreciated what real framing is all about and became steady customers.
The $895.00 workshop is a great idea, maybe Oprah will give me a call. (This last sentence was a joke, get the bad tie in?)
Thank you for all that replied, Bob.
 
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