Craftspeople talk about how sales are doing

I've been talking with craftspeople interested in the ANCA sponsored group booths and with others that I'm calling about copresenting with me the How to Establish and Maintain Wholesale Workshop in Glens Falls at the Shirt Factory on Nov. 5.

Here's what I'm hearing about how sales are doing. Two of the six vendors from the ANCA group booth at the NY Souvenir Show, Oct. 17-20, at the City Center in Saratoga Springs picked up, in one case, 2 new accounts, 1 really old account and enough reorders to make it worth going back again. In the other case, it was 4 new accounts, 1 really old account and enough reorders to also make it worth going back next year as well. There were less buyers. Onc vendor said that the buyers are telling them they still have inventory (I've heard this three years in a row!) and that the under $10 items are not turning over as easily. Shop customers who typically buy in this price range may be more impacted by the increase in gas. Higher end items are selling well - these shop customers are not impacted by the increase in gas.

All the craftspeople are flat out going to as many shows as they can on weekends now until Christmas. Why I scheduled that Nov. 5 workshop on a weekend day is beyond me! Got to remember to schedule mid week next year and a few weeks earlier.

In the Glens Falls - Saratoga region, a high end hand forged jewelry maker, who I was hoping could copresent, said he was doing well because he had found a good rep recently. Another one, original illustrations on clothing and other product, said he was doing as well as last year, and would easily be doing more sales if he was actively following up and calling new and established accounts. Another said that retail was doing well but that wholesale accounts were flat.

One retailer in Saranac Lake said she had done well this summer, despite a very slow June. July, she said, had been even better than August! She has heard from other retailers in Saranac Lake that their high season sales had been flat.

News about and for Studios and Gift Shops of the Region

Congratulations to:

Curtis Furniture (changing name to Curtis Woodworking), www.curtisfurniture.com, for celebrating 25 years of business in Jefferson County in September 2006 and having the article "Furniture Manufacturing is all in the Family" published in the August 2006 issue of Absolutely Business. "Curtis Furniture Company has been manufacturing and selling handcrafted wooden items including bedroom sets, coffee tables and cabinetry, to individuals and local businesses for more than two decades." www.absolutelybusiness.com, distributed to businesses in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence Counties, p.6.

Congratulations to:

Ostrander's Inn and Gift Shop, http://www.ostranders.com/, Canton, NY with sheepskin and woolen clothing, slippers and rugs, for being chosen as one of the Top Outstanding Inns in the Northeast in the second annual Best of www.BedandBreakfast.com Awards. More than 18,000 votes were tallied. www.absolutelybusiness.com, August 2006, p.30.

Congratulations to:

Watertown's Little Trees, the Car-Freshner Corporation, www.little-trees.com. Now employing 420 in three different US locations, this private company is run by members of the same family which started it in 1952. Their main product line is the little green tree car air freshener with Royal Pine, the original scent, still a popular seller.

Their product development is of interest to producers working with scents. "Car-Freshner works hard to stay on top of trends, not just in fragrances, but also in culture and fashion. What's 'hot' today, such as this season's fashion colors can translate into a new air freshner. The company also encourages feedback from its sales and field representatives to understand what is working, and what new ideas might appeal to consumers. .. "The reason people buy Trees is because of the quality of the fragrances," (Jody) LaLone (President) stated. Little Tree scents are also long lasting, creating a product that performs consistently... Fragrance is important, but it is part of a larger equation in product development. Appearance is the other key, and the company is always on the lookout for good combinations of scent, color and design. One popular seller in the US is a stars and stripes Tree called Vanilla Pride. There are Trees with fruity and floral fragrances. There are others with manly fragrances, such as Leather, and manly colors, such as the new Black Ice. There are trees with dragon and cobra designs, which appeal to younger customers..."

They have branched out into other air fresheners for the office and home. Retail packaging and displays also have evolved over the years. http://www.absolutelybusiness.com/, August 2005, p.20.

Congratulations to:

The team of fiber artists and suppliers and one diner ownerwho, in 2004, formed the Women in Northern New York Business Cooperative (WIN NY Business Co-op) to share resources and offer each other support. They have designed a map highlighting all their locations and copies were offered at each of their locations. They also pool financial resources together to advertise as a group. These two activities triggered a third which was a very busy one day shop tour in December 2004. The wide range of experience of members in the group is shared with each other. They shared a booth at the World Carp Championship in June 2005 in Waddington where they gained exposure to customers from all over the glode. They are working on a logo. The WIN NY members are Liberty Fibers, Madrid; Quiltin' Bee, Norwood; The Fabric Corner; Mom's Schoolhouse Diner of West Potsdam; Rocky Meadows Alpacas, Madrid; and Angel Knoll Alpacas, Waddington. www.absolutelybusiness.com, July 2005, p. 16.

Congratulations to:

Donna Foley, Rolling Thunder Mountain Weaving and member of Saranac Lake's Adirondack Artists Guild, www.adirondackartistsguild.com, for a great photo in the local paper of herself weaving during the August 3rd Thursday Gallery Walk. She was one of the 25 artists and artisans who each created a piece of work during the gallery walk which was then auctioned off as a fund raiser for Pendragon Theatre. I believe some $3,000 was raised for the theatre. It was great fun to walk through town and find these artists working industriously to get their piece done in 2.5 hours. Adirondack Daily Enterprise, September 15, p.3.

Congratulations to:

The Sacandaga Valley Arts Network for becoming a 501c3 and expanding their programs to Johnstown and Wells as well as their continued programing in Northville. They are providing more and more services throughout the county of Hamilton. Conversation with Constance Dodge, artist and network member, August 16, 2005.

Congratulations to:

The volunteers of the Arto Monaco Historical Society for receiving $10,000 in funding to study the possibility of restoring the Land of Makebelieve Castle, Wilmington, setting up www.artomonaco.org with articles about his extraordinary artistic creations and more. Received via email, Sept. 9.

Congratulations to:

The Plattsburgh Small Business Development Center's Richard Gottschall for welcoming 10 Russian entrepreneurs to the region as part of the Open World exchange program. These 10 entrepreneurs toured the region's economic development locations, were hosted by local families, and with Nadia Korths, crafts marketing coordinator/ANCA, toured Moon Tree Designs and Lake Placid Lodge in Lake Placid on their last day on September 30. These two successful businesses introduced the Russian entrepreneurs to the concepts of an all American product gallery and of a lodging/gift shop/restaurant rustically themed to reflect the region's heritage. One of the Russian visitors presented his jewelry line to the Lake Placid Lodge gift shop manager who is considering ordering some.
Richard Gottschall, formerly counselor for the SBDC has since moved to the private sector where he is working for Cedar Log Post, Plattsburgh as operations manager.

More to come ...

Comparison of Branding Standards and Potential Impacts

Montpelier, VT - For 130 years, Richmond-based Harrington's of Vermont has smoked and cured hams, bacon and turkey. On Wednesday, it learned that it could no longer use the phrase "Vermont smoked hams" in its advertising. "It's smoked here, it's cured here, it's packaged here, it's shipped from here, but it isn't grown here," RB Klinkenberg, the company's chief operating officer, said Wednesday. The Record, Sunday, October 9, 2005, p. 30.

In contrast, usage guidelines for the Made in the Adirondack North Country Logo are as follows: "The logo can be used only on products that have been fashioned from materials that originate in the above counties, and/or have been made by imported materials, but have at least 50% of their retail value added through production in the 14 county region. The logo can be used by retailers who have 50% or more of their product lines fulfilling either and/or a combination of the above two requirements." http://www.adknccrafts.com/Products.htm

Some News For and About Studios and Retailers of the Region

Congratulations To:

Wayne Rabideau, Adirondack Specialty Foods, for purchasing Sheri Amsel's innovative school fund raiser business. Schools who contract with Adirondack Speciality Foods help students pay for their trips by selling locally made product.

Congratulations To:

The retailers of Sacket's Harbor for group promotions acknowledging the community's historical base and great restaurants. Sacket's Harbor shops stay open throughout the winter! It is rare for small communities along the St. Lawrence to sustain such a level of business during the winter. Nadia Korths looks forward to working with the retailers who are planning on participating in the Nov. lst, 8-10am Marketing Toolkit workshop to be held at the George and Ida Mae Gift Shop, 208 W. Main St. Contact the Watertown SBDC to register, 315.782.9262 or Sarah O'Connell, soconnell@sunyjefferson.edu or Ann Durant, adurant@sunyjefferson.edu.

Congratulations To:

Ralph Prata, sculptural carvings in concrete since 1978, Bloomingdale, NY whose "Dog Faze," measuring 16x14x4 inches is on the cover of The Crafts Report, October 2006: For more on his work, see October's "Profile in Success," starting on page 32. www.ralphprata.com, www.craftsreport.com. 30,000 subscribers across the nation receive this trade magazine.

Congratulations To:

The candlemaker Nadia Korths spoke with at the last Farmer's Market in Lake Placid this season. Their sales have gone up 20% from last year. And to the maple syrup producer who said they were not going to take on more wholesale accounts because they wished to be keep their already established accounts well supplied.

New Shop Opening

Unique Woodworks http://www.uniquewoodworks.net/coming_soon.htm is opening a new shop in Cleveland, on the north shore of Oneida Lake for Thanksgiving Day weekend. They are looking for product of all types. The north shore is a beautiful shoreline in the process of being discovered. Nadia wishes Kevin and Jeannie Ridgeway the best of luck.

Congratulations To:

Nadia Korths, Craft Marketing Program Coordinator/ANCA, for receiving recognition for the usefulness of the Marketing Toolkit in the Summer 2005 issue of Niche.

"Help for Rural Retailers
Small-town retailers can often use big-time help when it comes to good marketing and business practices, and the Adirondack North Country Association in Saranac Lake, NY, knows just how to help. The association presented nine free workshops in May and June to help rural retailers learn from the expertise of successful businesses. During the "Marketing Toolkit for (Gift Shop and Studio Owners) in Rural Areas," attendees looked at results from a survey of the successful business practices of regional retailers, then compared them to a national survey of Canadian retailers. Topics included window displays, employees, special events, advertising and customer service. After the discussion, retailers went on a shop and studio tour to critique local businesses. The model can be duplicated across the country, says Nadia Korths, craft marketing coordinator. ... For information, log on to www.adknccrafts.com."

And the photo of the smiling Amejo Amyot of Beekman Street Artists and Leah McCloskey, of www.whatleahlikes.com next to the blurb was great. They hosted one of the nine workshops on their porch on Beekman Street in Saratoga Springs, NY. That's the block to go shopping the arts.

TAUNY and CERF providing assistance to as many as 2000 Katrina impacted artisans

Go to www.craftsemergency.org and check their message boards to see if you can help someone out directly by providing tools, equipment or housing and studio needs. The Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) offers grants, loans, discounts, even waivers on booths at upcoming shows to those impacted by Katrina. Woodshop News, November 2005, p. 17.

TAUNY www.tauny.org is the regional collection point for emergency relief funds to musicians, folk artists or appropriate arts organizations under the Southern Arts Federation. Send checks to TAUNY, 2 W. Main St., Canton, NY 13617 with Southern Arts Federation on the memo line. Watertown Times, Oct. 17.

The Cabinet Makers Association, www.cabinetmakers.com, is collecting names of companies who can hire, either temporarily or permanently, craftspeople displaced by Katrina. They are joined in their efforts by many others; The Architectural Woodwork Institute, National Association of Manufacturers, American Forest and Paper Association, Wood Machinery Manufacturers of American and many more. Woodshop News, November 2005, p. 15.

Great website workshop in Plattsburgh

Yesterday I presented to some 25 attendees a 3.75 hour hands-on workshop on building a two page website, search engine optimization and uploading the files. Whew!

Everyone took the plunge and thanks to the workshop partner Plattsburgh Small Business Development Center two interns helping people keep up, had their text and photos uploaded to a temporary host server during class.

Among the many small businesses that attended were studio owners Suellen, of www.spruce-mountain.com, Dale and Chris of www.rusticcreationsinwood.com, and retailers Nancy and Lisa of www.adirondackreflections.com.

ANCA's other workshop partner, the Arts Council for the Northern Adirondacks, www.artsnorth.org, was there in full force with both Caroline, director, and Karen, grants administrator, taking the workshop. Other non profit volunteers or staff from AARCH, Habitat for Humanity, Champlain Valley Beekeepers Association, Champlain Valley Dairy Association, Kent Delord House also came.

It was great seeing people get the hang of it and seeing their business information on their terminals when I walked by to check out how they were doing. And keep in mind that as of Friday 3pm SBDC had only 6 people registered. Thank you to those who registered between 3 and 6 that day. Without you we would have had to cancel the workshop.

The next one is in Pisceo on Nov. 4 from 2 to 5 pm. Check out www.adknccrafts.com click on workshops to find out how to register.

You will soon be receiving your annual mailing from ANCA's craft marketing program. It's scheduled to go out this Friday, Oct. 7. Included are three applications and one workshop listing: Buyer's Day is blue; Art, Crafts and Foods is harvest gold, the Group Booth application is green and the workshop sheet is white. The Group Booth application is the only one without information on the back as well as front.

Look through the 20 workshops scheduled throughout the region from now to late spring for your (studio and gift shop owners) continuing education.

This year's Rustic Nature Buyer Days is the 20th annual. We will be recognizing some of the craftspeople and retailers of the region at the show. You will be requested to submit nominations and vote later in the year.

Are you doing or do you know someone doing/making things of interest to retailers nationwide? I'm trying to come up with some news to include in the press release going out to the major retailer trade magazines about the 20th annual. korths@northnet.org or call me at 518.891.1632 if you have any ideas.

Art, Crafts and Foods will feature studios and gift shops along (or near) the Scenic Byways this year. This will be a great opportunity to niche market the Scenic Byways.

The Group Booth application features a booth in 4 shows; WNY in Rochester in Feb. and 3 Al Bass shows in Maine, New Jersey and in Saratoga Springs.

Now on to other news:
I went to the Adirondack Juried Show opening at the Lake Placid Center of the Arts last Friday. It is great to see the many three dimensional pieces. Congratulations to the following artisans for being selected for the show; Russel B. Bailey for his wrought iron Stinging Whipwort, Tim Breyette Jr. for his lovely Eastern Keepsake Box on Table (exquisite clean lines and mix of woods), Ken Gadway's for his turned burled vase Adirondack Amphora, Michele Gannon for her oil painting Stream Dreams with its frame of glossy river stones, Al Johnson's Eclipse, Paris Smith's sculpture of man on sled drawn by dogs going through woods Whoa! and Jennifer VanBenschoten's beautiful heavy antique looking necklace of beaded work and turquoise stones.

Here are links to some short articles posted in 2005 on retailer preparation for the Christmas Season:
-Retail Holiday Preparation with Melody Vargas (good holiday season preparation basics list)
http://retailindustry.about.com/od/storeoperations/a/holiday_prep_p.htm
-Make Winter a Winning Selling Season by Kane Communications and Gale Group (this also includes a list)
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0LMC/is_6_44/ai_nl5340473
-Dreaming of a Blue Christmas by Parija Bhatnagar, CNN/Money staff writer - Are retailers passing raising fuel costs to consumers?
http://money.cnn.com/2005/08/18/news/economy/gasprices_christmas
-Retail Holiday Help 2005 The Seasonal Process by Monster.com staff. Retailer planning and ordering for seasonal product.
http://hourlyandskilled.monster.com/retail/featuredreports/holidayhelp/process
These articles were found using the keywords "retailer prepares Christmas Season" at Google to be used as materials to be presented at the attendees of the Artisan And Retailer Roundtable in Saranac Lake on Oct. 4. Roundtable partner is Comlinks/WEBC.