Arts Business Institute | North Carolina

The Arts Business Institute

presents

Art Business Bootcamp: Shape up Your Business!

Co-sponsored with HandMade in America

OCTOBER 1-2, 2013

Critiques and Consultations Optional

Are you passionate about being a professional artist?

Our workshops have helped thousands of small studios launch and grow into sustainable and profitable businesses. We’ll help you learn how to sell directly to top galleries, shops, museum stores, online catalogs and more.

LIMITED SEATING

ABI gave me the toolkit and motivation to get in front of wholesale accounts and professionally represent my work. I can thank ABI for getting me started on the best possible career path. ~Kristen Bangs, 2012 ABI Grad, now selling to 50 retailers throughout the US.

WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

Tuesday October 1

9:00 a.m Registration, Coffee, and Light Breakfast

9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Wholesale 101

Speaker: Wendy Rosen

Is wholesaling an option for your small business? The elements of wholesaling; how to structure your business for production; the wholesale selling process; terms and standard practices; how retailers think; presentation of your work; strategies for success. Q&A Session included.

Wendy Rosen founded the nations largest marketplace for American Made Products, the Buyers Market of American Craft. For over 30 years she has provided professional artisans a way to sell directly to galleries and retailers. She founded The Arts Business Institute and the American Made Alliance, and is the publisher of NICHE Magazine.

10:45 a.m. – 12 noon Pricing for Profit

Speaker: Megan Auman

How to price your art correctly, stressing the importance of incorporating profit into your formula. How to calculate your costs, building perceived value and more. Pricing is one of the most misunderstood areas for artists, and can make or break a business. This presentation breaks it down and makes it easy.

Megan Auman is a designer, maker, educator, and entrepreneur who has built a multi-faceted business around her passion for great design and sustainable business. Her eponymous jewelry line is sold in stores across the US and online. In 2009, Megan foundedDesigning an MBA to help designers and makers develop their business skills.

12 noon – 1:00 p.m. LUNCH BREAK (Lunch Provided)

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Who is Your Customer?

Speaker: Wendy Rosen

How to find your target market, and develop new ones. Creating a profile of your ideal customer. Understanding what your customer values, and why they should buy from you. Who is your retail customer? Who is your wholesale customer? Once you know the answer, you can focus your efforts on marketing and making the sale.

2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Creative Marketing for Artists

Speaker: Carolyn Edlund

Traditional and new marketing methods, with specific examples of creative and unusual ways that artists can get the message to their target audience. Free ways to get publicity and reach the press, drip marketing, email marketing, press kits, networking, even celebrity gifting. How to create a marketing calendar and more.

Carolyn Edlund, Executive Director of ABI spent twenty years running her own production studio, designing and making handmade ceramic jewelry. She has participated in over 200 retail fairs and trade shows, and sold her line into more than 1,000 store, catalog and online accounts. As founder of the Artsy Shark blog, Carolyn shares her experience in art marketing, sales, networking, selling to major retailers, and growing online sales to a global audience. She frequently does personalized consulting for artists.

3:15 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Artist Critiques/Consultations

Artists who have scheduled personalized critiques with ABI faculty members will meet for 15-minute sessions. Where do you stand? Is your body of work ready to sell, or need improvement? Is your art priced correctly? Our experts will suggest appropriate markets and strategies for selling your work.

Wednesday, October 2

9:00 a.m. Coffee and Light Breakfast

9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Branding Yourself and Your Work

Speaker: Megan Auman

How to brand yourself for the customer you want to reach, including tips for consistency, and building value. Using branding to portray lifestyle, and making your products more appealing to your potential customers; building a fan base loyal to your brand.

10:45 – noon Selling Strategies for Artists

Speaker: Carolyn Edlund

An exploration of different ways to sell. Trade shows, using sales reps, and selling wholesale directly to stores – with prospecting, follow up and closing techniques explained. How to sell to large retailers; selling one-of-a-kind work at wholesale. Finding and working with sales reps. Understanding the corporate art market, art publishers and more.

12 noon – 1:00 p.m. LUNCH BREAK (Lunch Provided)

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Booth Design

Speaker: Wendy Rosen

What makes an effective booth display? How to design your booth space to create the look you want and the message you want to convey. How to use branding in your booth. Using photography, visual merchandising, signage and other techniques in your booth to make the most of your show experience.

2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Panel Discussion

Discussion with local gallery owners and artists about success in the handmade marketplace. They share their experience, insights and advice for emerging artists.