Certified Demonstrator Program

Guest Blogger: The Secret Life of a CFD v.2

The Secret Life of a CFD

How to Market Your Classes and Demos

By Laura Bray

I can’t believe another month has gone by!  Thank you for all your kind comments about my last entry on the CFD blog.  I wanted to check-in and tell you how I did with all my goals since I last visited.  I would love to hear how you are coming along!

So, how what did I do on my CFD journey in September?

• I developed three classes.  I posted pictures of all of my demos in my Flickr account here:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/katydiddes/sets/72157607130474328/
• I scheduled three demos.  All of them were in private settings-mainly scrapbook and craft clubs.  I have already completed two and the feedback was great.  One student told me she never would have entered the aisle in the store where the Fiskars supplies are because she doesn't scrapbook, but after seeing my demo for using the tools to spice-up gift wrap, she’ll be going to that aisle more often.
• I started doing a Fiskars Fridays on my blog.  Each week I feature a project or technique using a Fiskars tool.  A few CFDs have joined me on their blogs and Nikki is posting a Fiskars Friday entry on this blog so you can find all of us.  Check it out this Friday and join in the fun.

So enough about me.  I wanted to talk a bit about how to market your classes and demos so that you can get the word out.  I usually make myself a list of all the ways I am going to market my classes.  That way I have the list and every time I schedule a class, I just go through the list.  Here’s a sample list of marketing activities I would do for a public class or demo:

• Announce the class on your blog
  • Offer a free gift for blog readers if they mention your blog when they come to the class.  This is an easy way to track how many students your blog attracts.  Free gifts can be something as simple as a little bag of ephemera. When the other students see your blog readers getting free gifts, they are going to want to start reading your blog too!
• Announce the class in your monthly, electronic newsletter
  • Again, a free gift for students who mention your newsletter will do wonders for tracking purposes.  You can build your newsletter list at classes.  Have students sign-in with their contact information.  Ask if you can put them on your mailing list. Please be courteous with your list.  Don’t share it with anyone else and don’t spam or send excessive mailings.
• Send a press release to the local paper.  To learn how to write press releases, go to www.publicityhound.com.  It’s a great resource about getting free publicity from the press.
• Put out flyers and display class sample at the store (if allowed)
• Mail out postcards to your mailing list. Offer a free gift if they bring the postcard with them to class.  It’s especially important to be able to track if mailings work since you have to spend money on postage.
• Post the class on www.craigslist.com
• Post pictures of the class sample in the Fiskateer Gallery and invite local Fiskateers to the class
• Use online networking resources such as Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace to announce your class listings.

These are just a few of the ways you can get the word out about your classes and demos.  It might seem like a lot of work, but once you develop your list, it’s just a matter of working through it.  I would love to see comments about how you market your classes and demos.  Happy Marketing!

Laura Bray is the founder of katydid designs.  She makes a living with her artwork and helps other artists and crafters develop their creative businesses.  You can read more about Laura on her website at www.katydid-designs.comor on her blog at www.katydiddys.blogspot.com.

Fiskars Friday

TGIF!  Friday's are a great time to clear off the crafting table...get yourself organized and just BEGIN those projects you have been meaning to do   Check out these fellow CFDs that are working their Fiskars magic on their blogs today!  I know I will be making several projects this weekend...choreboard...album...Got Sketch layouts...I'll be busy :)

If you do a Fiskars Friday on your blog, please post in the comments below!

Happy Crafting

Nikki

Guest Blogger: The Secret Life of a CFD

The Secret Life of a CFD

I’m a CFD, now what?

By Laura Bray

I was certified in November 2007 and I have a confession to make.  I haven’t completed a single demo.  I came home from the training, dropped the CD I was given on the desk and didn’t look at it until July 2008!  I wasn’t sure of where I should start.  I live in Southern California and there aren’t any A.C. Moore stores around me.  Then Nikki announced the development of the CFD blog and then the Yahoo Groups.  I dug through my desk files and found my CD.  I started thinking about how I could use the wonderful training Fiskars gave me (for free!) to help both my business and spread the word about Fiskars.  

I have an MBA, so I’m pretty business focused as well as creative.  I try to use this to my advantage, but I also really want to see other artists and crafters make a living from doing what they love too, so I approached Nikki about being a guest blogger and here I am.  I’m hoping to occasionally check-in with you and share the steps I’m taking as I try to develop the CFD program into my business & life.  I believe that there’s no point in reinventing the wheel, so you are free to follow along and shadow me through the process.  Or just use this information as inspiration.  Do what feels right for you and the success will come.  The most important thing is consistency.  I know this can be hard.  I am the primary caregiver for my 3 year old daughter and I squeeze these steps in when I can.  If you feel overwhelmed, just do one thing each week.  It’s better than nothing!

So, how what did I do to get started on my CFD journey in August?

• I went through my studio and pulled out every Fiskars tool I own and put it in a box.  This box has handles, so once I start going out on demos everything will be in one place.
• Then I went through the training CD and printed out all the pages that are relevant to the tools I own and place the pages into a binder. 
• Next, I needed to start brainstorming for some projects to do for demos.  When I approach stores or groups, I want to be able to give them a “menu” of demo projects they could chose from.  I decided to develop a year’s worth of demos.  Two projects for each season.  To get my ideas going, I visited the Fiskar site and looked at the projects that are there.  I listed the demo ideas and placed them in my binder.
• Finally, I brainstormed about where I could demo.  I went through the phone book and looked for scrapbook stores.  I also thought about my mom’s group and some scrapbook groups I could approach about doing demos for too.  You might want to look at websites like www.meetup.com and see if there are any local groups you could approach about doing a demo for.  Once I had a good list, I placed that in my binder as well.

See how I broke everything up into baby steps?  It keeps me from feeling so overwhelmed that I don’t anything.  So what’s on the schedule for September?

• Start developing the demo ideas I came up.  Make samples and create my supply lists and handouts. Of course, I’m going to start with my Fall & Winter ideas since those will be the classes people are most interested in. 
• Develop a marketing packet to give to my target stores and groups.  The packet will have the “menu” of classes, the cost, and some pictures.  I’ll also include my bio and a little explanation of what a CFD is.  All of this will be printed onto glossy paper and put into a cardboard, two pocket folder.  (Buy the folders now, while the Back to School sales are on!)  People will think you are incredibly professional when you present a package like this. 
• Once I have the folders ready, I will approach at least two of my targets.
• I will also get in touch with my Fiskar sales reps.  They will get my marketing folders, which will help them understand what I am up to and how we can work together.

See, that’s not too hard, is it?  I would love to hear about what you are doing to get started.  I would also like to see your marketing folders.  Maybe you could take a picture of yours and post it in the Yahoo Groups pictures?  I’ll be back soon to talk about how September went and share my plans for October.  

 

Laura Bray is the founder of katydid designs.  She makes a living with her artwork and helps other artists and crafters develop their creative businesses.  You can read more about Laura on her website at www.katydid-designs.com or on her blog at www.katydiddys.blogspot.com.

CFD: Q & A

I would like this blog entry to be an open forum for Q&A.  Please submit any question you have about the CFD program in the comments section and I will update this blog with the answers as quickly as possible.