Tag: WCAF

What Happens in Vegas is Explained Here (kind-of)

I just wrapped up a week in Las Vegas at the West Coast Art and Frame Expo where thousands of framers get together for learning, camaraderie and over indulgence (it is Vegas after all). This annual trip to the desert is something I look forward to each January. After the craze of the holidays, a few days away is always a welcome reprieve.

If you happen to be surprised that 1. picture framers even have a convention or 2. that four thousand plus framers come from all parts of the world, let me assure you friends, the dream is real.

First off, I was there to work, not play, although I did manage to do both. I presented 5 brand new classes. *Note to self: don’t ever commit to creating 5 new classes again. To my relief and amazement, all of my classes were sold out. Standing room only.

Just look at these happy people getting ready for my wisdom. They were here for my Fundamentals of Frame Design class. I also taught Recharge Your Business, on business strategy and Building the Buzz, event marketing class. As a bonus, I taught 4 quick courses in the Wizard booth on the trade show floor.

I am so busy, I rarely have time to walk the show floor, I did manage to squeak out a few minutes to sweep the show. The first stop was my friend Andres at House of Mercier, a Peruvian company that specializes in custom leather-wrapped frames. We shared one of the most important frames of my career this past year. If you missed the January issue of Picture Framing Magazine, you can read about the project here: http://finerframes.com/leather-cabinet-frame/  

As a picture framer, you’ve got to forgive me for getting nerdy here. But check out these frames!!! Yes, they really are THAT BIG! This is like frame porn. Oh Roma, you never disappoint this frame lady.

One of the highlights of the show was to see three fantastic frames we created on display in Tru Vue’s booth. If you think framing customer’s special items is stressful, imagine framing these for shipment across the county for scrutiny by the best framers in the world. Yikes! Happy to report the frames made it!  This was part of TV’s new Boot Camp Retail Makeover contest of which I am part of the prize. Framers, register here.

My team also worked on building extraordinary frames for the Wizard booth. We built 5 new projects this year that they added to last year’s frames. I love the Eric Clapton album! Emily does too… can you tell?

It was great seeing my newest graduates from my Recharge Your Business program. This has been a project 10 years in the making and there is nothing more satisfying that seeing others soar. Congratulations to Gilded Moon Framing and Finishing Touches Picture Framing. You guys rock!

 

 

 

It was an action-packed week for sure, but we managed to squeeze in some fun. I toured the ancient Samurai warrior exhibit at the Bellagio Fine Art Museum. Michelle and I visited the famous Fremont Street and may have had a cocktail or two. Have you been? This is a place that cannot be explained, it must be experienced… just make sure your medical shots are current.

In case you missed WCAF 2018, I’ve posted a video of one of my Wizard classes on YouTube. Go check it out, leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you!

New seminars coming to Vegas in January

 

I’ve been working hard developing three new seminars for West Coast Art & Frame Expo. After spending this past year talking to independent framers all across the country, it was clear that many are looking for ways to generate more foot traffic into stores. Marketing, business strategies and the BIG one… social media marketing are on many minds. If that sound familiar, you can relax, I’ve done the hard work for you! I’m bringing 3 new classes designed to help you build your business. Here’s what’s on the agenda.

RECHARGE YOUR BUSINESS: Take Your Business from Ignored to Adored!  New!

Tired of making sweatshop wages? This business building seminar shows you how to stand-out in an online world and earn raving fans for your business. You’ll learn how to put together a strategic plan to attract a new generation of buyers using Facebook, Instagram and more. If you’re wondering how you can compete in an online world, this class is for you! Learn easy to implement methods on how to get your business found on the web fast while appealing to the right audience with a message customers actually care about. This seminar will get you on the fast-track to success with more profits and happy customers. Sponsored by Larson Juhl.

Sunday, January 21 | 3:30pm – 5:30pm | #P3069


HOW TO BUILD BUZZ: 

Create a Customer Appreciation Event to Gain Raving Fans

How do you make your clients so happy that they rave about the service you provide? With a client appreciation event of course! Learn simple ways to show gratitude to your best client advocates with a unique event that builds trust and credibility for your brand. Get how to details for making clients special with frame reveals, themed parties and more. This fun and informative new class shows you how to build the buzz around your event to create raving fans and more referrals. Sponsored by Tru Vue.

Monday, January 23 | 1:00pm – 3:00pm | #P3066


FRAME DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS  New!

Learn to apply the principles of design to create beautiful framing projects with confidence. You’ll learn how to apply the 6 elements (color, line, shape, texture, space & form) to create great frame design. Get inspired with Meg’s award-winning frame designs and learn tips for using these creative framing ideas to “wow” your customers. From hand painted details, stunning shadowboxes and artistic mat details you’ll get ideas and advice to grow your custom framing sales. Sponsored by Wizard International.

Tuesday, January 23 from 1:00pm – 3:00pm | #S5041


Look for me in the Wizard booth on the trade show floor where I’ll be teaching 20 minute Quick Courses. More details to come.

The West Coast Art and Frame Show is January 21 – 24 at the Paris Hotel and Convention Center in Las Vegas.

Join me at West Coast Art & Frame Expo

The West Coast Art & Frame Expo is just a month away. I’m always excited to join with framers all over the world to share ideas and inspiration! This year I will be presenting 5 seminars + 4 free quick courses on topics ranging from sales and marketing to design.

 

PPFA Convention

A7137 Simple Strategies for Local Marketing

9:00am – 11:00am Sunday January 22

Learn how to grow a successful art & framing business in your local market through a low cost marketing strategy. Designed especially for galleries and frame shops, these practical ideas in this seminar will teach you how to complete a brand analysis, identify your prime target customer, exactly how to reach them and identify the best online and offline strategies for consumer communication.  After this seminar, you’ll know how to create an integrated execution plan for attracting more custom framing consumers.

WCAF AGENDA

S5015 Design, Merchandise & Sell

1:00pm – 3:00pm Monday January 23

Is your business in need of a makeover? This seminar is for new start-ups or existing shops looking for practical ideas for strengthening your business image. Whether you want to attract specific customers or simply be more competitive you’ll learn tips for transforming your brand, communicating with customers, merchandising and much more. This popular class is sponsored by Tru-Vue

P3029 Hope is Not a Strategy

3:30pm – 5:00pm Monday January 23

This seminar outlines a comprehensive, step-by-step approach to crafting a concise, logical, and effective marketing plan that produce results. Whether you manage a small business seeking to formalize the planning process, or an established frame shop looking to grow your business you can gain a competitive advantage by translating the marketing planning process outlined in this seminar into a streamlined strategic document that informs your decisions and helps avoid costly missteps.

S5035 Selling Inspired Designs

10:00am – 12:00pm Tuesday January 24

Join Meg as she provides helpful knowledge and expert insight that can enhance the design, sales, and merchandising for your business. She’ll review sales tips for pricing and selling innovative mat and frame designs, plus showcase upscale examples for all kinds of framing projects. This class will cover strategies on selling designs to inspire custom framing and increase your bottom line. Develop skills for improving the customer experience and effectively selling your creativity. Don’t miss this opportunity to ask questions, learn something new, and discover how Meg uses her expertise along with Wizard™ products for profit-generating success! Sponsored by Wizard International

S5010 Picture Perfect Designs

1:00pm – 3:00pm Tuesday January 24

Get inspired with Meg’s award-winning frame designs and learn tips for using these creative framing ideas to “wow” customers and boost your sales. Retail is a highly competitive business, especially for framers. Learn ideas for increasing sales by improving your customer experience at the design counter. From hand painted details, stunning shadowboxes, and artistic mat details, you’ll get ideas and advice to grow your custom framing sites.