You're in a good location, provide a superior product and offer compelling prices. Yet, somehow, you'd like to see more people frequenting your quilt shop or signing up for your quilting classes, taking advantage or your machine quilting services, or purchasing your quilts.
One way to achieve your quilting business goals is to write articles.
If you've never fancied yourself as much of a writer, don't worry. If you've got news, there's a good chance that someone will want to read it, and therefore, your local paper will want to publish it.
The obvious question is: "How do I get started?" Well, it's a lot easier than you may think. First of all, you need to have a newsy and interesting angle to your potential story - the kind of thing editors will be glad to publish.
Are you a brand new quilting business, perhaps the first in town?
Do you provide special workshops on quilt making?
Have you expanded your quilting product or service offerings?
Have you contributed qulits to a noteworthy cause?
Do you use unusual fabrics to make your quilts?
Does your machine quilting business offer special services?
Have you ever sold a quilt to a celebrity?
Hand QuiltingHand quilting is basically just sewing the three layers of a
quilt with a running stitch. Shorter hand quilting stitches are
deemed to be better. Not to worry - even though your stitches
may start out fairly long, with practice and the right needles,
thread and thimble, your stitches will get shorter.
To prepare your quilt, the backing, batting and top must be
layered and secured. Securing the layers can be done by hand
basting with extremely long stitches, by pinning with safety
pins, or now many quilters are using plastic tabs like stores
use to attach price tags to clot ..
If you can answer "Yes!" to any or all of these questions, then you can potentially write an article that would be of interest to an editor at one of your local papers.
There are two ways you can go about writing an article for your quilting business. The first option is if you write the article and then ask the editors at your local papers whether or not they would be interested in publishing it. The second option would be to first contact local editors and ask if they would be interested in your article if you write it.
Option two is the better of the options because you can determine if there's interest before spending your time writing the article. And, because many local papers are understaffed (and underpaid), they will welcome having some great local news written for them.
You most likely will not be paid for your efforts, but that isn't as important as getting publicity that will prompt people to visit your quilt shop, call you for machine quilting services, or get people to buy your quilts.
But what if writing isn't your forte? If this is the case, you have a few options. First, you could ask someone to write the article for you. Many journalism students, for instance, would be happy to add another article to their portfolio. And they might be willing to accept a letter of recommendation over payment.
Second, you could simply call the editor and explain why he or she should assign a writer to do a story about your quilting business. If you're pitch entices the editor, you just may be featured in an upcoming edition of the paper.
An article in your local paper can certainly generate more traffic and sales for your quilting business. You've simply got to make sure you provide an interesting story that the editor of your local paper will want to share with his readers.
Appliques - Is it Embroidery or is it Quilting? ap·pli·qué n. Sewing one material onto another as a means of decoration or ornamentation.
While ancient in origin, currently appliques can refer to any type of pattern transfer or application of decoration used in a wide range of mediums. Historically the term applique applied to material-to-material techniques. One of the earliest known pieces was a sail composed of gazelle leather and constructed by both patchwork and applique for the temple of King Sahure in the Fourth Dynasty (2575-2465 B.C.).
Embroidery appliques are generally seen as trim or image designs as opposed to embroidery lik ..
About The Author
Chuck Smith is the owner of http://www.QuiltingBusiness.com, the web's only site dedicated to helping you make money with your quilting. Visit http://www.QuiltingBusiness.com today to sign up for the FREE email mini-course: "7 Unique Ways to Make Money with Your Quilting."
Chuck SmithHow to Write Your Way to More Quilting Business