Framers are always looking for ways to increase profits. They’ll try just about any advertising idea, even having their logo emblazoned on placemats at the local diner, cash-register tapes and bowling score sheets. They’ll squeeze suppliers for discounts; I’m guilty of this one. They’ll walk around their shops switching off lights to save a few pennies. However, one of the easiest ways to increase profits is by analyzing the markups on the materials that go into a custom-framing order and begin placing more emphasis on those that offer the best profit margins. This business concept certainly isn’t new; in fact, businesses in every industry focus their sales efforts on their most profitable items. Supermarkets place their moneymakers at eye level on store shelves; Chevy and Ford advertise their pickup trucks more frequently than they do their cars. Why shouldn’t framers do the same?

Many framers put most of their effort into selling low-margin products while ignoring more profitable items. Consider the major components that go into a typical custom-framing order and explore how to dramatically increase profits by shifting emphasis to selling products that are better for the bottom line. You can achieve these goals and give your framing more visual bang for the buck.

MATS

I consider mats—not frames—to be the foundation of custom framing and the center of the custom-framing universe. Consumers can buy some fairly nice frames in a number of places, including art supply stores, online sources and even some general retail stores, such as Target. These frames are not as nice as the ones consumers can purchase from custom framers, but they are certainly adequate for many buyers. Custom matting, on the other hand, tends to be the exclusive domain of the custom framer. Mats add beauty, create visual depth and enable the framer to control color and space. Most important, mats are among the keys to your profit picture, producing both direct and, more importantly, indirect income. When it comes to direct profit, mats are the kings of markup, when you calculate on a percentage basis. I discovered that a $5 sheet of matboard can produce more than $100 in retail sales. I proved this fact by doing an experiment under controlled conditions, and, admittedly, it required cutting concentric openings in the mat. Although this approach is great for making a mobile to hang in a child’s bedroom, it doesn’t represent the typical yield. However, even if you get only $50 worth of sales at from a $5 mat board, you’d probably be pretty happy.
When it comes to mats, however, the indirect profit has the greatest effect on both your sale and your profit, and that effect can be huge. Simply including a mat in a custom-framing order may increase your sale by as much as 35 to 45 percent. When you place a mat around a piece of artwork, you’re no longer framing the piece; you’re framing the mat. So, in addition to the price of the mat, the order now requires a larger frame, a larger mounting board and a larger piece of glass, all of which add to the total sale. For proof, try this experiment. Using a 24-by-36-inch print, a frame of your choice and your default glass type, price out the order without a mat. Then, add a single mat and once again price out the order. You should find a substantial increase in your sale. That mat can also produce additional profit by leading the way for add-ons, such as additional mats and upgrades to conservation-quality mats and fabric mats. But why stop there? Mats also open the door to fillets, decorative cuts and other embellishments. One of the best things about selling mats is that, while you’re increasing your profit margin, you’re also improving customer satisfaction. Mats provide great visual bang for the buck, and they put the “custom” in custom framing. And because the benefits of mats are readily apparent, they’re an easy sell, as long as you begin the design process with mats. For obvious reasons, it’s almost impossible to sell a mat after you’ve quoted a price without one.

FRAMES

Mouldings will typically have varying markups, with lower-priced units typically receiving a higher percentage markup than more expensive mouldings. Because the frame is the most expensive component in most framing orders, frames account for both the largest cost of materials and the largest portion of each sale—but not always the most profit. To illustrate this concept, compare two design options for a piece of artwork. The first design includes a nice high-end frame but has no mats—only a frame and your default glass choice—and prices out at $400. The second design includes a frame that’s neither as nice nor as expensive as the first. However, this option includes a double mat and the same type of glass you chose for the first design. This order also prices out at $400. On the surface, both designs may appear to produce similar profit margins, but not all $400 sales are equal. The order with mats and a lower-priced frame probably generates a significantly greater profit.

GLASS

Glass is the last major component that goes into most framing orders. I believe that many framers err when it comes to choosing their default glass. I recommend that your go-to choice for glass should be the lowest-price option you can offer: standard, reflective picture glass—the cheap stuff. I know that many framers do not use this glass as their default choice. It’s in your and your customers’ best interest to offer premium glass products as options, not the default, however, because a large portion of the public sees custom framing as expensive, and many see it as too expensive. By forcing the customer to buy a premium glass product, you’re adding to that perception. Furthermore, most of your customers have set a limit to the amount of money they’ll spend to frame an item. A vendor who offers a variety of choices almost always offers better but more expensive materials as options rather than forcing them upon the customers. This approach lets the seller keep
the base price more affordable and leaves an upgrade path in place. It makes sense for framers to take this approach, too. Another thing to consider is that standard picture glass provides an attractive markup percentage that is second only to mats. Standard glass produces a healthy profit for you and is a budget-friendly option for the customer. Premium glass products, on the other hand, are more expensive, typically produce significantly lower margins and take a bigger slice from your customer’s budget. You should continue to sell these products when appropriate, but you should offer them as options.

One final point is that framing components fall into one of two categories: those that enhance your designs by providing visual benefits and those that provide protection. Upgrades to archival products and all glass products typically provide protection. Buying them is somewhat like buying insurance. Not everyone wants to buy insurance, but it should be available for those who do. Customers should be the ones who make the choice. Analyze some of your recent sales to see whether you might be able to increase profits—and improve customer satisfaction—by changing sales emphasis. A few simple changes could provide a big improvement in your profit picture.

Paul Cascio is the lead instructor for The American Picture Framing Academy.
Cascio also provides business and sales training and consulting.

The post Mind Your Margins – More Profit for Happier Customers appeared first on Art Business News.

Roma Moulding
romamoulding.com

At Roma Moulding in Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada, the vision extends from North America to Haiti. In 2013, the company created Roma Wish, whose mission is to assist nearby communities. Team members, along with their families and friends, have supported several local efforts, including donating holiday gifts to a family in need, contributing to a local food drive and donating to Ronald McDonald House. This year, the company sent a team to Haiti to help with rebuilding efforts after the devastating 2010 earthquake.

All employees can propose organizations, and the Roma Wish committee evaluates which causes to support through funds and volunteering. “Giving back is really what life is all about,” says Tony Gareri, CEO. “My mission in life is to enrich the lives of others. I actively pursue this mission every day with my team, my family and my community. I’ve learned that, by supporting charities, my mission is returned to me, as I find my life to be greatly enriched.”

“Art and charity go hand in hand,” he says. “Art can give so much emotion, passion, energy and hope. Philanthropy is also about giving hope; giving to others makes our world a better place.”

Frame USA
frameusa.com

Frame USA, based in Cincinnati, serves a national market and supports charity efforts worldwide. The company raises funds for a charity of the month, which at least once a year is a local nonprofit. The Cincinnati store also has its own local charity of the month.

The company’s Fill-the-Truck campaign always benefits local nonprofit group The Healing Center, an organization that helps struggling families in the greater Cincinnati area. The center provides families with food, clothing, support and job advice. Last year’s campaign generated enough donations of food, clothing, toiletries, household items and more to fully support the center for approximately six months.

A percentage of each Frame USA sale goes toward various corporate initiatives, including Operation Smile, Wild Animal Sanctuary and Heifer International.

“The more we can help others, the better it is,” says Kelly Ackerman, marketing director.

She notes that charity support is a companywide activity. “We are all involved,” she says. “Our sales reps and customer-service reps mention it to everyone they contact, and employees at all levels of our company make suggestions about fundraising and benefiting organizations.”

Pepito Masterpiece Portraits
pepitomasterpieceportraits.com

Pepito Valdes, owner of Pepito Masterpiece Portraits, focuses his lens and charity efforts on “Faces of Hope” photographs, a project now in its ninth year. The Tampa, Florida, photographer and framer creates free portraits of children with life-threatening illnesses. He also provides catered meals and makeup applications before the photo sessions.

“At first, I thought I was just doing something for them,” he says. “But I quickly realized that it’s a gift to me—that I am able to give the family something that will last forever.”

Valdes has also worked with the Pediatric Cancer Foundation and volunteers at live and silent auctions. On Christmas Day for the last 15 years, he has also joined Metropolitan Ministries, an organization that serves poor and homeless residents in the Tampa area. He sets up a studio at the center’s location, gives stuffed animals to all the kids and takes family portraits of the residents.

“For many of them, it may be the only family photo they have,” he says.

Carmel Galleries
thecarmelgallery.com

Elizabeth and Olof Carmel have produced stunning landscape photographs for 12 years and have owned Carmel Galleries for eight years. With locations in Truckee and Calistoga, California, two cities in beautiful, natural settings, the galleries attract travelers from around the world.

As part of their commitment to giving back, they donate many prints of their work to local auctions and other fundraisers in their local communities. The pair also donates many of the images to support marketing for local land-trust and environmental organizations that work to protect the landscapes they photograph.

The Carmels “both have an understanding of the importance of protecting the last wild and beautiful places on the planet and the importance of maintaining a healthy environment for future generations,” they say. They also laud the many people who work at nonprofits that support the preservation of nature, many of whom forgo the opportunity to earn a larger income.

“We try to do everything possible to assist with the missions of the organizations we support,” the couple says.

Urban Ashes
urbanashes.com

Urban Ashes, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, gives back every day by reclaiming and repurposing wood for frames. Owner Paul Hickman and his innovative company are also “reclaiming lives” by providing work for ex-felons.

“They are productive and have redeemed themselves, and they are eager to be good workers,” he says of his workforce.

Creating sustainable art, including frames and mouldings from used wood and downed trees, is the manifestation of the company’s mission to divert as much wood as possible from landfills, says Hickman.
Urban Ashes also provides funds, products and support to many local charities, including Arts Alliance, Think Local First and Heron Watershed. The staff is currently developing a model for helping workers improve their lives and the environment.

“Most art is driven by expression, and supporting others is also an expression,” says Hickman.

The post Framed in Hope: Framers & Artists Supporting Charities appeared first on Art Business News.

By Tara Crichton

I love when people stop to look in my store’s front window. The longer they stay, the happier I am. Even better is when they come into the store because they just had to see what else was inside. It means my window is doing its job.

Put Your Personality Up Front
My front window is the face of my business that customers see from the street. Once a customer comes inside, I am the face of my business. I’m lucky that people consider picture framing artsy, so I can be quirky in my personal appearance; it only adds to my credibility. In an art business such as picture framing, people will judge you by all the artistic choices they observe in your business decor, advertising, promotion and personal presentation.

This revelation shouldn’t surprise you. Hairdressers must have good hair; if they charge top dollar, they had better have great hair. Everything that customers sense when they enter your space paints a picture in their minds of who you are and what they can expect of your product. What does the art on display in your store have to say about you? Does it look as though you have only one or two frame mouldings to sell? Does it look as though you haven’t framed anything new since the ’90s? Does your space have a bad smell? Is your store dirty or messy? If a customer notices any or all of these things, your business won’t grow and be successful.

Good picture framing is by its nature expensive, and the environment for selling expensive things needs to be inspiring. The exact method of inspiration differs for everyone.

Create Intrigue with Eclectic Accents
My store is eclectic. I’ve branched out into various modes of artistic expression through sculptures, interesting home decor, vintage frames and salvage. For me, anything that’s beautiful and unique is fair game. Oddly enough, there is a strange continuity in the store’s decor, which was completely unintentional. It works for my location and for the customers I want to attract.

One of the most successful picture-framing businesses I know has achieved its success by cultivating its own unique clientele. The business has two small locations in affluent areas of Toronto. When I say small, I mean SMALL. One has dimensions of approximately 10 by 10 feet with basement space for assembly. The other location is twice that size and has a front gallery space. Both locations dedicate 90 percent of their wall space to frame samples. But you won’t find the same frame samples you see at every other frame shop. The business derives its success from being a maverick of the framing world. The owners frame big and spectacular. Its personal presentation and the framing that the business produces have a rock-star vibe, which would-be imitators cannot copy. Customers go to these shops when they have money to spend and they want a piece of that magic for themselves.

Look at your location and decide what kind of customers you want. You can’t have everyone. Give up on that idea right away. If you cheapen your materials and workmanship to appeal to bargain hunters, then bargain hunters will become your clientele. This business strategy works only if the quantity of resulting work is so great that you can still make a profit.

Curate Your Collection
An ambitious picture framer is a curator. You should carefully choose everything that goes into your framing to reflect your artistic sensibility and the quality end product you will produce. Do you really need 100 frames with a black finish? Do you have frames from various companies that are indistinguishable from each other? Choose which ones you actually want to sell and the profiles that will give you the greatest range of finished products.

I am the worst person to advise against frame-sample hording. When I was working as a showroom manager for a national frame importer, I had more than 900 frame samples to work with. Yet, I still missed some of my favorite mouldings from the competition. This mentality does me no favors. It just ends up muddying the waters for my customers and cutting into my bottom line. I have now streamlined my business model with the mouldings I’ve chosen to be my mainstays and the unique, exciting lines that spice up the presentation.

I’ve been disappointed with most of the new moulding lines that have come out lately. They are so depressingly “safe”—that is, boring. I can’t get excited about brown frames. Instead, frames that look like iron fencing, complete with nail heads; frames that have traditional distressed silver beads and wood that looks like tortoiseshell; and frames of stained woods in Japanese red and ebony get my creative juices flowing.

Mats are the exception to the minimalist rule. I find that I really do need every sample out there. The mat companies have stepped up their game by producing new lines that fully optimize and expand the borders of picture framing—pun intended. Some customers would choose heavy jute overlay on gold leaf, pebbles or genuine gold and silver leaf as mat options. Apparently, the sky is the limit. I won’t use these mats every day, but as a person who has mounted gift paper onto matboard sheets to get just the right look, I applaud the innovative vision that led to their creation.

Use Your Creativity
I promote the frames and the framing techniques that comprise my vision through the framed art I display on my walls. Whenever possible, I frame original art that I acquire from local artists, university and college art sales and auctions. I carefully select decorative prints, as well. I creatively frame these gems in the best, most creative way according to their medium. I have so many options: floater frames; shadowbox frames; and mats with spacers, fillets, antireflective glass and linen mats. I do not randomly assemble these pieces as examples of framing technique. Instead, I frame each piece for the art, but I can refer to it as an example if a customer asks. The goal is to educate through inspiration. Customers first see how compelling the framed art is, and then they ask how you accomplished it.

The business you currently run is the business you have chosen. Every choice you have made about location, decor and frame suppliers has come together to create the face of your business. Ask yourself whether the face of your business is the one you want to show the world. It is completely under your control. If you build a business that shows the best that the industry offers, you will attract the customers who appreciate that quality. The universe rewards enterprises that you execute with passion and with a drive for excellence.

Tara Crichton has worked in the framing industry for more than 24 years and is a graduate of University of Guelph with a double major in fine arts. She has worked in every aspect of the framing industry, including retail, wholesale distribution, OEM and art direction. She now owns and operates a gallery just north of Toronto.

The post The Art of Framing: Put Your Best Face Forward with Your Storefront appeared first on Art Business News.

Business owners in the framing industry use a variety of creative methods and expend a considerable amount of time, money and attention to generate sales leads. In addition to traditional advertising media, today’s businesses introduce themselves to prospective customers through websites, email and social networking. And well they should, because creating awareness for your brand lies at the foundation of any good marketing strategy. However, it’s not enough to just reach out to prospects; you need them to reach back. You want them to reciprocate by responding to your overtures. Ideally, you want each prospect, upon introduction to your business, to jump into the car, drive to your business and make a purchase—without procrastination and without detours or delay.

Unfortunately, modern consumers rarely take the shortest path to the point of sale. Getting a prospect into your business often involves an intermediate step: a phone call. Making a telephone inquiry gives prospects an opportunity to ask questions; assess the quality of customer service, competence and professionalism; and ultimately decide whether you’re the one they want to do business with.

In my previous column, “Turn Your Website Into a Sales Engine,” I wrote that the goal of your website should be to get a prospect to call you. A phone call is easier to achieve and gives you a second bite of the apple: a personal interaction that lets you build rapport with your prospect, provide useful information about your business and distinguish your business from the others.

That phone call also halts, at least temporarily, the prospect’s online browsing and keeps them from the clutches of your competitors.

I view every phone inquiry as an opportunity. It’s a chance to have a conversation with a prospect and to start and build a relationship. A telephone inquiry lets you sell the unique benefits your business offers and to sell yourself.

Your website may aim to get a prospect directly into your store, but the odds of it happening are stacked against you, especially if the prospect also visits the website of an always-on-sale-but-not-really-on-sale craft store and sees a coupon for 70 percent off. At that point, it’s “game over” for you because you have nothing with which to trump such a compelling offer, regardless of its veracity. But if your website convinces a prospect to call you to obtain more information, answer questions or learn about your current promotion, the outcome of the game is now within your control.

Take Charge
Now, let’s look at what you can do to take advantage of the great one-on-one opportunity a telephone inquiry offers.

When you receive a phone call from a prospect, you must be ready to effectively handle the call. Your primary goal, of course, is to get customers and their frame-worthy items through the door of your business. However, to make that happen, you’ll need to reach two secondary goals: building a rapport with the prospect and taking control of the conversation.

Building a rapport will come naturally as a result of the conversation, especially if you take time to include some small talk.

However, making a new friend is just half of the battle. You must also take control of the conversation. Taking control lets you—not the prospective customer—determine the direction and length of the conversation. Fortunately, with practice, you can fairly easily take control of a conversation. You need only ask questions; then, you’ll be the one driving the bus.

In any dialogue, the person asking questions is the one in control; the one answering the questions is not. You needn’t be pushy or rude to take and retain control. Instead, develop a habit of ending your portion of the dialogue with a question that encourages your prospects to talk about themselves or the items they want to frame. Controlling the conversation also lets you steer the discussion away from price.
The best questions to ask are those that help you get your new acquaintance into your store or gallery. Preparation makes that goal easier to achieve. Develop a list of standard questions that you can rely on. Here are a few to get you started:

• Where will you be displaying the artwork?
• What is the decor in that room?
• Do you know where we’re located?
• Can you come in now?

These questions are easy to work into almost any conversation, and they help you achieve your objective.
Keep in mind that someone is going to be in control of each conversation; if you’re not in control, the prospect is in control. The one question a prospect always wants to ask is, “How much will this cost?” That question is the one that you can’t and shouldn’t answer over the phone. Simply be strong and get them into your store or gallery, so that you can make a sale.

When you do get a question about price, explain briefly that pricing depends on a lot of variables, including the mounting method, glazing options, degree of required preservation and display options. The existence of all those variables makes it impossible to answer that question over the phone. Promise that you’ll provide an exact quote when the customer comes in.

Avoid mentioning the size of the piece the customer wants framed because he or she probably knows the dimensions of the artwork and will expect that information to be enough for you to quote a price. Also, avoid discussing the frame itself because this question, too, may lead to another pricing question: “What’s the cheapest frame I can buy for this piece?”

After you rattle off all the variables that affect price, follow up with a question of your own to retake control.

Open the Door
Clinch the deal by asking for a commitment: “Can you come in now?”

When a customer says, “Yes,” let him or her know where your shop is. Give directions that might bypass a competitor’s location.

Conclude the call by recommending that the caller ask for you upon arrival. It doesn’t matter whether you’re the only one there; it puts a potential customer on a first-name basis with you and lets that would-be client know that he or she has a friend in the business.

After ending the call, write down the name of the person you spoke to. It’s also good to keep track of your conversion rate—that is, how many prospects show up after a call. These techniques are amazingly effective, and they can make a dramatic difference in increasing your income.

Selling is possibly the most overlooked and underdeveloped skill in our industry. It’s also part of your job, so learn to do it well. Improving your sales skills and those of your staff can pay off in a big way. Because the sales process often starts with a phone call, include these tips in any training program.

When your website does its job well, your phone will ring more frequently. How well you handle each opportunity to speak with a prospect often determines the success or failure of your business. Be a guerrilla. Learn to sell. ◆

Paul Cascio, the Guerilla Framer, is the lead instructor for The American Picture Framing Academy (pictureframingschool.com). He also provides business and sales training and consulting. Contact Cascio at pdc@pictureframingschool.com.

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The world of decor is all about reinvention, and that’s why we’re launching an all-new DECOR magazine! Our Creative Team is busy putting the finishing touches on our new look—a paperless, online Ezine—and we can’t wait to share it with you. Join us for the launch at DECOR Expo, alongside Artexpo New York and [SOLO] in NYC’s Pier 94 next April.

New Owners
DECOR magazine is now owned by Redwood Media Group—purveyors of fine art exhibitions, events, education and editorial with a decades-long history of serving the global fine art community. At Redwood, we know the fine art industry inside and out, and we own and produce fine art fairs including Artexpo New York, SPECTRUM New York, SPECTRUM Miami, [SOLO] and DECOR Expo. We also own and publish Art Business News magazine, and we’re thrilled to add the soon-to-be-launched DECOR Ezine to our offerings.

New Editorial Board
We’re pleased to introduce our new editors to you!

Editor in Chief: Michael Pacitti

Michael Pacitti, IDEC, CPF, has worked in the fine art, design and framing industry for more than 25 years.

He is currently associated with the Color Marketing Group, and the Color Association of the United States (C.A.U.S) where he has been teaching seminars on color and design to interior designers and decorators throughout North America, Europe, and China for 25 years.

He has also written numerous articles on color and design and is a professional certified educator with IDEC Interior Design Educators Council, resulting in his accessible style of conducting informative and interactive workshops.

Managing Editor: Meg Glasgow

An artist, European-trained picture framer and entrepreneur, Meg owns her own interior design firm: Meg Glasgow Designs. She has 20+ years experience in the art business as a CEO, art consultant, author and public speaker. Recently, she has joined her husband, Steve, and Glasgow Group Realty as a real estate client concierge, where her focus is on customer care in assisting in home staging, sales, marketing and property previews. She currently serves on the Meridian Arts Commission, Business Promotions committee for the Meridian Chamber of Commerce and President of Finer Frames.

We also have an exciting new team of writers, editors and designers on board, including Craig Kausen, Linda Mariano, Litsa Spanos and yours truly, Christine Schrum.

New Content & Design

The all-new DECOR Ezine will deliver cutting-edge news on all things design and decor—from interior decorating and fine art collecting to the latest trends in architecture, furnishings, textiles and tapestries, framing, and much more. We’re also rolling out a fresh new look for the magazine.

Stay tuned for our April 2014 launch at DECOR Expo. Visit the DECOR Expo site for more information on the show. Hope to see you at Pier 94 next spring!

The post All-New DECOR Ezine Launch at DECOR Expo in April 2014 appeared first on Art Business News.

During interactions with framers in the past several years, speaker, trade writer and tri-location frameshop owner Ken Baur has noticed a growing need in the picture-framing industry.

“The amount of questions and uncertainty expressed by shop owners around the country is very high right now,” Baur says. “The economy is the major aspect, but framers also realize that the industry is evolving very rapidly into something different.”

Baur says he’s faced and overcome his fair share of challenges since he entered the framing industry 18 years ago as a custom framer at a Ben Franklin store and then later branched out on his own to found Framing Concepts Gallery in 2001. Now that he’s got a strong footing in running three locations of the business in northwest Indiana, Baur is working to help custom picture framers compete in a changing market through a full-service firm he recently launched—KB Consulting.

“KB Consulting is a new company dedicated to working with custom picture framing businesses to help them compete in this changing market,” Baur says. “KB Consulting concentrates on helping frame shops develop inexpensive, client-based programs that increase repeat business and referrals for new business.”

KB Consulting offers a full range of services, including marketing, designs for gallery layouts, pricing strategies for increasing profit, programs for improving customer service and advice on expanding framing services such as delivery, installation, off-site sales and corporate sales programs.

The company specializes in e-mail marketing programs that tie directly to company websites. These programs are based on promoting relationships with clients while offering incentives for referrals and repeat business, Baur says.

KB Consulting also will soon have the capability of providing websites specifically designed for custom framers that can easily be updated to reflect gallery activity.

“These sites also will offer versatile e-mail programs designed to bring activity to the sites,” Baur says. “The result is an increased ability to market directly to clients without the cost of direct mail.”

KB Consulting will offer full support and guidance for developing these Web sites into interactive marketing tools that build client relationships.

As far as Baur’s experience in this area, Framing Concepts Gallery recently won the Best Web Site Award category in DECOR’s 2009 Top Art & Framing Retailers Awards competition for the company’s exceptional online presence and ability to connect with customers digitally.

A portion of all KB Consulting proceeds will be donated to American Forests, a non-profit organization that works to protect, restore and enhance the natural capital of trees and forests.

For more information on 
KB Consulting, visit 
www.framingbusinessconsulting.com, 
or e-mail 
ken@framingbusinessconsulting.com.

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