Seminars

[birdman]

These days there seems to be a move towards providing seminars (not demonstrations) at various trade shows. Personally I have always found them useful and I've enjoyed many of them even if I may not have followed up on the particular subject myself.

I've been thinking about what would be helpful for my own business to help take it forward in these curious times we are experiencing in business at the moment. For myself I am attending one this week on using e-commerce for your business, this is very timely because we are working on designing our online shop at the moment.

I was wondering, if you were going to a seminar or presentation who or what would you like to hear about to help your business?

Rolf

[Roboframer]

Whatever the subject (unless it's to do with product) I think it should be in a dedicated room; paid for (in advance and non-refundable) and worth paying for; not just something that's going to happen anyway that anyone can just drop in to.

If I (just for example) was going to give a seminar on something that I would gain nothing from personally, I'd want paying - well.

[stcstc]

I have been thinking about this

there are two types of seminar that are useful for our businesses

1. trade related, stuff from suppliers / experts about for example the latest trends, specialist new products, etc

2. industry techniques, and success stories. techniques etc

as we as picture framers generally try to be jack of all trades as it is, and i know most of us are small businesses. should we be trying to add to this load by trying to become webdesigners, marketeers, accountants etc too?

[Graysalchemy]

should we be trying to add to this load by trying to become webdesigners, marketeers, accountants etc too?

I ask myself the same question. Marketing etc are all important but if we spent all our time doing all these other things we wouldn't actually get any framing done.

I would be interested in seminars on framing related topics.

[birdman]

Yep I hear what you say guys but it is a fact that as a small business or sole trader there are a lot of things you have to do other than the framing. It is all about deciding what is important, what are your priorities. I find that knowing a little about subjects touching my business helps me talk to and understand the "other professionals" I come into contact with. I'm also better able to decide what is important for me and my business.

The point of my question though was to see what seminars or subjects people would be interested in attending. Is there something interesting that is never covered at the trade fairs we attend? Or are we happy seeing the same sort of thing at each event?

I use Photoshop in my business and Corel Draw. I have a large format Epson printer, so I wouldn't object to seeing seminars or workshops on those subjects. If I have to go to Photovision or an event like the Steve Goodall has mentioned on another thread then I'm happy to do so. I just wondered if they might have a place in an event attended by framers?

Robo has mentioned paying for seminars. Would you be prepared to pay to attend something and if so on what subject or who would you want to listen to?

Rolf

[birdman]

Do you know that so far there have been 160 views of this thread. What marvellous interaction and feedback we could have had if they had all submitted a suggestion or comment.

In the words of someone else on this forum - "just saying".

[YPF]

I think I would be prepared to pay to attend a seminar and I reckon £20 - £30 a head would get my attention. However, the quality of the presentation and information to be passed would need to be top quality given the speaker could easily be trousering a hefty sum if large numbers could be accommodated.

What would I like to see? Mounting 3D objects, use of melinex/mylar, maybe some hands on too, frame/mounting design, current framing trends.

Food for thought?

Steve

[Roboframer]

The amount of views does not represent the amount of people that have viewed, there are 7 posts (before this one) from 5 people, I've read each and assuming that was a separate visit for each - there's 7 - and assuming the 5 posters have done the same, that's 35. It would only take another 18 interested but non contibuting readers to make the total views up to 161. So it could be as few as 23 people.

Just sayin'

[birdman]

Thanks Steve, that is food for thought indeed. It's certainly the start of a list anyway.

Seminars on framing related topics

Stuff from suppliers / experts about for example the latest trends
Specialist new products

Photoshop
Corel Draw
Printing techniques

Mounting 3D objects
Use of melinex/mylar (maybe some hands on too)
Frame/mounting design
Current framing trends.

Anyone else want to add to the list and maybe suggest who might present these subjects?

Better still any volunteers willing to present these type of subjects? Have you been hiding your light under a bushel?

Anyone seen someone at a Guild or PPFA Chapter meeting, or somewhere else, who they thought was great?

Who would you like to see speak present demonstrations?

I know, more questions ..........

Rolf

[Roboframer]

If speakers were to be paid it would not be right for one with a larger class to be paid more than one with a smaller one, there would have to be an agreed fee and a minimum amount of bookings to achieve it plus the cost of a dedicated room etc.

Any classes that were full to capacity or well over the minimum required, the 'change' could be used for the next event - in many ways.

[Steve N]

I would be prepared to pay for seminars, and I would be intrested in list Rolf started ( the Bold I would be more intrested in)

Seminars on framing related topics

Stuff from suppliers / experts about for example the latest trends
Specialist new products
Photoshop
Corel Draw
Printing techniques

Mounting 3D objects
Use of melinex/mylar (maybe some hands on too)
Frame/mounting design
Current framing trends.

Plus
Webdesigning, social networking such as Face Book, Twitter, Blogs


Steve

[framemaker]

I would pay for seminars, although some of my interests maybe a little specialist

Fabric mounts and slips (maybe washlines as well)
Mylar/melinex masterclass
Preservation mounting methods (microdot paste hinges etc)
Simple carving techniques
Advanced toning and finishes on gilded frames
Advanced hand finishes
New styles and trends
Period framing and the history of frames

I would also be interested in some business topics like running an efficient workshop, (from taking the order to after sales) successful marketing, managing cashflow, and so on...

[countrystudio]

Social media is the one I would be interested in.

[marky9]

All the seminars and demonstrations that I've attended - Spring Fair, Lion Framing Event, Framers Forum Event for example- have all been excellent, and I've learnt a great deal from them, so there's no doubting their value. In fact, most of the areas of interest to me have been covered. Even so, to see other framers ideas on sports shirt framing, frame design, machinery servicing and selling techniques, would be useful. Mark

[Roboframer]

Watching someone doing something is fine, in fact it's finer than most (if not all) of the 'seminars' I've attended in the UK when things that have already been done have been explained.

Most of the people giving these seminars/demonstrations run their own courses and/or are affiliated with suppliers/organisations; they don't get paid for what they do at trade shows but they don't mind because they don't have to pay anything either - it's a free plug.

So what we don't want to see is these same old demos/seminars by people bigging themselves up - at least not if it's to be paid for..... and if it's free then the fact is it's not about educating, it's about self-promotion.

Workshops would be nice but say it was for washlines with a class of ten - each would need a few pre-cut mounts, a set of paints, a mixing palette, a corner mounting gauge, a straight edge, a couple of brushes, a pencil, a ruling pen and a few other bits and pieces like jam jars, erasers, kitchen roll, etc.

Ten ecobra ruling pens alone would cost over £300! The tutor would have to be hoping that his workshop would prove popular and be prepared to make zip until after two or three workshops.

[misterdiy]

Well of course the other option is for the pupil to provide his own stuff. That way only really interested people would attend the seminar.

Every course I have ever been on (an that includes my Day Skipper) insists you provide a certain level of equipment.

I for one would not mind providing my own equipment for any seminar.

[Roboframer]

Seminars are not courses, they would last a couple of hours tops and I think having to provide equipment yourself, as well as paying for the seminar, would put many off.

It may be OK to pay £50 or whatever but just that pen would make it £80 and some taking the seminar may find it's not for them after all or just never master it well enough.

[framemaker]

While I would not mind bringing along stuff to work on and any necessary hand tools, I agree with Robo that an established/top notch seminar that you are paying for, should provide all the things you need, and these would be sponsored/provided by a relevant supplier who would hope to get business from it.

[Roboframer]

Mylar/melinex masterclass

I can only think of one person who could give that, Jim Miller and unless he was over from USA anyway and could incorporate it, it would cost a packet!

I use a lot of it but when it comes to the more complex mounts which are like Origami, I have to refer to his book, the rest are pretty simple.

This and two other subjects I can think of - washlines and object mounting using formed rods etc - would not gain much support from suppliers because the materials are cheap, (e.g. a wire coat hanger) go a long long way, and mostly not from framing suppilers anyway.

Mounting with Japanese tissue and freshly cooked starch paste is another. Unless you count conservation by design, no framing supplier sells the stuff ..... and it's cheaper and goes further than most 'conservation' tapes.

Anyway, there's 4 seminars/workshops I'd like to see being done well enough to be worth fifty quid or so.

[lionpfs]

Hello all

In case it's of interest, I've just posted in Announcements about the Framer's Event Week we're having here at Lion in October, which will be a week of full-day training sessions.

Nicola