Sunday, August 06, 2006

The Slipcover Network Forum

The Slipcover Network Forum

Hi All,

I had a really great time at the Summit and learned so much, thanks everybody for answering all my questions.

I came back very enthusiastic to get started making slipcovers and I have a couple more questions.

I built a cutting table and am wondering how to finish the top out. Right now it is plywood, what did you put on yours?

One of the marketing ideas was to contact designers. How did you guys do this?
Phone, mail, in person? Does the designer get a discount? How much?

Same question for contacting upholsterers. If I did cushions for them, what kind of discount would I give them?

Amy, with many more questions to come.

8 comments:

Kim's Upholstery Shop said...

Hi Amy!
I finished my cutting table by scraping on a layer of drywall joint compound to smooth it out, then painting it.
To contact designers and upholsterers, just go to their shop and present them your card/contact information. Designers like to have a pricelist, but if you supply that be sure to put an expiration date on the sheet, and a disclaimer that it is to be used exclusively by "so and so" (I don't supply a pricelist, it's hard to cover all bases)
I DON'T discount my labor. Especially to designers. They are making money on the design work AND on the fabric.
Don't forget to give your card to the local fabric stores. The ones in my area have a binder at the cutting table with business cards-I've gotten several jobs this way.
Good luck!
Kim

K from WA said...

Great question Amy..

I like to contact people personally. Take a few photos to leave with them of my work, plus my card.

I also encourage them to ask for a quote via email, and to send a photo of work to be done. Everything is in writing, as we formulate and discuss the project. Very few slipcover and cushion jobs will I drive to do a consult. When I used to do window treatments that was a different story.

Yes some do want a pricelist, but I don't usually leave the price list the first time round. Don't want everyone to know my prices. I state on the one page price list that these are starting prices and they need to confirm prices with me before quoting a price to the client. Do make sure you have a copy of the pricing summary for 2006 that was put together by Tessy and Dede for the Slipcover Network.

I have never done discounts to designers, nor wholesale for my labor to anyone. It takes me the same amount of time to complete a project whether it be for a designer, or a retail client.

Did you send your press release that you attended the Slipcover Summit????

Great to hear from you
Karen

Shirley Hendry Walsh said...

your table, you have to know what uses it will have. Pressing, cutting, gluing, tabling draperies, all, none ? Then, you have to have surfaces you can put there and remove....a plastic grid that's wipeable, canvas only when needing that to pin to, an ironing board that is a big ply board padded ( and that stores on it's side when not needed.

Shirley Hendry Walsh said...

as for discounts, ask for local customs ( ask workrooms ) and then at first estimate each and every job in person.

K from WA said...

Maureen had a great package of how to make a workroom table. I think this was used for ironing and pinning.

Shirley brings up a good point what are you using the table for?

Dede in Mass said...

Does Maureen still offer this? I know she's TRYING to retire.

Shirley Hendry Walsh said...

I think I see that as a role model, Maureen does what I hope to do...remain fit enough to work when I choose, but not be so deliged with work that I don't enjoy " retirement". I think we will all have to view retirement as relative. I think Maureen works in a hard market. I would want to retire from a market where the typical site to cut has no heat and no running water ( condos shut for winter ). I think Maureen is an excellent role model for my own life plan. Now if I could just get fit...

K from WA said...

So do we need a class about how to prefare for retirement?

Can Maureen teach that?

karen

ps... being fit, it just takes a bike...