Holiday Countdown 2014

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Last Updated: Wednesday, 05 November 2014 18:22

With Halloween behind us, retailers are moving head-on into the holiday season. You may have seasonal shapes on your shelves and are putting up decorations and holiday displays.

Here’s a handy checklist as you move along in your plans and some tips if you haven’t!

• Create samples!
  • Decorate holiday shapes and make samples on non-holiday shaped bisque. (Mayco’s Silkscreens make it easy to create intricate samples with ease.)
  • Display a variety of samples (different shapes and designs) for handprints and footprints.
  • Paint series (sets) of designs to encourage multiple bisque sales.
  • Have a shape that isn’t selling? Paint it with a holiday theme.
  • Customized Gifts – Create samples that your staff can easily personalize for customers on the go or those not-so-artsy feeling customers. Place sign next to the samples that shows one price for customizing and one price for paint-your-own: “You Paint - $25. We paint $40”
• Have tape of varying widths on hand to make stripes on gifts, ornaments and stockings.
• Stock up on holiday colors: Hot Tamale (SC-74), Candy Apple Red (SC-73), Sour Apple (SC-27), Green Thumb (SC-26), Cara-Bein Blue (SC-76), Fruit of the Vine (SC-33) and Sunkissed (SC-6).
• Pick a theme for your window. Like an old-fashioned Christmas, use retro wrapping paper to cover display tables or gift boxes. Hang ribbons from the ceiling. String colorful paper or fabric as a garland. Prefer a winter wonderland? Decorate with blues, greens and white snowflakes.
• Add props with your display that show the use/gift ideas for painted pieces (cookies by a Santa plate, hot chocolate with a mug, recipe with a platter, poinsettia with a planter, etc.)
• Create a “Days to Paint for Christmas” piece and update it daily. Chalkboard…
• Plan events and notify customers via social media, email, newsletters, bag stuffers and in-store signage. Need some ideas? o Canvas of the Month – Visit the Holiday & Seasonal project gallery on Mayco’s website for designs and techniques.
  • Story time – Read a holiday story and paint a similar item or any holiday gift.
  • Pictures and painting with Santa event. Kids paint while others meet Santa.
  • Ornament painting party for families. Have treats on hand!
  • Kids Gift Painting Night / Parents Shopping Night. Parents give kids a list of items or budget for creating gifts while they shop! Order pizza and make it a party!
  • Dessert & Coffee (instead of Wine & Design) Create a design and lead a group through the process while they enjoy coffee and dessert.
  • Prepare your studio for clay imprints!
  • Host early morning painting hours for parents with little ones.
• Send press releases to local media about handmade gifts for the holidays and your events.
• Plan your social media posts and emails to let customers know what’s going on your studio.
• Buy elf aprons for your staff or silkscreen holiday designs onto plain aprons.

Remember to relax, breathe and enjoy the season - Happy Holidays!