The industry as seen by top designers.
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Designers Help Grow Your Business...
... in more ways than you can imagine.
by Katie Hacker (January 7, 2013)
(Note: Katie is a member of the CHA
Designer Section Council. She is a designer, author, and host of the
PBS TV series, Beads, Baubles & Jewels.)
Does your company make a special whats-it?
Designers can help you sell it. Designers are creative professionals
who are bridges between manufacturers and consumers. We speak the
language of both parties and have a unique understanding of their
needs.
Mike Shields, VP of Sales & Marketing for
Beadalon says, "Our designers provide a face for Beadalon and they
act as spokespeople for our brand. They teach consumers about our
products, our company, and how to transform our thousands of parts
into finished jewelry."
While some companies have in-house designers
who are employees, many craft industry businesses partner with
freelance designers. According to the Craft & Hobby Association,
designers must meet at least four of the following criteria for
membership:
Company Check … Work contract for services or
licensing agreement … Written recommendation from current CHA
supplier members … Proof of product design and development or design
portfolio … Sole authorship of a published book, 16-page minimum …
Proof of three published designs in any of the following media: a
multi-author book, brochure, catalog, magazine, website, video, or
manufacturer's advertisement or project sheet.
Designer Molly Schaller says, "As the lead
designer for Halcraft USA's design team, I see the benefits of the
designer/manufacturer partnership firsthand. The manufacturer
receives high-quality, innovative designs from top designers in the
field who are excited about the opportunity to use the newest
materials before they hit the shelves and are available to the
general public. Designers often also share their excitement about
the new products in their online and social media outlets, such as
blogs, Pinterest, and Facebook, which assert a strong influence on
the crafting community.
Another part of the designer/manufacturer
relationship is the benefit that manufacturers gain from receiving
feedback from designers at an early point in the
design/development/marketing process. If a designer finds a
secondary use for the product -- as would be common in the craft
industry with its many facets and micro markets -- or sees a
possible alteration to the product to make it more functional, the
product can be developed, altered, and marketed as needed in a
streamlined manner.
Having a strong relationship with designers
also gives a manufacturer an edge in anticipating future design
trends. The best designers stay up-to-date with, and ahead of, color
and style trends by going to trade shows, doing a variety of
research, and developing their own aesthetics within their chosen
media, and will consult with a manufacturer, enabling that
manufacturer to provide product to public at the time it is in
demand.
Here are just a few of the services that
designers provide for manufacturers: Trend forecasting/reporting …
Product development/research … Writing books/magazine articles …
Public relations … Design press kits and on-camera presentations …
Design projects for print, online media … Blogging … Consumer
outreach … Teaching … Social networking … Coordinating designer
contributions … Product reviews and consulting … Securing editorial
placement … Ad campaign consulting.
Diane Newman from Beacon Adhesives says,
"Designers create unique projects using our wide range of craft
glues and often will generate new and exciting applications that we
never imagined for a particular product. Their creative input has
been invaluable in both marketing existing products as well as
inspiring Beacon to develop even more innovative adhesives."
CHA Designer-Manufacturer Events
Manufacturers who are planning to attend the
upcoming CHA Conference & Trade Show should make plans to attend the
following events which are designed to connect them with designers
who will help them grow their business:
Friday 8-10 am: Roundtables
Friday 12-1 pm: Design Teams Panel Discussion
Friday 5-7 pm: Designer Product Sneak Peek
All Days: License & Design Section and Designer
Showcase on the show floor
For more information about the show visit
www.craftandhobby.org.
xxx