SAPA Board Meeting 09/01/09
Present: Sally Larson, Bobby Marsh, Meredith Smildsin, Susan Greene, David Fernandez, Mary Holmes, Will McCanless, Ben Owen, George Gusler
Guests: Jennie Keatts, Fred Johnston, David Garner, Bonnie Burns, Sherry James, Phil Pollett, Chris Luther, Meredith Heywood, Beth Gore
Phil Pollett will finalize book list for library. His friend has offered a 25% credit to whatever dollar value we purchase.
Beth Gore will work on a newsletter to send out to customers who sign up through the SAPA website. She will do this on a trial basis.
Approval of May minutes: George made a motion to approve and David seconded.
Treasurer’s Report: Rent has been paid to the NCPC for use of office space.
Mary made a motion to renew Asheboro Chamber of Commerce membership and sally seconded.
President’s Report: Continuing to work on map and website updates. Marketing Report: 41 Seagrove potters are represented at the Raleigh Convention Center. They will be putting out a press release. Uwharrie/NC visitor center has started listing potters on their website. 54 shops participating in COSP and about 80 individual potters.
Membership Report: Membership dues are coming in steadily. Several new members as a result of COSP.
COSP Report: Details coming along well. 54 individual shops. Potters' meeting and booth selection at 6:30pm on September 14. Clean up day on September 28, at 9am. Fundraising is at roughly $8000.
Potters' Affairs: Request from a few of the members to receive more details about the board meetings and current issues and opportunities. It was requested that examples of the issues and concerns that members are having be brought to the board so that they can be addressed. George made a motion to send minutes from previous meeting along with agenda for upcoming meeting when notice is sent about upcoming meeting. Mary seconded. Other concern is that SAPA membership should not be required in order to participate in COSP. Other possibilities will be considered for future years.
Unfinished Business: David made a motion and Bobby seconded for SAPA maps to be available for use at kiosks for individual shops. Individual shops will have the opportunity to purchase these kiosks for their shop. Notice will be sent out with minutes and upcoming agenda to give shops the opportunity to place an order for a kiosk with the deadline for placing the order.
Ben is continuing to have conversations with the zoo in regards to a spring event of some sort.
New Business: Will made a motion to create and submit a proposal for SAPA to operate the new welcome centers on the highway. Sally seconded. Will, with assistance from Susan and others, will compose and submit proposal.
Motion to adjourn was made by David and seconded by Ben.
NOTES FROM THE MEETING
The September Board meeting was held last night at the Library with about 9 members attending. Note: this is not considered approved minutes of the meeting, only an information report to the members.
Ø Phil Pollock reported on the research he did with a friend to come up with a list of books to be donated to the Library from the Celebration festival proceeds of last year. If anyone has some suggestions please contact Phil 336-873-7664.
Ø Beth Gore has offered to write a newsletter on events happening in Seagrove to be sent out to the SAPA email list collected from the web site. An email with more information will be sent to the membership on this.
Ø SAPA has paid the rent for the use of an office in the Von Cannon House.
Ø SAPA renewed its membership to the Asheboro/Randolph Chamber of Commerce.
Ø Susan Greene and Bonnie Burns set up the display at the Raleigh Convention center with 41 potters represented and$9,000 worth of inventory.
Ø Celebration has 80 individual potters signed up representing 54 shops. Information on meetings and clean-up days will be sent out.
Ø Chris Luther will be working with Will McCanless on the Potters Affairs committee and is developing a plan to communicate more closely with the membership to address individual concerns from potters.
Ø David Fernandez has 4 orders for the map kiosks reported on last month and asks that anyone else who wants one to contact him at (336) 207-6985.
o The different options are:
§ 1 4X4’ sign with frame and 2 4X4’ posts to be installed by buyer for $339.
§ 1 4X4’ map on metal and weather proof that can be mounted on the side of a building for $225.
§ 1 4X4’ map on plastic that can be mounted on a wall but isn’t as long lasting as the metal ones $190.
Ø Ben Owen has been in touch with the Zoo regarding the offer they have made us to use the African Pavilion for a pottery event. There has been no discussion as to what we would do or when that might happen. Any suggestions are welcome.
Ø Will McCanless reported on the marketing opportunities available to us through the new Welcome Centers on 220 and asked permission to prepare a presentation to the DOT.
Ø Please note that the SAPA Board meetings have been changed to 7PM on the first Monday of every month. Our next meeting will be Monday October 5th.
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Celebration Marketing Committee Overview
The Celebration of Seagrove potters serves as an event organizer, but also as a Destination Marketing Organization of sorts with the goal of attracting visitors to come and shop in the many shops in Seagrove. It is a difficult task because of the number of individual shops and trying to market fairly and on a widespread basis.
The overall goals are two-fold: to create a lasting impression on the visitor by maximizing their satisfaction and creating a return visitor; and to enhance the prosperity of the individual pottery shops.
The first goal is CUSTOMER based. We need the customer in order to achieve goal two. The Marketing Committee develops a marketing plan on how to attract the customer. This is done by initially creating a situation analysis in which a list of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats is developed which will give an overall picture of the destination. Next a demographic profile of the customer is developed in order to determine what media would be most effective in attracting that customer. The message is then created to attract the customer, the media outlets are selected and an ongoing public relations campaign is created. We seek out as many on-line and printed listings sites as possible and have a committee member committed to doing that for months prior to the event. The web site is an important part of our publicity and requires attention every month. Press releases take time to write and time to send out but are important in keeping Seagrove in the customer’s mind.
The COSP Marketing Committee uses individual images in advertising and on its web site. It is difficult to promote a pottery town without showing pictures of pottery and what the customer might find here. A great deal of time is involved in managing images of all the participants and in monitoring that no one is shown preferential treatment. We try to use everyone’s images in our advertising on the web site. In listings on the web we are often limited to one image. Quality of images provided is a very important factor in this process in order to maintain the professional level expected.
It is a difficult task to market a large group of competing shops. One shop is not marketed over another, the customer is the goal and providing them with the information and incentive needed to choose to visit Seagrove and make their visit successful is key in achieving our goal. It is important to remember that all the marketing is being done by unpaid volunteers, on a limited financial basis and that it is sometimes necessary to make decisions with the customer in mind. It is the individual potter’s responsibility to provide their own marketing to draw the customer to their shop once they have reached Seagrove. We do our best to treat everyone on an equal basis all the time, but our foremost goal is to provide the customer with what they need to enjoy their visit.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF INDIVIDUAL SHOPS
In order to maximize the benefits available through the work of the marketing committee the following recommendations are suggested.
-please read the emails about the events and opportunities being offered. If a response is requested, please honor it. We do not have the resources to call everyone individually. We strive to provide all the information you need in the emails and mailings. If you do not respond then we will conclude that you are not interested in participating. The volunteers all have their own businesses to maintain but have elected to donate time and energy on your behalf to promoting everyone in Seagrove.
-deadlines are important. The work is being done by volunteers and when deadlines are not followed it creates many extra hours of follow up and having to put information together. When everything is in by the deadline it allows the information to be compiled at one time and takes a lot less time than when it comes in sporadically. Should you choose to not meet deadlines please do not expect to receive preferential treatment and realize that you may not be included in advertising, on the web etc.
-provide detailed information-if you want to be included in an event then give us all the details. Please do not expect us to look up your hours, phone number, web site etc. Our goal is to provide a professional listing for the customer and your information is your marketing tool, provide us and the customer with details and concise information.
-the more you market yourself during our marketing the more business you are apt to get. The COSP provides e-cards for you to send to your customer list. The COSP sends this card out to the database of emails that we maintain. Database management is a time consuming process as well and as the COSP database grows, everyone in Seagrove can benefit from it. Provide interesting information about your shop or event when requested. When we publish information on the COSP web site people will be drawn to the events that sound like fun and offer something interesting. You have a lot of competition at every show and event you participate in and by marketing yourself you will increase your business.
OTHER SUGGESTIONS AND IDEAS
-image quality is very important in maintaining a professional appearance
-keep your website up to date and fresh
-blogging can draw visitors to your business
-volunteer for a committee, the more people that get involved in helping the stronger the effort becomes and it takes some of the load off those that are already volunteering their time.
-use the internet if you do not know how to write a marketing or business plan, there is a lot of useful information on line that can help you to understand how to attract more people to your business
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About Me
- SAPA Member Opportunities
- SEAGROVE, NC
- THIS PAGE IS A LISTING OF ALL OPPORTUNITES THAT ARE BEING MADE AVAILABLE TO SAPA MEMBERS TO HELP PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS. The Seagrove Area Potters Association, Inc. is dedicated to promoting and marketing the historical, geographical pottery community that works and resides in a corner of the Randolph, Moore, and Montgomery counties of North Carolina. This small “Seagrove area” of central NC has been home to many potters since the late 1700s. Potters who grew up in NC pottery families, locals inspired by NC pottery traditions who learned their trade at Seagrove area community colleges, and potters from elsewhere attracted by the Seagrove pottery community run the nearly one hundred Seagrove area pottery shops.
