search  current discussion  categories  business - guilds & co-ops 

cooperatives and how they run

updated fri 14 may 04

 

Lorene McIntosh on tue 11 may 04


Have any of you experienced these charges in you
> orgaization? What is the effect of advertising do you think?


I was part of a coop gallery for about a year. There were 9 members. We
all shared everything...the rent, the utilities, buying furniture, costs for
openings, time to keep the place open, hanging shows....everything. But we
also didn't make any expenditures or commitments without a vote. As a small
and very close group it was pretty easy. I have moved and I miss them very
much. :-(

The effectiveness of advertising depends on where you advertise, how you
advertise...do you (whoever does the advertising) know how to reach your
target effectively? Do you have a list of known good prospects or are you
shooting in the dark and hoping to catch some interested parties? So, that
part...all depends.

--
Lorene McIntosh
in the Minnesota northwoods on the
beautiful Rainy River border with Canada

Gail Dapogny on wed 12 may 04


Joan,
In our guild, first of all we ALL make these decisions; the board or a
committee only recommend. All expenses come out of sale expenses which
is a part of what makes up our commission to the guild.

As for publicity, we try to get into as many freebie calendars as
possible, and usually the local city paper enjoys coming out and taking
a photo of people at work in the guild just before a sale.
We also have an active mailing list and mail out postcards before each
sale.
Finally, we have plasticized signs--maybe 18 x 30 "-- that read in
great big black letters: POTTERS GUILD SALE TODAY, 10 -- 5, 201 HILL
STREET.
We attach these to those cheap little metal stands that realtors and
political people running for office use on lawns. We post a list on
the bulletin board and everyone is required to sign up for 2 or 3
intersections and post what intersections they are covering. We put the
signs out the night before or early morning of the sale. It works out
well because we cover territory near our respective homes in and around
Ann Arbor, and the signs are extremely visible.. At the end of the
weekend, we each are responsible for picking up the signs we put out.
A few get lost, but most come back, and they hold up very well. It's
cheap and effective.

Hope this helps.
Gail Dapogny in Ann Arbor

On May 11, 2004, at 1:05 PM, Joan Millette wrote:

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Joan Millette
> To: Ceramic Arts Discussion List
> Cc: joan millette
> Sent: Saturday, May 08, 2004 10:57 AM
> Subject: cooperatives and how they run
>
>
> I have been a member of a cooperative gallery in Wilmington, NC. for a
> few years. We have obligations on committees, time at the desk and a
> 30% commission on sales. Last year the steering committee decided to
> add a charge of $24 a year for publicity without a cooperative vote.
> Now they want to raise it to $40. Have any of you experienced these
> charges in you orgaization? What is the effect of advertising do you
> think? I would appreciate your taking time to reply. Thank you
> joanmillette@charter.net
>
> _______________________________________________________________________
> _______
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.