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Greetings!
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Our second meeting of the year we started our series of Pros in the Field presentations. We invited Trebuchet Communications to give our members a Marketing presentation called "What is the Value of Marketing and Communications?". Lisa Trnka and her staff Denise Bauer and Jenny Plott gave the presentation with some very helpful advice and pointers. Here is a list of five points they talked about and the basics you need to know.
Press releases- Stand out... What is the Story? Tell the who, what, where and why.
Search Engine Optimization. Use Descriptive key words in your website for search engines to find your products. It is ok--and actually recommended--to misspell common keywords that people type in your for products (for example, both 'Blue' and 'Blu'). Also talk to your web developer to make sure your website is compatible with mobile devices.
 Color. Use color to define your brand. People can recognize your PR by just a color. If a specific color is important to you, get a Pantone
color and use it in all of your PR.
Social Media. It is vital for every business to have some type of social media. Recommended:
- Facebook: Allows you to keep touch with your friends and family
- Houzz: Free, and gets your work out to large group of people who are planning on doing projects
- Pinterest: Can be crafty, but gets your work out so people get to know it and build your name.
Budget. Older companies should budget 5% of Net Income for marketing. Newer companies should budget 10% of Net Income.
Set your goals before you start any of these processes and you will be able to measure your success.
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 The Minnesota Tile Festival registration is now open! We are doing an all-online registration this year. You can pay by any credit card. If want to send us a check we still accept that too. There are many new options for lots of different types of artists and price points. Here are the new options...
Tile Boutique, $75. This year the Minnesota Tile Festival we are introducing the Tile Boutique. It's a 3x3' space within a booth for artists to show and sell their work as a tabletop display. It's a great opportunity for artists from around the country who have wanted to be a part of the show but could not attend the trip. Click here to sign up!
 Installation Gallery, $75.
This is a 3' x 7' Propanel wall where you can display your images of projects you have done. We have known for years how many great handmade tile installations are out there... but the public does not! Click here to sign up!
 10' x 10' Booth, $185 Present your latest and greatest work and sell one-of-a-kind art tiles and accessories. Items like switch plates, soap dishes, thrown sinks, framed tiles, house numbers, historic reproductions, mosaic pieces, etc. are all good items to sell at the festival. Click here to sign up!
Tile Fashion Show Artist, $35 Are you a fashionista? Would you LOVE to see your work featured on a fashion show runway? Here's your chance! 
Last year we hosted the first ever Minnesota Tile Fashion Show to raving reviews. It was a packed house of stunned viewers cheering beautiful models. Each wearing handmade tile-infused garments, they sashayed down the runway of the new courtyard at the American Swedish Institute. Melinda Nelson, our emcee and Editor of Mpls/St.Paul Magazine, called the space "a perfect mix of historic and modern architecture perfect for a fashion runway event." Click here to sign up!
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 | | Fay Jones Day Welcome tile |
Handmade Tile
Association
Meeting
March 13
6 pm, Tour of Jan's amazing Arts & Crafts Home
6:30 pm, HTA Meeting
Where - Hohn & Hohn 1190 Summit Ave, St. Paul, MN 55105
651-224-8877
Pot luck
We will also enjoy a demo by tile setters of the Handmade Tile Association. Some of the basics they'll cover...
 1. How to set basic tile and how to set trim over a counter
2. How to deal with corners. Where should an installation start and end? What can a tile maker do to help make pieces to deal with the edges or corners of an installation?
3. Talk about the right adhesives and grouts we should recommend. Where do we get them, what should we avoid. A cheat sheet will be available to attendees.
It is free to attend and show us the love and get rewarded with great information and food.
Join us!
If you are not in the Minnesota region, consider creating a meeting of tile and mosaic artists in your area. The HTA can promote your meeting through this newsletter and on the website, Facebook, and Linked in. It is a great way to learn and promote tile ideas.
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Sincerely,
Josh Blanc
Handmade Tile Association, LLC |
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Quick Links! Check out all the new info...
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| Events, Show, New Products, Art, Classes, etc! |
| Four times a week the HTA does a Facebook post on the Handmade Tile Association page. We are looking for members and advertisers who have events or anything they want to publicize. Click here to send your info!
We are looking for more events to post. Please send us your classes, workshops, and gallery shows.
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Welcome New and Renewing Membership
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Friend Members
Forbush ARTiques
Business Members
Louise Campbell
Super Membership
Jeanie Daves Pottery
James Whitney Tuthill
Sharon Tuthill
Creative Photos Etc
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| Thanks to our Volunteers! | |
We want to thank our membership team of Katie Thompson and Bethany Whitehead is working on membership renewals packets. We have plenty more projects so if you are still interested in helping we are interested in you! We are willing to pay $12 an hour for service, or trade for advertising.
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Get your 5 hours in and save money on your advertising!
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Spotlight on Artist Schedule
|  Spotlight on artists for 2012...
If you are next, gather any new images, information or news you would like to be highlighted. Send them to the HTA by the first of your month.
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| | March
Creative Photos Etc | | Corazzo Tile | | Alma Artisan | | April
Sheryl Tuorila | | Ceramic Chinn | | La Alameda Press | | Kathleen Mellin Grubbs LLC | | May
SOMI Tileworks | | Sight Line Tile | | Lea-Way Designs, LLC | | June
Pasadena Craftsman Tile | | Earth Wood and Fire | | Deb LeAir | | July
Stone Hollow Tile | | Untapped Resource Inc. | | Suzanne Crane Fine Stoneware | | August
North Prarie Tile | | weaver tile | | Mercury Mosaics | | September
Dean Tile | | Elfstone Studio | | Stephanie Kaczrowski | | October
Tile Restoration Center | | Timeless Tiles | | Status Ceramics | | November
Copper Swan Studio | | Pewabic Pottery | | Clay Earth Studios | | December
David Aichinger Tile Co. | | Our Creative Outlet.llc | | House on the Hill |
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