July 2004 - Vol. 2 No. 7
Are magazines taking over your office?
Here are a few simple tips to take control of all those magazines. If you wait until you have 15 - 20 magazines to go through at one time, there will never seem to be enough time because the task is overwhelming.
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First, wait until you have the time to go through an entire magazine.
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Tear/cut out photographs of window & bed treatments, floral arrangements or other items of special interest. (create a few files for personal interests e.g., floral arrangements, decorating etc.)
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After you have cut out all the photographs you want, toss the magazine; who else is going to want it after you have taken out all the good stuff. By tossing the magazine you will rid yourself of tremendous amounts of clutter.
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Clean up the photographs by cutting off the advertising and making the edges straight.
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With doubled sided tape, place them on card stock/index paper; use the front and back of the card stock paper.
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Place the card stock page into a plastic sheet protector.
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Create four View Binders with categories
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Bedding, Pillows, Etc.
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Draperies
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Swags
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Top Treatments & Shades
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These neat organized binders can be a great asset to your company. I let my clients, especially the ones that have never had custom window treatments, check them out over a weekend. I also give them a small pad of 2" x 3" post-it notes to flag rooms or treatments they favor. Many of our clients are not exposed to custom window treatments on a regular basis; so in a sense your client is getting educated on what is available. When we meet for our appointment, the client has already narrowed down some choices so the decision process is much faster.
Want to hear more tips and systems like this? Plan to attend one of the SewWhat Educational Conferences in Greenville - August 4 - 8, 2004 or Philadelphia - September 29 - October 3, 2004. I am teaching a class "Designing from Start to Finish" which encompasses what I have learned in my 22 years of running a successful Custom Window Treatment business. This seminar is completely different from any seminars I have conducted in the past. This seminar will help you make permanent changes in your business; most of my suggestions require little or no cost. All attendees will receive one of our newest products FREE! Join us, you will be glad you did!
Q
u i c k B o o k s T i p . .
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Grouped
Item Codes
If you are not using Grouped Item codes in QuickBooks, you are missing one of the best parts of QuickBooks.
Grouped Item Codes consist of multiple individual item codes. Grouped Item Codes can be used as a tickler system or a way to hide individual items codes. When you use a Grouped Item Code, you have a choice of having only the description print or having all those individual Item Codes print. All you do is check or uncheck the box "Print items in group".
Creating a Grouped Item Code is easy; in the Item List, simply press Ctrl N (new Item Code), select Group for type, enter a name for the Group, enter a description (description will print), choose one item code at a time to add; include as many item codes as necessary. Remember, you can always delete unnecessary items in a proposal when you recall the Grouped Item Code. Test out your new Grouped Item Code by opening an Invoice or Estimate then type the name of the Group in the Item column. Notice how all the individual items just pop up. Press Ctrl P (print), click preview to view what will actually print on the Invoice or Estimate. Minutes Matter QuickBooks System includes a disk with numerous individual Item Codes as well as Grouped Item Codes; we have already done all the work for you.
Below is an illustration of a Grouped Item Code for a Designer that would sub-contract the labor for a custom window treatment. The name of the Group Code is Win & Ind which is an abbreviation for Window Treatment and Installation. No description is entered for this Group since it is never the same.
I can't believe we are half-way through 2004 it will be December before you know it; don't wait until 2005 to start using QuickBooks the right way. Purchase our 2004 Minutes Matter QuickBooks System now, don't put if off any longer. The manual has been totally rewritten, it is printed in full color and includes numerous screen shots of the QuickBooks program; a picture is worth a thousand words! The Chart of Accounts and Item Codes are now on CD.
Current Minutes Matter QuickBooks users will receive a $25 discount.
N e w P r o d u c t . .
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New!!! Installation Tag Labels & Fabric Check-In Labels
Shelly Wise from Wildwood, MO emailed us with a great suggestion. Shelly suggested that we make our Fabric Check-In Tags in label format. She thought surely someone else had already suggested this idea. I assured her that no one else had mentioned it and it is a great idea. Then I thought, why stop here, let's create Installation Tag Labels as well. We have tried them and we love them. These labels will be available for purchase sometime in August. We will offer them in a pack of 25 sheets, (6 labels to a sheet) for only $10.75 per pack. A pack of 25 Installation Tag labels will be included in the Work Order and the new price of the Work Order will be $42. A pack of 25 Fabric Check-In labels will be included in the Client Management System and will be available for $35.
The image below shows the new Fabric Check-In Labels. You simply fill out the Fabric Check-In Tag, peel it off, staple a fabric swatch, place it on the roll, then after the fabric has been cut peel off the label and place it on your Minutes Matter Work Order. No more staples or pinning tags to fabric bolts.
Our hats go off to Shelly! As a thank-you gift to Shelly we are giving her two packs of each label and a $50 gift certificate towards any Minutes Matter purchase.
Send us any ideas you may have, we are always listening!
Set Your Scale When Designing on a Photograph
Since Minutes Matter Studio is a true drawing program, you can easily adjust your scale to match your photograph with just a few simple clicks. Important: always set the drawing scale before designing on a photograph.
Option 1:
- Import your photograph by clicking on the Import Image button. Zoom out to 40% with your zoom tool and resize your photograph to fit on the white page.
- Click on the Dimension Tool, draw a dimension line from top of door to the floor or bottom of crown to floor. Notice that the dimension line does not display the true room measurement. The scale must to be changed. (NOTE: You need actual measurements from your Minutes Matter Measuring System.)
- To correct your scale: click Page > Edit Drawing Scale. Adjust scale until dimension line displays actual measurement or very close to actual measurement.
- Note: Sometimes it may not necessary to adjust the scale if the photograph is close to the program scale.
Option 2:
- Import your photograph, draw a dimension line and change the dimension line to the actual size of the door and shrink the photograph to fit the dimension line.
- This option will result in a smaller photograph than Option I.
When the scale in Studio is not changed, the dimension lines are usually be inaccurate on the photograph.
Below illustrates Option 1 of setting a correct scale on a photograph with dimension lines.
Pretty incredible right? Download it for FREE and see for yourself; click on the Studio image below or go to our website to download the 30-day trial!
Would you like to attend a class for Studio and never leave your home or office? Well, we have just the ticket for you. We are offering three FREE online classes for Studio during the month of August. Visit "The Lounge" (Studio's forum on our website) for more details. These classes are limited to 10 seats per class. So, sign up soon; classes will fill up fast! Just email us to let us know what class you would like to attend and we will send you a confirmation via email.