We’re Expanding our Business and Invite You to Join us!
October 5th, 2009 by Morna
I’m really excited to announce that The Professional Quilter is becoming part of the International Association of Professional Quilters.
Over the last few years most of you have noticed that we’ve harnessed the power of the Internet to offer more information to help you, the serious quilter, create business success. We publish this e-zine with business tips, tools and techniques to help you build your business. We regularly sponsor teleclasses and longer teleseminars all geared to guide you as you grow your business.
As I talked with subscribers and participants in our programs and looked at what we offered, I knew the best way to help you uplevel your business was to package these products together, along with some other goodies. Members of the IAPQ will receive:
- The Professional Quilter, our quarterly business journal;
- access to monthly teleclasses with experts both in and outside the quilt world;
- access to a monthly tele-networking/ mastermind event;
- a free consultation with an intellectual property attorney;
- an IAPQ lapel pin designed by our art director, Kim Bartko;
- discounts on our books and other resources;
- and more.
The actual value of these benefits easily exceeds $700; the value of these benefits to you is priceless as you build and grow your business. You can see complete details of the benefits on our redesigned Web site.
If you are a subscriber to The Professional Quilter, I know that you are interested in how your current subscription converts to IAPQ membership. Effective immediately, we will no longer accept single subscriptions. The regular price of the IAPQ membership is $137. Through December 31, 2009, we are offering an introductory price of $97 for the first year. We will never offer a special at this rate again. When you convert your subscription online and input the expiration date shown on your address label, you will be credited for the amount remaining on your subscription, in most cases $7.49 an issue. Details are on the Join Page on our site.
I know that networking with other professional quilters is important. Please join me on our new IAPQ Facebook group page where you can interact with like-minded quilters. Here’s the quick link.
I look forward to helping you uplevel your quilt business. Our mission at the IAPQ is to provide the resources to educate and empower you to create your own success in our industry. Whether you’ve been in business for years or you’re just starting out, you’ll find the resources you need to create your own success at the IAPQ.
Learn about all the benefits of IAPQ membership here.
Tags: Business planning, C&T Publishing, Marketing, The Professional Quilter
Eileen Keane said:
I applaud the development of the IAQP, but I have to say that I am very disappointed as well. I don’t make a lot of money in my business; I help with the household expenses. I have to be very careful where I spend my limited resources. I truly enjoy PQ magazine, but I won’t be able to spend either $97 or $137 on a membership. Why can’t it be the best of both worlds? Why can’t those who can-join as full members and those who can’t-subscribe to just the magazine? I don’t think you’d lose money that way, I think you might gain a lot more people buying your products. I’ve spoken to many quilters and they feel the same as I do.
Thank you for many great issues, I guess I’ve just recently received my last one.
Morna said:
Eileen,
Thanks for asking about the membership levels. At this time we don’t plan to offer a “magazine-only” membership. We made the decision to convert to an association model of business, largely because I don’t believe we’re offering people who want to build and grow a quilt business adequate resources with just a quarterly magazine. I found that those who took advantage of all of our offerings were becoming more successful, and I wanted to make these more readily available to everyone. It also became quite cumbersome trying to manage all the individual parts.
It’s something I’ve been considering for at least two years and have discussed with both current subscribers and others. I realize that not everyone will take advantage of this opportunity, and that it doesn’t fit with everyone’s budgets. That was definitely a consideration on my part, but in the end the advantages outweighed this.
I am sorry that you won’t be able to join us and hope at some time you’ll be able to take advantage of the benefits. The classes are recorded so you can listen at your leisure. (I like to listen to these types of classes on my ipod on the treadmill or in the car.) They’ll stay available on your membership page as long as you are a member.
In the meantime, you can still take advantage of some of our resources. You’ll still get the biweekly online newsletter, and you can join our Facebook page (www.IAPQMasterMind.). My goal with FB is that members and non-members will ask questions and share information on quilt business topics. Since it’s a new page, it’s not that active yet. As we grow, we’ll also have other educational opportunities (business planning seminars, etc.) that will be available to members and non-members.
Keep in touch with how your business is growing and the challenges you are facing.