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Newsletter
for the Interior Design industry. June
2004 – Volume 1
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Welcome
to the first edition of the "DreamDraper™ Newsletter
for the Interior Design industry.”
Let
me introduce myself to you, my name is Margi Kyle.
I have been in the design industry for over 30 years and
have enjoyed a fulfilling career working with clients,
teaching designers, working as a consultant, and reaching out
to the public via my television appearances and newspaper and
magazine articles. It is my pleasure to host the new
DreamDraper™ Newsletter and bring you tips on the latest
design trends, and news that will help make your business even
more successful.
This
newsletter is here to help you close that sale, save you time,
give you marketing strategies to impress your clients, and
keep you abreast of new developments in our industry.
Each edition will include tips and items of interest from some of the
leading professionals in our industry.
Most
importantly, we want to hear from you!
Please send us your questions, thoughts and sketches or
pictures, or share you success
stories. Let us put you in the news. Help
us give you what you need to build a successful business.
Margi
email:
askthedoctor@evanmarshdesigns.com |
Margi
Kyle
ASID,
IDS, WCAA, NSA
“THE
DESIGNING DOCTOR, LLC”
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Included
in this newsletter
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Clear
the Clutter! |
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OK,
no more excuses! Have you done your spring cleaning yet? Tired of
hauling those huge sample books and catalogues? Fed up with spending time
working with samples that are discontinued?
Why
not let the internet work for you? Let technology be your friend.
Don't let that computer intimidate you! Start searching for what you need
on the internet. Each edition of this newsletter will feature sources or websites
that can help you in your business. It's time to use the resources that
are available to you!
For
those of you who have attended my seminars, you know that I do my presentations
using Microsoft PowerPoint. What you may not know is that I use PowerPoint
in my day-to-day business and dealing with my clients. You can search the
internet to find fabric and furniture samples to augment your design
ideas. And best of all, you don't have to spend much time or money to
convey your ideas! And most importantly, you don't have to be a computer
expert. (I
can hear a collective sigh of relief.)
My
site recommendations for this month are:
www.designonlineinc.com
- Designonlineinc.com
Designonlineinc.com
is
wonderful site for furniture and accessories, both commercial and residential, featuring a library
of manufacturers' catalogs that allows you to search and cross-reference
thousands of products. You can also buy products at cost. It
is $250 a year or $25 a month. Tell
them I sent you and they will give you a trial day!
www.kasmirfab.com
- Kasmir Fabrics
Kasmir
Fabrics is a wholesale distributor of decorative fabrics and trim. Kasmir also
manufactures custom made soft window treatments and bedding. You will
need an account to access the website samples.
www.todl.com - Trade Only Design Library,
Inc.
TODL
provides the industry with a comprehensive source of over 195,000 products from
more than 650 manufacturers. Buyers can source products of all types,
price points, styles and applications for residential, hospitality, contract and
commercial projects. Free to the trade.
Margi
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Work
Smart
If
you're like me, you never have enough time. So work efficiently, but most
importantly -- work smart!
You
don't have to injure your back constantly lifting all those sample books, nor do
you have to be an artistic genius to convey your design, nor do you have to be a
computer expert to use the new software tools. Get yourself Microsoft
PowerPoint and start using it in your business to help your clients visualize
your designs. It's quick and easy to learn. Believe me -- if I can
do you, you can do it.
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With
a minimum of effort, you can WOW your client. Above is a
sketch that I whipped up in a short period of time. It's a
simple sketch for a corner window treatment. There are
software tools available in the market now where you can quickly
put a sketch together and size the designs to scale. Use
these tools. You can spend a lot of time playing with
these tools to simulate the entire room, coloring the walls,
etc. But often you don't need to be that elaborate in
order to make that sale. Show the window treatment, grab a
fabric swatch and some room accessories from the internet, and
convey your ideas. DreamDraper™
is the only system in the market today where you can actually
apply your own fabric to a window treatment design.
Remember...
Work smart. Work efficiently. Take the time to make
an impressive presentation, and use your time wisely. You
can embellish your renderings to add molding and color to the
walls and floors, etc. If you need to convey that level of
detail, then go for it! If you just need to convey an idea
and time is not on your side, you've got the tools at your
fingertips to accomplish the job and still impress your client.
Today's
computer tools are easy to use, and they have literally changed
my way of doing business. Margi
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Business
Cards
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How
do you get people to keep your card? Simply make it something
that people will want to keep around. I’ve seen some
original business cards out there, but the ones that stick in my
memory are the ones that creatively relate to the type of business
being promoted:
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A
motivational speaker who promises to help you make more money
has his business “card” engraved on a gold coin.
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A
telephone salesman has a business card that actually rings.
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A
dog trainer has a “bite” eaten off the corner of her card.
Do
these ideas inspire you? Here are some interior design
business card suggestions:
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Put
design tips on the back of your business card. If
there is one thing people like to keep around, it’s free
information. And homeowners are always looking for
ideas for their home. List some design guidelines,
organizing tips, or color principles, and your card is
bound to be kept, maybe even on a refrigerator or two.
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Print
your information on alternative materials, like fabric,
wallpaper, or a rug sample.
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Attach
fabric or tassels to your business card.
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Nika
Stewart
The
Window Dresser
Author
of Window Fashion Makeovers: Before & After (Chapelle
Publishing), Confessions of a Window Dresser, and The
Designers’ Guide To Marketing.
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The
above tip is from Designers'
Marketing Blitz, Nika's new book due out soon.
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Make
sure to catch Nika's seminar - Marketing Blitz for Designers
- at the West
Coast Interiors Expo in Long Beach, CA, on August 23, 2004,
as she discusses tips and ideas that designers can
use to get that all important publicity to improve their image
and bottom line.
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Seeing
is Believing
&
Seeing
is Selling
Take
the guesswork and ambiguity out of your proposals.
Improve communications between designers, clients, workrooms,
installers, suppliers, etc.
Using
visual aids has been an unbelievable tool for me and my
clients. I know one thing for sure,
when you create good visual presentations, clients BUY.
Accelerate
the decision-making process: Put visuals in their
Proposal-Invoice.
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Below
is a Proposal
I did for my client. Using a very
small piece of her fabric, I scanned it into the PowerPoint presentation.
Using DreamDraper™ I put the fabric into the selected style.
The scale of the fabric is not in true proportion to the drapery as
there wasn't enough in the cut swatch for a repeat.
It didn’t matter, and the presentation was enough for my client to visualize the finished
effect! SOLD.
The
Proposal-Invoice looks professional, it gave the client what
they needed in terms of information and a visual, and it
didn't take a lot of time for me to prepare. Work
smart. Win-Win. Margi
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Tools
of the Trade Each
newsletter we'd like to spotlight a product or service that we
believe will make your job that much easier. This edition's
spotlight is on DreamDraper™ -- a design and visualization
system. Design gorgeous window treatments to scale, and add
color and even your fabric!
DreamDraper is truly a dream. I have always thought that
computers were like magic, and DreamDraper put magic right
into my business.
Customers
no longer have to try and visualize a treatment. They
can see exactly what their treatment will look like, and
they can change the design if needed before they
commit. Magical!
I
plan on using DreamDraper to help with the design of my
line of custom baby bedding sets for DeGangi Baby (a division
of DeGangi Interiors).
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Margarett
DeGange
The DeGangi
Group
Founder and President of The DeGangi School of Interior Decoration,
WCAA
Board of Directors
www.decoratingschool.com
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To
learn more about DreamDraper™, click here
or call toll free at 1-866-56-DREAM.
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Design on a Photo
with DreamDraper™
Question:
Can I apply a design on top of a photo using DreamDraper™?
Answer:
Absolutely. See the images and description below.
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DreamDraper™
revolutionized the industry when it was first introduced at the 2003
International Window Coverings Exposition in Baltimore, MD. It
was the first system of its kind and was the first to demonstrate
the capability of designing window treatments directly on top of a digital
photo. Using the beautifully illustrated DreamDraper™ images
and the power of PowerPoint, you can even manipulate the images so
that the design pieces "appear" as though they are
positioned behind furniture. The DreamDraper™ designs are
vector-based images and retain their clarity and crispness when
resized, plus you can fill them with color, color effects, and even
your own fabric. To
learn more about DreamDraper™, click here
or call toll free at 1-866-56-DREAM. |
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Seminar
Schedules - 2004
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Margi
Kyle, ASID,
IDS, WCAA, NSA. Click here
for Margi's bio. |
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Date
& Time |
Place |
Subject |
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Fri,
August 6, 2004
10:30
- 12:00 |
Greenville,
SC - Palmetto
Expo
Center
Custom
Home Furnishings Industry Educational
Conference & Trade Show
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DreamDraper
- A
New World
of Design Possibilities
Design
with ease using exquisitely detailed designs—and to scale;
application of colors and fabrics; and adding wall color and
effects. Learn how to design, save time, organize your files,
and market yourself using the state-of-the-art DreamDraper™
system. |
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Fri,
August 6, 2004
2:00
- 2:50 |
Greenville,
SC - Palmetto
Expo
Center
Custom
Home Furnishings Industry Educational
Conference & Trade Show
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DreamDraper
Demo |
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Sat,
August 7, 2004
10:30
- 12:00 |
Greenville,
SC - Palmetto
Expo
Center
Custom
Home Furnishings Industry Educational
Conference & Trade Show
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Where
Will You Be In 5 Years * |
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Sat,
August 7, 2004
2:00
- 2:50 |
Greenville,
SC - Palmetto
Expo
Center
Custom
Home Furnishings Industry Educational
Conference & Trade Show
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DreamDraper
Demo |
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Sat,
August 7, 2004
4:30
- 6:00 |
Greenville,
SC - Palmetto
Expo
Center
Custom
Home Furnishings Industry Educational
Conference & Trade Show
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Windows
of Opportunity * |
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Fri, September 10, 2004 |
Southbury,
CT
Decor
& You |
Windows
of Opportunity * |
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Fri,
October 1, 2004 |
Philadelphia,
PA - Fort
Washington
Expo
Center
Custom
Home Furnishings Industry Educational Conference & Trade
Show
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DreamDraper
- A
New World
of Design Possibilities
Design
with ease using exquisitely detailed designs—and to scale;
application of colors and fabrics; and adding wall color and
effects. Learn how to design, save time, organize your files,
and market yourself using the state-of-the-art DreamDraper™
system. |
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Sat,
October 2, 2004
10:30
- 12:00 |
Philadelphia,
PA - Fort
Washington
Expo
Center
Custom
Home Furnishings Industry Educational Conference & Trade
Show
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Where
Will You Be In 5 Years * |
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Sat,
October 2, 2004
4:30
- 6:00 |
Philadelphia,
PA - Fort
Washington
Expo
Center
Custom
Home Furnishings Industry Educational Conference & Trade
Show
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Windows
of Opportunity * |
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Sat,
October 16, 2004
10:00
- 11:30 |
High
Point, NC - Rooms A-C,
11th floor Club Level of IHFC |
Marketing
Tips to Dazzle Your Clients
Put
pizzazz in your presentations!
2004 Marketing Tips help close your sale with
innovative graphics, business forms and stunning
illustrations. Learn
the latest tools of the trade, including DreamDraper™. |
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Fri,
November 5, 2004 |
Phoenix,
AZ |
IDS
Chapter all day meeting. * |
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*
The indicated seminars are not specific to DreamDraper™,
however Margi will be more than happy to address any questions
regarding the system. |
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Jamie
Gibbs, ASID,
IFDA. Click here
for Jamie's bio. |
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Date
& Time |
Place |
Subject |
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Mon,
August 23, 2004
1:30
- 2:00 |
Long Beach,
CA
West
Coast Interiors Expo
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Looking
Like a Genius with Difficult Window Solutions
Using
the newest version of DreamDraper™, Jamie Gibbs will walk
you through numerous difficult window situations and discuss
soft treatment design solutions that will WOW your clients. |
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Evan Marsh Designs, creator of DreamDraper™ |
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Date
& Time |
Place |
Subject |
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Fri-Sat,
August 6-7, 2004
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Greenville,
SC - Palmetto
Expo
Center
Custom
Home Furnishings Industry Educational
Conference & Trade Show
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DreamDraper™ |
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Mon-Tue, August 23-24, 2004
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Long Beach,
CA
West
Coast Interiors Expo
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DreamDraper™ |
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Mon, August 30, 2004
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Houston
,
TX
Window Fashions Certification
Program 2004 Regional Tour |
DreamDraper™ |
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Mon, September 13, 2004 |
Providence
,
RI
Window Fashions Certification
Program 2004 Regional Tour |
DreamDraper™ |
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Fri-Sat, October 1-2, 2004
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Philadelphia,
PA - Fort
Washington
Expo
Center
Custom
Home Furnishings Industry Educational Conference & Trade
Show
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DreamDraper™ |
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Mon, October 14, 2004 |
Cincinnati
,
OH
Window Fashions Certification
Program 2004 Regional Tour |
DreamDraper™ |
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Sat, October 16, 2004 |
High Point
,
NC
Market |
DreamDraper™ |
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Mon, October 25, 2004 |
Ft
Myers
,
FL
Window Fashions Certification
Program 2004 Regional Tour |
DreamDraper™ |
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Want to learn more
about DreamDraper™?
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Have a question
for Margi?
Need some advice?
Have a tip to share?
Want to share your success story?
We
would love to hear from you!
email:
askthedoctor@evanmarshdesigns.com
The
Designing Doctor, LLC
P.O.
Box 2386
Cornelius,
NC 23086 |
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Don't
miss out on the Summer
Special - save $30.
For
a limited time only, Evan Marsh Designs is offering the
DreamDraper™ system at the specially discounted price of
$399, including the following:
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DreamDraper™ system CD
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Bonus - DreamDraper™ Portfolio book of designs in a
2" binder
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Bonus - PC Teacher™ - 3-CD video tutorial, 3 hours of
instruction
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70+ page step-by-step Instruction Book on the CD
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Software licenses that allows for installation on a desktop and laptop
computer
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Free email support
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Access to the DreamDraper™ online forum where you can get
support
and share design tips - exclusive to DreamDraper™ customers
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30-day money back guarantee!
Normal
retail price for the complete package is $429. Offer valid
July 1 through July 31, 2004.
Contact
Evan
Marsh Designs for full details or call toll free at
1-866-56-DREAM.
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