COLUMN
Do you have questions related to this article? Contact Judith Mishler at
judithmishler@gmail.com
by Judith Mishler
Free
Judith began her millinery career making hand-dyed and braided raffia hats and taught the craft at wearable art shows around the US. Her millinery supplier business Judith M Millinery Supply House came to life in 1994, passing to new owners at the beginning of 2021. Judith continues to support conferences and contests, believing it furthers all millinery business when the tradition is affirmed through these events.
Sometimes it may feel like only a handful of people know about your business, or even comprehend the wonderful things you create, or classes you teach. Get creative in dreaming up ways to let your neighbourhood, region, or perhaps the world, know they are welcome to enter your millinery sphere, where they will discover delightful new things to wear or to learn. Best of all, you don't always have to spend a lot of money for publicity and educating the community about your craft. Even if you live in an out-of-the-
way place, you can create interest among those nearby. My shop was located in a small, rural town in Indiana, USA. I devised a number of ways to get people to visit my shop, which included the following: • Letting people know they could bring in their own hats to refresh with new trims
• Offering a special weekend for shoppers to trade their vintage and used hats with one another
• Hosting quarterly hat teas and trunk shows. I brought in out-of- town milliners and other creative spirits to show their wares. Once a year, I held an outdoor tea on the courthouse lawn. These
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featured a well-known milliner as a speaker and local folks as fashion show participants. All attendees were required to wear a hat. I sold tickets to help cover the costs of the tea, speaker, table rental, etc.
• Designing eye-catching window displays with stories to tell about items in the shop, often showcasing new products. To this day, local folks will mention how they would drive past just to see what was in the windows. My displays became a topic of interest and brought local shoppers inside to explore
• Contacting local press about what I was doing. This garnered free articles and PSAs (public service announcements) telling the readers/listeners about my shop and how they could participate in various events.
This is only a short list. I know you can imagine many creative ideas that will fit with your location and goals. Your business needs customers
in order to survive and grow, and in order to get customers, you need to promote your business. Years ago this was a matter of deciding between a flyer, a brochure, a postcard, or an ad in the local newspaper. But in today’s
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