Finally bought a Milli

[Penpal83]

Ordered my Milli with the cq on fri. Been waiting since march when i took a class with Darlene E. Very excited. I allready have customers reserving spots for christmas quilts. Glad that i have the cq coming. I have had lots of experience with my hv se and digitizing emboidery patterns. I hope that using the cq will be similar. Looking at all the patterns on the web and need self control cause i want them all. I am thinking of offering a quilters dozen promotion for new customers. it means that if you have 12 quilts quilted by me the 13th will be free. (up to queen size, allover edge to edge not including thread) Does any one have a good idea on how to keep track of this.

[moogiequilter]

oh you are going to have so much fun! and I'm so glad you already have customers reserving time with you.

I have found that the simpler system works the best for keeping track of things.

I made a form that I fill out for each quilt. It does include size, and the owner, but it's also for me to note what went well, what didn't, thread issues, machine issues etc as a reference. I made copies of the form, and I do one for every quilt.

for my customers, I just have an excel spreadsheet on my computer with details of what they have done. That would be an easy way for you to track how many quilts for each person.

Just my 2 cents, and again congrats!

[mrsbishwit]

I started the quilter's dozen, I mentioned it in the forums back in Spring. It is a great promotion that my clients love and promotes repeat customers. My customers have used it twice already. The way I keep track of it is through my invoicing on my computer...just make sure that the customer uses the same name with each quilt and not a nick name or abreviation of a name other wise it's harder to track.

You could also have business size cards printed up with 1-12 across the bottom of it and with each quilt that is picked up you would pucnh the number with a special hole puncher that you can't buy in the stores (on-line scrapbooking type stores would be perfect for this) then it would be the customers responsibility to bring the card each time if they want credit towards the free quilt.

Rarely will you have a customer drop off 12 quilts at one time most will take a year or two to reach the 12 quilt requirement.

Good luck

Joann

[SandraC]

Another idea I've seen on the forum is giving your business card out with each completed quilt with the customers name on the back. Then the customer passes the business card on to someone else and if that person brings it back, the original quilter gets a discount for the referral. (does that sound clear??)

Also, I belong to a guild and for any guild group projects (mystery quilts, BOM's, etc) I give 10% off the quilting fee. People really seem to appreciate it! I took a mystery class and out of the 15 people involved, 9 quilts came my way!!!

Also, welcome fellow Canuck

[Penpal83]

Thanks great ideas. This forum is awsome. I feel like there is so much support and people willing to help. I feel that with this kind of connetion I will have the tools to be succesful.