LION - Framers Event 2011

[sarah]

Just wanted to say Thank you to all at Lion for their hospitality yesterday. Especially to the fantastic Ladies who spoiled us with teas, coffee, and biccies.

There was a lot of work put into the presentations, the topics, and the general set up, so thank you one and all.

Sarah Scenes Software.

[JohnMcafee]

What a great day we had yesterday at the Lion tutorials on Inkjet printing, mounting and laminating.

The event was incredibly well organised and the legendary Lion hospitality very much in evidence. Everyone at Lion went out of their way to make us visitors feel welcome. The personalised information packs are a thoughtful touch, and will be a very useful resource.

The tutors, Brendan Wright, Jack Siwinski, and Stephen Crozier imparted their knowledge in a friendly easygoing manner and have given us much food for thought. Many thanks guys.

And thanks to all at Lion, specially Martin, Nicola, Lee, And Darran, who made it happen.

[YPF]

I'm there on wednesday and thursday and looking forward to it all very much.

[johnwphotography]

I did not go, but did pop into Lion a couple of weeks back whilst passing through Brum. I did note that the Framers Week events are sold out, and was puzzled to see the girder framework of an extension building going up where the marquee was sited in previous years for Framers Day. I do hope this will not preclude a return to older format. I may be cynical, but £50 for a printer demo and discussion, followed by laminating etc did seem a tad expensive, even if from top people in the trade. I did spend at the excellent A&T do and Big Picture roadshow which I attended as they were free, which is surely what a trade show should be with the exception of NEC or similar hosting overheads. I am looking forward to FFlive, and do hope everyone at Lion will have a bit of a rethink on events.

[JohnMcafee]

Oh, to able to ‘pop’ into Lion!

We (there were two of us) spent the guts of £200 each just getting to Garrison Street. The £50 is almost insignificant by comparison.

I spoke with a guy who is spending two days at the event and will be flying back home to face well over £50 in airport parking charges alone!

It is all relative I suppose. There are many aspects of framing where I might, rightly or wrongly, consider my own knowledge and skill level such that I feel that I have nothing to learn. But I’m always interested in ways to improve my business, and I don’t mind paying folk who might help me with that.

We consider our visit to Lion’s event to be money well spent.

[stcstc]

i have to agree with you john

I think 50 quid for a days training is nothing

Today i was there doing the gunnar training, at the same time lynn hall had 12 people teaching them mount cutting techniques with keencut machines each

so its not just a sales pitch, there were actually people learning stuff. and i assume charges way more that 50 quid to teach someone how to cut mounts for example

[Not your average framer]

Surely £50 ain't gonna break the bank. These trainers have come from all over the UK and Ireland, to make this event possible and it will have cost Lion a considerable amount of money to put on such an event as well.

I think that congratulations are very much in order for all those who have put so much into preparing for and making things happen during this event.

[Steve Goodall]

Oh, to able to ‘pop’ into Lion!

John - I hope that is an appropriate use of the quote button

Please feel "free" to "pop" into into "your local " A&T Belfast Branch on Thursday...

Where you can plunder my knowledge of mounting & laminating expertise (over 30 yrs of it) for "free"...

Also on hand is the "guru" himself - Kevin - giving "free" tips on everything from morsos / under pinners / mount cutters & every other toy under the sun...

The event is "free" - as is the advice - not fogetting the "free" refreshments too...

Did I forget the parking - thats "free" too...

However - if £50 is not too much - please make your cheque payble to - Steve Goodall or Kevin Shelton - there maybe a "free" sticky bun in it for you

But on a more serious note - no training or advice is ever "free" - it just depends on whether you charge for it - or absorb it as an investment in your customers.

[Gesso&Bole]

I find it incredible that some framers believe that training should be free. To a certain extent I think this is why our industry in the UK is lagging behind our friends in the USA, not just in terms of framing skills, but also in my area of business skills for framers.

There is a huge amount of work that goes in to running a training course, typically, I would spend at least 2 days preparation time for a 1 day course. Then there is the hand-outs, travel and overnight accommodation costs . . . . .

I ran a training day for local (non-framing) businesses earlier this month that was subsidised by the Local Authority, it was on Social Media, and a similar format to the course I am running at Lion this Friday (although no free biscuits and coffee). The SUBSIDISED rate for this was £195+VAT per delegate, and it was over-subscibed.

Lion are investing in your training, and the £50 you are paying is a just a contribution towards the cost. They do this because it builds stronger relationships with their customers, it encourages people to travel further to visit their premises, AND, guess what, if you are more successful in your business, you will spend more with them month on month.

So why is some training free? For example, Steve Goodall (Bless his cotton socks) does a wonderful job teaching folks how to use his products, and in doing so imparts a huge amount of knowledge to attendees. Brilliant, and I recommend that everyone takes advantage of that sort of training, but it is funded by sales of Hot Press products, so you ARE paying for it (and yes I have heard a rumour that Steve earns MORE THAN £50 a day!).

Our Industry, like most others, is a tough place to make a living. It is survival of the fittest. Customers expect more and more. TRAINING IS AN INVESTMENT NOT AN EXPENSE, and it will help you to survive, and prosper in a fast moving and challenging world.

You know how you feel when a customer wants you to do a fabulous bespoke frame, but doesn't even want to pay IKEA prices? Well that's how us poor trainers feel when folks want good training, but expect it to be free!

[Grahame Case]

I agree 100% with everything Jim says.

No event is truly "FREE" - and we do lag far behind with seminars/ workshops etc.



then there is the travel costs as well to get to the Framers Forum event and stay over (2012) we are looking at spending nearly £700 - i've not even calculated loss of earnings into that

[JohnMcafee]

Steve, the truth is that your free training is far from free, didn’t you know that? It is just funded differently. It is paid for by your existing customers rather than your prospective customers.

Your company is to be applauded for using this concept so successfully. But please don’t try to kid us, or yourself, by telling us that it is “free”.

And yes, feel “free” to quote me on that.

[Jonny2morsos]

I don't think £50 is expensive but remember this is for twelve delegates therefore the training provider is taking in a total of £600 (and I am not in any way critising Lion for this).

The going rate for one to one in this trade seems to be £185 per day.

So my view is £50 is cheap and for a 12:1 ratio of trainer-delegate then around £100 would be as much as I would be prepared to pay.

The proof that £50 is very reasonable can be judged by the fact the event sold out quickly. In fact too quickly because while I deliberated as to which ones I wanted to do the spaces all went!

Lion are to be congratulated for arranging the event and knowing them the hospitality would have/has been excellent.

[Trigger]

Spent a very positive day yesterday at Lions who looked after us all brilliantly: from the guy directing us in the car park on arrival, Lee greeting us at the door and making sure it all ran smoothly, the lady who did the teas and coffees and huge spread of sandwiches for lunch, to Pete and Jan who did the training. What a brilliant day. Well worth the £50 cost and a huge thanks to all those involved.

Trigger

[Acornman]

I have attended the Training Events at Lion on Wednesday and also today. The course on Wednesday delivered by David Wilkie informed all about box framing. Today's course delivered by Jim Anderson focused mainly on the benefits of marketing through social media sites like Facebook and Twitter and included pricing for profit. Having just started as a Framer the two days have been excellent and very informative,very much worth every penny. Big thanks to all at Lion for their hospitality and to both David Wilkie and Jim Anderson for their expertese and friendly style of training.

[DEEPJOY]

Hi All

A great value for money and enjoyable event with a lovely bunch of interesting people to share the day with. As a result of it's popularity, I missed out on one event in particular I wanted to attend.

Deepjoy