We love meeting new people (well, new to us anyway!) and, frankly, that's the only way to stay in business...by making new contacts and maintaining current ones. Of course, there is more than one business model out there, but for Lisa and I meeting people face to face seems to work best at this stage.
True, we have a web presence with this blog and our Etsy storefront, but so far our greatest successes have been at festivals where we can interact with people. And when I use the term "successes" I am not only referring to sales, but also contacts. People do not always buy one of our pieces, but seeing the work up close, talking with the artists (that's us!) makes an impression.
Perhaps as important as prospective customers are prospective business partners--gallery owners, store owners, officials from other festivals. We have met several people that fall into this second category. Many of them have expressed interest with working with us. Time will tell how many of these contacts prove fruiteful, but the simple truth is we would have met none of them if we simply sat in our house uploading images onto the web.
It is hard to describe, but it feels like we are beginning to be noticed. A few people have recognized us from other events. And we even had our first repeat customer. Yeah!
So, it was heartening to realize that the pace of our public apearances is picking up. With that in mind, here are a few upcoming events we will be selling at. If you can make it to any of them, we would love to meet you.
AUGUST 1, 2009: "Art In the Gardens." 10 AM to 5 PM. Mendocino Coast Botanical Garden. More info at http://www.gardenbythesea.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=events.detail&eventID=1
AUGUST 15, 2009: "Design Downtown." Sacramento, CA. A monthly music and arts festival. Sponsored by Sacramento News and Review. http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/third_saturday_design_downtown/event
AUGUST 22-23, 2009 (10am - 6pm) "Inaugural Newark SummerFest"
Newpark Mall - 2086 Newpark Mall, Newark, CA, 94560. http://www.newarksummerfest.com/
SEPTEMBER 26-27, 2009: "Pacific Coast Fog Festival" Pacifica, CA
Palmetto Ave. Pacifica, CA 94546. http://www.pacificcoastfogfest.com/
Peace,
Joshua
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