You Must Be From Away

They drive you round the twist!

I collect ceramics, do the marketing for a ceramics fair and design and manage websites for potters I like, a lot of it pro bono

This is what you’re up against.

Part One

Offered to do a seminar for a class of ceramic students at a leading institute and proposed that we feature them at our market (we’ve developed it over the 5 years into one of the most significant in the region with massive visitor growth) in a special exhibition.

For free. (I’d normally charge a 4-digit Euro figure for that sort of stuff.)

Big yawn. No, we haven’t got time/can’t be bothered/ waste of time.

Lecturers can’t FORCE them, because marketing is a voluntary course…..

What they’re giving up is major exposure in a regional newspaper, major exposure to an interested public and a fair chance of getting on TV.

Go figure.

Part Two

Major market the other day and we front to find that they’ve got an exhibition opening that evening.

Introduction by a friend, from whom we’ve bought heaps of pricey stuff.

Located in the leading ceramic museum and centre in Germany, from whose shop we’ve again bought heaps of stuff over the years and keep asking them to put us on their mailing list.

Did anyone think to tell us?

Nope.

Did we stay?

Nope.

Did we buy something?

Nope.

Part Three

I have clients who works in a ceramics coop in a town with a leading (big and widespread) ceramics market.

Called in the other day and found a note in their display : “We’re on the market”

Tracked them down, mentioned that it might be an idea to tell customers exactly WHERE they are on the market?

“Oh, for goodness’ sake, they can get a guide and find us…”

Sometimes you feel like giving up…….