Day 1 of the America's Mart

Coffee was in the Starbucks paper mug, the scent of quiet desperation permeating the air at the back of the second floor of building three of the Atlanta's Mart in the Handmade Section at 9:30 this morning was my music. I am... okay with how things have been so far. I didn't advertise, I didn't self-promote with postcards, I don't think I'm listed in the mailed out directory, and I'm in the back desert with the rest of the newbies. In spite of those limitations, by the middle of the first day I have taken three good orders--all new customers. If I were counting on $40K in orders from this show I would probably be leaking quiet desperation too, but I am going to be okay with whatever comes.

From 10:00 to about 12:30 it was very busy--I was glad Todd was here to help me, but since then it's been really sloooow. One of my regular customers from the Buyer's Market of American Craft saw me here and was shocked. It was his opinion that I should be in High Design or a permanent showroom--not in the Handcrafted area. About two hours later another BMAC customer came by and placed a good order--and from their conversation I was left with the impression that I would have missed an order from them had I not been here as they are not planning to go to Philly this year. Finally, I had another client from Arizona come in and tell me she still has all the work she bought from me at the BMAC last year and she hasn't been able to sell any of it--people love it until she tells them how much it costs.

I need one more happy report to end the day or I might have to follow the example of my next booth neighbors and not come back tomorrow. The booth next to me is closed until Sunday. I have to scratch my head at paying for a booth in a show that runs Friday through Tuesday if you can't be there from the middle of the afternoon Friday through all day Saturday for religious reasons. Yes, here I sit between bible verses and oilcloth purses, with painted doormats to my other side. Interesting show. Time to start a production schedule for Todd. That'll brighten my day!

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I have been blogging on and off all day--as time, orders and schmoozing permit--and now that I am ready to upload booth pics and post, I can't get network connection. (Had to wait to post until I got home!)