Well, my last blog ended with a bit of a freaked out "eek", at the thought of our online jewellery market actually happening. But what next?
Never having actually organised a market, I'm fairly sure there are steps to take between getting people interested in participating, and the event itself (dum de dum de dum, whistle, drumming fingers...). Ooh I know what that might be - having those people interested actually confirm their place.
Yes, this is where it could all come unstuck. What the hell did so many people ask for information for? The information itself wasn't that tricky... then name of the market "Just Jewellery" kind of gave it away (didn't it?). Were they looking for kid's clothes? Homewares? What exactly is the freaking problem with sending back a confirmation? Just so you know, for all of you at home who are silly enough to try this, this part is definitely harder than getting expressions of interest!
So far, several legitimate questions, several questions where the answer is in the info, and several rounds of photos sent for products that can't be included because they're not jewellery (also in the info). And I'm not having a go at anyone, because none of you are alone! (And I will admit, although very quietly as we don't want to think I'm a complete and utter nong, to having to re-read the info I sent out just in case I didn't mention certain things, and also I couldn't remember what I did or didn't say myself).
Despite a lot of shouts and posts about confirming places, at the date of writing this, we are one biz short. Yes, 19 out of about 40 odd interested have bothered to confirm. I'd dearly love to know why the others didn't (feel free to comment if you're reading this).
*Interlude of 2 weeks where we play interlude music ♫ ♪ ♫
I cannot believe we are still one short!!!! If I have to change the very pretty advertising banner that I've made now (I used my interlude music time wisely), to read "19 fantastic jewellery bizzes" then I'm going to be pretty ticked off. And seriously... 19? Doesn't have the same powerful ring to it as 20, does it?
On the plus side, some of the wonderful 19 have started sending in their photos and descriptions for the market - wow! There are some really, really (and one more) really wonderful pieces. I find it fascinating to see how other people's imagination manifests itself, even for those of us who don't necessarily make everything ourselves. Why do we go in the direction we've gone? What makes us love those pieces and not others? I guess that's jewellery for you - as individual as our tastes are to wear something, there's someone out there who can make you happy in supplying it!
*More interlude music while we wait for magical number 20 to arrive ♪ ♫ ♫ ♪ . In the meantime, I'm off to learn how survey monkey works... I really hope I don't need a monkey to work it though.
PS - The second lot of think music worked! Number 20 is now with us, places are locked in Eddie, and the Just Jewellery Market is ready to go.
PPS - Many thanks to the mysterious and elusive Number 20, who not only has beautiful jewellery, but a great sense of humour too... love your work!
