Searching for New Markets

Yesterday I went to the Craft, Hobby & Stitch Trade Show in London to see what new goodies I could find to tempt you with on the website. A lot of the stands were focused on Christmas items, which I thought a bit strange! They only sell to trade customers and it is nearly October, so most of us have our Festive stock in place and selling. I expected to see Spring or Easter items and was disappointed.

If any of you have been reading this blog from the very beginning you may remember my comments about a previous Trade Show I attended. I shall repeat them again here as the practice seems to continue.

 A couple of the stands I visited had very smart (and good looking) young men on them - always an attraction for ladies of a certain age! Yet on further inspection, they seemed to have very little knowledge of the craft business!  Is this the equivalent of scantily dressed girls at motor shows and is it acceptable?  What do you think?

Now, on a different note, a good friend of mine just happens to be a very entertaining Poet and Author and has very kindly penned this wonderful poem for Lorna (Marketing Dragon) to help her find new customers.

The search for new markets.

I wonder if there is some alien race

That has taken to crafting somewhere out in space.

And I wonder when gazing at night at the stars

If there’s aliens crafting on Venus and Mars.

I wonder if aliens’ fancies and needs

Include knitting needles, and craft wire and beads

And Boshi wool yarn and nice wooden dolls

Or if they’d buy Washi Tape, wholesale, in rolls.

I’m sure if they did, and were willing to pay,

They could get them from Glitterwitch were there a way

Of taking an order and some way to trace

Their payment and post through the vastness of space.

If I concentrate hard I could work out a thesis

For transferring stock via psycho-kinesis,

But I rather suspect banks would refuse to arrange

Any workable theories on rates of exchange.

I’m afraid that the alien market remains

A void to exploit by superior brains

And I’ll have to fall back on my markets in place;

Unless dragons and witches can travel through space.

Many thanks to Mr Ian Ashton for sending us this. If you would like to read more of  his work then click here and it will take you to his website which also tells you about the Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway which is his great love.