Most of us have been there. You decide it's time to expand your business and run across an interesting possibility -- a shop or a craft fair or another venue that features handmade items. So you call, write or email to find out the details on getting in. And nothing happens. Zip. Nada. Crickets.
It's easy to jump to the conclusion that they didn't like your work. Not so fast, says blog team member and etsy seller Sage Sky. In the post below, she explains that the real reason could be that the people running the operation are so disorganized that they've forgotten a very simple business rule: Vendors are paying customers and should not be ignored. Bottom line: if a business is so poorly run that they're not responding to potential customers, do you really want to be part of it?
The vendor is a paying customer, too. How to read the ZERO response market.
A brand new, hip flea market that features half vintage and half handmade items recently opened near my house. Two months ago, I started e-mailing them asking for a space. I have had ZERO response. I am vendor, which also makes me a paying costumer, right? So how should I take it when they don’t get back to me?
I shop where the flea market is located. I am very involved in my community. I have a lot of resources that can help drive business to them. No one I've talked to has even heard of the flea market. So why for two month now have they not gotten back to me? Are they completely disorganized or do they hate my stuff? Look, it really doesn’t matter to me if I ever set up a booth at this flea market, but as a paying customer, a neighbor and an active community leader, it's just common courtesy to respond to an inquiry.
So, here’s my opinion: when a market doesn't get back to you, don’t take offense. My business partner finally broke down and called them. The girl on the other end of the line, who is also the contact for the flea market, was talking to my partner on the phone while talking to someone else in the room. She told her to send the e-mail again. My partner sent it right away and again days have passed with zero response. So our conclusion is that the flea market organizers are very disorganized.
But get it together folks! We the vendors are paying costumers, too. You would not have a market or a fair without the vendor. Just a quick e-mail would do the trick.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
When Silence is Not So Golden
Most of us have been there. You decide it's time to expand your business and run across an interesting possibility -- a shop or a craft fair or another venue that features handmade items. So you call, write or email to find out the details on getting in. And nothing happens. Zip. Nada. Crickets.
It's easy to jump to the conclusion that they didn't like your work. Not so fast, says blog team member and etsy seller Sage Sky. In the post below, she explains that the real reason could be that the people running the operation are so disorganized that they've forgotten a very simple business rule: Vendors are paying customers and should not be ignored. Bottom line: if a business is so poorly run that they're not responding to potential customers, do you really want to be part of it?
The vendor is a paying customer, too. How to read the ZERO response market.
A brand new, hip flea market that features half vintage and half handmade items recently opened near my house. Two months ago, I started e-mailing them asking for a space. I have had ZERO response. I am vendor, which also makes me a paying costumer, right? So how should I take it when they don’t get back to me?
I shop where the flea market is located. I am very involved in my community. I have a lot of resources that can help drive business to them. No one I've talked to has even heard of the flea market. So why for two month now have they not gotten back to me? Are they completely disorganized or do they hate my stuff? Look, it really doesn’t matter to me if I ever set up a booth at this flea market, but as a paying customer, a neighbor and an active community leader, it's just common courtesy to respond to an inquiry.
So, here’s my opinion: when a market doesn't get back to you, don’t take offense. My business partner finally broke down and called them. The girl on the other end of the line, who is also the contact for the flea market, was talking to my partner on the phone while talking to someone else in the room. She told her to send the e-mail again. My partner sent it right away and again days have passed with zero response. So our conclusion is that the flea market organizers are very disorganized.
But get it together folks! We the vendors are paying costumers, too. You would not have a market or a fair without the vendor. Just a quick e-mail would do the trick.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Great advice, I'll keep this in mind if and when I decide to do a craft fair, let's just hope the organizers aren't similar to the one's in this article!
ReplyDelete