[Jewelry making - Article 00302] - Re: [Orchid] [Interview] Having a home show

[Thomas Parker]

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>     Without knowing exactly who it is you are giving invitations out to
>     and without an alarm system in your home to protect your families
>     lives and inventory after the home show, you could be exposing
>     yourself to a very dangerous situation. 

    I think this is key to doing a home show in one's own house. In the
    past, I've done as many as 4 home shows a year, but everyone that
    was invited was either known by me or my partner. I've never just
    posted signs or invited just anyone...it's too scary. I'm really
    fortunate that my partner works for a large corporation, and so
    wherever we have lived, I've instantly had a large customer base of
    people to invite. Although I don't know personally many of the folks
    coming, they're all corporate and work with him, so there's an
    instant built-in trust there. It's easy to see that there's a
    definite advantage to knowing folks who work in corporate or some
    other big structure, and who know lots of people that they can invite
    from the office. Just one trick I've learned by doing home shows. (It
    takes a definitely different approach to marketing if home shows are
    what you do full-time.) 

    Also, people don't come to my house to see my bomb-test-site of a
    studio...they come to see my work. Rarely has anyone wanted to go
    downstairs to see my mess (the show is upstairs in the dining room).
    We also have an "umbrella" insurance policy that covers such things.
    One can always check with their provider to get such coverage...
    again, it's something necessary if home shows are what you want to
    do. 

    Overall, I LOVE home shows. I can create a very intimate setting and
    talk one-on-one with customers. Most of these DO become repeat
    customers as well. It's the time to make that "connection" that home
    shows afford that makes them so great. I currently live in
    Asheville, NC and will be traveling to Pittsburgh in 2 weeks to do a
    home show, again sponsored by the HR manager of my partners company.
    Wish me luck! 

Thomas
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