From the start of September we enter Trade Show Season, something I have participated in for so many years I don't care to mention, since at least the mid-nineties!

Then along came covid, and I had the opportunity to have some space from this bi-annual event and I have to be honest, I loved it! I do miss seeing my customers, and we did dip our toes back in the water two years ago as we had a roll-over pre-covid booking at Top Drawer, but otherwise, I made a promise to myself that those days were over.

I visited Top Drawer in January with Megan, and saw some of the old faces, but to be honest I realised that I still didn't feel compelled to take part. But how do we compensate for the loss of orders taken at the show? I have tried to 'pivot' my energies into getting more retail sales, and also have listed our business on the Faire marketplace, an online trade show. The sales have been growing steadily in both areas, and so I don't feel that it was a bad decision. 

So what are the positives? Last year Dave and I took a September holiday! We rode on his touring motorbike, starting from our French house we rode as far as Barcelona! It was an amazing road trip and what felt great about it was that I hadn't had the August pre-show tension, and so relished the time off in a month that usually meant a lot of stress! This year, after me realising I din't want to spend so much time on the road, we have booked a week away in Greece, Corfu to be exact. I am a big fan of Gerald Durrell and also the show, and also I LOVE Greece, the light, the bright colours, the gorgeous clear seas...... We haven't flown to a holiday destination for about 5 years, in an effort to reduce our carbon footprint, so this is a real treat for both of us, and one I will relish.

The other positive is I don't spend August procrastinating or planning, or designing my stand! This was a big stress for me, I never felt I could compete with the big brands at the shows, so I don't miss that! 

What I do miss is the sense of accomplishment when the stand is finally up, and we are ready for business. I miss the thrill of seeing new potential customers, sealing the deal with an order filled-in on the stand, totting them up at the end of the day, and a sense of satisfaction when it is all over.

So what I've decided to do is create an email series for all of my trade customers to give them a really good guide to our business, our newest designs that aren't out yet, what's selling well, and also a good overview of our ethos.

I hope you find it useful and that you don't mind me doing things a little differently this time around! We always appreciate your feedback and reviews too, so never hesitate to email me or leave a review on our website.

Hannah x