[Woodcarver] shows vs. galleries

[Classic Carving Patterns]

The rest of the posting ... Please apply the Standard Disclaimer 


PLEASE!!!! What is below is from an economic -sales potential - business
atmosphere and not meant in any way to start a political debate or debacle.

The timing of either of these shows is perfect for an artist. Our economy right
now is in the dumpster and I do not believe that it will get any better until
after the November elections. I do not believe that it matters one twit which
party or which candidate wins. The November election is a pre-scheduled time
marker that can not be changed.

Business sales are charted daily with the rise and fall of the stock market. The
stock markets graphs are directly tied to the current affairs of our country
which include war, recession and elections.

People do not buy when war is declared. I don't mean when Congress goes and
signs the War Act bill, I mean when the news commentators first say the nasty
word .... because they are scared and go instantly into the "flight or hide
mode".

People do not buy when there are economic down turns. It does not matter whether
their retirement fund is safe, their house is not on the market or when their
job is fully secure. People go right into the "what if it were me" mode of
hiding and holding onto whatever they already have.

People do not spend when the politicians are campaigning!

That one has NOTHING to do with who they want to win or who will win ... It is
based on the psychological response of a Family Fight. That's what campaigning
and elections are ... One huge family fight which involves the whole country and
no one knows who will win and therefore 'be right' until November 4th ..... lots
of shouting, lots of false promises and lots and lots of name calling all with
the purpose of making the "children" chose which parent (Mom the democrat or Dad
the Republican) is righter.

Now this particular USA Family Fight has come to include a whole world of close
cousins since the outcome effects national policy, war policy, trade policy and
economic policies.

So by November 22nd everyone will know that the Fight is over and be very very
very ready to get back to the business of just plain living. 

One of my lapses into distant memories ... Mike and I had been advertising my
dog prints through direct mailers to the dog breeders in the very early 90's. It
was going great and we even had one mailer bring a 52% response which is just
outrageous. I think we had done four mailer groups by then ... dobies, shelties,
Samoyed and labs .... and were making enough sales to cover the printing of new
issues and even a little profit.

We had just mailed out a new group for Great Dane breeders featuring my newest
print. It hit the mail box two days before the declaration of the First Gulf
War. Our response ... zero - nada -zip - null -nothing ... not even a phone call
of "your advertising Danes but I own a Shih Tzu ... do you have any Shih Tzu
prints?"

Not one hint of a sale until .... 90 days later when Victory was declared.
Suddenly everyone to whom we had sent out Dane mailers found them and started to
call.

I believe that once the election is over people will return to spending. But
until the fight is over no one is spending one miserly cent and instead hoarding
it to cover their mortgages. 

So the timing for either show is PERFECT !!!!!!

Standard Disclaimer - These are just my experiences and my opinions. Others may
have totally different views and ideas. Please take what you want and throw the
rest away.


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