Monday, May 26, 2008

Gearing Up (again)

Alas, another trade show is upon the world of Smicko. And while I had freshman like excitement and nerves for the first big one, the lessons have been learned (not that I'm not looking forward to it, because I am).
Trade Show Lessons Learned (and to be followed and heeded by me at all cost)
1. Set up is the day before, meaning, there is nothing to bring the next day. The days are long. So showing up an hour early just 'because' is totally unnecessary. Totally. In fact, the booth next to me remained unmanned for one hour on the morning of the third day, because clearly she knew something that I didn't.

2. Bring your own food. When I tell you that we ate garbage for three days, I kid you not. Not even a decent cup of coffee to be found. And when I say garbage, I mean it in the sense that a full on Quarter Pounder with Cheese meal from McD's would have been better, less greasy, and less regrettable than what was available. BRING YOUR OWN FOOD, AND A THERMOS OF COFFEE. Also, water bottles cost a couple of arms and legs at these things, so bring your own eco-friendly Nalgene.

3. Set up a booth with chairs. For the love of sciatica, bring chairs.

4. Don't wear white. Don't have a white tablecloth.

5. Bring Purell. Smicko family has only recently gotten over the superbugs contained at last trade show.

6. Turn off the brain when you get home. Sleep is precious. Don't think about the show. Turn off the show till you have to be there at 8:59 am the next day.

7. Bring hand lotion.

8. Leave booth with wonderful Smicko friend Dana, and go look outside where there is sunshine and weather and air. Take a deep cleansing breath. Then go back in.

Smicko'z new warehousing system and office are near completion - and the re-investment doesn't end there. I've taken steps to get a bookeeper to help keep me in line - I'm getting a brand spanking for the first time ever press release professionally done - and web guru is hooking up the smicko'z website with some new features, and bringing the new fabrics on, out with the old.

I received the new Smicko'z fabric order today, and I am in deep deep love with this batch. I can't wait for you all to see the new ones coming out! (was in love with the last batch too, I know I know, but honestly, I'm a fabric hound)
You can check the changes over the next few weeks at www.smickoz.com

Wish me luck at the show!
Smicko Lady

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