One week today and we will know of the impact our promotions have had upon visitor numbers. I spoke to a Community Member earlier in the week who commented:
“I cannot remember a show being so heavily promoted”.
In truth nor can I! and I do not use exclamation marks very often.
The certainty is: The Community is 100% with the show. Thirty per cent of the attending members is either new to the venue or new to The Community. This statistic is an indication of our progress to attain a higher awareness of our work and objectives. We receive enquiries about our organisation every day. The interest is countrywide, and frankly, Liz and myself are overwhelmed with the evolution.
It is interesting, how much support we have for our choice and decisions: Not only this, the momentum for sharing and being proactive on LEN is growing. There are some fantastic announcements scheduled for the week following The Newark Well Being Show. The connections we are making now will expand the awareness of work to a greater audience.
Progress inevitably means slight hurdles will require adjustments. There is one we could never have anticipated. On three occasions, potential Community Members have suggested our organisation is too big for them to join. Our reply is simple, the strength and size of our Well Being Shows is a reflection on the Community Members. Just join, if you need a small information table, or wish to stand for one day, the opportunity is there for the asking.
Liz and I find it interesting that the image of The Well Being Shows is becoming one of being a strong organisation. We are far from our ultimate objectives, however, be sure, our strength and the way we are perceived is due to the growth of the members who make the shows. Remember, the visibility is due to every one of us; it is not possible to thrive and prosper without the united consent of all who are involved. We will all enjoy long-term success: the more we connect and speak with positive words about our shows the more significant and stronger we all will become.
A lady spoke to Liz in Lincoln on Thursday:
She said:
“I could not afford a table at the show and I’d love to be part of The Community.”
Liz replied:
“Advertise your shop in the Free Listings, send in some information about your business and your work, we’ll write an article about your endeavours. If you wish to attend for a day, go for it, and in any event, send in flyers for us to put out at the shows”.
“How does that work? You cannot make any money out of that type of free promotion”.
“It works because you have become a Community Member, and we work together for mutual success”.
This type of action will always be the ethos of our work. We will connect and help anyone who helps The Community to thrive. We are dedicated to the prosperity of The Community, let’s be clear the objective is for ALL of us to enjoy the shows, cover our overheads and earn enough for reinvestment in our futures. Accept this as part of work to the future.
We will continue to promote your Well Being Shows every day of the year. We will connect Visitors to The Community. We do not see there is any other way than this, to fulfil the long-term objective of becoming the most visible Community- Driven Well Being Shows.
We can comment: This is a special time, magic is happening.
Well Done to All of the fantastic Community.
See You Soon
Newark Well Being Show
15 and 16th of September
Cedric Ford Pavillion
Newark Show Ground
NG24 2NY
From little acorns mighty oak trees grow proud to be a member of the community
Thank you, Campbell. We will continue with our work and follow our objectives. Ian
I too am proud to be a member of our Community, Campbell 🙂 We are moving forward in leaps and bounds! Yippee! See you all in Newark , I hope ! xx
I think the comment about the size of the community is an interesting one. What would be “too big”?
The community message board has the capacity to be much larger. There is no national Well being / MBS website, the more people that join and post, the greater the readership, the greater the business for advertisers, the greater the footfall at shows, and so everyone grows.
Those that like a small intimate show can exhibit at Trowell. The last show at the capacious Epic Centre in Lincoln had spare capacity, so there is room for everyone, in both senses of the word. The community is not too big for it.
When I visit shows, how big they are need not necessarily equate with good. Charity, environmental and “cult” stands have their place, but padding out a hall with them can convert a show visit into a walk down a tired high street, not a trip to a delightful bazaar.
Variety is key – and I have NEVER been to a show, anywhere, where I, or anyone else has complained that there was too much variety.
Affordability will always be an issue. It is absolutely right that every exhibitor at any show determines a price that they are prepared to pay in order to clear a profit. If they cannot. Don’t show. Equally unless a show organiser offers a price that does offer a profit to their exhibitors they will have no show. It is true that a profit per show balance sheet can be misleading, but over a period of time it is not. No show organiser can afford to run at a loss for any period of time. No exhibitor can. Both sides are constantly asking the same question.
There is always room for a good new restaurant on the High Street. There is always room for an innovative exhibitor at a show. I recently came across an exhibitor who combined astrological charts with readings. The display was good, the cost low, the idea excellent. They did vey well.
At Olympia in London I saw a massive sound bath, a wrought iron double four poster bed on a six foot raised dais, dry ice, rock show overhead lighting, powerful music, and (to the delight of the predominantly female audience) two muscular young men stripped to the waist banging their gongs at appropriate moments ( not a metaphor!). The experience was full from the moment it opened to when it closed.
At the last Lizian show I was entranced by some sort of yoga dance display with flowing ribbons. I had no idea what was going on, but thoroughly enjoyed it. These are just three examples of how no show can be too big for a good idea.
At a point where the variety and balance is so perfect, and the visitor numbers so great, that the event cannot cop, the answer is more events, but I think there is still some way to go for that.
A final thought, I was at a show recently next to a crystal stall with two tables. The table cloths did not match. The display was a bit haphazard. The pricing wildly erratic. But the stall holder was fantastic, she bought every crystal personally, never in bulk, always in person. You simply could not help but like her. She had covered the cost of her stall before the event opened in sales to fellow stall holders. No show would be too big for her.
The article does not infer we are to large an organisation for anyone, the comment is: that some feel we may be too big for them to take part. What I am clarifying is: this is NOT the case. We are a growing organisation with a strong infrastructure. We would never claim to be too big or the best, or we do not have enough stall holders. We actually keep the stall numbers balanced for an important reason.
I could easily add four crystal sellers, ten readers, three clothing retailers, ten spiritual healers tomorrow. The show would be full, we would make many hundreds of pounds from the additions. And to what end? The ultimate failure of the shows, we will build ‘show on show’ and work to securing a long-term future for The Community.
For example: it is common to have 20+ readers at a show and many do not cover overheads. We have a limit to help them cover costs. We keep the numbers of Community Members to each genre at a reasonable level, for the same reason.
If you read earlier articles, you will see the reasons for this are well defined. As visitor numbers grow we will extend the depth and breadth of the Community to reflect the numbers.
We do not compare ourselves to massive shows, never have and never, will. In fact, we have no interest in what other people do. Our intention is over the coming years to grow into a large community connected by the internet.
In this way, we can build an influential network of people who can benefit from the concept.
Many Thanks for your comments and input, we always welcome, positive comments such as yours.
Ian Timothy
I do not know why it came up as “anonymous”, it was me – Gary Longden.
I very nearly started the reply with : Good points Gary !!!!!!!
Looking forward to next weekend, the more people that click on to the fact that this is gaining momentum the better. By sharing one anothers work and publicising posts on all forms of social media that you have access to, welcoming new people and working together the better we ALL do. There are no rivals, plenty of support and guidance from the more experienced, fantastic atmospheres at the shows and an open structure by the promoters, what more can you ask for. I have said it before and I will say it again Lizian events and the community are an unstoppable force when we work together. Right from me to all the readers of this post it is nearly showtime, I for one can’t wait.