Pure Spirit – Barrie John – Ian asked me to write a few words about The Pure Spirit Events. Readers should realise we ( Myself Liz and Ian) did not rush into putting Pure Spirit together. We announced the idea early in 2019 so we could gauge peoples feelings about the idea. Within a short period, we realised there was much interest in the concept of a back to ‘grassroots’ spiritual style show. Liz suggested we test the water at the Newark MBS Show in late November. We were delighted with the outcome.
Barrie John
Why my association with Liz and Ian? I have watched their development of The Well Being Shows with great interest. A preference for transparency and clear and defined objectives seemed to be just right for contemporary business practice. I see their unwavering ideal of ‘profit is not the way of the modern business’ as refreshing and compelling. As we began to talk about an alliance: I became privileged to see their accounts. This insight proved they are working to longterm objectives. Building a secure and robust business is paramount to their ventures. I could see sense in keeping a tight rein on venue numbers and not falling into the trap of over expansion.
So, we worked together to see how different methods could be used in The Pure Spirit Shows. All agreeing that we could afford to make some changes to the way the shows are organised. We recognised the need to take the shows countrywide. One reason is to attract new people to stand at the shows. We will prioritise local people at the events. And there is a requirement to bring back disgruntled Visitors (notice the capital V!) How would we achieve this objective?
Well, there will be more shows, and we will expand the reach of the venues. And we will work with new Community Members to grow shows specific to their area. Nothing is better than local knowledge and connection to those who work in the MBS field close to the venue. We have already received suggestions of new sites: and we have gained immense interest from people who want to become part of The Pure Spirit Shows.
I love the idea of Community. Remember, I have worked in this field for over twenty-five years. And, there is not an area in the UK where I have not performed, attended as a guest speaker, or conducted paranormal investigations. And I happily bring all of this knowledge and my immense catalogue of connections to The Pure Spirit Shows.
Therefore, if you’re planning to work with us on theses shows, be confident, you will benefit from the twenty-five-year experience. If you are new to the shows, you can be sure of a warm welcome and help with any aspect of exhibiting. Anything from stand presentation, website building, and developing your skills and gifts are part of the Pure Spirit Community.
Liz, Ian and I are dedicated to bringing the very best of experience to Visitors. They will benefit from a rock-solid talk schedule, quality food and extensive promotional information. Not only this: Every event will have an evening show! Mediumistic demonstrations, Past Life Regression and Paranormal Investigation, are part of the 2020 calendar.
The name ‘Pure Spirit’ is a reflection on what I wish to create with this series of events. I feel certain: whether Community Member or Visitor, you will enjoy an enjoyable show which will be associated with beautiful memories.
My desire is for the shows to be recognised as the most exceptional spiritual events in the UK. If you wish to be part of a well-organised, sensibly priced and 101% promoted series of spiritual shows. Then join me in building something very special indeed.
Best Wishes
Barrie John
I think that Pure Spirit is a very good idea.
In business, one company may own different brands to cover different sectors of the market. The Arcadia group as a good example with Wallis, Top Man, Top Shop, Dorothy Perkins, Evans, Miss Selfridge and Burton ( amongst others).
The MBS/ Festival/ Well Being scene is expanding, and morphing at an ever increasing rate. Lizian have done well to stay abreast, and ahead in some cases, of those changes. Yet there is a conundrum. The more you change and evolve, the further away you can grow from your origins. If they still exist.
Kodak ceased to exist because film, for commercial purposes, ceased to exist, and they didn’t change. Tesco’s make more money per square foot from their small Tesco express stores, close to peoples homes, stocking what they need – than from the megastores. They have changed.
In recent years the MBS Fair scene has been characterised by more fairs, as a way of chasing dwindling numbers, and reducing spend, per fair, offering a wider range of goods and services hoping that people will buy something.
Simultaneously, standards of the best have gone up. Putting on a show is easy. Being the best isn’t. If you are the best you will grab the lions share of whatever market there is.
I see Pure Spirit as emulating Tesco. Not aiming to be the biggest in size or in visitor numbers, but instead delivering to a core, niche, market. Appealing to the core MBS crowd is a good idea – not chasing numbers is a risk, you have to make sure that you have what the customer wants. But if anyone knows what that is – Barrie John does.
Superficially, wilfully excluding exhibitors normally found at the more diverse Well Being shows is brave. But with it comes opportunity. Exhibitors and therapists who embody Pure Spirit may have to be found, rather than checked in. A deliberate effort will have to be made to make the shows entertaining making up for lack of quantity of exhibitor with increased, and engaging, quality.
How pure is “Pure”? How will the Community roster be demonstrably different from Well Being? What, and who, is the core exhibitor and visitor? Who is in and who is out? A vibrant discussion of those questions, and bold implementation of the answers, will define the success of the enterprise. I believe that only good can come from that.
In the Arcadia example Top Shop was for young purchasers of quick fashion, Wallis for older women prepared to spend more, Evans for plus size women. The survival of those shops depended upon that differentiation, and so it will be with Pure Spirit. The organisers have the experience, and ability, to deliver that. The aim to be geographically fluid suggests a great confidence in what the product will look like – exciting times ahead.
An indepth and fair assessment of Barrie’s ideas for the Pure Spirit Shows. Many thanks for your in-depth comment Gary. Ian
A very detailed and interesting comment Gary. 🙂