As I type this I am sitting in my hotel room in Vegas getting ready to check out soon and head back home to Dallas. It’s supposed to be “groan” 102 degrees today. In Vegas the forecast high is 89 degrees. I can’t believe I am leaving the desert for an over 10 degree increase in temperature!! I am a native Texan and I do love my home state but sometimes I wonder why. Oh well, enough crying about the weather.
Here’s my brief synopsis of the ACRES show and a quick pictorial of Vegas.
I and two other soap makers (Feleciai of Skincare by Feleciai and Susan of Maple Hill Soap) were selected by the HSMG to represent them in a booth at the ACRES Las Vegas show. It was a beautiful show with informative presentations and the staff were all extremely helpful. Unfortunately, buyer attendance was down by 20% and thus many vendors were disappointed in their sales numbers (us included).
I only wrote two orders but other than that it was a great experience. I enjoyed sharing a booth with other soap makers as I learned from them both in discussions and in seeing how buyers reacted to their displays and product lines. I am planning to apply some of these lessons learned to my display at the WTC in Dallas. I did receive some great comments on our soap wedges as well as our new perfume, Soaring.
Two evenings, Feleciai, my roomie while in Vegas, and I ventured down to the Strip. We ate at the Paris buffet, wandered under the Eiffel tower, watched the Bellagio fountains and listened the gondelier singing on the canels of Venice.
Bottom line: Business and pleasure in a city that is a fascinating kalidescope of lights and sounds. Didn’t sell much but learned a lot and had some fun in between all the work!
It was great to meet you at the ACRE show. What a coincidence that we were all from Dallas (well.. Tool Texas but you get the idea). We loved your booth and especially your product and although we did not place an order with you personally at the show, we most likely will sometime this summer. The shows are a great place to make contacts and build lasting relationships and for this reason, we love doing these wholesale shows.
You have a great product and a positive attitude which is why, if you hang in there, you will be successful in doing what you love. I know that Cindi (Mom) and I do!