Yesterday, Geoff and I set up a table at a local fundraising event for our local chapter of Autism Ontario. It is a cycle/walk/run/stroll event. To set up a vendor table cost $25. It was money well spent.
I was iffy on whether we were going in the morning. It was black and rainy and cold when I got up and I really didn't relish the thought of standing out there for 4 hours, and being wet and cold. But, little by little, it started to clear, and even when it was overcast and rainy at my house, when I looked in the direction of Welland, where it was being held, there were little glimpses of blue sky.
Geoff and I had decided to take the kids with us, to get them out of the house, but also to show them a little of what we do. They were both good for the most part (with a few instances where they would run for the parking lot and Geoff would have to stop talking to potential customers mid-sentence and run after them.) and I think it helped people relate to us, when they realized that Geoff and I are ASD parents and we do get what they are going through.
It started off a bit slow, but after the actual event was over, and everyone was getting their BBQ, we started getting people coming over. EVERYONE we talked to was very supportive. Most of them were amazed and thankful that we existed. Lots of them have little to no professional pictures done of their kids. It was the exact impact I was hoping for.
I had done tons of my positive thinking building up to this, thanking the universe for the magnificient results (before the event had even occured), visualizing the warm welcome and good reception we would have, and thinking of the results that I wanted. While we haven't had any bookings yet, we have had 5 new people like our page, and tons of good feedback.
Just a side note, I had ordered business cards for TaCL for the show. We have cards centered around the horror side of the business, but I figured a black and white card with a skull on it was likely not the best thing to hand out. Of course, our cards weren't ready for the show, so we handed out alot of handwritten slips of paper with our contact information on it. When we got home however, there was an email, from about 5 minutes earlier, saying that the cards were now ready for pick up. Talk about irony!! :) Oh well, we have them now, so we are good to go.
Just to touch on the positive thinking one last time. I have been writing out my universe wish list- things that I want to have or have happen to us. Of course, success with the photography businesses is one of them. I was grateful for the opportunity to have occured so that we could participate in the Cycle Event. The timing was perfect and the event was all we had hoped for. But the weird thing is with Cracked Lens, the horror site. We haven't done anything to promote it in a couple of months. But all of a sudden, this past week, people have started liking the page. Strange. How they found it, I have no idea. First it was one. Then a couple of days later, another. Today, it was 2 in one day. After 6 months of no growth, to have these random people start finding us....it's strange and spooky and wonderful. It is inspiring. I am starting to find a new drive.
Thanks universe. You came through again.
Rosie N. Grey
The N stands for "new business".
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