BTB: Death of a sales call: A volunteer sells ads

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Death of a sales call: A volunteer sells ads Posted: 29 Jan 2011 06:30 PM PST My local GMO puts out an annual Omnibus listing shows, clinics, and activities. Of course it's partly funded by ads. I offered to help the person saddled with the tasks of securing ads, and I set a goal for myself of contacting 25 new businesses for new ads. So far I have ad commitments for $350, but I need to make ten more contacts. Yesterday I took the day off and burned through a 1/2 tank of gas, driving to various tack shops and farm supply stores to meet with proprietors. It was fun, and mostly rewarding, but at times baffling. Responses were all over the board: Guy at the hardware store: "Hey, we can help each other!" Bought a half-page ad and asked me a lot of questions about what happened to Barbaro. The lady at the farm supply store was stony-faced, and I thought it was a lost cause. I gave her time to "think about it" and later that day she left a message committing to a full page ad. One local seamstress purchased a small ad but offered to make pearl-studded custom stock ties for the upper level riders on our adult team. Pete at Cotner trailer -- what a nice guy. He made me feel as if my visit genuinely made his day. Guess who I'm buying my trailer from when that lottery ticket comes through?  My one bad experience One tack shop manager, forever nameless, had been hit up for ads and donations one too many times. I introduce myself and start my little spiel. Manager: [Exasperated, she motions at me and speaks to her staff] "She's the THIRD person today asking me for donations."  Me: "Well I'm not asking for a donation, I'm selling an ad in our Omnibus. And it's not expensive. A business card ad is only..." Manager: [cuts me off] "How many exhibitors?"  Me: "What? Oh. It's not a show, it's our omnibus of shows. We make about 450 copies of the Omnibus and distribute it around the region." [Offer her a copy of the Omnibus] Manager: "Well, I've never heard of you or your organization."  I started asking her if it was unusual to have so many donation requests. It was. I left stuff with her and she said she'd think about it. Tack shops sound like fun places to work, but my guess is, not always.

How Harv sees me... Posted: 29 Jan 2011 11:58 AM PST Remember the eye photo I took back in December? I did a "zoom in" in Photoshop, and look, there I am. Harv is having a pretty good winter. I bought two nice bales of alfalfa and he and Riley get a flake each night. The other day a friend stopped by to pick up a saddle she'd loaned me. We talked for a bit, and I was standing by Harv's stall. Harv is not normally an affectionate horse, but as I chatted with my friend he rested his chin on my shoulder. It was such a great feeling.

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