Pole Position

Posted on | February 25, 2010 | Comments Off

Grocery stores place impulse buys at the register or check-out area because they know that when you’re standing in line you might just grab one of these items, they also place things on the ends of isles that they want to sell (for a variety of reasons). I’m not revealing the secrets of the universe here but I am saying something that is vitally important to business survival. If you don’t get your product in front of the eyes of the people you want to buy it you’re going to fail.

This past weekend my artist partner Dave and I (from the Schmutz Company) participated in an event at the Pittsburgh Children’s Museum. We artfully crafted a “parking chair” into a guard-dog like creature. We also artfully crafted ourselves into the closest position to the crowds of people and media that were entering the museum. We showed up slightly early, were some of the first people there, and were able to pick our spot, (it also helps that we’re both giant mountain-like men that most people were not going to ask to move.

We ended up creating a chair that didn’t receive any bids but still landed a shot in the Post Gazette along with our names. I was also interviewed on KDKA as part of the event.

Location alone didn’t earn us that. We also had to be personable. Being lumps at the door is no better than being lumps in the basement. We engaged the media when they came through the door. I know and have conversed with Bill Wade from the Post Gazette who’s photo of Dave and the chair made above the fold on A12 on in the Sunday edition as well as being featured on the website (below the fold, if you will) for part of the day on Sunday.

We had a little boy who was maybe 8 tell us that he thinks that our chair will win. This wasn’t a contest but I do feel that we as artists “won” because we engaged with out audience. So the lesson for today kids is quite simple but important. First – get out there and do it. Show up on time, be visible by choosing or asking for the best location available, and engage the people. If you do those things, even if your parking chair doesn’t get any bids you’ll be a winner.

Since Sunday we’ve been contacted by someone looking to purchase the chair to auction it off for the charity that we were building them to raise money for. Dave and I however have grown very attached and I think we’ll probably just donate part of the stipend that we will receive for building the chair.  If you want to see photos of the chair add me as a friend on Facebook.

KCXKXK3FTSV4

Comments