"Please raise your hand if you enjoy ceramics"

OK, so the ceramic hands is a little campy, but I like it.

I was just thinking this morning. We have probably 50,000 people connecting with ceramics through the CAG. This is rough math based on 40,000+ homes reading CERAKANVAS and figuring there are probably more than 1 person in many of the households reading the mag. This being the case, what if all of those people who enjoy ceramics, raised their hands so to speak.

What if Michael's Crafts Stores received 25,000 requests for bisque, small casting molds, slip in a box, cleaning tools, etc. I think they would see the waving hands and respond. Supply and demand, it's the oldest concept in marketing. If we showed stockists that there was demand for product, they would supply it. Please understand I would rather see new ceramic shops opening. But as a marketer I have to be a realist. It would be easier to convince a store like Michael's or JoAnn's to stock something, than to get people to open a business. But if the sales were being generated at these stores it might inspire people to open shops in cities that are not being served anymore. Then this will allow a rebuilding of the distributor/dealer network that once existed.

If we don't speak up! Then all we do is complain. If we aren't being creative on ways to get supplies back into accessibility, we are not really trying to grow the industry.

So raise your hand, and let the shops know in your area that you want ceramics, you want greenware, you want glazes, you want kilns, you want molds, you want bisque, you want brushes and supplies. But then if they oblige you, SPEND YOUR CERAMIC DOLLARS IN YOUR COMMUNITY!