Or How to get people you know involved in this year's Relay For Life Fantasy Fair
Get everyone you know involved as soon as possible.
Include everyone you know in things that happen as they happen. Update daily. People love to be included; they love to be given insider info that no one else has. The second that you know details about the Fair or any other event you are participating in, SHARE THE EXCITEMENT!
Share your story If you, or someone you know, is affected by this awful disease in its many forms. Your story is important. The true stories of people fighting are one of the core reasons why we do this.
Take the "Every linden counts" attitude. Yes, there are more than a few people that will only pay 1 linden for that awesome special gift you made, but then again, sometimes you get that 1-in-20, generous person, that more than makes up the difference.
Try to have something for every price range, especially in today's economy. Many folks only have what they can earn in S/l, but are willing to give every linden they have to a great cause. A person donating their last linden is just as special as the guy that dropped 5k in your donation bucket.
Make gifts that are fun, that are only available at the faire! Everyone loves TOYS- especially special toys that no one else has. If you have time, make a nice item that advertises your shop. Hand out random gifts that you give for no reason. Last year when everyone was watching Alia and the tinies grooving to the steel drums:
Time to start handing out coconut bras and grass skirts! Woot! Keep the gifts in folders, so no one has to unpack. Make sure your shop info is in there too. Small thoughtful touches like these make you, and your shop, memorable.
Find a few friends that you know are as enthusiastic as you are, your "wingmen". These are your special people that spread the word by telling their friends, that help you advertise, that shoot things at you while your in jail, and encourage others to shoot things at you while you're in jail, reminding you that you need to have fun too.
These wingmen are your runners. They spam their own friends list; they call out over the fair for you, they talk to the others for you when you're afk to take a pee break or eating a sandwich, because you just got your first moment in ten hours to do so.
Often times I find it hard to simultaneously focus on the 20 IMs, the chatter in the groups, and what's going on in open chat. These folks help with that stress, by encouraging others to participate in the fun, and keeping the mood upbeat and exciting when you run out of witty things to say.
Make people feel appreciated just for being there, even if they didn't buy anything or donate. Say hello! It always surprises me the people that are blown away that I even said hello like I'm some sort of Sl celebrity, but it never fails. Year after year I get people that say " OMG Aine hung out with me and my friends!" like I am some big deal.
People WANT to ask questions about your stuff, they want to know about you, and when they know about you they have a connection on a personal level to your shop and the event. We builders always keep our noses in our work and take it for granted that everyone builds because everyone in sl who wants to build -can. However -Normal people- think builders are GODS! We make boxes and random shapes into entire worlds. We see things with a creators eye, and we take it for granted everyone else can do it too.
I tell you from my own experience; people who do not build are in AWE of us most of the time. So take time to hang out at your shop , say hello, and offer to answer any questions.
Be pleasant, you know..all that good customer service stuff that people talk about in the 'fleshie world'. Typically unless they catch Fenn and I in some random roleplay, this is the only time our clients and future customers get to meet us face to face.
Seriously it's a much bigger deal than you realize to them.
If you're not a social person, find someone who is, or several someones, and make them your special helper for the week. That's actually how I got involved in the fair before I started building stuff. I knew two people that had a shop at the fair together, and I played shop hostess/dancer/ greeter/ customer service person/ walking advertisement/model for them, because one was not a social person, and the other was all over the place doing stuff and looking at all the new shinies.
Your non-builder friends/ new builder apprentices are often a great resource for you in many unexpected ways, ASK FOR HELP! I know its hard, I HATE asking for help myself, but a good friend of mine said something to me once that made me change my mind about asking my friends for things. You see, I'm a giver and do-er. I see a need and I step in and fix things. I'm always the strong one, always that listening ear, and I seldom ask others for help. But this was pointed out during a time when I did need help and refused to ask: 'To be a good friend you have to be willing to let others be the fixer/do-er/shoulder for a while. Friendship, REAL friendship, is all about give and take, and real friends will give others that chance to feel needed.' That's the best feeling in the world isn't it?
Give people a chance to be your friend, treat every person that comes across your path like they already are, and you'll be amazed by what happens.
I know that during last year's "jail and bail", I spent more time in tears than talking because that was my fair miracle. I still go all girly and tear up when I think about all the amazing people that came together for that moment. It still blows me away. I would love to see that happen for someone else this year and hopefully, something I said here might help make that happen for one of you. But even if it's one linden, it's going to a great cause, and your an amazing person for supporting it on any level. Good luck and see you at the Faire!
Aine
Get everyone you know involved as soon as possible.
Include everyone you know in things that happen as they happen. Update daily. People love to be included; they love to be given insider info that no one else has. The second that you know details about the Fair or any other event you are participating in, SHARE THE EXCITEMENT!
Share your story If you, or someone you know, is affected by this awful disease in its many forms. Your story is important. The true stories of people fighting are one of the core reasons why we do this.
Take the "Every linden counts" attitude. Yes, there are more than a few people that will only pay 1 linden for that awesome special gift you made, but then again, sometimes you get that 1-in-20, generous person, that more than makes up the difference.
Try to have something for every price range, especially in today's economy. Many folks only have what they can earn in S/l, but are willing to give every linden they have to a great cause. A person donating their last linden is just as special as the guy that dropped 5k in your donation bucket.
Make gifts that are fun, that are only available at the faire! Everyone loves TOYS- especially special toys that no one else has. If you have time, make a nice item that advertises your shop. Hand out random gifts that you give for no reason. Last year when everyone was watching Alia and the tinies grooving to the steel drums:
Time to start handing out coconut bras and grass skirts! Woot! Keep the gifts in folders, so no one has to unpack. Make sure your shop info is in there too. Small thoughtful touches like these make you, and your shop, memorable.
Find a few friends that you know are as enthusiastic as you are, your "wingmen". These are your special people that spread the word by telling their friends, that help you advertise, that shoot things at you while your in jail, and encourage others to shoot things at you while you're in jail, reminding you that you need to have fun too.
These wingmen are your runners. They spam their own friends list; they call out over the fair for you, they talk to the others for you when you're afk to take a pee break or eating a sandwich, because you just got your first moment in ten hours to do so.
Often times I find it hard to simultaneously focus on the 20 IMs, the chatter in the groups, and what's going on in open chat. These folks help with that stress, by encouraging others to participate in the fun, and keeping the mood upbeat and exciting when you run out of witty things to say.
Make people feel appreciated just for being there, even if they didn't buy anything or donate. Say hello! It always surprises me the people that are blown away that I even said hello like I'm some sort of Sl celebrity, but it never fails. Year after year I get people that say " OMG Aine hung out with me and my friends!" like I am some big deal.
People WANT to ask questions about your stuff, they want to know about you, and when they know about you they have a connection on a personal level to your shop and the event. We builders always keep our noses in our work and take it for granted that everyone builds because everyone in sl who wants to build -can. However -Normal people- think builders are GODS! We make boxes and random shapes into entire worlds. We see things with a creators eye, and we take it for granted everyone else can do it too.
I tell you from my own experience; people who do not build are in AWE of us most of the time. So take time to hang out at your shop , say hello, and offer to answer any questions.
Be pleasant, you know..all that good customer service stuff that people talk about in the 'fleshie world'. Typically unless they catch Fenn and I in some random roleplay, this is the only time our clients and future customers get to meet us face to face.
Seriously it's a much bigger deal than you realize to them.
If you're not a social person, find someone who is, or several someones, and make them your special helper for the week. That's actually how I got involved in the fair before I started building stuff. I knew two people that had a shop at the fair together, and I played shop hostess/dancer/ greeter/ customer service person/ walking advertisement/model for them, because one was not a social person, and the other was all over the place doing stuff and looking at all the new shinies.
Your non-builder friends/ new builder apprentices are often a great resource for you in many unexpected ways, ASK FOR HELP! I know its hard, I HATE asking for help myself, but a good friend of mine said something to me once that made me change my mind about asking my friends for things. You see, I'm a giver and do-er. I see a need and I step in and fix things. I'm always the strong one, always that listening ear, and I seldom ask others for help. But this was pointed out during a time when I did need help and refused to ask: 'To be a good friend you have to be willing to let others be the fixer/do-er/shoulder for a while. Friendship, REAL friendship, is all about give and take, and real friends will give others that chance to feel needed.' That's the best feeling in the world isn't it?
Give people a chance to be your friend, treat every person that comes across your path like they already are, and you'll be amazed by what happens.
I know that during last year's "jail and bail", I spent more time in tears than talking because that was my fair miracle. I still go all girly and tear up when I think about all the amazing people that came together for that moment. It still blows me away. I would love to see that happen for someone else this year and hopefully, something I said here might help make that happen for one of you. But even if it's one linden, it's going to a great cause, and your an amazing person for supporting it on any level. Good luck and see you at the Faire!
Aine
No comments:
Post a Comment