UPCOMING EVENT: Indie Mart - Sunday 9/19

Stroll through 85+ vendors selling their independent wares, ranging from jewelry, apparel, vintage, art, letterpress, screenprinting, and DIY for guys and girls. Right outside Thee Parkside at 17th Street and Wisconsin, there will be bands both inside and outside, as well as food and drinks.

Rebecca and I went to the last one back in July and were amazed at the talent that was there. If I were a rich girl (na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, nah!), I may have bought out most of the jewelry, such beautiful stuff. Enjoy and fun day in the sun and support local indie shops.

The Indie-Mart Street Fair
Sunday, September 19
Thee Parkside - 17th and all down Wisconsin
12-6 PM, with after-party from 6-7:30 PM

Being OFF is as Important as Being ON

I had the luxury of spending some time by myself on Saturday, wandering through the packed streets at my own pace and stopping where I pleased. I spent a ridiculous amount of time (and money) in a local bookstore, and then felt inspired to sit down and write in my new little notebook. Passing by one of my favorite cafes in my neighborhood, I decided to stop in and sit there to write, rather than in my familiar apartment.

The first thing I see when I walk in to the café is Robin Williams. And who is he sitting with? Craig Ferguson, one of my favorite comedians. (My apologies to the other guy they were sitting with – I’m sure he’s amazingly funny and fabulous as well, but I didn’t recognize him)

So yes, I just name-dropped. Forgive me – I’m excited because I rarely see celebrities. Honestly, though, it’s a rather lame name-drop, as I didn’t talk with them or take a photo with them or anything. I just happened to be in the same space as them. I don’t think they even looked up at me as I walked by, but I’m sure my face registered some surprise. I had to reign myself in from being an annoying fan. I sat away from them to control myself, but did bend an ear in their direction.

It was a revelation. They are NORMAL PEOPLE. It was just three guys sitting around together, catching up, talking about work. Nothing juicy, no punchline-per-second. If you’ve ever seen an interview with Robin Williams, you would think he had no OFF switch, but he most certainly does. He’s a normal guy talking normally with friends. Conversational, friendly.

There’s a time and a place for being ON. For these comedians, it’s on stage or in front of the camera. But when hanging at a coffee shop with friends, they are themselves. Think of your business writing in the same way. There is a time and a place to lay on the sales pitch, throw in jargon, focus on the product rather than benefits. The place for this is usually not your website.

There are so, so many avenues to express your business. Your website does not have to be the one and only thing that must include it all. Sales sheets, brochures, blogs, taglines, postcards, posters, trade show booths, videos, promotions, etc, etc – all can help you share your message in a more targeted way. They do not have to be expensive or viral, they just have to get to your message to your audience in an authentic way.

Authentic being key. On stage, a comedian is a performer. Sitting in a café, a comedian is a person. He would have no friends if he was performing 24 hours a day. Authenticity is key to making a connection with your audience. Allow your website to peek into your true self. Yes, there is a way to do that while still being professional. And then experiment with other avenues that pique your interest. There’s a lot of creative space out there – use it.

Forbes' Best-Ever Advertising Taglines

I've got to admit I do like most of these on Forbes' list. I guess they know what they're talking about.

Off the Grid - mobile food & community

On Friday, I went to the meeting of the food trucks. It’s called Off the Grid - about 8 trucks and a dozen other street food vendors formed a circle in the Ft. Mason parking lot and sold their delicacies. All kinds of food was represented: tacos, Korean barbecue, empanadas, dumplings, Japanese takoyaki, s’mores, chai, curry, ramen bowls, teriyaki bowls. Really, you name it, it was there.

San Francisco locals are quite familiar with the food truck revolution, elevated from the standard “yuck truck.” These food vendors are gourmet cuisine on wheels. My husband said, “Only in San Francisco would I stand in a parking lot on line for about 45 minutes for a Korean barbecue taco.” He’s right.

It was crowded, with a few hundred people at the height. There was a band smack in the middle of the round (and a mighty good one, at that – the Ferocious Few) And some lines were looooong. But everyone was having a good time, and it was a novel event.

Past being full, my biggest take-away was the feeling of community. Here we all were, standing outside, eating off our laps. Talking with people in line around us. Some were from the neighborhood, some from across town. And then think of the vendors – they have built their own community, as well. Although some of the foods overlap, there’s enough to go around for everyone. It was great exposure for them and, I hope, a lucrative night.

What can we do in our businesses that support community? What events can we be involved in that support our local neighborhoods and businesses? And what other businesses can we join forces with to offer something truly remarkable? It’s worth the time to think about – when we think of each other, we all win.