Success Story Number One
I'd just like to tell you about how a great bit of networking at your Simply Networking Extra event at MANCAT recently that has paid off for me.
I had arrived late and didn't really want to network or talk business. I chanced upon a solitary figure looking out of the window across the industrial landscape and went for a chat about the view. The man was Greg Musi from Wilson Mason & Partners, Chartered Architects, based near Preston.
I introduced myself as John Lyons of Cameraclix Commercial & Social Photography (www.cameraclix.com) but didn't talk about photography, instead we talked about the creativity that is involved in both our roles. Greg mentioned that he had designed the "ILVA" Swedish shopping store building in central Manchester.
As a hobby and sideline a friend & I make glass fusion which without going into too much sales hype is the creation of large fine art glass panels formed by the melting fusion of glass, metal oxides and inert substances in a large glass kiln (samples of what I'm talking about can be seen on our showcase website at www.art2show.co.uk). Greg chatted about glass in buildings and I chatted about our USP, in that each piece of glass is unique and cannot be replicated. We had a very pleasant chat and then went on our way.
The next day he emailed that he's liked the website and would like to put me in touch with one of his colleagues in Liverpool. They have offices in the Cunard Building and are currently promoting new artists by displaying their art in the corporate offices. Thus he put me in contact with Victoria Norris, a Business Development Executive with Davis Langdon LLP. Looking up their website I discovered that they were a major player in the global design and construction market.
Thus, after many emails and texts Jim & I (the artists) went to visit their offices to see if we could display our glass. The glass is large and heavy so we just took a couple of little sample pieces to show them and to be able to describe the process of creation.
In a one hour meeting we went from talking about displaying a piece of glass in their foyer to talking unit prices & bulk purchase discounts, with one of their senior design consultants and one of the senior partners. We went to see them to ask to put a piece of glass on their wall and came away, after discussing the potential purchase of £30,000 worth of glass to kit out the rooms of a niche hotel. They want to display us and they want to publicise us across their entire client base.
That superb marketing opportunity and potential significant sale came about through spending £10 attending your event at MANCAT...and NOT trying to sell myself!
Thank you Mark!
Regards
John Lyons
You can see testimonials we have received here.
