Saw a giant billboard on the side of a bus for the Christmas One of A Kind Show. With a huge local movement afoot, it’s hard for a huge empire like One of A Kind to feel authentic. Even if you didn’t know that it’s owned by Merchandise Mart Properties Inc. in Chicago you would notice the horrible crowds, the overpriced tickets and the bad crafts (because the booths are so expensive, real crafts people can’t afford to go.)
This holiday season, there are reams of truly local craft shows that support local artists. This one at the Gladstone caught my eye.
With a strong local movement afoot, it’ll be a challenge for One of a Kind to keep a foothold in this market. Want to know how to do it well? Just ask Etsy. They are all about helping craftspeople do their job well. They do everything in their power to help them market themselves better. They have a whole community section dedicated to craftspeople.
Sure, you can be big and small at the same time. You just gotta be smart.
