It has been five years since I last sat at a booth to sell Shaklee. I had a table at the St. Augusta Legion Craft and Vendor Sale this past Saturday. I have to say that I feel enriched by the experience. The show was very small, with only about fourteen vendors. It was on MEA week-end, and the weather was "October's bright blue". The crowds were people dropping by in groups of threes and fours. I knew it would be a good size for me, not too intimidating, and people I might possibly know. It was great to hear those who were familiar with Shaklee tell about their favorite products. It was also interesting to compare myself with other vendors who were there. I realized that not everyone was there because they loved the products that they were selling. One complained about all of the merchandise she gets stuck with because her company updates so frequently, and she has to stay on top of the new items. Another talked about how her company was making so much money off of someone's grandma's simple recipe, because people do not know how to cook or bake. Some of the products were clearly luxury items that had no appeal to me; jewelry which I didn't need, and food mixes for fattening dips which I would do better without. I had one customer remark to me that a company she had previously done business with required her to purchase $80 in products each month, whether she needed them or not. Shaklee is so wonderful because I can get my distributor benefits off of my own purchases, and there is no pressure to sell if I do not want to. All of that for my lifetime distributor membership of $40 with a free product thrown into the mix. I overheard another vendor talking about her low start-up cost, and I thought, I did not have to purchase anything except for brochures and some catalogs. I just pulled products off of my own shelves for the show, and pulled out my collection of empty bottles which I had saved from the last show. I really use what I sell. My up-line thought it funny when I told her how many samples of the Joint and Muscle Pain Cream I gave out, and that as people took samples, I was able to tell them I had it on my neck at that very moment. The thought that really stuck with me from the sale was how important it is to take care of customers, and to keep in touch.
I felt grateful for a couple of things besides the show last week. One was for the time I was able to spend in front of Planned Parenthood with 40 Days for Life. I find it much easier to say my rosary and chaplet when walking the sidewalk than at any other time. I also find that my walking speed has rapidly increased over the past month since the vigil started. I am also grateful for the things which Ari is learning at school, the rosary, the story about Maximillian Kolbe, and her having a sixth grade painting buddy. I also had the experience of going to confession after waiting in line for three other very long confessions, and I am able to ponder the workings of God's grace which brought the others there before me, and the consoling words the priest gave to me. I am grateful for our two little granddaughters and how they laugh and play together.
Another accomplishment of the week was that I finished 18 cards of one design suited for serious illness. I was able to use up all that was left of one of my colors. I had to color the stamps with a marker for almost every impression, but I did it, and so saved some waste. I also used up some of my chalk pastels. My Stampin' Up supplies were expensive, and it is good to be able to say that I used the investment. Here is my design. Oh. I have to say that the stamp sets used on the card are actually both garage sale purchases, though they are Stampin' Up.
