I HAVE to make Cape Cod Classics work !!!

Well, frusteration is ebbing in. Or should I say setting in? So what do we do in the 11th hour? we PUNT!!! Last week I called all 22 of my yarn shops that are now carrying my line of knitting accessories. By the time I was done, they had me so depressed....it lasted 2 days for Petes sake. Things are so slow...nothing is selling...no one is coming in...people come in but say they cant spend any money etc. etc. WOW...the economy is really taking its toll. Via my phone calls I had suggested they sign up for a trunk show....they saw this as a lot of work for no reward due to the fact the weeks previous held no rewards in them either.....Well......"OH Woe has me" is not the attitude to make things happen....the Question is: "what can I do to promote my store, and get some new faces in to buy yarn and stuff????? I came up with an answer. My prediction is that any who who does not try my idea will be looking at a sad state of affairs....in the weeks that follow. YOU NEED NEW BLOOD LADIES....and a reason to knit. I am composing a mail out to them. I did the ruff draft, and need to stew on it for a couple days to make sure what I say and offer is going to work. Basically, the store invites their current mailing list, adds a free gift if they bring a friend with them that same night. I am willing to make the gifts even.... super cheap....(.25 cents to cover the cost of materials and no labor). To receive the gift, the guest has to be a non knitter. They will promote me as a free guest speaker.....I will talk about the energy crisis, and how to keep the family warm with super simple again...free patterns that I will bring with me as well. Also I will bring my usual stuff that the store sells, as well as some gifty type things that are suitable for gift giving. We price it at their retail price, and split 50/50% at the end of the show. I will even send along to them a sample mail out invitation that they can copy, and fill in the blanks with their shop info. Their cost is .25 cents for the free gift, and the cost of mailing their news letter. oh, and some snacks if they like. It will promote their clientele into the store, and bring non knitters into the fold. I will suggest they offer a special to new people of perhaps 2 free beginner knitting classes with every 30.00's of yarn purchase.....It's a no brainer!!!! I will update you on the results. Hey, if after all my efforts, they are still not willing to help themselves, then they may simply just not care, and will give up. (all the more customers for the shops that do participate yes)? Sorry to be on my high horse..... I have had 5 of them..What I have learned from 45 years of horseback riding......is if you fall off.....you gotta get right back on. The saying goes thusly: "THE HORSE AINT BEEN BORN THAT CANT BE RODE, THE COWGAL AINT BEEN BORN THAT CANT BE THROWED" I try to look at life that way....Its a Can do it attitude, and with caution.....BUT DO IT !!!
later cowgals..................