Making the Most Out of Creativation

We are just a few days away from the Creative Event of the Year!!!  AFCI's Creativation starts this coming week, where thousands of creative geniuses will descend upon the Phoenix Civic Center in my home town of sunny Arizona for a week long creative fun fest.  Full of learning, new products, friends, laughter and Javi Hours.

Plus, yours truly will be speaking at 3 of their education workshops on Thursday and Friday, which I am quite excited about.  If you are going to Creativation this year, you definitely need to let me know so we can plan a fun meet up!  I am already working on Lesley's Junior Mint Stash and Miss Laura from Crafty Not Shifty is totally hooking me up with Galaxy Hot Chocolate!  I just love my crafty British friends.

My favorite part of Creativation is being able to actually hug the incredible people I have interacted with on social media over the years.  It always surprises me that I actually have never MET them, because it feels like we have been friends for ages.  It truly is a surreal experience that I cherish.

If you are planning on going to Creativation this year or in the future, there a few things to take into account before going.  Regardless of whether or not you have been before.

First things first, WHY are you attending?  Are you going to purchase items for your shop?  Are you hoping to make connections with manufacturers?  Do you want to learn more about the industry and how you can grow your business?  Is this an excuse to hang out with friends?  Are you trying to expand your business by getting your products in front of buyers?  Do you have plans to increase your social media reach and become an influencer within the creative industry?

What is your purpose?  What do you hope to get out of the event?  Have you set goals for yourself?  Maybe you are going just so you can experience a Stamp Junkie Javi Hour.  Or you are using Creativation as a hard deadline for your special So Suzy Peacock Tote from Simply Charming Bags.

Whatever your reason, know your WHY!

The reason your why is so important is to help direct you during the craze of the event.  If you are just there for the sake of going, there is a good chance you will be disappointed and disillusioned.  Which is never fun.  You could also inadvertently cause mayhem to someone else's trip and that is just not cool.

For example, Lesley Oman from Heffy Doodle is flying in from the UK for her very first Heffy Doodle Creativation booth in the hopes that she gets her stamp line in retail shops around the world.  She has spent money on the trip, her booth and her goal is to sell her product.  BUT let's say that those people who are going just for the socializing, descend upon her booth and spend the entire weekend chit chatting with her.  Lesley's time is spent socializing with fans, instead of selling her stamps to buyers.  The buyers are frustrated because they can't purchase items for their shop, Lesley is disappointed because she didn't make the sales she needed to justify her trip and Heffy Doodle customers do not benefit from their favorite stamps being in local shops.

This scenario is a very real one and I have heard the frustration first hand from vendors