Can Your Customers Find You Between Shows?

If you are a vendor in some of the larger shows across the country, you know that there can be months between shows...can your customers find you? ...more importantly can NEW customers who may have seen you for the first time at your last show find you?

Denver, Quartzsite, and Tucson are all so BIG - with room after room and row after row of vendors, minerals, gems and findings - the cash always runs out before the wanting.

I am that customer that says, 4 months later in the middle of a new design..."Oh, who was that dealer with those amazing Demantoid Garnet Crystal Clusters!"

Since I didn't have a need at the time, of course I didn't pick up a card or write down the name. So how do I find you? I pick up my EZ-Guide, or go onto the EZ-Guide website - find the show - find the vendor list match it to the floor plan and VOILA! I can click through to your website...or can I?

Mineral & Fossil Supply	T-01
Mineral Mania 96	T-13
Mineral Movies	167
Mineral of the Month Club	BR-01
Mineral Treasure-Madagascar Gemstones	334-335
Mineralien Fossilien Galerie	414
Mineralien Zentrum - Germany	176
Mineralogical Almanac	BR-03
Mineralogical Record	BR-03
Minerals Sarai	274

I know that this seems like a lot of work to find a specific seller, but jewelry designers can verify that it is worth every minute to find something we touched and saw with our own eyes. So when we go that far only to see that you haven't paid for a live link on the website...now we have to go to Google and hope it that we find the same seller - now the process seems never ending and we aren't sure it's even the right place.

Do us, your NEW and prospective buyers a favor, when you plan to do a show pay the little bit extra for a "Live" link from the show page to your website...help us find you after you've left town!

In today's online world...this is the most cost-effective marketing tool and you don't have to buy a print ad to purchase a "Live"link...but why wouldn't you want to?

Shoppers - is there some other way that dealers can help you find them? let us know!

Remembering Al Sargent - Denver Expo & Tucson Electric Park

If you picked up a Denver EZ-Guide at the Denver Gem & Mineral Shows or just flipped through it on the Xpo Press website...you may have seen the write up by Brad Hicks, CEO of Xpo Press, titled "Tucson's Electric Promoter: A Tribite To Al Sargent".

Featuring great personal memories of conversations with Al Sargent and memorializing the dynamic man who was the spark behind the Tucson Electric Park Shows the article brings thoughts of Al to life! ...and that was what Brad hoped for.

We would love to hear your memories for a piece in the 2011 Tucson EZ-Guide...help us flesh out a man that meant so much to the Denver and Tucson Gem Shows. We want visitors to this year's event in the desert to know Al Sargent and everything he meant to the largest show in the country!

We would love to get notes to pass on to Dianna & Josh and to print in the 2011 Tucson EZ-Guide... email your note to Brad at: bradhicks@xpopress.com

In case you missed it - this is from the 2010 Denver EZ-Guide:

Franklin Gem & Mineral Shows: Gem Mining in Macon County

Gem Mining in Macon County

May 5th, 2010

If you are a rock hound visiting Franklin (also known as both the “Gem Capital of the World” and the “Ruby City”) fluming at a local gem mine is a must. Most gem mining in the North Carolina mountains is found in Franklin and in the Cowee Valley north and west of Franklin. Most of the mines have a powered water sluice where you can sift through the dirt and rock, called fluming, as you prospect for rubies, gold, amethyst, aquamarine, sapphires, garnets and many other types of stones.

At some of these mines, visitors search for minerals from the creekbeds, while others sell buckets of stream sediment for washing and sieving at a flume. Some of the mines offer digs for native minerals only, while others offer “enriched” stream sediment, which contains minerals from other parts of the state or world. Admission fees may be charged per bucket or per the hour, depending on the mine, so call ahead for details.

The world’s largest star rubies have been found in the Cowee Valley. This entire area is a gem hunter’s heaven.

Visit these gem mines while you’re in the area . . .

Blue Ridge Gem Mines, 11197 N. US 19 Soco Gap, Maggie Valley, 828-926-8488.

Cherokee Ruby & Sapphire Mine, 41 Cherokee Mine Road off Ruby Mine Road, Franklin, 828-349-2941.

Cowee Mountain Ruby Mine, 6771 Sylva Rd. & 441 N, Franklin, 828-369-5271.

Gem Mine at Gem World, 1884 Georgia Rd., Franklin, 828-349-5411.

Gold City Gem Mine, 9410 Sylva Rd. & Highway 441, Franklin, 800-713-7767.

Jackson Hole, Hwy. 28 & US 64, Franklin, 828-524-5850.

Mason Mountain Mine & Cowee Gift Shop, 5315 Bryson City Rd., Franklin, 828-524-4570.

Mason’s Ruby & Sapphire Mine, 6961 Upper Burningtown Rd., Franklin, 828-369-9742.

Nantahala Gorge Ruby Mine, 11900 US 19/74 West, Bryson City, 828-488-3854.

Old Pressley Mine, Exit 33 off I-40, Canton, 828-648-6820.

Rose Creek Mine, Gift & Rock Shop, 115 Terrace Ridge Dr., Franklin, 828-349-3774.

Sheffield Mine, 385 Sheffield Farms Rd., Franklin, 828-369-8383.

Smoky Mountain Gold & Ruby Mine, Cherokee, 828-497-6574.

Rocky Mountain Bead Bazaar

The Rocky Mountain Bead Society was founded in 1992 by Leslie Sartor as she worked to bring a group of people together with a common passion in the hopes that they would build, support and learn from each other. There were 25 people at that first meeting…today the RMBS boasts a membership of over 200 people.

The Rocky Mountain Bead Society (RMBS) was formed to:

• Advance the study of and education about beads;
• Encourage and promote public appreciation for beads and the art of beading;
• Disseminate information about beads and beading;
• Develop and administer programs concerning beads and beading;
• Establish and maintain an RMBS book collection and library; and
• Publish and preserve writings about the history of beads and beading.

2010 BEAD BAZAAR

The Denver Merchandise Mart

Expo Building

452 E. 58th Avenue (I-25 at 58th Avenue)

Denver, Colorado 80216

April 24 and 25, 2010

HOURS: Saturday 10-6, Sunday 10-5

$5.00 admission EACH day

The Bat Ended Screwt by Kate McKinnon

This Spring Bazaar offers a wide range of vendors, supplies and two full days of classes.

From the amazing Kate McKinnon there are two offerings – her “Bat-Ended Screwt” is a a series of small Screwtlets using simple Ndebele tube – OR – her “Corset Stitched Bracelet” which includes not only instruction on a gorgeous wide bracelet, but also on a removable clasp in fine silver.

Classes in Felted Beads, Chainmaille, Loom Weaving, Metal Clay, Peyote, RAW, 3-D beading, and so much more…

See you at the Mart!

Denver Spring Shows: Colorado Mineral and Fossil Show

Amazonite and Smoky Quartz from Pinnacle5 Minerals

It’s Spring in Denver and that means that the trees are beginning to fill out, the flowers are lifting their faces to the sun and…

It’s Show Time!!!!! Thaw out and visit the Denver Spring Shows!

The Colorado Mineral & Fossil Show is a Martin Zinn Prod. – which, in my book says it all. This show fills two Ballrooms – the Lobby – hotel rooms in both the North & South wings and still overflows into a tent outside!

This show features the cream of the crop of mineral dealers as well as some of the finest fossils and rocks! From Collector’s Edge to Starborn Creations to some fabulous local folks like Artisan Jade and Pinnacle5 Minerals!

See you there!

Colorado Mineral & Fossil Show

April 23–25, 2010

Holiday Inn – Denver Central

4849 Bannock St

Denver, CO 80216-1813

Show Hours: Friday & Saturday 10a.m.–6 p.m. Sunday 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Arizona Mineral and Fossil Show at InnSuites

Arizona Mineral and Fossil Show at InnSuites

Jordi of Faber Minerals

I am slowly but surely recovering photos from my crashed hard drive and came across a great group from the Arizona Mineral and Fossil Show.

This show offers a really wide range of materials – houses some of the finest mineral dealers in the world (in fact it is the home of our friend Jordi Faber) – but what sets it apart is the amazing “hall of fossils”!

Sahara Overland

Shark Teeth (Megalodon no less) from the Miocene Era to paleo goodies like the full skeleton of a Saber-toothed Cat and the tools to collect and clean them from Paleo Tools.

Marine Creatures of all sizes in the Fossil Hall at the Arizona Mineral & Fossil Show in Tucson 2010.

If you want info from this show – maybe you can’t remember the name of a dealer or you found a great Tucson restaurant in the show guide and want to add their info to your trip plans for2011 – remember that you can get a .pdf of the Tucson EZ-Guide on our home page.

2010 Tucson Gem Show is over but not forgotten…

Rapa River is a small show between the Globe X and Pueblo shows, but it has some really fun things to offer...

Well – the tents have been lowered and Tucson is readying itself for the Rodeo and “Walking with the Dinousaurs”! Everyone has made it home safely with their bags of treasures.

Whether you are a jeweler, hobbyist, collector…or you just appreciate beautiful things, the Tucson Experience never disappoints. With rough shows in the gravel and fine jewelry in the designer pavilions, there is something for everyone!

The visual experience that is “Tucson” isn’t available in this range of offerings anywhere else in the world…and so with some photo memories we say goodbye to the 2010 Tucson Gem & Mineral Showcase!

Taiwoo had pearls stacked as high as the tabletops!

The Fossil Room at the Arizona Mineral and Fossil Show at the InnSuites is always fun and if you have children with you - it it a MUST!!!

From the stunning collection of Will Larson, featured collector at the show at Westward Look Resort

Sean Davis offers you simplicity at it's finest - hand carved precious gems on a gold chain.