As you’ll recall, five weeks ago I placed a gun to my head and forced myself to go to a bunch of wineries and gift stores.  As a result, I have 10 stores in the Okanagan carrying Okanagan Harvest Cake right now.  So on Friday, I decided it was time to re-visit these stores, and to drop in on another few.

My new philosophy of marketing involves a lot more direct contact with the customer.  I know I’m supposed to be tweeting and using social media to build business, but I’m just too stupid.  However, I’m skilled at speaking the English language, and so find that the personal touch is probably the better route for me.

On this trip I made some great connections.  One of them was with the owner of SummerlandSweets/Sleeping Giant Fruit Winery.  They always rent a kiosk in Orchard Park Mall for the Christmas season.  In conversation, I mentioned that I’d love to have my fruitcakes at their kiosk, and the owner said they’d definitely consider it!

Then I dropped samples and promotional materials at my other stores, and did a sales pitch at Hester Creek Winery in Oliver and the new market at the N’Kmip complex in Osoyoos.  Both would be fabulous, so I’ll phone next week and hope that they want to give the product a whirl.

I made a sale at Tin Horn Creek Winery and Handworks Gallery in Oliver, and the Bench in Penticton had only three fruitcakes left.  So you can see that the product is starting to move, and I’m very hopeful that it becomes known as a great souvenir from the Okanagan as well as wonderful to eat with a bottle of wine.

On Monday I want to return to the stores here in Kelowna, and I want to market to a new winery as well.  Sadly, this selling has precipitated a need for baking.  Where’s that gun?  I now haven’t baked since December, and feel completely unable to do so.  Isn’t the cottage food industry great?

I suppose it’s just as well, as keeping myself occupied should keep me away from the whipping cream filled meringues that I long to eat.  Margaret’s coming this week for a couple of nights, so I’ll make some gourmet meals for her.  I just hope I can keep a grip on myself with the desserts.

Because really, do you want a fruitcake salesperson coming to you who weighs a couple of hundred pounds?  I think not.  I believe one of the great secrets of selling a product whose calorie count exceeds Jennifer Hudson’s total daily allowance is to make it appear as though it’s completely low-cal.