It has been a beautiful couple of days in Baltimore—not just the beautiful weather but a beautiful opportunity for us to see the impact that our work has on our clients’ successes.
More than 10,000 visitors—a 13% increase over last year—shopped for handmade items at the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival in Gaithersburg, MD. We know that the media we generate (including features in the Washington Post, community newspapers, dozens of blog mentions and stories on three DC TV stations) helps ticket sales, but we are also heartened to know that we are supporting American artists. The talented craftspeople who participate in the Festivals choose to produce one-of a kind-pieces and want to spend most of their weekends meeting directly with their customers. We admire their creativity and their unique approach to businesses—and we like helping them succeed in both.
Last night, we enjoyed seeing how our work supports our local community. Business Volunteers Unlimited Maryland hosted its annual celebration of National Volunteer Week. More than 200 community volunteers heard an inspiring presentation by Public Allies executive director Paul Schmitdz, and were introduced to dozens of local organizations that can only deliver their services through the generosity of volunteers. It is satisfying to know that many of the attendees at the event may have been there—and will contribute to the making Baltimore a better place to live—because of something we wrote or a media contact we made.