Follow Jacque as she spends the day selling her cards.

My first port of call is at 11 AM, it's now 10.30 AM I hope the traffic is OK or I am going to be so late!

I dive into the car and set off at probably over the speed limit, the sun is shinning and the radio is actually playing music for a change, feeling very summery and relaxed.

My morning appointments are all newbies to my cards so while I drive I make mental notes to remind myself to find out this and that, generally I am thinking about what I want to achieve for the day, the appointments, what the customers will be like, etc. so you could say daydreaming, then I notice a speed camera I check out my speed OOPS over 75 I slow down rapidly and try to pay attention to my driving.

Finally, I arrive at my first call and I decide to park in my usual car park, I collect my parking ticket and head off to my first appointment I have some idea of where the shop is!

I am correct it is on the wrong side of town, in a street where there are no other shops - not looking too good.

I meet my buyers a young couple. Both are very nice and friendly, it turns out that she has a job selling clothes and he runs the shop, she is not normally there at the shop but has had a neck injury so is off sick and is helping out in the shop.

They both take to the cards very well but alas business is not so great and they really don't want to shell out for stock at the moment, which is pretty much what I thought might happen.

Normally at this point I would say my good-byes and leave, as the prospect has really blown itself out, I prefer to get outright purchase deals, that was not going to happen here - however as the pair of them were so sweet and nice I offered them a Sale or Return deal which they readily agreed to, we chatted some more and then I left for my next appointment.

My second appointment was looking much better, once I had negotiated the multistory and sought out the exit, I found myself in a very busy town center in a shopping precinct, Yippee!

I met my next prospect and we instantly clicked, always a good thing and also no cards on sale at all, sometimes this is good, sometimes this is bad as it means one has to convert the client.

Yet it seemed that this lady already knew what she wanted, we had a bit of a tussle at first as her objections to selling cards was that 'some old bag across the way sells cards' ( I knew this old bag from years back) So I tartly replied 'no the only cards she sells are so-and-so's which are completely different to mine', we then had a bit of a gossip about the old bag across the way and hit it off big time, a little later I came away with a great order for a whole spinner full of cards and the spinner I agree to put in for her as a bonus so a great appointment for both parties.

It's now lunchtime and I decide to hit M & S for a sandwich which I decide to eat on a bench in the sunshine, there are times out on the road when you are too busy to notice the people
around you, but today I seem intent on checking people out and it seemed that there was a mighty lot of pregnant ladies around and a fair few nutters.

Then unfortunately a pair of very sozzled people crash onto my bench knocking my sandwich flying and spilling my coffee, so I leapt up and headed back to my car.

On the way back I'm stopped by a gypsy who insists on giving me some lucky heather and charging me £2.00 for the privilege, she asked can I read your future for you, I thanked her but said no and hurried off, get me out of this mad seaside town!

I head off to another large town in an attempt to track down an existing customer that I had not seen for some time, I had rang her and been told that she might actually be in her shop today, which may give you a clue as to how difficult she is to pin down.

I parked in my favorite car park and with my map worked out the best route to the shop, unfortunately for me it was rather a long way from where I had parked.

I had left my samples in the car as I really didn't think that my customer would be there, my plan was to leave her a couple of new designs I'd made and a business card, that normally did the trick as she would ring me and make sure we got together.

Eventually I reach the shop and wander through the door calling out a cheery Hello, to who ever and then she pops up from behind the counter looking as great as ever, we have a quick catch up on general stuff then she asks to see the cards, Whoops! I tell her I left them in the car, and she demands I go and get them, OK I agree and then trudge across town back to the car, then trudge all the way back to her shop, when I get there, low and behold she has gone out!

I am informed by one of the staff that I must wait for her!

My customer comes back after about half hour, immediately followed by a handmade card rep. that she had made an appointment with, this is not going well!

So I offer to come back another time when she is not so busy, " No Jacque you stay there I really must see you " she informs me, she makes short work of the visiting rep., she's not interested in what he is selling, it's not glittery enough, and she shoos him out like an unwanted stray.

Finally she sets upon my samples and does what she always does, sorting through what she wants and doesn't want, I don't say a word, this is not a lady that wants or listens to advice.

When she is done she says to me "I want eighteen of each from this pile, oh and I need them like yesterday, can you do them urgently?" then she smiles, the 'we are done' kind of smile and says " I 'll leave you to it then" and off she goes back to her office, I don't even bother worrying that she has not signed the order, what a customer, a truly great lady!

A nice big fat sale, making the day all worthwhile, I decide enough for one day and head home.

I guess that lucky heather really does work!

Jacque Barns out on the road 18th May 2004