Over at the Sunshine Artist forum http://www.sunshineartist.com/forum/index.php somebody posted a pretty scathing note about paragon. She pretty much trashed them.
I tried to be friendly by just asking general questions about what her medium was, etc, but she said that wasn't necessary.
Then Bill Kinney responded. It might be worth a read, and is he accurate in what he says? I have never dealt with him, but he was surely angry, using words like "libelous" in his response.
Comments?
Replies
Just because some people dont do well at a show is not a reason to a claim or information that cannot be backed. I did a few of Bills show last year and my sales where up and down, Fairfax VA in April was one of my best show and the fall fairfax not too great. I recognised which of his shows I should put in my schedule that appreciates my kind of work and those I have second thoughts on. Springfest MD (not a paragon show) was one of my worst show but if I have to write a review they will get the best from me. Everything about the show was what they said it is but I just did not fit. Bill gives you everything he promises but to pull money and credit card out of the customers pockets or have them show up I think thats up to the buyer and his taste. An admirable part of his show is he is always there to hear your success, failure and complaints.
I did 6 of his shows last year and will do most of them again. I try not to leave negative reviews on shows that I dont do well cause when others are selling all around you and you are not the fault is not the producers.
I have signed up with SA and hope to leave my 2cents there as well.
I did several shows with Bill last summer...my first experience with Paragon. My results were OK, but that's not the point (other than to establish I'm not a shill): At every show I did, Bill walked the show on Sunday afternoon and recorded sales totals from all the artists in my vicinity. On one occasion I was not in my booth when he first came around. He came around again later to get my sales total and record it.
Bill has a plan for advertising his shows, communicates it to the artists, and works it hard. His post show emails are superb. He takes responsibility for his mistakes and tells recipients the corrective action he will take to improve the show or (as noted in the SA thread) will scrap it.
I asked a question by email in response to the end-of-season wrapup he sent to participating artists this year. Within 20 minutes I got a call from him. When I expressed surprise at the call, he said: "You asked a good question. I thought it deserved an explanation by phone."
Bill's shows aren't perfect. Whose are? But he works hard, and with integrity, and "jerseygirl2" 's comments were largely without merit.
I registered there just so I could reply but I will also reply here. I have done an average of 15 shows a year for the past nine years. Bill Kinney is one of only two promoters, show directors, etc that I would recognize on sight and I've only done two of his shows. He is very hands on at his shows and I believe he truly wants us to succeed and that his success is based on our success. How many shows even bother to send out emails after the show to the artists with a rundown of numbers? How many promoters will drop a show because it is not profitable for us? Contrast that with how many shows add more and more booth spaces until they take a profitable show and turn it into an unprofitable one (for us that is,, they are making more money and we are making less).
Thanks Chris,
I just posted a response to the thread on the Sunshine Artist forum. I missed it when it started because that was the day I flew to Orlando for my workshop.
Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100