ZAACA MEMBERS ATTEND INTERNATIONAL SME EXPO

Last week over 20 Zimbabwe Applied Art In Craft Association members attended the 2016 International SME Expo held in Harare at the Rainbow Towers hotel.

We had mixed feelings about the event. Some of us felt it was a great opportunity but others were disappointed because they didn't sell anything. This is a good example of the different perspectives of our members and it highlights the work we have ahead of us in terms of capacity building. Why, you ask... Well we went into the expo with different mindsets. Some expected to market their craft businesses while others expected to spend the three days selling their wares. It was a great learning for ZAACA because we realized we had failed to properly prepare each other on what to expect at the event. You see there is a difference between a craft fair an expo which perhaps we took for granted was well understood by all of us. An expo is a great opportunity to network, create visibility for oneself and find bulk buyers. At craft fair on the other hand, products are sold one item at a time in small quantities and marketing is primarily targeted towards individual buyers for personal use.

Our proudest moment is when we won the gold award for the best stand (booth)! We won a certificate and a trophy. Well done ZAACA!!