I first met Sam Day, online, a couple of years ago… or maybe it was three. He left a comment on this blog. I responded, and took at look at his website and blog.
What I found was an incredibly rare talent. A person who paints wedding receptions on canvas, as the event is in progress.
Why rare and not unique?
Unique, in its purest sense, is one-of-a-kind. Rare is hard-to-find. While Sam is not the only wedding painter on the planet, he is one of very few.
Understanding Opportunity
The opportunity was the chance to ply his craft in front of an audience of potential clients and/or referrers of business, at the Wedding MBA. He made the trip at his expense, and it will turn out to be well worth it. In a simple comparison, it’s no different than a showcase opportunity at a local trade association meeting, for example, except this showcase was on a huge scale of 2000 attendees.
During the opening morning sessions, Sam was hard at work painting his view of the room. He rapidly turned his attention from the canvas to the audience, brush strokes moving, effortlessly, all the while. By mid-day the finished work had captured the massive audience and Carly Roney (The Knot), at the podium.
Seeing the completed painting is impressive. Seeing the artist, as he works, is even more impressive. Attendees overwhelmed Sam throughout the rest of the conference, asking more about his work, availability, and willingness to travel. Yes, he’ll travel to New Zealand, India, or pretty much anywhere on the planet that a wedding is taking place.
Sam Day: Photo by Carmen Chan
Meeting my old friend
I ‘meet’ many people online, but truly get to know a tiny number. When I approached Sam, at his easel, we shook hands and hugged liked old college buddies. Seeing the attention, accolades, and warmth that came his way during the conference was quite exciting. For me, there is nothing like seeing a friend, and peer, receive acknowledgment and appreciation.
We finally found the time to share lunch, after the conference ended. The timing was ideal, because we could talk about the entire ‘conference experience’, in the rear-view mirror.
There are many activities that can occur online, but others are best in person. In Sam’s case, having wedding professionals see him work, in person, is marketing-of-the-highest-order. For everyone at Wedding MBA 2011, meeting peers from around the world holds endless opportunities.
If you missed Sam Day at this year’s Wedding MBA, make plans for next year. I have the distinct feeling, he’ll be invited back.
Sam Day is a Wedding SuperHero!!
Wedding MBA, September 28-20, 2012, Las Vegas Convention Center
Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Authority
Sam is a gifted artist. I was blown away when I saw his work and learned of his talents. If I had to brainstorm a unique service idea for weddings that had never been seen before, I would have never come up with something like this. So very unique! He is amazing!!!
Jason,
Thanks for blogging about Sam!!
Andy