1 = 1 BILLION!

Wow! Looks like I really hit a nerve there with my whole "Supply and Demand" post. I think that's the most comments I've ever gotten on a post. I'm glad to see so many people not just agreeing with me, but really getting the gist of what I was talking about.

I remember back in high school, my civics teacher talked about the power of writing a letter to your congressman — or city council representative, or what-have-you. That The Powers That Be (whoever they are) estimated that for every single letter they received, it represented something like 10,000 people. Or, as you fanatic “Simpsons” fans are more likely to have heard — one letter represents a billion people. Well... point is, back when it took an appreciable effort to sit down, compose, address, stamp, and mail a letter, people took it seriously.

I'm not sure if The Powers That Be take correspondence from The People as seriously in this day and age of e-mail ease, but I am willing to bet that somewhere, someone has done the math and a single e-mail still represents the opinion of more than a single person.

So, 12 — well 11, since one was me — comments on a single blog post must represent, what?, the opinions of at least a billion people, right? OK. Maybe not a billion, but more than 11 individuals. And I find that significant. Especially since I know you have to fill out all that info, write your comment, solve the CAPCHA riddle, and then wait for your comment to be approved (I wonder how many comments weren't approved?). So when I see a post get that much attention, I think that oughta count for something.

Maybe it's time to send those letters to the presidents and CEOs of the manufacturers of your favorite products. If you feel your manufacturers aren't backing you up with the support you need — the support you deserve — then it's time to let them know that.

I've long held the opinion that many of our manufacturers have been steadily losing touch with their market (that's us) over the last decade. There's been a lot of talk on messages boards, networking forums, and at tradeshows about the decline in tradeshow participation, and lack of practical educational support. I've talked with reps from companies about this and have consistently heard a thousand excuses and a lot of talk about how they're concentrating their business on the European market now because "the shows overseas are really so much better."

Dude. I get it. I wanna go to the European shows too. I'm sick with jealousy of my colleagues who are international educators. I'd love to be immersed in a region where the industry I'm so passionate about is not just booming, but is enjoying so much attention on the artistic possibilities of the industry.

But I live — and work — here in Small Town, USA. Where I saw eight clients today and did six pink-and-white fills. Short ones. Really short ones. And apparently I'm not the only one who is making my living doing practical nails for practical clients. In a culture where nail services are, for most people, part of a personal grooming regime — not a flamboyant fashion statement.

Our manufacturers need to hear from their customers. They need to know what we want from them and what we need from them. Some of our manufacturers are going to turn a deaf ear to that input, believe me. Some of them will go on doing what they've been doing and blaming declining sales on "the economy" or any number of other things that will let them elude responsibility for not listening to their customer base. But some of them will listen and take note.

And since we all know that one letter represents a billion customers, it should be worth the effort.