Christmas on Steel

[Joe Delaronde]

This year my wife asked how many Christmas cards we would be sending out. My wife likes to send nice cards which are not cheap, and with the mailing cost, made us start thinking of an alternative way to send out greatings to our relatives & friends.

Last summer I bought a couple of hundred cd blanks on sale. I asked my wife if she would agree to me recording some Christmas songs on the steel and copying them to cds. Then we would give them away in the place of Christmas cards. She thought it was a good idea, and started making out a senders list.

I started recording and we ended up making 64 cds. Seven songs were Christmas orientated and 7 were oldies. The labels were printed with a "Merry Christmas ..... &...." under the header, and a "From Joe & Lu Delaronde" just above the footer. This made them more personalized, like a regular card.

The day before Christmas we personally delivered 54 cds to relatives and friends and, 10 were mailed away to relatives across Canada.

Formites, this was the best thing we have ever done. We have received many calls complimenting us on our "Christmas cards". A lot of these calls were not only from the people we gave the cds to, but from their friends who heard the cds being played.

One cousin took her CD with her to a family dinner, because she never had a cd player. She got her sister in law to play it. The sister in law enjoyed it so much, so called me this morning wanting to buy a copy. I explained to her they were not for sale, but I would send a free one out with my cousin. She said if I had anything for sale in the future, to save one for her.

Another cousin was just elected mayor of our small city. Being his first Christmas, he invited the Town Fathers and their wives, for supper. He had the cd playing in the background as supper was being served, and was asked about the music. He told them the "Christmas card" story, and they were very impressed. Now the Town Fathers know what a steel guitar sounds like. My cousin the Mayor, called me to compliment us on the cd and the idea of giving something different in place of a card. He said the music topped off the evening, and the "Christmas card" will be a long lasting memory of his first Christmas as mayor.

My music was well recieved, and I assured everyone there would be another "Christmas card" like this one next year. However, we are planning to make a couple more cds, between now and next Christmas, which will be for sale, to offset our costs.

We never realized how many people would hear the cd, and be exposed to steel guitar music in one single day and night. Hundreds!!!!!!! Without knowing it, we just seeded our "sales garden".

Maybe our "Christmas card" idea might start a trend. Give a "Christmas cd" instead of a Christmas card. It lasts longer, and you'll become a goodwill ambassadore for steel guitar music, as well as seeding your own "sales garden".
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Happy New Year to all!!!!

Joe & Lu Delaronde,
Selkirk, Manitoba, Canada

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Joe Delaronde on 27 December 2002 at 11:47 PM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Joe Delaronde on 27 December 2002 at 11:53 PM.]</p></FONT>

[Al Marcus]

Wonderful, Joe! A darn good idea...Happy New year....al

[Ron Page]

Very nice story, Joe.

I think I should get out my tab and tracks from my Buddy Emmons' Christmas Album and start practicing now. I never think of it until September and by December my playing is only up to, say, shitty!

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HagFan

[Joe Delaronde]

Future Shop has a sale on CDs....... 10 for $8.99 with an $8 rebate. Actual cost is 99 cents for 10 cds. Gone tomorrow to buy "Christmas cards" for next year.
I'm starting work on my next 2 years "cards".
Happy New Year.
Joe

[John P. Phillips]

FANTASTIC idea Joe !!!!! I LIKE IT !!!!

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JUST 'CAUSE I STEEL, DON'T MAKE ME A THIEF