What is the single worst way to get started?
The least effective way is to post a general grovel to the net. Whether it is the blackcat mailing list, the Barter Exchange, or another trading board, any message that basically says “I don’t have any shows, can anybody help me out?” is going to be met by very few responses, if any. You may get someone to help, you may not. Many veterans never read grovels because they take no effort to write and show very little forethought. A personal approach is a much better way of going about it – find a show or two that you think might be interested, write a personalized email to a trader explaining why you want the show, how you found their list, etc. Even if you have nothing to trade, you can offer to send blanks & postage for your first few shows, until you have something to offer in return.
