Hello? Is anyone there? Can I give someone my money here?

I started making beer about a month ago. It’s been a fun hobby for me (what? do something that doesn’t lead to an income stream? crazy.) It’s also rewarding for other people (neighbors), because they get to sample free beer. “Let me twist your arm while I push this beer in your other hand.”

Last week I made plans to head to Hood River (wind surfing capital of the U.S.) just so I could pick up some supplies to make a new batch (an IPA). There’s a small shop there that I wanted to visit and it also gives everyone else the opportunity to enjoy a nice town while I indulge in yeast and hop shoppin’.

The shop has no web site, but I put aside my usual “No web site? How do they do business?” tirade and called the phone number I found in Google.

Voice mail.

It’s around noon on a weekday and I get voicemail for a business. Weird, but still tolerable. There are some quirky shops in this part of the country where people tend to open after noon. We’re still cool.

At least in a voicemail there’s the opportunity to open things up to customers by listing hours, e-mail contact, or a reassuring message that someone just stepped out.

No such thing in this case.

So I left a message to call me and let me know if he was open today, since I was making a special trip into Hood River just to give him my money.

In the meantime, we headed out because our alternative shop was in Portland and at least 1/3 of the trip was in the same direction. I figured if he called back and said he was open, I would turn towards Hood River.

As I was filling my cart with barley in the Portland shop (two hours later), I get a phone call from Hood River. “Hi, I just wanted to let you know we’re open from noon to five today.”

I explained that unfortunately I had to choose another shop, but thanks anyway. “Do you have regular hours?” I asked.

“Oh yeah, noon to five, Monday through Saturday.”

Okay, so I had an opportunity there myself. I could have pitched him on setting up a web site (I may still do that), or ask him lots of questions about his business, maybe offer a suggestion for his voicemail. Sometimes I’m just getting stuff to make beer, ya know? So I put all that aside so I could focus on finding the right specialty grain.

Besides, I was a bit annoyed.

I wondered if his home brew supply business is going okay (he also lists himself as [Some Name?] Scooter Sports in the voicemail, so I have to wonder). I wouldn’t be surprised if he was having “hard times in this economy.”

I also suspect that it’s really a deep level, undercover branch of the CIA. Best reason I can think of to be so hush-hush about a business.

It’s just so easy these days to set your business up to be contacted. A free WordPress site would do the trick. Dude… anything.

So of course now I think about the art business and freelancing, and I pass these questions along to you.

How easy is it for potential clients to reach you?

If someone wanted a logo design and was ready to start right away, could they hire you? I mean, could they find out how to reach you and just call? E-mail? Tweet? Facebook (ugh, but whatever)? Smoke signal? Drive over and knock on your door?

I understand that many freelancers have one toe in the water because they just aren’t ready to jump the corporate ship yet. I was there once, too. But if you ever plan on getting your whole body wet, then you might want to think about preparing to be contacted.

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