What makes a great show?

[Rich Klein]

12. Dealers: Promoters are in the business of selling tables and are likely not going to be too picky about what a dealer is bringing. I have seen jewelry, insurance, covered gutter services (with a working water display) dealers at card shows over the years. My preference is more memorabilia than card dealers and more vintage than new but variety is a good thing.

I have had a couple of vendors tell me they would be bringing jewelry and I always advise this is the wrong crowd for that. But as noted, one of my jobs in promoting is to sell tables and if not full, then their wares are fine.

As a side note, my sister in law does sell jewelry on the side and if she wants a table, she is getting one, no questions asked

Rich

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by Rich Klein

12. Dealers: Promoters are in the business of selling tables and are likely not going to be too picky about what a dealer is bringing. I have seen jewelry, insurance, covered gutter services (with a working water display) dealers at card shows over the years. My preference is more memorabilia than card dealers and more vintage than new but variety is a good thing.

I have had a couple of vendors tell me they would be bringing jewelry and I always advise this is the wrong crowd for that. But as noted, one of my jobs in promoting is to sell tables and if not full, then their wares are fine.

As a side note, my sister in law does sell jewelry on the side and if she wants a table, she is getting one, no questions asked

Rich

While I can appreciate all that, that kind of thing is why I took this leap into promoting. I firmly believe that helping people, giving them what they want is the way to eventually succeed. Not necessarily grabbing every available dollar.

If I take the trouble as a consumer to go to a card show and there are things like gutter helmet dealers I'm not going to be happy. I will be less likely to attend the show in the future. I would probably feel similarly as a dealer if I was next to gutter-guy. So in the interest of picking up one short-term buck in table rent I may be throwing away more money in future.

This isn't Pollyanna-ish "I want to help people." It's good business. I get into this argument a lot with respect to lots of companies I have dealt with both in and out of the sports collectible arena.

If a company obviously values my time and the revenue I represent they are more likely to continue receiving it, and capture more and more of it. If a company merely views me as a dollar sign in the moment and is willing to do anything to get that dollar right now, that can leave a bad taste in my mouth.

It's why our booth rates are so low this first time out. It's why we have pledged to grandfather all dealers from this first show at the first time rate in perpetuity if they continue to do the show. I want to build relationships with my dealers and my show attendees, so that they look forward to doing business with me as opposed to it being a necessary evil!

[Jewish-collector]

I agree with Val. The Chantilly show hasn't changed much since Marco used to run it. It is a fantastic show !!!

Years ago, there was a dealer in New York State that used to have a show that dealers could only sell pre-1975 cards and/or memorabilia. I'm not sure how that show did, but that was a unique concept.

[Rich Klein]

Originally Posted by Jewish-collector

I agree with Val. The Chantilly show hasn't changed much since Marco used to run it. It is a fantastic show !!!

Years ago, there was a dealer in New York State that used to have a show that dealers could only sell pre-1975 cards and/or memorabilia. I'm not sure how that show did, but that was a unique concept.

Originally that was Ed Keetz, and IIRC -- you could kind of sell more modern cards BUT you could not display any post-1980 cards in your showcase or unopened or memorabilia.

Rich

[cool-vintage]

For me it's: Free admission, plenty of space, and the selection of cards (I like having more than one sport and also having modern and vintage.)