Elements of a Successful Card Show?...

HPC · Oct 15, 2009

I am thinking of promoting a show, and am thinking of what can make a good show, become great.

I always go to shows, and I always feel like "eh".

Only the National and Tri-Star shows really made me say, "this is awesome".

So it got me thinking about what makes a show be really good...possibly other than having Bart Star, Joe Montana and Albert Pujols as your signers.

Any input or ideas is always helpful!

blazers091 · Oct 15, 2009

Have a hot dog/chili vendor
Give out prizes like hobby box coupons or $10 to buy something from a dealer

1st4040 · Oct 15, 2009

if it was a local show to me I would say have a dealer or two that actually has cards I want to buy... I would think even though my guy is not a fan favorite that if you had a nice certified auto or patch card in your display it wouldn't be there for too long....

brouthercard · Oct 15, 2009

The bottom line is you need to have enough dealers who have enough of the "good stuff" to sell to customers.

Don't have a whole bunch of card dealers who have a bunch of 1991 fleer baseball wax boxes and Jim Presley rookies labelled at $4 apiece.

You need to have at least two major wax guys who can compete with each other in terms of prices.

You need dealers who don't just bring their junk to dump, and keep their good cards to put on ebay.

You need a good mix of vintage guys with good quality stuff and guys with modern stuff that people can drool over- both chrome/rookie dealers and the game used/patch/auto high end stuff guys.

IF your dealers have crap to sell , you will get crappy foot traffic, if not the first time, but definitely the second time.

PLUS, YOU MUST MAKE SURE EVERY DEALER TAKES A BATH AT LEAST 12 HOURS PRIOR TO SETTING UP.

jbone17 · Oct 15, 2009

brouthercard said:
The bottom line is you need to have enough dealers who have enough of the "good stuff" to sell to customers.

Don't have a whole bunch of card dealers who have a bunch of 1991 fleer baseball wax boxes and Jim Presley rookies labelled at $4 apiece.

You need to have at least two major wax guys who can compete with each other in terms of prices.

You need dealers who don't just bring their junk to dump, and keep their good cards to put on ebay.

You need a good mix of vintage guys with good quality stuff and guys with modern stuff that people can drool over- both chrome/rookie dealers and the game used/patch/auto high end stuff guys.

IF your dealers have crap to sell , you will get crappy foot traffic, if not the first time, but definitely the second time.

PLUS, YOU MUST MAKE SURE EVERY DEALER TAKES A BATH AT LEAST 12 HOURS PRIOR TO SETTING UP.

That about sums it up.

HPC · Oct 15, 2009

Yeah I definitely agree about dudes taking a bath...

*shudders*

...I am trying to make it inventive...new ways of getting people...

I have an idea of getting the Monster Energy Crew to bring the truck out and pimp their stuff out too, and Arizona Combat Sports to get some of their guys and stuff out there

Things like that, that make a show unique and get people to say "I will go again"....and spend money of course

bradical · Oct 15, 2009

Maybe I am just shallow, but I have a hard-time dealing with someone who is wearing dirty sweat pants, chowing down a Double Dipper from Hardee's, looks like they have not showered in a few days, and have stale coffee breath. If you are a dealer, interacting with the public, make yourself presentable.

brouthercard · Oct 15, 2009

bradical said:
Maybe I am just shallow, but I have a hard dealing with someone who is wearing dirty sweat pants, chowing down a Double Dipper from Hardee's, looks like they have not showered in a few days, and have stale coffee breath. If you are a dealer, interacting with the public, make yourself presentable.

You get excited dealing with sloppy stinky guys? :lol: :lol: :lol: j/k (ok, personal foul on me)

I know what you mean. You are not shallow, you are human.

predatorkj · Oct 15, 2009

Have some good autograph guests and have some dealers who actually have cards of local players.I get tired of going to show after show and never being able to find much good astros stuff.

Tom Oates · Oct 15, 2009

You need critical mass. Not enough tables / dealers then it will not garner much interest. You need a lot of tables / dealers to get a variety of products for people to browse. If I can browse everything in 30 minutes, it was a waste of my time unless I find a hidden gem. Browsing the tables is half the fun. It's like sharing day in elementary school

Also, have small door prizes every 30 minutes or so to get people to stay a little longer. Once they walk out the door their money goes with them. If you can get them to hang around for another ten minutes for the next drawing they will likely spend the time looking at a couple tables a second time and possibly buy something.

Tom

DaleMurphyCollector · Oct 15, 2009

I don't want you stealing ideas, but MU Chuckwagon and I had ideas about promoting awesome shows. Having hot chicks walking around would increase attendance.

topprospectalert · Oct 15, 2009

To the hotdog vendor comment from above...I went to a show in LA where they had a guy grilling out free dodger dogs and brats outside. You could barely move inside with all the traffic.

HPC · Oct 15, 2009

DaleMurphyCollector said:
I don't want you stealing ideas, but MU Chuckwagon and I had ideas about promoting awesome shows. Having hot chicks walking around would increase attendance.

Dont need to steal ideas...especially when we probably live on opposite sides of the country...

Just wanted others input on what they would like to see or like to see.

The hot chicks idea is already on my list.

jeremy · Oct 15, 2009

i43770 · Oct 15, 2009

Are you looking at having an on going card show or just promote one and run? If you are looking at having long term success I would say find somewhere that you can continue having the show at (monthly, bi-monthly, whatever). If you are setting up shows at different places every time, people are going to be less likely to follow you.

If you are looking to do only one or two shows, make them around when the most people are going to be there; for Phoenix, I would recommend doing one March 26-28.

If you are doing small shows (less than 50 tables) I would pre-screen the sellers, that way you don't have too many people selling the same thing. Always make sure you have at least one person who is doing CCG.

Bob Loblaw · Oct 15, 2009

DaleMurphyCollector said:
I don't want you stealing ideas, but MU Chuckwagon and I had ideas about promoting awesome shows. Having hot chicks walking around would increase attendance.

How?

Would people at the show call friends who collect and say, "hey, there are hot chicks here! Come on down to the show!"?

predatorkj · Oct 15, 2009

jeremy said:
beer

That could be bad.Just ask Tonsofcommons what happens when I drink and then hop on to sportlots.

subject to change · Oct 15, 2009

It really depends on the market you are in, and what type of venue you have. If it is a show in a mall, your needs and options are going to be drastically different than an event in a single purpose venue.

I would strongly suggest looking into having both free and paid autograph signings. Depending on the area, you can probably find a couple of semi-famous former athletes locally that would be willing to appear reasonably cheap. I've seen low level athletes (ex players, semi-known professional wrestlers, minor leaguers) draw good crowds just because it's something free.

Have reasonable autograph prices for any signings you may have. Very few people are interested in spending $10-15 on a retired middle reliever. However, I think far more people would be interested in 'getting something signed' in the $3-5 range for said player. Obviously the amount you can charge (as well as the player's appearance fee) will increase depending on the quality of signer.

If possible, avoid any form of entrance fee. I know nothing turns me off from going to a show like having to drop $7-10 before even getting to the first table. Or if there an entrance fee, try to include some type of value with it, such as a free autograph from one of the autograph guests.

Promote the products, not gimmicks. I think you will have far more success having dealers with a wide array of products, sports, and cards available to suit all kinds of collectors than you will in having ******** clad women running around. I think the number of mothers/wives/girlfriends that might be at the show that you would offend would greatly outnumber the number of customers you would attract with such tactics.

G $MONEY$ · Oct 15, 2009

DaleMurphyCollector said:
Having hot chicks walking around would increase attendance.

sounds like a bikini bar. how would that increase attendance though? if im going to a card show im not going to look for girls.

predatorkj · Oct 15, 2009

subject to change said:
It really depends on the market you are in, and what type of venue you have. If it is a show in a mall, your needs and options are going to be drastically different than an event in a single purpose venue.

I would strongly suggest looking into having both free and paid autograph signings. Depending on the area, you can probably find a couple of semi-famous former athletes locally that would be willing to appear reasonably cheap. I've seen low level athletes (ex players, semi-known professional wrestlers, minor leaguers) draw good crowds just because it's something free.

Have reasonable autograph prices for any signings you may have. Very few people are interested in spending $10-15 on a retired middle reliever. However, I think far more people would be interested in 'getting something signed' in the $3-5 range for said player. Obviously the amount you can charge (as well as the player's appearance fee) will increase depending on the quality of signer.

If possible, avoid any form of entrance fee. I know nothing turns me off from going to a show like having to drop $7-10 before even getting to the first table. Or if there an entrance fee, try to include some type of value with it, such as a free autograph from one of the autograph guests.

Promote the products, not gimmicks. I think you will have far more success having dealers with a wide array of products, sports, and cards available to suit all kinds of collectors than you will in having ******** clad women running around. I think the number of mothers/wives/girlfriends that might be at the show that you would offend would greatly outnumber the number of customers you would attract with such tactics.

Honestly I think Murphy collector may have just been joking?In any case I don't think the women factor in.There are plenty of establishments to be found where you can see women(naked mostly).A card show really doesn't need that.It wouldn't make anyone spend any extra money unless they were actually running each table.I doubt that would happen either.

I would find a cheap place to hold it at though.A hotel seems too cheap though.Most of the hotel shows I have been to get too crowded.There are a lot of places you can hold one pretty cheap.

Walter Hall Park down the road from me has a huge parking area and a huge reception hall.They even have a bar there and a waterfront view(I guess you could call Clear Creek waterfront?)Its only $300 for like 6 hours then an additional amount for each hour over but I think its pretty cheap from what I remember.It cost me and my wife a total of like $450 for 13 hours there for our wedding reception.Its way spiffier than a hotel and its a great venue.Try finding something along those lines.It might draw more people.Plus there are numerous other things to do other than shop for cards.It will keep the wife and kids busy so nobody gets crabby and wants to go home early.

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