Re: RE The really big issue with AGA2K4

["S. Hieber" <shieber@yahoo.com>]

--- Karen Randall <krandall@rdrcpa.biz> wrote:
> Could we try something like telling people
> we'll give a rebate
> of $X if we hit some target of attendees?  Gte them to
> talk their buddies
> into going too?


Sure we could. This has drawbacks though -- it's a bit like
selling short inthe stock market. If other unanticipated
costs go up, you can't cover them because you're obligated
to pay back to patrons.  If the payback is relatively low,
an other costs are kept in check, this won't be an issue. 
Bigger problem is who is goin to write 100-200 checks and
then wait 6 months for them all to clear?
> 
> Or what about giving people who register before a certain
> date a certain
> amount of  "convention bucks" that they can spend at the
> auction? 

I don't think early registration will be an issue since
we're starting so early this year and will have some limit
ont he room avaialble. So there I don't think we gain
anything by paying (ultimately to auction sellers) anything
for early registration.

> I suspect
> it wouldn't cut down the profit from the auction much. 
> People will spend
> the "real" cash they have available too, but might bid
> higher for items if
> it felt like "free money".  

I think they'll pay an average of $10 per item.

> If people are concerned about
> the AGA having to
> pay money out to vendors, we could even have the
> "convention bucks" only
> good on certain pre-designated (probably donated) items.
> 
> Just thinking off the top of my head here, but I think if
> we could come up
> with some really fun incentive(s), it might help.  I
> suspect that even at
> $89/$69, the die-hards will come, and there will be
> enough people to more
> than break even.  

I don't think we'll have a problem reaching breakeven even
if we charged no reg fee (which I'm not advocating, I'm
just makeing a point) -- unless it snows. I think it's jsut
a matter of how many you want to come. If people are using
DIY CO2, the can't be insensitive to price. At $49, the
weekend will cost the average person about 11% more than
Dallas.

> We'll probably also have a number of
> people local enough
> to just come for the day, and not stay in the hotel at
> all.
> 
> Could they try to negotiate the room rates down for those
> who stay 3 or more
> nights?  

We can try but it doesn't sound like we're going to get
much from these hotels. They are in a high end market and
we don't have someone that negotiates for a living doing
the negotiating.

> That would make it a lot more attractive for
> those who are comin
> from a distance.
> 
> Oh, another thing that you should suggest to the
> committee is that they
> should contact Ray Lucas and Lee Finley ASAP about being
> vendors.  

They are gong to contact Ray as soon as the dates are
fixed. His calendar dosn't seem obligated for the 13th
weekend.

Both are
> within driving distance (albeit long driving distance<g>)
> of this one.
> 
> In fact, they could use Lee for a fun focus group too if
> they wanted.  He
> has a nice talk he put together for us on historical
> aquatic plant
> literature.

I'll pass it on. What's the contact info for Lee?

=====
S. Hieber

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