SSA National Convention, every year, every other?

Pete Russell wrote:
I think every other year would be best. I think some people out there may be
under the impression that you can actually make money off soaring speaking
as a vendor look around do you see anybody in the business driving fancy
cars most people just scrape buy. I work 51/2 days a week at a regular job
just so I can pay all the bills. most of the people at the conventions
aren't there to buy anything just see what's new and see old friends in fact
it's mostly the same people year after year. I am already on the at least
every other year program the problem is that I may have missed some
potential customers in the years I did not attend .

But wouldn't you miss those same potential customers if no convention
was held?


I think you also need to
look at the design cycle of the new products I think if you went to two or
three year cycles you would see more new products at each show and vendors
would actually try to have new products ready for the show this would make
it a much more exciting convention.

Pete
Sage Variometers

But wouldn't you miss those same potential customers if no convention
was held?

The theroy is that if held every other year or every four years you would
have a higher concentration of people. There are lots of people that don't
go every year but if held on a longer cycle it would tend to force everoyone
to attend on that year.

Pete

Hi,

Being somewhat new to the soaring supplies business (2 years), I really like
having a booth at the SSA convention every year. It is expensive and I
don't necessarily sell enough at the show to be worth my while, but I do get
a lot of sales after the event. The main benefit for me is that I get to
meet many of the customers I've been selling to, and establish relationships
with new customers. It is very nice to meet people face to face rather than
via e-mail!

Paul Remde
Cumulus Soaring Supplies

"Pete Russell" wrote in message
...
I think every other year would be best. I think some people out there may
be
under the impression that you can actually make money off soaring speaking
as a vendor look around do you see anybody in the business driving fancy
cars most people just scrape buy. I work 51/2 days a week at a regular job
just so I can pay all the bills. most of the people at the conventions
aren't there to buy anything just see what's new and see old friends in
fact
it's mostly the same people year after year. I am already on the at least
every other year program the problem is that I may have missed some
potential customers in the years I did not attend . I think you also need
to
look at the design cycle of the new products I think if you went to two or
three year cycles you would see more new products at each show and vendors
would actually try to have new products ready for the show this would make
it a much more exciting convention.

Pete
Sage Variometers

I prefer the alternating coast... which for me makes it every other year or
every third year this time.. that I can attend the "Local" convention.

There is more to the convention than marketing.. there is the time spent
with friends..

BT

"Jim Culp" wrote in message
...

Questions of costs and benefits,
and preferences:

Who benefits from annual SSA national convention?


Do glider and electronics vendors benefit by annual
show, vs the cost to them to go?

Can you, vendor, afford to go annually and is it cost/benefit
justified?

Can you, SSA member, afford to go annually?

How much debt or cash or debt do you lay out to go
to SSA convention considering registration fees, dinners,
party fees, hotel, transportation, incidentals: As
a vendor? As an SSA member?

Would you be satisfied with an every other year convention,
as a SSA member or as a vendor ?

Who makes out well by annual SSA conventions?

Does SSA make money? If so, how much?

Does host club or committee make money? If so, how
much?

Are annual SSA conventions sufficiently well attended
to justify annual efforts?

How many full registrants were in Atlanta AirExpo2004?

Year before that?

Understand, I love the conventions. Good, yes.

Can I go annually. No way.
Can others?

Would every other year be just as good, and regional
or state soaring efforts could host 1 or 2 day sessions
like the Soaring Symposiums and similar efforts did.


Would anyone, and any vendor suffer if there were every
other year SSA National Convention? Would SSA suffer?
How?

Your ideas, preferences?

Kindest regards.

Dancing on clouds,
Keep it up!

Jim Culp USA
Asw-20c/Std Libelle
Gatorcity Florida

I go when I have the time available to go and the event is within a
day's drive, or the airfare is cheap enough.

Since 1988 that has happened three times.

Shift to a two year or longer cycle and the likelihood of the stars
aligning just right decrease.

Dave Rolley

Or you might make more of an effort as you would know you won't get a chance
the next year.

Pete

"Dave Rolley" wrote in message
k.net...
I go when I have the time available to go and the event is within a
day's drive, or the airfare is cheap enough.

Since 1988 that has happened three times.

Shift to a two year or longer cycle and the likelihood of the stars
aligning just right decrease.

Dave Rolley

Another possibility is to hold a mini-convention every other year with
speakers/meetings only. These could be held in most modest sized towns at a
fraction of the cost to the SSA and attendees.

The SSA convention historically attracts some 800 attendees, probably 600
who attend every year and only 200 or so fresh faces.

For those who support the organization with booths etc, it is almost never
possible to do better than break even. The present down-sizing of membership
makes future attendance questionable.

--
Thomas Knauff
Knauff & Grove, Inc.
Schempp-Hirth Sailplanes
3523 South Eagle Valley Road
Julian, Pa 16844
Phone (814) 355 2483
Fax (814) 355 2633
www.eglider.org
"Pete Russell" wrote in message
...
Or you might make more of an effort as you would know you won't get a
chance
the next year.

Pete

"Dave Rolley" wrote in message
k.net...
I go when I have the time available to go and the event is within a
day's drive, or the airfare is cheap enough.

Since 1988 that has happened three times.

Shift to a two year or longer cycle and the likelihood of the stars
aligning just right decrease.

Dave Rolley