What makes a great show?

[Snapolit1]

Interesting. I don't care too much about autographs, so some free autos or a slate of guys on stage isn't a biggie for me. Having one of the major authenticators there to accept cards is pretty cool, but realize that can't be done everywhere.
Some refreshment stand is nice.
I don't like all the haggling that takes place, where cards bear more than one price, but I guess that will never change. "Book value" is always some random number that doesn't seem to have any connection to the condition of the card.
I'd say most friendly informed dealers. At White Plains I met some creep who mimicked me when I told him "Just looking . . .." Isn't that what everyone's doing? I probably spent more $ on cards in the last year than he has in his life and he treated me like some bum who stumbled in off the street.
Having people from the major auction houses showing some upcoming cool items is also nice.
How about a quiet area for spouses and friends who aren't interested to hang out in comfort for a few hours and read a book?

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

OK keep it coming.

A lot of this stuff is things we've thought of, but there's a nice smattering of stuff we hadn't considered.

Dealers, haven't heard much from you guys yet!

[Jeff1970Red]

Attractive ladies, alcohol, great food...and great cards.

[Rich Klein]

OK putting on my dealer hat here

What I want to see from the promoter is an good effort in getting the word out

If they do the work than most of the rest fits into line.

And as a dealer, it's my job, especially if I sell something slightly outside the norm for a sports card show (Racing items, McFarlane/Starting Lineups, etc.) to get the word out to those collectors.

There have been many threads on many boards about what dealers should do at a show but as a promoter -- your job is to ensure the dealers have the best cards they can have for sale

Rich

[Rich Klein]

It's also my job as a dealer to get the word out as you want to protect yourself as well. I know several dealers at my show have their own email or postcard list they send to their collectors

Rich

[Chris-Counts]

I don't believe bigger is always better when it comes to shows. Where I live, in the San Francisco Bay Area, there are big shows put on by Tristar at the Cow Palace, and small shows put on by Mark McRae in San Leandro. I always enjoy Mark's shows much more — it's not even close. The Cow Palace shows are filled with modern junk, and most of the vintage stuff is way overpriced. Yet I consistently walk out of Mark's shows with all sorts of great vintage treasures and bargains. Also, the atmosphere between the two is like night and day. The Cow Palace is impersonal and sterile, while the smaller and more intimate setting in San Leandro creates a warm and friendly environment. Mark's shows remind me of the wonderful Orange County monthly card shows in the 1970s, and they give me hope that there's still a place for shows in a world dominated by the internet.

[jhs5120]

Personally, I use shows as a "one stop shop" for my collecting need. My show routine is usually the same every time:
1. Consign a couple items that I don't want to carry around
2. Drop off an order with PSA (again, so I don't have to carry it around)
3. Look around the dealers and go bargain hunting
4. Look for dealers with cheap 1960's and 1970's Vg-Ex commons to complete sets

If you have all four of those components and are within 100 miles of New Jersey, I will be there!

[90feetaway]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

How about a quiet area for spouses and friends who aren't interested to hang out in comfort for a few hours and read a book?

+1
Also, as an attendee, autograph guests are sometimes a draw. I'd like to meet an unusual guest such as announcer or ESPN personality once in a while.

[Butch7999]

As collectors only, and bottom-feeding cheapskates at that...
A show should be:

Well advertised, well in advance. We realize print advertising can be expensive, but it costs nothing to notify collector websites and forums.

Accessible by a reasonably short drive, with decent parking.

A pleasant temperature in the venue. Most shows we've been to have been 130 degrees inside with 50% carbon dioxide.

Free or nominal admission. Anything else is a pig in a poke.

Vendors with a wide variety of stuff -- including non-card sports memorabilia -- presumably make a show attractive to a wider variety
and thereby larger number of customers.
Outside your control, really, but three things regarding vendors:
1) a decent attitude -- don't ignore customers, don't act condescending, don't give a hard-sell.
2) if a vendor doesn't have prices marked, we usually won't even stop at his table to look or ask.
3) if a vendor has only ludicrously, unrealistically high prices marked, we won't even stop at his table to look or haggle.

Free autograph signings can draw us in, but we realize that the expense of getting former stars to appear makes free autos unrealistic
for small shows. If you offer free signings, make it clear in your advertising that they're free. Just stating that this guy or these guys
are signing leaves everyone to assume it'll be 50 or 100 bucks a sig. Also outside your control: a decent attitude on the part of anybody signing.

[buymycards]

As a dealer, I come to the shows to sell. I sometimes price my cards a little high because I have found out that if I price a card at $30, someone will offer $15. If I price that same card at $15, someone will offer $7. So, I mark it up a little so I can work with customers and accept their offers. I don't get offended by offers, because when someone makes an offer, it shows they are interested in the card and we now have a starting point for negotiations.

Also, in regard to dealers bringing junk to the shows - we have one local show that is a great junk show. When I buy collections, I bring all of the junk and blow it out at this show. People know that I will show up with tons of 1990's inserts, tons of 5 cent and 10 cent 1980's star cards, and loads of junk commons. I blow them out and accept low offers just so I don't have to haul the junk back home and I do very well with them because of the large quantities. There are other shows in the area where people don't seem to be interested in buying the junk, so I bring better cards to those shows.

I also would like to see the show promoters do their best to promote the show. Put the show in the Beckett show calendar, in SCD, Craigslist, local internet sites, and a small ad in the sports section of the local newspaper. Develop an email list of customers and dealers by have them sign up when they enter the show.

[brian1961]

Originally Posted by Butch7999

As collectors only, and bottom-feeding cheapskates at that...
A show should be:

Well advertised, well in advance. We realize print advertising can be expensive, but it costs nothing to notify collector websites and forums.

Accessible by a reasonably short drive, with decent parking.

A pleasant temperature in the venue. Most shows we've been to have been 130 degrees inside with 50% carbon dioxide.

Free or nominal admission. Anything else is a pig in a poke.

Vendors with a wide variety of stuff -- including non-card sports memorabilia -- presumably make a show attractive to a wider variety
and thereby larger number of customers.
Outside your control, really, but three things regarding vendors:
1) a decent attitude -- don't ignore customers, don't act condescending, don't give a hard-sell.
2) if a vendor doesn't have prices marked, we usually won't even stop at his table to look or ask.
3) if a vendor has only ludicrously, unrealistically high prices marked, we won't even stop at his table to look or haggle.

Free autograph signings can draw us in, but we realize that the expense of getting former stars to appear makes free autos unrealistic
for small shows. If you offer free signings, make it clear in your advertising that they're free. Just stating that this guy or these guys
are signing leaves everyone to assume it'll be 50 or 100 bucks a sig. Also outside your control: a decent attitude on the part of anybody signing.

+3 ---Brian Powell

[brian1961]

How about a quiet area for spouses and friends who aren't interested to hang out in comfort for a few hours and read a book?[/QUOTE]

A VERY GOOD SUGGESTION. PERHAPS THE REFRESHMENT AREA COULD HAVE AN EXTENDED AREA FOR THE DISINTERESTED. ---Brian Powell