Kansas City

[John Formsma]

First, I'll say that I do appreciate all the effort that goes into
producing a convention. As a "bystander" in the sense of not helping
with putting a convention together, I can imagine that it takes work,
work, work. And I, for one, appreciate it very much.

But...it did really stink that no parts supplier except Jurgen was
there in Rochester. (I do understand the financial reasons.) And, it's
disappointing that it will be smaller than it could have been this
year. I

t doesn't seem to make sense why you wouldn't want to max out the
suppliers section every time. I mean, if you have people who are very
willing to display their wares, get the larger room and charge
accordingly. (Just like we do when we price our services,
incidentally.)

I'd walk to wherever to buy tools at the convention. There seemed to
be plenty of time in between sessions to look for tools. I mean, there
were 3-4 days, right? Maybe there are some other things that went into
the decision.

Jurgen, could you rent a little hog dot stand thingee and stand
outside? I'd buy some stuff from you. Specially if you had onions and
sauerkraut. :-) Seriously, though, if you had tools there, I'd buy
some.

JF

On 4/16/07, Jurgen Goering <pianoforte at pianofortesupply.com> wrote:
> Piano Forte Supply will not be exhibiting at the National Convention in
> Kansas City this year. The exhibit hall was sold out in 19 hrs, about 4
> months before the event, and anyone who came later came too late.  I among
> others.  I am sorry for the many of you on this list who were counting on
> visiting my booth.  Needless to say, I am also disappointed at not being able
> to show all my new items.
>
> Responding to exhibitor complaints that not enough technicians were making
> their way over to the exhibit hall in 2005, the decision was made to move the
> exhibit closer to the main  convention activities.  However, the only room
> available is 40% smaller than the hall previously used.  I haven't yet fully
> understood how this can contribute to the biggest and best ever 50th annual
> convention.
>
> Home office told me that 120 booths could have been sold, but the exhibit
> hall only has room for about 70 booths. (The size of every booth had to be
> reduced by 20% to accommodate even this small number.)  So, at over $600 per
> booth, that amounts to a lost potential revenue of around $30,000 (!) for the
> convention.  I could imagine that with $30,000 a lot of enticements could
> have been afforded to draw technicians across the way into the the exhibit
> hall.  Let me see:  free food? how about caviar canapes, or perhaps a $1,000
> door prize every hour of the exhibit?.... Maybe a grand piano as a prize?
>
> I can't help but wonder if enough thought was given  to the drawing
> technicians to the large exhibit hall, instead of opting for the poor
> compromise of the smallest exhibit hall in years. (The breaks between
> sessions in '05 were far to short, for example) I don't know why there always
> seems to be such a huge problem surrounding the exhibit hall in the last few
> years.  I don't want to bring up past mistakes, but they were surely made,
> and one important lesson doesn't seem to sink in: a good exhibit hall is
> vital for the success of a convention - it draws technicians to attend.  I
> cannot count the number of technicians who were full of disappointment at the
> Rochester convention, saying to me that they would not have attended if they
> had known there would be only one tool and parts supplier from whom to
> purchase. I know many will be disappointed with the exhibit hall again this
> year.  It is a real pity.
>
> Oh, well, here's hoping for Burbank in 2008.  See you there!
> Jurgen Goering
> Piano Forte Supply
> www.pianofortesupply.com
>