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Why dont you attend the speakers

Discussion in '2010' started by xroads, Nov 7, 2010.

  1. xroads Veteran Reefkeeper Vendor

    La Porte City, IA
    Ratings:
    +1,014 / 6 / -0
    There are a ton of people who attended the show, but didnt goto the speakers.  I want to hear from you.
    By a far margin, our biggest expense is the speakers, but it seems no matter who we bring in, they dont get attended very well.
    Should we continue bringing in speakers?  Or should we discontue bringing them in & spend the money on other things?  Or cut it down to one?
    Those of you who didnt attend, why not?
     
  2. FishBrain Expert Reefkeeper GIRS Member

    New London
    Ratings:
    +396 / 6 / -0
    I would have loved to attend the one about photography but came to the show alone and had noone to man my table in my absence.
     
  3. phishcrazee Experienced Reefkeeper

    Riverside
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    I attended both speakers........they were excellent! I really felt lucky to have heard their talks! That being said, I think there needs to be a bit more "hype" re: the advertising of them. I didn't see anywhere who was speaking at the event (it was probably somewhere, just saying, it wasn't obvious to me). I didn't hear any sort of announcement about when they were to start their talks (again, it was probably posted somewhere, but I didn't see it). Of course I have heard of both speakers and know a bit about Anthony, but a little more info on the speakers might have been helpful; didn't know a lot about Parr. Was there an agenda posted somewhere that we could have seen the times/location (yes location was sort of a no-brainer at this venue) for when/where the speakers were giving their talks?

    Also, would have been nice if the speakers had their own room. It was difficult at times to hear them and there were some crazy kids running through the partition curtains /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default//emoticons/smile.gif Sort of distracting..........
     
  4. slovan

    slovan Experienced Reefkeeper

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    +0 / 0 / -0
    I am with Bill. I usually do the shows on my own and I don't have anyone to watch my table while I am gone. However, I watch the presentations that Jeremy posts.
     
  5. Waverz

    Waverz Expert Reefkeeper

    Ratings:
    +5 / 0 / -0
    I think part of the reason why it didn't seem like too many people attended the speakers was most of the core people who would benefit and appreciate a presentation like that were working the show. And then there are the people who get their frags and split, these people probably just don't have the time to dedicate to sit and watch a presentation like this. And then there are the people like me who figure they can just watch it on the web when they get home because they know I am filming.

    I personally enjoy having the speakers and feel like if they can fit the budget then by all means get them in, if the budget doesn't allow then maybe we should consider other options.

    That said, I should be able to get the new videos up soon home work permitting.
     
  6. Shaun

    Shaun Inactive User

    711
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    I was not paying attention. I stepped out for a smoke and did not realize the speakers had started. Thought it rude to walk in half way through. Am kicking myself today. Shaun
     
  7. Reef Geek

    Reef Geek Inactive User

    34
    Ratings:
    +1 / 0 / -0
    I would recommend "marketing" that better on the landing page of GIRS. I would agree with Phishcrazee's comments. I believe the MACNA conference had different time slots for speakers outside of "floor time", so people working the floor could attend the speakers. Just a few thoughts....
     
  8. jtesdall

    jtesdall Expert Reefkeeper

    Ratings:
    +1 / 0 / -0
    Again, I would like to reccomend the show floor is closed during speakers. Speakers should start and end the show, then all seats should be filled. We have discussed this many times, I think we need to try it for spring.
     
  9. mthomp

    mthomp Inactive User

    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    how would the vendors feel about that though? i mean they are there to sell and anytime the sale floor is closed that cost them money.
     
  10. AJ

    AJ Inactive User

    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    Here's a copy of the posters that we posted around the state starting about 3 to 4 weeks in advance of the events.  To include a description of their talk would mean adding too much text, but we attempted to put a focus on the speakers.  How could we have made it more prominent?  If you're not seeing these posters, what are you seeing that tells you about the show?
    --AJ
    [​IMG]
     
  11. Shaun

    Shaun Inactive User

    711
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    i feel the advertising was ok. I think maybe a break for the vendors may accualy help them out. It would give them time to grab a bite to eat, attend the speakers and reorganize there displays a little. Just my 2 cents worth, Shaun
     
  12. jtesdall

    jtesdall Expert Reefkeeper

    Ratings:
    +1 / 0 / -0
    Agreed, this is the argument. Most trade shows I attend professionally are done in this manner for the reasons being debated in this thread. The speakers happen before the event opens and after the event closes. Vendors know up front this is what will happen. You don't shorten floor time , you lengthen the event.
     
  13. slovan

    slovan Experienced Reefkeeper

    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    To be honest, this is the 1st time I have seen this poster. Was this on the GIRS homepage at all?
     
  14. phishcrazee Experienced Reefkeeper

    Riverside
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    Me too /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default/emoticons/blush.gif  Its a nice poster though, I just missed it somehow......maybe having the times that the speakers were presenting would have been helpful.
     
  15. B-Rad

    B-Rad Inactive User

    999
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    Posted By slovan on 11/07/2010 11:38 AM
    To be honest, this is the 1st time I have seen this poster. Was this on the GIRS homepage at all? I agree with Slone, This is the first I've seen of it! This stuff needs to be posted on the home page befor an event!!! IMOP!
     
  16. jtesdall

    jtesdall Expert Reefkeeper

    Ratings:
    +1 / 0 / -0
    I agree as well. Marketing the whole event including the speakers should have been done earlier and done better. We will improve.
     
  17. xmasia

    xmasia Well-Known ReefKeeper

    376
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    I got to see Anthony Calflo but missed Gary Parr. The thing i noticed when watching Calfo was the noise from the floor it was hard to hear at times even after Jeremy adjusted sound. It was very distracting. The reason for missing Parr was i got to yacking and missed the announcement and didnt want to come in half way threw.
     
  18. rc1214b

    rc1214b

    256
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    I saw the flyer posted at Pet's Playhouse, not sure how I feel about snagging a pic from what looks to be one of Korallen Zuct's tanks to make a pretty flyer. I don't recall seeing the flyer posted anywhere else or on here though.
    IMO... this is the point where we should start seriously considering how to approach future events and what our goals as a club are going to be. I'm so glad Craig brought this up bc it's something I've noticed for awhile now. We are somewhat a victim of our own sucess. We choose to leave the nest of RC to create our own website and forum so we are in control. We are critical of some of their policies but yet I totally see why they are avid about keeping home fraggers and those only looking to sell equipment under control. We have many more members/visiters that post or at least browse our threads than we've had before. Fewer members personally know each other and with fewer club meetings we have become more of an internet club. Now it sounds like we've decided on 2 frag fests a year which allows people to buy/sell more coral. That itself isn't bad but when you have most of the clubs focus put into those two "major" events it's pretty much neglected working on building the basics of a club. Many members don't know each other and they don't have many other oppertunities for club activities so they want to take advantage of the deals. I feel many newer hobbiests also have come to our website and "learned" that our club is a way for deals on coral and group buys but don't see many other benefits that it can offer. Everytime we have a Fest we continue to teach fragging and deals with smaller emphasis on education. The education has to fit in somewhere or we are going to lose members due to frustration. I see over and over someone selling frags looking to make some $$ but then someone who may or may not even have a tank that can support it see's a good deal whether it's per frag or so many for x amount. They buy them and soon lose a few, after a period they continue to struggle and the rest may or may not live. They may post on here and get 10 different answers on something and then the post slowly works it's way down till it's lost. If you look at some "help" posts many of them do not have an ending. I don't know if they fixed the problem or not.
    The way the hobby has turned I'm not sure how having a speaker during sales times will ever work. Unless someone is very interested in that particular topic they probably are going to want to buy their coral. It's funny bc Anthony actually said during his speech that we are into our "designer" corals and that he won't say much more about it. Borneman is another who has seen/spoke on the way things have progressed. Fewer of us seem to show interest in learning and keeping things long term or to grow them big.
    I think if we are going to offer any type of speaker they need to have dedicated time like they used to for our club. When they were speaking it was quiet, I couldn't hear someone talking about their recent coral purchase or someone getting a call or laughing on the other side of the curtain. I was somewhat embarrassed that we had the turnout we did and then poor Jeremy and Caleb had to work to get him loud enough to hear over the background. Anthony is pretty laid back but I felt they deserved more.
     
  19. Bluefool

    Bluefool Inactive User

    377
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    Well, the speakers are one of my favorite parts of the fest. I haven't missed one since I joined the club.

    I think we need to have them in a room other than the sales floor, and we need to make an announcement that it will be starting in x....like you did for the raffle. Give 'em more than a one hour time slot; most of the presentations I've seen got cut short.

    Maybe one speaker two presentation? I like the variety of 2 myself, but the photography one was kind of empty. Damn shame too, because he had a *ton* of simple tips to make your reef photos look better.

    I blow most of my cash in the first hour.....and I think lots of other folks do too. That leaves me broke for 3 hours before the raffle looking at coral I can't buy....The speakers are a great break from the shopping too.
     
  20. calebjk Well-Known ReefKeeper

    300
    Cedar Rapids IA
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    I personally agree that we should have dedicated time for the speaker. Although I didn't come to buy any frags, I came to catch up with some people I know and hear the presentations from the speakers so I might be a little bias. I know there can be a lot of excitement about buying frags because I have been there and I can see where some people would not want to miss out on any harder to find frags because they were sitting in on a speech. Having a dedicated time would not only solve this problem, but it would let people know what they would have been missing out on. That brings me to my other point. If people really knew how good the information really is, most of them would not want to miss out on it and would most likely be more excited about the presentations next time.
     

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