Re: [Killietalk] Virtual Events, Proxy bidding

["Ken" <ken_combs at sbcglobal.net>]

I figure I better supplement the prev post with a more simplified post:

1) We don't know what percentage of the membership is actually served by
conventions or what it actually cost in terms of effort, resources and money
(a request for public data oversight)

2) Putting question #1 a different way: What percentage of the convention
cost benefits attendees only and what percentage benefits non-attendees?
This is either by vicarious experience via the next JAKA, or via intrinsic
value-add's like awards, et. (This question is pertinent when asking if we
should add "virtual includes" like proxy bidding to extend the impact beyond
direct attendance)

3) Are conventions/shows a profit driven project or "member service" driven
project? If a "service" only project, what is the best method to expand the
impact and experience beyond in person attendees? (This question is
pertinent to the decision to even have a convention in the 1st place, what
its ultimate goal is and if it should even worry about a profit or break
even)

KC



-----Original Message-----
From: Ken [mailto:ken_combs at sbcglobal.net] 
Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 8:01 AM
To: 'killifish discussion list'
Subject: RE: [Killietalk] Virtual Events, Proxy bidding

Tom, Ron...whoever..
This discussion morphed from proxy bidding to conventions for a reason!!
What I do think needs to be discussed on a public forum is the general
dialogue on what worked/didn't work financially and then how to fix it...

Obviously past historical financial data is required for the trend
analysis..."trend analysis" may sound fancy, but really it isn't rocket
science...And how to increase the impact of a convention is VERY pertinent

And again with a lil more emphasis, I am asking again and again, what are
the goals here? Is a show convention an investment" with some expected
profitable return OR is a Show/convention a service for ALL members? 

THAT IMPORTANT DISTINCTION is the key in driving the financial decision
making with regard to a convention/show in the first place!!!!

1) What percentage of the memberships resources are used for conventions and
what percentage of the membership is serviced by the convention? THAT
question is KEY and pertinent to the discussion of implementing proxy
bidding and/or extending the influential impact of a convention

2) if we are spending a disproportionate percentage of resources on
conventions but servicing a smaller base of members, then you either expand
the influential impact of the convention service (i.e change the method of
broadcast and/OR replace the event "draws")...or bring the resources
allocated on conventions more in line with the percentage of members served

If the AKA and/or club looses $1000 per event, but 100 people attend, then
you ask if the impact of the convention justified "entertaining" 100 people.
I say yes, to a point, since many of us enjoy the convention experience
vicariously through the 100 attendees (show results, awards, pic's et.) 

The next question here then is: are the pictures, award results, et
delivered in the next JAKA enough vicarious experience for the non-attendees
to justify the net loss or expenditure of resources/man hours?

Anyway, blindly following the same dang template year after year is pure
madness if the trend is downward...of course that is predicated on the trend
data being open for scrutiny and oversight in the first place...and probably
the reason to open it up on a public forum regardless of the consequences
(within reason)

Tom, figure out a way to compile and give us generalized trends for the last
5-10yrs...it's just numbers...I propose we break it down as follows (as best
we can):

1) Cost that equate to direct entertainment for attendees (dinners,
speakers, hotel expenses, auctions, et)

2) cost that impact the organization as a whole: (judging related expenses,
trophies, show results, et)

Sure there is overlap, but we gotta begin to attempt some analysis

KC  



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