ITEC (fwd)

[zscoundrel]

Actually, ours takes place in the fall, and we usually just do a booth. 
    I have been pretty happy with the local show and they don't seem to 
lean on us too heavily.  (The show is a bit too windoze oriented for me, 
but it is getting better every year.)

What you are experiencing is power negotiating tactics.  Since you are 
one of the larger contributors they are coming to you first to help 
defray their increased costs.  I will be willing to bet that the cost of 
the venue, the labor for set up and tear down, the shipping, advertising 
and security have ALL gone up in the last couple of years.  (I 
occasionally work in this field so I have current knowledge.)

You are actually in a BETTER position to bargain this year because you 
have knowledge of this, AND you know that they are counting on you to 
draw a market niche in the door, since they are already advertising that 
you are going to attend.  (They are hoping to squeeze you into paying 
more to help offset their expenses.)

It is a gamble, but it might pay off for them so they will try it.  All 
you have to do is respond that because of the economy, you and your 
members are not able to pay any more this year, but would be happy to 
continue your support at last years level, or perhaps you would be 
willing to SHARE the theater in a joint venture for half of last years fee.

This makes it a win-win for both you and the promoter IF they have 
another pretty that wants to sponsor the theater.  It also calls their 
bluff it they are just trying to jack you up for more bucks!  Remember, 
they have a lot invested in adds and stuffs, that they don't want to 
have to change.

Take the high road in the negotiation.  Always look for a way to make it 
  a positive out come for both parties and you will stand a better 
chance of getting a better deal.  Remember, at some point you will have 
to give up something, either premium booth or theater space because they 
do have to meet rising costs against reduced income because of lower 
attendance from both vendors and patrons.

Tony Zafiropoulos wrote:

> My apologies if anyone is already on lugs at linuxusersgroups.org, but I know
> you do an ITEC show as well. And this is likely a timely posting.
> 
> Tony
> 
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Mon, 18 Nov 2002 11:00:47 -0600
> From: Michael Chaney <mdchaney at michaelchaney.com>
> Reply-To: lugs at linuxusersgroups.org
> To: lugs at linuxusersgroups.org
> Subject: ITEC
> 
> I want to start a discussion on ITEC.  I hope that this list has a
> diverse enough membership to support the conversation, but please bring
> others in if they are affected.
> 
> Each year here in Nashville, ITEC puts on a show in the late spring.
> This year it was actually June 23 (officially "early summer").  NLUG has
> been "sponsoring" a theatre each year.
> 
> What this has boiled down to is that we come up with $2000 and they give
> us a theatre and a booth.  The theatre is 20x30, and we pack it full;
> mostly standing-room only.
> 
> In the past, they have placed restrictions on what group members can do
> in the booth and theatre in terms of marketing.  I have always demanded
> that they be able to promote their own businesses, and I actually got it
> in writing this year.
> 
> The claim made by ITEC organizers was that a theatre usually goes for
> $10,000, so we're getting this tremendous bargain and should be very
> grateful.  My retort was simply that they are foolish if they're giving
> us something for $2000 for which they could readily get $10,000, so
> obviously they can't readily get the $10,000.
> 
> Each year I go through this painful negotiation with them which never
> results in anything beyond what we start out with.  The group doesn't
> want to give them another dime, so this next year that's the deal.
> 
> ITEC is apparently using our participation as a draw for the event, and
> in fact they showed us as already signed up for next year's show when
> they sent a piece of marketing material out just a month after this
> year's show.
> 
> My feeling is that LUGs are probably all mostly getting screwed by this
> company.  I would like to unionize a bit and see if we can come up with
> something together that would strengthen all of our positions.
> 
> Frankly, my group is split on the show, anyway.  ITEC attendance keeps
> getting worse, and the quality of attendees is generally low (very very
> few decision makers).  I would like to continue to put on a theatre, but
> the group is clear: we're not going to pay anymore.
> 
> I am interested in others' thoughts.
> 
> Thanks,
> Michael
>