Thread: Convention Cancelled

Sorry guys,

I received the email below from Charlie Larman a couple of days ago. Prior to this I was not aware of any deadline and thought Charlie had it all handled including having banners made up and was preparing news releases, etc....We did have firm committments from Classic Shaving, Vintage Blades, TQH, Mamma Bear, Barberia Italia, Truefitt & Hill Corporate and I thought Charlie was following up on the table fees:

From:"Charlie Larman" To:"'Lynn Abrams'"
Subject: hotel rooms Date: Tue, 7 Aug 2007 11:22:32 -0400 I spoke to the hotel today…at this time there are no reservations for rooms…if people have registered they have not done so under the convention code…I need to know who they are so I can apply them to the 5 room guarantee…if they do not reserve rooms before aug 20 they will not get the 199 rate…I have no intention of getting stuck for five rooms…if no reservations are made before the 19 of aug I will withdraw my guarantee which will basically pull the plug on the convention…advise me on what you want to do…also I have not received any thing from vendors coming to this convention…if you have received money for tables you need to send the hotel 500 to pay for the meeting rooms…



As a result of this email, I called the hotel and made my reservation. I also called the Sales Director, Bernadette to see what was going on. She advised that Charlie had only asked the hotel to hold 5 rooms at the $199 price and that he had not requested any rooms for Friday night for the event. She indicated that the hotel did not have any more Friday night reservations available at this time. In addition, she advised that the conference room reserves was only 1300 sq. ft. and would only accomodate 35 people at a time and that she had voiced concern previously with Charlie. Bernadette indicated that she might be able to give us 10 rooms at the $199 fee for Saturday, but non for Friday and at best 5 more rooms on Saturday for $257. It became obvious at that point that they would not be able to accomodate us. I asked her to cancel the event and she did at no charge.

I will be cancelling my reservation. I think the only other one made was by Sue.

So........How about we get a committee together between us and the other forums and see if we can plan another event for next spring or summer? I am really sorry guys and take full responsibility for this. Fred, I hope you still want to help.......



Lynn

Ha,

I wasn't planning to attend but it's a pity, as I am sure many others were very excited about the convention. I expected to see lots of interesting videos and photos, not to speak about posts after the event

Cheers
Ivo

That sucks in a big way mate... sorry to hear it went pear shaped on you.

My other half is a marketing and PR exec with Singapore Airlines and I know she tears her hair out at times trying to keep events on track.
Just draw a line under this one and move on... these things happen.

Best wishes for the next event.

Greg Frazer

I am hopeful that we can get a small committee together who will be really committed to getting something like this going and include all the wet shaving communities. Onward and upward.

Lynn

Lynn,

Don't feel bad, these things take a lot of planning. We all appreciate the enormous effort it takes just keeping all of this stuff up.

I smell BS. I know positively without a doubt that they had my reservation because I spoke with them personally a few weeks ago, as I posted in another thread.

Glad to find out this soon though. I'd have hated to have bought nonrefundable airline reservations and then have it go sideways.

Thanks for the effort, Lynn. I think cancelling is the best course of action.

I am really sorry to hear this...either misunderstanding or bs i am glad got cought on time.
If you guys are interested in organizing something similar here in California i will be more than glad to help put everything together... i have a friend who might be able to help too...
Classic shaving are located here in palm springs, i know it would be in their interest...
Just a thought ..let me know...
Sorry Lynn , i hope you don't feel bad you haven't failed anybody.
Be well.

Despite the best efforts and intentions fo the fine folks on the forum, planning a convention can drive even the most even-keeled person to drink or to the nut house. I think that the idea is wonderful and that we should proceed, both with the convention and with the committee. The first step is to give ourselves a huge amount of time. Planning now for something in early summer is just about right. Next, what needs to be done?

1. Location - someplace central, but perhaps not a large as Chicago. Big city = big bucks. Alternatively, you also want something to do besides the convention. A happy medium should be found (no, I don't mean a psychic on Valium...ok, weak joke, nevermind)...anyway, the location will help determine the date. Chicago? Deep winter or High Summer can be miserable...Miami - not August; Boston - February not a good idea...so you get the drift (get it? Boston - winter drift? OK, I'll stop with the puns). Hampton Inn may have good room prices, but would they have a large enough space for 150-200 folks? Advance booking with a larger hotel can also get access to a larger space and the rates may not be as high...it all depends. As an example (just random here) the Courtyard by Marriott in downtown Philly (right in the middle of all the "stuff"...150 a night for May 2008, 11 event rooms with 9,000+ sq. ft of space to choose from.

2. Date - Friday Arrival, Sunday departure

3. Venue - Hotel, ok. Close to sleeping rooms, catering available, linen service should there be shaving demos. Some convention centers have smaller rooms.

4. Cost - depends on the above. Also, some businesses may pay to participate. Before anything is booked, a minimum number of attendees must sign up. This "attendance number" is then used to both reserve space (We'll be having at least X attendees...what can you do for us?) and entice vendors (Well, we currently have X number of attendees signed up...that would be a good addition to your customer base...what can you do for us?). A fee to attend to cover the venue costs + refreshments, and attendees make their own reservations with the convention committee up to a certain date, (giving the committee clout with the hotel: yes, I'd like to book 35 rooms for 2 nights in <month>), and after that date with the hotel directly, using a group code.

5. Vendors - get them signed up early. Ask for some products to be donated for a drawing (no raffle....otherwise some folks in dark suits may want to know where the $$$ are going) or gift bags for attendees. Offer them a chance to have the convention attendee sign up list with emails so they can distro to attendees, a place to demo and sell products, etc. They should also be able to take orders for items (can they sell them on site? Not sure if that is covered by local Sales Tax laws or not). The web companies are a good start (Classic Shaving, Well-Groomed Gentleman, Shaving Center, Mama Bear's, etc.) but also the major firms: Casewell-Massey, Bath and Body Works, Truefitt and Hill, Art of Shaving, Thiers-Issard, Dovo, Vulfix brushes, and any other company that can be located that is interested in shaving and men's grooming.

6. Demos - get them scheduled so they can be added to the program.

7. Advertising - the convention needs a good logo to catch folks attention. Vendors can put the logo on their sites. Also, look at local media and send press released to all the major networks...the Today show has frequnetly covered "men's grooming Issues". Also, send the listing to the events editors for GQ, Esquire, Details, Conde-Nast Traveler, Vanity Fair, New Yorker, all the major "City Papers" (those weekly what's happening newspapers), the Tourist Board for which ever city we choose, etc. Other shaving websites should be approached for advertising and to boost attendance.

8. Media - printed programs, flyers, a banner or two, video recording of demos, discussions, etc. (then available for sale on a disc.)

9. Events - demos, rountable discussions, Q&A sessions, presentation of new products from the vendors.

10. A sit down dinner the evening of the convention, X$ per person, choice of meat/chicken/veggie entree, two sides, beverage, dessert, coffee/tea. Cash bar.

Each item above will need someone to be responsible for geting it up and running, with status reports every 2 weeks. there will have to be milestones met (X number of paid attendees, confirmed site booking, etc.) which will keep the members in the know as to how things are proceeding.

All comments are welcome (well, not all...any involving me walking and a short pier would NOT be welcome....).




Greg

How about San Diego, sunshine all year long and a great place to have a convention.

I am sorry this had to happen. Even though I would have missed it due to work commitments, I still thank Lynn, Charlie, all the vendors and everyone else who worked hard to make it happen.
If you're planning a spring/summer convention, you may want to look into Toronto. The city's well known for conferences/conventions, has tons of hotels, motels, hostels, a great party scene, more resturants (of all kinds) per capita than any other city in the world and it's 1hr from Niagara Falls.