Thread: Getting sponsors for meets

We're trying to set up a get-together for the Portland,Or/Pacific NW area and in doing so I was trying to find some information about getting hold of/recruting sponsors to help offset the costs, etc to help keep it affordable for the individuals attending. Has anyone had any experience with doing this and if so what suggestions could you give to someone trying to set something like this up?
Thanks in advance for any input.

Michael

It's not something we've ever done in WNY, so I don't know. We meet at member's houses, members supply food and drink, BYOB and BYOsmokes. Sometimes there are doorprizes, and we work on each other's razors free of charge.

Sponsor's for a location would be really cool. The NYC meet is at a bar, but I think someone knows the owner...

I am hoping to attend the April GTG but one thing I have found with my wife's candle thing she does it the Round Table Pizza places are pretty good about letting you use their banquet room so long as they are empty. That helps cut down the cost of a place plus there is food and beverages. Anyway, anoth side of my life had put together bike runs where venders come in with their products. Might be a little hard because there is guys out there I'm sure but it isn't the same. Anyway I hope to make it.

The best or only method we've found in Minnesota for our meets is to have someone contact vendors on a private and individual basis. Some donate goods, others choose not to. For the ones that do, I had the vendors send all products to me which I brought to the meet then. As soon as I received products, I posted a "teaser" about the products on the post for our get together both to pique interest in the attendees and also so the vendors knew that I was not coveting any of the cool things for myself! I've found it helps to give reminder notices to those vendors that may initially say they'll donate, but then for whatever reason, don't. The vendors rock on this site, though, so the more vendors you contact, the more responses you'll get.

Chris L