What works and what doesn't in attracting buyers to your meet?

[RichO]

Craig, As one chapter member that has helped put on 40 meets I get your point but here's the reality. We used to open the gates for setup Friday afternoon for vending on Saturday and Sunday. dinner on Saturday night and judging on Sunday. Saturday evening almost no one for the dinner and almost all vendors packed and gone. Just a few bikes for judging on Sunday. Over the years we had to make adjustments to meet the needs of many over a few for survival. Now setup Thursday afternoon. Vending Friday and Saturday. Dinner Friday evening and judging Saturday. Most are happy with that. Mostly the sellers which without there would be no meet. Not a perfect world, but what is.

[BNSONS]

I spend all of my money on old used crap. I’d like to go to more but venders going home on Saturday at noon always kills it for me. (I’m a working guy)

Craig

By Saturday afternoon the vendors have already been sitting in the hot sun for 2-1/2 days. Not much happens on sat.

[RichO]

Saturdays for us is National judging and our own Chapter awards plus what we call spectator day. The folks with kids and such come to se the shiny bikes, buy meet t-shirts, and support our food vendors. Every day has it's purpose. but like you say the parts vendors are about done by then. Suggestion, plan a vacation day or sick day for Friday."I'm sick boss I have and eye issue and can't see to come in to work!" Always worked for me.

[Architect]

I understand it is tradition or habit to pack it in by Saturday, but it really does not work out for those of us that work. I liked Yankee Chapter meet going to Sunday two years ago, worked for us. I wanted to go back this year, but heading to Sturgis that weekend. I encourage people to consider that most of the world would attend Saturday and Sunday events, Thursdays are tough for the workers. You want to attract younger people, have the event on the weekend. Vendor setup on Friday or late Thursday, sure. But Saturday should be an all day affair, not me leaving the house at 7 AM to get there as people are packing up their stuff.

Then hear from the older fellas everything we missed on Thursday, when I was at work.

[BigLakeBob]

I work for myself now so I trade working weekends before to get off when needed during a specific week. But, when I worked for someone else and having a supportive wife, I made a vacation out of the meet. Would plan other things along the way, just not the meet. When I lived in FL and went to Davenport we stopped in Nashville and then in Davenport went and saw the Field of Dreams area. The meet doesn't have to just be the meet.

[exeric]

I believe AMCA meets are the opportunity for vendors, and buyers to do business, make contacts, and renew friendships; and judging is just a dangling participle. The AMCA always talks about enticing new, young members, but it's the sharks, and wealthy buyers that can go on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday and that leaves the working people looking at left-overs by Saturday afternoon. National meets have to be worthwhile for sellers, and buyers to perpetuate the hobby and they are the people that should get first consideration. Sellers need a set-up day, but I don't think that day should be open to the general public, general AMCA members, or un-registered vendors.

[ihrescue]

I spend all of my money on old used crap. I’d like to go to more but venders going home on Saturday at noon always kills it for me. (I’m a working guy)

Craig

Craig I hear you on this loud and clear. This is a big issue I hear and provide that feed back to the vendors. The vendors want more customers and the customers want the vendors there when they are able to get there.

Mike Love

[RichO]

Big Lake Bob is saying some of what I'm saying. A local Saturday or Sunday parking lot meet is a lot different than a two day National meet. From a buyer perspective it's a lot different than the view from the Chapter's and it's a small hard core of volunteers and the capitol it takes to make it happen. In our case we just about break even and have to make adjustments every year as costs go up and have to be absorbed. Almost all National road runs (where you ride the bike you built with the parts from the swap meet) are on Mon-Wed or Wed-Fri. because weekends are busier traffic wise and better rates on services. Even back roads get busy when people are off work and out and about. Think of the services provided by the Chapter holding your AMCA event and ask yourself why they do it. I's certainly not about the money or the recognition. Easier to stay in bed. About National judging.I just heard from a good source that it involves only 3% of our membership but you can't believe how much manpower (or woman) and time it takers from the meet staff. I wonder what % of vendors or buyers REALLY complain about the way Chapters have to do business. What if we didn't do ANY business.then there really wouldn't be any thing to complain about and we could stay in bed. Sometimes it's different from the other side of the mirror. P.S. We have for twenty years had a free to vendors BBQ on setup day so after their time on the road traveling they don't have to go offsite for dinner. Funny how as of next year the AMCA will be giving us $250 to make this happen at every National meet. Believe me it takes more than that to swing it but it'll help. Oh, and some National meets take 3,4,or 5 Chapters to make it happen.

[bstevens479]

I understand the frustration, I tend to treat meets like a vacation, I show up Wednesday for Oley. People are pulling in Tuesday, by Saturday night, I am worn out, but there are people & venders there Sunday. We have to do what's best for the venders, they're the lynch pin.

[otis71]

In past years I’ve seen the familiar background of Wauseon on items listed on eBay before Friday even comes around. The practice of anything of value changing hands before the meet officially opens to the public, compounded by eBay isn’t encouraging younger enthusiasts that have to work to come to the meets.

[surfdude]

Mike and Dr. Sprocket - boy, I wish I had seen this a month ago. Same issues, but we are trying.

Yankee Chapter decided we want our national meet to be Friday to Sunday for several reasons: one is it is fairly exhausting for the people actually working at the meet to be there from Wednesday through Sunday, especially without a comfy camper to crash in. Next, we don’t get the venue until Thursday and we need the day to set up. We asked vendors to hold off arriving until Friday and the majority were okay with that although we do hear time and again how at the PA and OH meets they can arrive earlier. Next, we polled a number of vendors over the past few years who run businesses and/or work for themselves and they preferred the Friday start because every day away from the job costs them more money than they expect to make at the meet. Finally, we heard from a number of appreciative buyers who said the Friday start at least gives them a shot at finding some decent parts on Saturday.

We will do a MUCH better job next year of communicating clearly that the meet is open to ALL on Friday - vendors and shoppers - because we put out mixed messages on who could show up on day one. Good intentions but we confused a lot of potential attendees. Even with a lighter-than-should-have-been crowd on Friday, I heard from a number of sellers who had a great day, but in fairness some did not. Unfortunately some overly alarming weather reports kept the crowds down on Saturday but then Sunday was steady and a number of vendors stayed until after lunch.

One quick comment on Friday-Sunday vs. Thursday-Saturday - if you are going to take off from work on Thursday and Friday and go home on Saturday evening and unpack on Sunday, is it really that much different to take Friday off and stay until Sunday and unpack on Monday? It’s still two days off of work…

So - how to get more attendees without turning into (fill in name of major bike week event)? Do we open to non-antique parts sellers? Do we get the wall of death or police motor squad to run cones? Field games? Food trucks? They might draw more public in but they won’t buy parts if they don’t own old bikes. The non-AMCA stuff might draw the public but it won’t sell parts. Bottom line is we have the same issues.

[RichO]

My take is every area, Chapter, and meet has different factors that drive how and when is the right mix for it'[s event. One size does not fit all. Forty years of being involved with boots on the ground in hosting AMCA meets has taught me this. Whatever floats your boat and makes it work for you.

[KNUCK]

The Dixon meet is what I would call almost a blueprint for what is a successful AMCA meet. I am not a member of Fort Sutter but have attended almost every year as either a vendor, swap meet buyer or show bike entrant. Sometimes all three at once! I must say that hopefully we could see a return of the tech seminars. From what I saw vending space was sold out and spilled into the over flow area, club bike show was loaded and what a huge turn out for the dinner banquet! Not to mention perfect weather last few years.

I would also be a treat to have a guest speaker at the dinner. I remember years ago those past talks by Bob Stark and Gary Bang.

[surfdude]

great ideas. Yankee Chapter has had tech seminars in the past and there was talk of resurrecting them. We also want to bring back the field games on Sunday to give people a reason to stick around. Need people to both run and participate in the games, though...

[rustynutz]

Surfdude, I don’t think there is much that you can do to keep people at the meet on Sunday unless they are fairly local. The venders are not going to stay if there’s no one buying, most travel a distance to the meets and don’ want to get home later on a Sunday evening. I enjoy riding to the meets, but leaving around 2:00pm Sunday after judging, during the hottest part of the day and heaviest traffic makes for a long hot ride. I talked to several people having their bikes judged that were anxious to be judged, get loaded, and get on the road home. I think you had more than normal people staying on Sunday because of the road run on Monday. I suggest promoting all your event attractions for Friday & Saturday, leave Sunday for a wind down, pack, and travel home day. Overall a good meet and excellent job by all involved. Oh, everybody likes Ice Cream on a hot day!