I just spoke to Scott Telfer, who's helping Stewart McClaren finalize plans for the TICKLE in the TROSSACHS letterhead meet. This meet is next May in Scotland. I have been asked to help them with a bit of PR/Marketing for their letterhead meet. This is NOT a request to market to other Letterheads, but to persuade THEIR local big shots that letterheads ROCK!
Here' where you come in: send me anything you got: photos, written testimonials from your local business' and mayors, and chamber people explaining how these meets GREATLY IMPROVE THE COMMUNITY! Your personal written/or voiced commentary explaining what everyone has to gain from a meet.
Send this stuff to my attention ASAP. I realize it's a lot to ask, but I don't want to let our buddies down in Scotland. They have another meeting next week. If you can't get it together in time, please send it anyway. We'll use it.
Send anything that you feel would help pursuade a non-letterhead to promote and/or donate to this cause. I think you know what I mean. The public has a hard time wrapping their arms around what a letterhead meet really is. With everyone's input this could be a GREAT PROJECT. This is why I'm committed to gathering the info and somehow assembling it in either a printed packet, or CD. You'll all be helping future letterhead meets.
THIS IS THE WAY!
Help me, help OUR cause.
Matthew Rolli 704 hwy12 e Hudson, WI 54016 www.AdCraftSign.com 715-377-1480 TOLL FREE: 1-888-823-2723
-------------------- Matthew Rolli AdCraft Sign&Design Hudson, WI Posts: 280 | From: Hudson, WI | Registered: Aug 2003
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Hiya Matthew, That's a tough one. So many people benefit from these events in so many intangeable ways. Suppliers benefit because they are supporting a tightknit community of sign makers. If the suppliers represent themselves in a positive way to the sign makers, the sign makers will do business with them. The community as a whole may benefit from a project. An easy to find article is Jay Allen's Walldog Rendesvous back in '97, it's on the past meets page. Here's the link to the award they won... http://www.letterhead.com/meets/walldogs97/walldog_award.html To get the community involved, I think that you need to research who hosted previous meets and ask them to send you newspaper clippings of all the media coverage these events receive. At Jay's event, it seemed that the meet as front page news in the local newspaper for the entire weekend. How can you beat that for publicity! Hopefully, others can give you other specific references to their meets and I wish you the best of luck,
Havin' fun,
Checkers
-------------------- a.k.a. Brian Born www.CheckersCustom.com Harrisburg, Pa Work Smart, Play Hard Posts: 3775 | From: Harrisburg, Pa. U.S.A. | Registered: Nov 1998
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I thought signs grew on trees and that the one I need is already finished and waiting for free before I even ordered it.
You just got the traveling Jones, dude! Looks like Letterhead Fever should be considered a real serious medical condition. The cure? More meets!
Just a few more hours making eye candy with the best mates a mortal could wish for.
Sadly, our customers and fellow citizens are blinded by impulse buying and purchase point marketing. And still our love of great signs spills over onto their signs too, what can we do?
Me, I love your shop!
What I didn't hear you asking is this- Who wants to buy a first rate dance hall and sign shop in beautiful Mazeppa Minnesota?
That's when I caught on that it was just the jones talking.
Peace and loveline, Dawn
-------------------- Steve Lane jackflashsigns 19894 Yonge Street Holland Landing ON (905) 886-9656 jackflashsigns@rogers.com Posts: 34 | From: Holland Landing ON (serving the GTA for over 30 years) | Registered: Jul 2005
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I hosted the International in Mars PA in 2002. The meet brought a lot of income into the town. Money was raised (over $1500) by an auction for both the local fire and ambulance companies, and pinstriping netted the library $400. Mars is usually a dry town, but the cops looked the other way and even the Mayor partied with the Letterheads. They have a (bad) link to Letterville on the C of C website and there are pix of the 4 major murals in the C of C brochure. Many people still drive out of their way to photograph the murals, led by Bill Beckner, Bill Berberich, Bill Masters, and Jeff "Bill" Lang. Love....Jill
Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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You're not gonna like this. Not too many people are, and I apologize if this post gets cluster bombed by napalm as a result. It is not my intent.
This is nuts.
quote: send me anything you got: photos, written testimonials from your local business' and mayors, and chamber people explaining how these meets GREATLY IMPROVE THE COMMUNITY! Your personal written/or voiced commentary explaining what everyone has to gain from a meet.
Ya wanna know who has to gain the most from a Letterhead meet?
LETTERHEADS!!!!!!
Screw all this "greatly improve our community" BS and focus on bettering the meet for the attendees. Go out trading off support, making it an extravagant circus and you'll probably wind up handing yourself your butt financially. You'll also find that all these bells and whistles are a waste of time and saved money that could have been used to reduce the cost to attend them. Can you say increased turnout due to affordabilty of the meet itself? If everyone at the meet goes home with a trick, tip or improved skills, all the towns they come from will be greatly improved when thay apply it back home.
"Oh yeah, lets just charge $500 at the door and feed them filet minon and lobster. Wonder if I can trade a sign project with the guy in town who sells caviar? Let's donate a walldog project for a theater and watch the "Rocky Horror Picture Show"...oh yeah.. now we gotta work a deal in trade for toilet paper and toastso everyone can toss it into the air...were gonna need that for the movie. it's got to be perfect!!!"
Let the motels and restaurants make the money as a result of the meet happening in thier town and be content with that.
Heck, my meet musta generated well over $10,000 into the town. Sounds like they did okay to me. Why the hell would I want to risk financial ruin because some goofball at the town offices didn't process a permit like I asked, or the guy with the cherry picker pulled a no show on a walldog project, or the race car was still too wet from the body shop to letter, or the project wasn't completed during the meet and I gotta bust my stones finishing it alone because they donated $2000 worth of baluga cheese that no one ate in the first place. By the time you get done, no one's gonna have time to paint a pinstripe.
Worse yet, everyone who thinks Letterheads are an elitist group are gonna have a better argument. This trend keeps up and everyone at a Letterhead meet is only gonna be there if they are wealthy elitists already. The rest of us who'd like to join in are gonna have to take out a second mortgage to get in the door.
The best advice I got as I was planning the Looney Letterhead meet was from my son about two weeks before the meet when I was stressing out. "It's about the people. It's about being a good host to them."
Pure genuis.
From that point on, my focus was making my guests feel welcome and enjoying their stay.
Start there and the rest is easy. I wish you all the sucess in the world with your meet. Rapid
[ September 08, 2005, 11:31 PM: Message edited by: Ray Rheaume ]
-------------------- Ray Rheaume Rapidfire Design 543 Brushwood Road North Haverhill, NH 03774 rapidfiredesign@hotmail.com 603-787-6803
I like my paint shaken, not stirred. Posts: 5648 | From: North Haverhill, New Hampshire | Registered: Apr 2003
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The more 'official' stuff & obligations that 'have' to be done, the less actual 'fun' & relaxation for the attendees.
Often the less regimented the program, the more popular the event is.
(speaking from an attendee's opinion!)
-------------------- "Stewey" on chat
"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7014 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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Well, if nothing else, any meet definitley can be a tourism promoter, and especially more so in a place like Scotland, and 'heads do spend money on food, lodging and trip-of-a-life-time souvineirs, etc..
I'm sure it has not escaped you to call Periandros and get input from him about community impact too. I know there were some positive experiences generated as his freinds and family, as well as many other people, came thru and saw what was going on.
Whatever you do, don't call that guy at the post office in Mazzeppa . . . he ain't gotta clue . . .
-------------------- Signs Sweet Home Alabama
oneshot on chat
"Look like a girl, act like a lady, think like a man, work like a dog" Posts: 5758 | From: "Sweet Home" Alabama | Registered: Mar 2003
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Lets cluster bomb this post ...Remember there is no such thing as Bad publicity.
The only thing a Letterhead meet is for is LETTERHEADS and other admirers of the craft ... Ok we have got that..
Why would we want to get the local community involved? To get Cash out of them for what they will get in return....Not Tartan Toilet Roll Holders or a Lifetime Supply of Porridge or a years Subscription to Bagpipe Players Monthly...CASH..
Why do we want Cash out of them.. To keep costs down for Letterheads wherever they are from and Whatever level they are at.. We want them to give us Commercial Projects to work on so the Tradesmen can leave their mark on the Town and so the Newbies can learn what is involved in Making money from this business from initial discussions to Installation..
If the local community dont want to get involved that is fine. We never asked them if we could come, we just decided we were going to congregate in their town...We wanted to see Old friends, Share the usual wealth of Knowledge and Meet New people from around the Planet that have the same interest...All we want to do is Have a great time and Show off the Country we love.
The Initial request was to let the Community know who we are and what we do..thats it... Where they want to take that information is up to them.....Thanks for your help in Advance.
Ray, I sincerely loved your Rant as I am a Big John Cleese fan and when I was reading it it was his voice I heard... You have Already won a bottle of Whiskey for best Tickle post so far. Only thing is you have to come over here to get it...We hope you consider it ,,,
posted
Jill, thanks for your input, it's nice to have your expierence in the mix.
Ray...haha i hear you, but unfortunately it's a political world...My goal IS to make meets Better for Attendees. I just feel to do that the city needs to be involved. And the only way to do that is to INFORM them. Perhaps all the dissapointment I hear lately is due to the lack of this. But what the hell do I know.... You should consider Telfer's offer on the bottle, it's usually quite good stuff. Hope to see you somewhere soon. Thanks for the honesty
Steve: Yes those will be great. someone forwarded me the article on the Governors' award. This will weigh more on other Governors...
Sheila: left an email....but you know it's probably going to be awhile before I hear.
Just to clarify: this information isn't Just for the Scotland meet, or my future meet, BUT FOR ALL UPCOMING meets. If someone could use a little help convincing someone this project I'm trying to assemble will do just that.
peace out...
-------------------- Matthew Rolli AdCraft Sign&Design Hudson, WI Posts: 280 | From: Hudson, WI | Registered: Aug 2003
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Hi again Matthew, I think you nailed it. Most of us are tired of trying to educate the public on what a good sign is. This is especially true when you have the majority of the sign buyers making their purchasing decisions based on price alone. Another issue is unless you're hosting a walldog event, the amount of public exposure can be very limited. Planning and hosting it in conjunction with another public event can bring in more exposure. As for getting sponsorships, I think Scott is on to something. Cash can be used for advertising to promote the sponsors and doners. Whether it's newspaper ads, TV, Radio, t-shirts or banners, the companies that fork over their cash want to see names prominently displayed whenever and where ever possible. I like Jills' idea of doing specific projects that will benefit the various non-profit organizations of the community. In exchange for a sign or mural for their building, you can use these organizations to do lot of your leg work when it comes to promoting or volunteering services. Man, I'm getting a lot more ideas, but I got to get back to work. Hee's one more, get a TV or radio station to promote the event in exchange for some free airtime and or a live remote broadcast from the event.
Havin' fun,
Checkers
-------------------- a.k.a. Brian Born www.CheckersCustom.com Harrisburg, Pa Work Smart, Play Hard Posts: 3775 | From: Harrisburg, Pa. U.S.A. | Registered: Nov 1998
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CASH! Yeah Mo Money, Mo Money! it's not a bad word nor is it a sin. We all need it, so if you're doing something for the community, there is nothing wrong to ask for it especially when you're going to have top notch sign people working on projects that will blow them away. I see it all over now, lot of people want to paint murals, the ones who have done some good ones, they command "top dollar!" And they get it, so can we. but I think the ticket is 'how do we let them know we will be there and how can we get the communtity to pitch in. That's the tough one. Where's sign painter William Wallace IV? He would know what to do. I have never threw a meet, but I know if I did one I would do a BIG Media-Press Release. CNN, Radio, TV, Newspapers, Celebrities, the whole enchilada! It's alot of work, but many people in business can be contacted and you would be surprized how many would love to see their town lit up with beautiful hand painted murals or trailers, etc. from people around the globe. They will pitch in! A portfolio will be needed or set up a website for what's going to happen so the can see, and it will become an avalanche. They will all want to become part of it. If they don't want to give up money then you hit em with what can you donate? Paint, brushes, scaffold, scissor lifts, ladders, thinners, pressure washers, coffee, water, ice, sandwiches, snacks, etc etc. I did it once, but I was only a one man show, I had people offer "I'll help" but when I came down to say ok lets go ask now. I got the "oh, I can't right now but maybe next week" then you find out who's for reals and who caca. I give Mike and Eileen Meyer among a few others who helped, lot of credit for them to come all the way across country to help me on the mural I did last year. And thru it I introduced him to some city officals close by, and a new project might still come into action very close to Fresno. So like they say..."what ever the mind can concieve, it can achieve!" Go get em ESE!
-------------------- aka:Cisco the "Traveling Millennium Sign Artist" http://www.franciscovargas.com Fresno, CA 93703 559 252-0935 "to live life, is to love life, a sign of no life, is a sign of no love"...Cisco 12'98 Posts: 3576 | From: Fresno, Ca, the great USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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Can you believe it Rapid? NO cluster-bomb posts. Kewl!!
I see the many possible benefits to ANY community that hosts a meet, but more-so (and ALWAYS!) Meets cater to the attendees, first. And their concerns are Economy and Fun, Learning and Sharing.
I take exception to the... "...tired of explaining what a good sign is..." I'll always do that. I can't help TRYING.
And, IF me showing up at a meet might could help a non-profit or charity, I'm all for it.
-------------------- Karen Wunch (kwunch on chat) A2Z SIGNS in Buford, GA 678.714.1965 ---------------- "Believe there is a great power silently working all things for good, behave yourself and never mind the rest." ~~Beatrice Potter Posts: 126 | From: Buford Georgia | Registered: Jan 2003
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Thanks for the offer and if there's any way I can make it over next May, I will. Never been overseas and it would be a great excuse to cross the pond.
Checkers, Leterville promotes meets. I've never been in a situation where a meet had anything designed to promote "Letterheads" itself. Believe me, I'm not trying to put a damper on anyone who plans to host a meet, but lets give this some thought. How do yo promote a group of people who, in all honesty, aren't part of an organization?
We are all associated by one common factor. For each of own reasons, we choose to be Letterheads, but Letterheads is more an ideal than an affiliation.
This kind of discussion has come up in the past, and realisticly, without a set of standards, promoting Letterheads in not gonna happen. Trying to oraganise "Letterheads" itself raises the hair on some people's necks.
The average person is on the outside looking in and a weekend event really isn't going to change much in that aspect. How we each promote our work is an individual effort. Discussions at a meet on how we do that are far more effective since we can all take that knowledge home and use it as it applies to our differnt markets.
I think involving the community works well in many cases, but a meet host should be aware that when decide to take on a project, handling it like any other job would be in their best interest. Timetables, materials, who's dong the work involved, etc is much like being a building contractor. There has to be set of plans for everyone involved that should be followed. That includes the community as well.
There have been times when a project does come back to bite a host financially, not because they didn't do what was planned, but because the outside support failed to come across as needed. There have been more than a few instances of that of late, and it's a damn shame. Rapid
-------------------- Ray Rheaume Rapidfire Design 543 Brushwood Road North Haverhill, NH 03774 rapidfiredesign@hotmail.com 603-787-6803
I like my paint shaken, not stirred. Posts: 5648 | From: North Haverhill, New Hampshire | Registered: Apr 2003
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