Convention vendor fees $$$$$$$$$$$

[C_W]

BY industry standards $77.50 a foot is dirt cheap for booth space. The upcoming Northwest Sport Show in MPLS is at $1850 for ten feet. The Game Fair is around $1450 and has the same attendance as the NWTF convention but is two weekends long, and outdoors in the middle of summer.



CW

[Neill_Prater]

I wonder if they have ever considered Branson? Even a more central location than Nashville, and, I'm guessing, less expensive all-around.

Last I was in Branson, it only had a 2 lane road in and out, that would be a nightmare

Well, I don't go there much, either, even though I live only about 50 miles from there, but they handle something like a million visitors a year, and have improved the roads a lot over the past few years. They also have their own private commercial airport now with several different airlines utiilizing it. And, unlike the more urban areas, the locals are used to it, and you can actually pull out into traffic, because people will wait for you to do so and wave and smile while they are doing it.

[El Pavo Grande]

That's expensive, but I also understand price increases have effected everything over the last few years.  Is there an organization established of custom call makers to plan and conduct a convention of their own?

[BigGobbler]

Never been to one and never will. Not much of a fan of the NWTF anyway

[Turkey Trot]

I'm sorry that the facility lay out creates that situation, you would think the convention would be a great place to show off your calls.  Having never been there I can still see your point about how difficult it is for a potential customer to really hear a yelp roll over on a long box for example, with everything else going on.

it is not just other calls, people talking and moving that creates the ambient noise, unfortunately.  They allow some vendors to blast music and video/audio with no noise abatement or partitions.  They also have waterfowl guide services and production cos. that have people in there to blast duck and goose calls.  The Fowl Life has Megan Prather in its booth in a tight shirt hammering on a duck call all weekend. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emR95cKDtE8

[dodger]

lol... I remember when Megan and my wife didn't see eye to eye... and Megan come up with the short end of the stick...  lol


I think this years increase were through the roof, I expect to see fewer call makers next year vs. this year... and in 4 or 5 years plan to see maybe a handful if any at all

[lightsoutcalls]

   The local "Big Buck" shows around here are as much as the NWTF on booth space, as mentioned, but that doesn't mean that they are affordable for smaller vendors.  I did Nashville once, Wannamacher's gun show in Tulsa once and a couple of smaller gun shows and craft fairs.  I have yet to see a decent return from the investment of having a booth.  I have enjoyed meeting folks  that share the passion of hunting, but can't justify the cost of the booth space.  Sure, I can deduct the expenses on my taxes, but my money is better spent on buying materials and building more calls.  It has taken several years to build a customer base, but building and standing behind a quality call will sell more calls for me in a season than investing $1,000+ and spending 3 days sitting in a 10x10 booth. 
   It's a choice that people in business have to make.  Is the investment worth the potential payoff?  If it works out to your benefit, likely you will go back and do it again.  If you just break even or don't break even, it likely isn't worth the expense.  There are other ways of getting your name out...