What makes a good convention

Networking: I strongly believe that people judge an event by the contacts they make. I feel the best events have some place for everyone to meet in addition to meeting in the event hall. Maybe a cocktail hour, maybe a fundraising event or golf event. If you have to choose between more networking or less…choose more.

Education: Each event usually has a track of speakers but in the 2 years that I have been attending conventions I am seeing the same speakers multiple times, talking about the same thing maybe different title. Get new speakers. Make the topics varied because no one wants to be hit over the head with one topic from 5 speakers.

Food: I am happy to say the events I have been at, the food has always been good but remember presentation is important. Make sure it is in a location people can find. At one convention the breakfast was tucked at the end of a hallway. Cleveland, Ohio is one of these blossoming convention markets. When Cleveland welcomed the Republican National Convention RNC in July, it proved that a Midwestern city once known more for its grit than its glitz could successfully host a high-profile national political convention.

A one-time manufacturing powerhouse, Cleveland was hit hard by the de-industrializing of the U. This call for new locales has opened a wealth of opportunities for smaller cities to grab a greater piece of the pie.

With a new convention complex, a plentiful supply of hotel and retail space, and a downtown center going through a renaissance, Cleveland followed a recipe for success that can be emulated by peer cities. With that in mind, here are a few ingredients that can help small cities compete for the big economic boost offered by major conventions:.

One way to make a city stand out is by constructing top-of-the-line convention facilities. Moreover, the city increased its hotel room inventory by 9.

Aside from square footage, new facilities also offer new technology, and typically step up environmental sustainability features.

The , square foot exhibit center is also embracing energy efficiency, recycling, composting, water conservation and other green initiatives, earning it external recognition such as an APEX certification from the Green Meeting Industry Council. Smaller suburban cities such as Rosemont, Illinois a suburb of Chicago and Grapevine, Texas a suburb of Dallas crack the top 50 convention cities list due to their proximity to major airports.

Not too shabby for a true fan convention. See what they do well and note where they fail. Be sure to look specifically at events that may be similar to yours in different parts of the country. Living in Atlanta, I have the benefit of attending Dragon Con for the past 15 consecutive years. Let me be clear, I love Dragon Con. Other practicalities of research have to do not only with checking comparative pricing, guests, and possible dates, but about the cost of different venues, any municipal restrictions, and business requirements.

But more on some of those later. My convention is more unique than most in that it absolutely could not happen without community support. We rely on regional collectors to lug over giant arcade and pinball machines out of their basement each year. Being plugged into a community allows you to know the needs of that community in terms of what may be desired in starting a convention, plus it means you already have a bevy of people you can call on to help as volunteers, track directors, and attendees.

No, it means contributing something worthwhile, participating in events, and making long-lasting friends all centered around similar interests. But none of this would have been possible, had I not been gracious to those I met during meetups and if my interactions were not altruistic. Had I tried to bring an upstart convention to the scene without anyone in the community to vouch for me, I never would have gotten the beast off the ground. New audiences may learn about your convention down the road, but your existing community of friends and acquaintances will be your first audience and your strongest supporters.

Starting a convention is one thing, but attracting an audience is an entirely different beast. Making sure your website and marketing materials are top-notch is key. WordPress templates are plentiful and cheap, and as long as you make a point to devote the energy to developing and updating your website, it could go a long way to establishing an unknown entity as legitimate and enticing to attendees.

However, you have to do more than just have a strong online presence. Since it is mutually beneficial to increase participation around a specific fandom, most conventions will allow you to promote your event at theirs in return for a spot at your own convention.

So email other convention organizers and ask around. Just remember to reciprocate the favor by allowing your host con the chance to exhibit when you start your own convention. Convention centers, for the most part, charge a flat, per-day rental fee. That fee is usually bare bones, meaning you are only paying for the space and not electrical connections, tables, chairs, etc, which are extra and costly.

Hotels contracts are all different, but provide a little more flexibility than many expo halls and convention centers. Like expo halls, you can simply pay a flat rate fee for space, but you may save money if you look at other, more flexible, options. Many hotels will allow you to book space based on a guaranteed number of room nights.

Meaning, for example, if you want to use the main hotel ballroom, you may need to guarantee that you can attract X-number of room reservations.

Most venues will offer you an exclusive discount pricing to entice guests to stay at the con. Many times, you can contract with the venue to provide a number of free room nights by meeting certain reservation milestones or have a discount applied toward your final bill for reservations above and beyond your contract requirements. Remember to book early, as some weekend dates have already been secured up to three years in advance. When you add it all up, even the most basic fan conventions can cost the organizers thousands of dollars to put on.

Like I mentioned, securing the venue is one of your largest expenses, but when you think about appearance fees, guest travel, food, printing, marketing, and event supplies, it can be overwhelming. When my fellow organizers and I first started talking about creating the Southern-Fried Gameroom Expo, each of us and there were five at the time were willing to gamble a few thousand dollars for the prospect of seeing our vision come to reality.

Advanced ticket sales can provide an influx of cash to help you fund things and expand offerings as you go, but there are many expenses that need immediate capital. Creating a well-designed campaign took far more time and effort than we anticipated.

Remember, if crowd-funding is going to get you off the ground and be the first exposure an audience has to your event, it better be top-notch.