Full Version: ARA Membership
From: Gary (GNELSON) [#24]
19 Oct 2006
To: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#19] 19 Oct 2006
WOW, Did not mean to open a can of worms. The two ARA shows we did were very good to us, In fact I have in house re order # 10 for 2200 two color ovals. A total of about 35K badges to date for a new customer we met at ARA. My only beef with ARA EVER was NasCar weekend. I even went to the show last year, and might go again this. Who knows. ( to look that is, I'm not standing there for three days ever again!)
Now keep in mind I'm a manufacture, and with the invent of dye sub (Yuck! for badges anyway) Our wholesale business dropped off to a point we needed to refind our niche.
Early on Sage was great to us picked up our info at ARA and posted it at there site. We still hold a Sage #.
Next we did the PPAI show for two years when they moved the show to Vegas, Again a lot of work and a lot of Franklins. And a few great jobs and many new customers.
BUT FAR AND AWAY. with out doing ANY ASI shows having our product listed on ESP is were it's at. (esp is asi)
Im not sure if any of this rambling helps you questions or not, I'm being distracted by the Mets/Stl at the moment.
EDITED: 19 Oct 2006 by GNELSON
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#25]
19 Oct 2006
To: Gary (GNELSON) [#24] 19 Oct 2006
No can of worms. Just a nightcrawler. :-)
Yeah, the fact that the ARA show often coincided with the NASCAR event made getting rooms in Vegas harder to find and bargains were harder to come by.
From: Gary (GNELSON) [#26]
19 Oct 2006
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#25] 20 Oct 2006
"bargains were harder to come by."
Thursday- Sunday 1200.00 at the Palms!!!! 800.00 at the Orleans!! What a deal,
I think ARA lost a LOT of last minute mom and pop attendees that looked in to coming last minute and fell over at the cost.
Maybe ARA should have the show on valentine's day...LOL
EDITED: 19 Oct 2006 by GNELSON
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#27]
20 Oct 2006
To: Gary (GNELSON) [#26] 20 Oct 2006
Going to the ARA show can be a pricey proposition, depending on where a person's coming from, with airfare etc.
I'm fortunate enough to be within a "reasonable" driving distance.
From: PenMan [#28]
21 Oct 2006
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#27] 21 Oct 2006
"I'm fortunate enough to be within a "reasonable" driving distance."
Agree completely. And with my wife coming along next time I will be able to let her drive while I nap. Oops, forgot, I can't even close my eyes when she is driving. We might end up in Mexico!