[Deptheads] GATEWAY DOES:

Tue Jul 19 11:07:55 PDT 2011

Eric: The proposal was to steeply discount their Gateway badge if they
brought in their Smackdown badge.  This would encourage Smackdown attendees
to attend our con, and find out how much better it is.

-Dean

On Tue, Jul 19, 2011 at 11:04 AM, Eric Burgess <erburgess at gmail.com> wrote:

> Did someone suggest a steeply discounted 'miniature events-only' badge
> marketed to the HMGS folks? We could enforce it heavily or not. Undercut
> them on price and providing more - that's how the big guy squashes the bugs.
>
> ...ERB
> www.boardgamebabylon.com
> www.strategicon.net
>
>
>
> On Tue, Jul 19, 2011 at 11:00 AM, <mhyman at xcomwireless.net> wrote:
>
>>
>> My only comment regarding the badge exchange idea, is that it should NOT
>> be less expensive to go pay for their con badge and then convert to ours.
>> It's not really in our best interest to encourage someone to check out the
>> other con and even save money to do so.  But letting them convert by paying
>> less than our full amount is fine with me, but it shouldn't be the same
>> price or at a discount for total overall price.
>>
>>
>> Mark.
>>
>>
>> On Mon Jul 18 15:55 , Victor B ** sent:
>>
>> **
>>
>> **
>> I agree that every staff person should help to strengthen other teams and
>> promote our convention as a hole. We succeed or fail as a team.
>>
>> We should not imply that HMGS/PSW is being "forced" to attend smackdown
>> nor should anyone working smackdown be trying to get their attendees to
>> leave and go to gateway.
>> Anyone volunteering or staffing our convention should not be telling
>> attendees to leave for another convention that is going on at the same time
>> as ours. That is bad form for the person doing it, the group they represent,
>> and the con they are sending people to. So we shouldn't do it or advise
>> others to do it. Let smackdown suck on their own.
>>
>> HMGS is their own group- not a strategicon group. HMGS/PSW is a chapter of
>> the organization. I was a member of HMGS-East and attend cold wars and
>> Historicon.
>> HMGS/PSW is doing the right thing- they do 2 strategicons and 1 socal
>> smackdown. They aren't taking sides this way. If we were once a year like
>> smackdown and on the same date they would have to choose who to support.
>> Since we are 3 times a year we cannot expect every group, company,
>> designer, etc. to commit to us 3 times a year forsaking all others. We have
>> several companies, groups, etc. that commit to our con 1 to 2 times a year
>> and do other cons or events the other 1 or 2 times. That is fair. We took
>> all 3 four day holiday weekends and we are going to have more competing cons
>> next year and 2013. Los Angeles comic con is 3 weeks after gateway.
>> If it succeeds it will move to labor day weekend. Other cons fight to
>> secure their weekend- we fight to protect 3 weekends during a 9 month
>> stretch of the year. We cannot get upset when groups and companies have to
>> be unbiased. Especially when it happens all the time in may with kubla
>> already. Appreciate what HMGS/PSW has done for strategicon, be happy for the
>> cons they do attend of ours, happy they will have a  crew of HMGS/PSW at
>> gateway, and happy Frank joined our staff and will keep the miniatures area
>> on track and growing. Hurray Frank.
>>
>> We should succeed on our own merits and smackdown can fail on it's own. We
>> don't need to be sneaky or underhanded about it. If we work hard and put on
>> a great overall show then world of mouth will reach smackdown attendees.
>> Podcasts, blogs, live feeds, updates via twitter, etc. Social media
>> showing the great time people are having at our con.
>>
>> We should advertise what WE offer before the con, and let our attendees
>> and social media do the talking for us during the con. Smackdown not going
>> away anytime soon. They learned from last year and have some industry people
>> on-board for this one, some good volunteers, good support, and they will be
>> better and continue to get better. We just have to continue to get better
>> too. And if we don't work together to keep miniatures growing socal
>> smackdown WILL be the miniatures con and if so they will bleed off rpgers,
>> ccgers, vendors, and boardgamers as well. And they will grow those other
>> depts. too. They are in no hurry.
>>
>> Btw...the "Bring your Smackdown 2010 badge to Orccon for a $10 full
>> weekend badge" is a great idea if implemented right.
>>
>> 1.  I don't think they are going to let us have flyers at their con for it
>> . Would we let them have flyers at our con to get a full badge to smackdown
>> for 5 dollars if you present you gateway badge? If we did it they would
>> say ok but we get the same from you.
>> 2. Our 4 day badge is $50 or $40 pre-reg. Their weekend badge is $25.
>> If I lived in orange county I would buy a smackdown badge ($20 for 1 day
>> or $25 for weekend) and then go to strategicon for $10. That is both cons
>> for $30. That is better than just paying for strategicon pre-reg.
>> Our sat/sun 1 day badges are $25 and fri/mon are $10. Make the smackdown
>> badge exchange $15 or $20 for a full badge.  This rewards people with the
>> opportunity to try both cons but prevents abuse.
>> We can advertise that on social media thursday thru sunday of the con.
>>
>>
>> V
>>
>> ------------------------------
>> From: "Evil5757 at aol.com" **
>>  To: deptheads at strategicon.net
>> Sent: Mon, July 18, 2011 11:46:51 AM
>> Subject: Re: [Deptheads] GATEWAY DOES:
>> **
>>
>>  Everyone,
>>
>> I have seen this time and time again in different areas where an
>> established convention is challenged by a new convention. The new convention
>> has to take things away from the established convention (like events and
>> people) or it won't succeed. This is exactly what Smackdown is trying to do,
>> and they are doing it through our Miniatures department because it has been
>> our weakest area the past 5 years.
>>
>> The way we win is to strengthen our Miniatures department, and part of
>> that is EVERYONE (no matter what department) contributing what they can
>> to help the department under attack.
>>
>> The way we lose is infighting and ANYONE taking a "It's not my department"
>> attitude.
>>
>> I do not like that fact that HMGS is basically being forced to bring
>> events to Smackdown instead of a full force gathering here like last year.
>> But it's happening, so look at the bright side:
>>
>> a. We will have reliable people over there to count the dozens of people
>> in attendance.
>>
>> b. We will have first hand accounts of what they are trying to do so we
>> can anticipate their next move and counter it.
>>
>> c. We will have people there who are NOT Strategicon staff telling
>> everyone at Smackdown how much better Gateway is.
>>
>> d. The HMGS people who go to Smackdown will have a greater appreciation
>> for how we do things when they show up for Orccon.
>>
>> e. The HMGS people at Smackdown will be able to give US some fresh eyes
>> and give us some suggestions for improvement we might not have thought of
>> yet.
>>
>> Bill and Harmon - all I ask is that the HMGS members who go to Smackdown
>> give their honest opinions when talking to Smackdown attendees. We have a
>> better product - I know it and you know it. What we need is for brainwashed
>> Smackdown attendees to be told the truth so they can see through the lies
>> they have been told and make their own decision.
>>
>> Eric, Tim, and Chris - I still think we should have a "Bring your
>> Smackdown 2010 badge to Orccon for a $10 full weekend badge" flyer
>> distributed at Smackdown so people can compare for themselves. We Win.
>>
>> John
>>
>>
>>  In a message dated 7/17/2011 11:49:41 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
>> Tim at stugiii.com writes:
>>
>> Bill,
>>
>> No one is arguing or discounting the contribution that HMGS/PSW made to
>> Strategicon, nor the contribution that Strategicon made to HMGS/PSW.  Robyn
>> is obviously upset about HMGS/PSW supporting Smackdown in September. Just as
>> some of the HMGS/PSW members are upset about it.
>>
>> We decided to stay out of the internal politics of HMGS/PSW; the debate
>> about SoCal Smackdown as well as the vote.  The reason we asked you to not
>> publish that email Bill is we didn't want to become distracted by an email
>> debate to no purpose.  The decision had been made and we have other things
>> to focus on.
>>
>> Bill, Robyn and everyone, there is little to be gained in continuing this
>> so lets drop it.
>>
>> Tim
>>
>>
>> On 7/17/2011 10:59 PM, Bill Witthans wrote:
>>
>>  Hmmmm,
>>
>>
>>
>> Very strange view Robyn, "HMGS kicked us in the ass this year and didnâ€™t
>> even give us a kiss" really? How so?
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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