Hey,

I've been getting a lot of emails about when people should send their $60 or their $160. This raises two issues.

1) What's a good deadline? I'm thinking July 1.

2) We need to start a new GenCon thread to inform people that the price has gone up; currently, they all think it's $45 or $145. There's a lot of other stuff to say too.

Let's start that thread, but first discuss here exactly what needs to be on it. Suggestions?

Best,
Ron

July 1st works for me. That will give me enough time to create and print a flyer with a listing of all those who have committed.

Okay, I've been thinking on point 2.

1) Price. We know that.

2) Schedule. I don't need anything strict, but we need to stay somewhere between desert and mob.

3) Attendance. How many people are we talking about? I know some want to bring their friends to help, and that's cool. I just hope they will help and not just use us for a(n overpriced) badge.

4) Professionalism. I wish this didn't have to be covered, but it probably should. We are taking on the role of creator-owned public advocates and we need to act as such. We have an agenda this year outside of "buy my shit" and I'm taking that role seriously. I'm talking Game Gestapo, obviously, but we can't act like raving ignorami.

5) Different eggs, same nest. I don't want people to feel overwhelmed by all the games we'll have for sale, but I want everyone working the booth to know what we have and how to present it to the con-goers. If someone's going to buy one game, they might buy another. Knowledgeable staff is always cool. They don't need to know specifics, but a general "this game is fantasy," "this game is about cartoons," "oh, you like bunnies, how about this game?" summary would be great.

6) This is more for me and you, perhaps. We'll need to work out how it'll go if someone wants to buy Sorcerer, LF, and Joe's Discount Ubergame. Three points of purchase sucks ass, IMO. The initial shift of money (from consumer to teller) should be one action. After they've walked away, we'll divide the cash (between Adept, Key 20, and Indie) and update inventory. Sound okay?

That's all I have so far. Is this what you were looking for or were you thinking of something else?

Hey,

So let's see, we need to inform everyone of the following. I have to admit that some of this is changed from the original ... Run through it all and tell me what you think needs to be changed as well.

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The price for an exhibitor badge is $60, and the deadline is July 1. Hence if you are selling a game at GenCon (example: InSpectres) you must pay us $160 by July 1.

"Helpers" do not get the badge price. They have to register at GenCon like anyone else.

Everyone who's included has a minimum booth work time - I suggest no less than two "units," in which a unit is 8 - 12 or 1 - 5. Maybe three units.
When you're at the booth, you are responsible for knowing about every game that is featured at the booth - at least to the extent of whether it's funny or not, highly improvisational or not, the setting, etc. We'll have a pamphlet to give to people about this too.

When you're at the booth, you are responsible for supporting the games that are being featured during that unit. These are the games whose representatives get to show people during that time, in a kind of "first up" way. However, you are free to rep any game that someone shows interest in (perhaps they were directed by me or Jason; perhaps they read about it in the pamphlet).

At least one of your "units" will feature your game, if you are selling a game. It may also be featured at other times.

When you're at the booth, you are expected to be willing to play in a game at the booth at the drop of a hat. You are not a "ringer," as your presence at the booth is above-board.

When you're at the booth, you are expected to treat people in a friendly, interesting way - engage them in conversation first and foremost, and move to discussion of specific games second. Ask them about their favorite games or play experiences. Do not hawk the indie games as if it were Ahmed's flea market.
*****

You wrote,
This is more for me and you, perhaps. We'll need to work out how it'll go if someone wants to buy Sorcerer, LF, and Joe's Discount Ubergame. Three points of purchase sucks ass, IMO. The initial shift of money (from consumer to teller) should be one action. After they've walked away, we'll divide the cash (between Adept, Key 20, and Indie) and update inventory. Sound okay?

I have issues here. I agree with you about the point-of-purchase, totally - but let's see if it we can make it easier. The Sorcerer and Little Fears "sections" are actually pretty far away from one another, so maybe that's less of a problem. Each of us can have a separate and primary "register." But if someone wants to buy both at either end, I'll be happy to keep a "secondary box" for you and you can do the same for me. We'll both have a few copies of the other game at hand.

Now the indie guys seem like a much bigger headache. Didn't Clinton offer some good suggestions about this earlier? I looked for them but didn't see them.

Best,
Ron

Ron Edwards wrote:
Now the indie guys seem like a much bigger headache. Didn't Clinton offer some good suggestions about this earlier? I looked for them but didn't see them.

For GenCon, I'd recommend doing this:

Print out a roster of the game for sale. Have a copy of each at the table, but keep the for-sale copies at the back in boxes. If someone buys one:

a) Take a copy from the back.
b) Mark the sale on the roster.
c) Put the money into one cashbox (this will help with change and the like, as well.)

At the end of the day, tabulate - if Inspectres is $10 and sold 3 copies, pull out $30 and give it to Jared.

I know you'll probably do this, but I highly recommend selecting one to two people besides yourself and Jason as "sellers" and allow them, and only them to ring up sales. I'd decide this ahead of time, let them know, and have no discussion with anyone else on it besides "see these people if someone wants to buy something."

Yeah, that was it. Excellent.

I'm thinking that a single person in the "horde" space is the money guy, no one else.

Jake Norwood will be there for most of the con, and I nominate him, when he's present. Mike Holmes is another good candidate. Both of them are honest, high-performance type guys who aren't easily rattled.

Best,
Ron

Hey,

So, are we good with the above guidelines? Should I post them to the Forge? I won't do it without both of your say-so's. Also, we need to put something up reeeeeally soon.

Best,
Ron

Run with it, daddi-o.

Go for it, although I can't imagine why you'd need my say-so.