Advertising at a quilt show

[Annette R.]

Can anyone tell me why the sponsors of a QUILT SHOW will send out flyers with inadequate information about the show. I just got a flyer for a quilt show that had just the name of a town and it was being hosted at a church and the date and time.... Mind you it cost them 42 cents to mail this information to me....
[list]I do not know where this town is so I will have to google it..... MIGHT NOT HAPPEN. They should include a little line drawing of a map for the QS location on the flyer.

No contact information so you can find out more about the show before you have to drive a distance.

No information about the show and the guild sponsoring the show.

They are having a quilt raffle but no mention of where to buy tickets or a small picture of the quilt...[/list:u]

In this economy will I drive 20- 40 miles to see such a poorly advertised show? To me it says the QS may not be well organized too. All the information I mentioned can be listed on one sheet of paper so it would not increase the cost of the mailing.


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LIST WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO READ IN THE ADVERTISEMENT for a QUILT SHOW... What would make you attend??

[Beth A.]

I agree. I want something I can post on my frig til the day of the show, then take it and GO!

Date, times, sponsor, name of organization it will benefit, types of items displayed, who to contact to enter an item, etc.

Obviously, I agree that THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT INFORATION besides the date is the exact location. I want:

- name of the building
- street address (so I can Mapquest, if necessary)
- map if not obvious

BethMI

[Teri L.]

It's entirely possible that:

a) it's a rather new show and whoever is running it is inexperienced
b) as they were designing the flier a map wasn't considered because with the address given, they recognized that most people have some kind of access to maps (i.e. internet or AAA) getting directions is a lot easier
c) the person running advertising might be completely uninterested and isn't putting in much of an effort
d) the flier passed through committee with what they considered enough information
e) perhaps it's not a guild sponsoring the show (we have one show near where I am that the guild volunteers at the show and another organization runs it)
f) perhaps they would like you to purchase tickets for the raffle quilt at the show (that's what I would presume with the information given)
g) when we put together our small flier for the quilt show we did not include a photo of the raffle quilt; our large flier (locally placed) has this as does our website
h) the group running the show may not have a website, may not be able to afford one
i) it's entirely possible that the group running the show may not be taking entries from outside the group for various reasons i.e. space limitations etc.

If and when I learn about a show and have the time to attend I will go, regardless of what their advertising looks like. Sure, I'd love all quilt show advertising to have a more polished look, however I recognize that not every group has a person who has those great advertising sensibilities.

It may be worth the time and effort to contact the group and let them know what information would be helpful for you as you make decisions regarding what quilt shows you will attend. Granted you have a rather large audience here however with 30,000+ members its not likely that someone from that guild or group is on here and can take to heart the information that you're giving them.

It's important to give them feed back let them know what you like and what would be helpful...you know the old saying "a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down."

Teri

[Annette R.]

Reminds me of the time when I was a vendor at a "well known" craft show that was costly to enter and I wondered why there were so few customers. (We were from out of town and hadn't seen the local ads yet) That night saw the flier at the campground and it told all about the show EXCEPT THE TOWN IT WAS IN.
when I asked the promoter about this the next day she said "everybody knows where it is " Well obviously they didn't but by the end of the weekend there wasn't a happy vendor there and needless to say we never did that show again. My guess is the missing information for the quilt show was just not noticed as I am sure was the case for the craft show until everything was printed and mailed out. The four or more eyes rules from proof reading should apply to any ads about shows.

Ann

[Annette R.]

Maybe it is just me but I do not want to drive more than 20 miles ( especially with the price of gas ) and not know where I am going... Yes, I can google but there are others who do not use the computer or internet I think it is impolite and make it harder on the attendee to have to track down a map. I also would like to know approximately how many quilts will be displayed and cost of admission so I can be sure to bring enough money.

Why bother sending a flyer to our group with out the necessary information. They just might as well have only their members attend the event. Usually this is a fund raiser for guilds, but if they do not reach out to attendees no one will go.

If I had contact information I could send them the information I have collected for free online and print advertisment in time for their show but unfortunately I do not have that information. ( I have already sent a letter back to the church but I do not know if they will get the information. )

[Eileen K.]

My guild's show is this coming September. We have flyers as well as a website. There's a guild not too far from me that put out postcards with their raffle quilt on the front!! That must have set them back some cash.
eileenkny