Has anyone ever been to a professional Boating Show.??
Has anyone ever been to a professional Motor Car Show.??
Has anyone been to a professional Caravan and camping show. ??
Let me say this from the start, and if u dont agree,in all respect, YOU MIGHT BE KIDDING YOURSELF !
These shows are held for one reason, to showcase and sell product.That means that dirty word MONEY $$$.
let me say it again, TO SHOWCASE AND SELL PRODUCT.$$$$$$$$$$ Jet ski companies - every one of them attends. Every boat manufacturer attends. Every Motor manufacturer attends. Same with all the Car companies and every support product company there is, and then look at the Caravan and Camping Shows, every brand name you could imagine.
They dont attend with an attitude of gee, i hope people like our stuff, they attend with the attitude of
" I HOPE THEY BUY OUR STUFF AND REFER US TO EVERY FAMILY N FRIEND THEY HAVE".
Professional Expos are not charitys, they are money making events for business people. Do these companies hope you buy on the day, YES, that is the aim. Do they care if you buy next week, or next month, or next year, they want EXPOSURE. As long as u buy sooner or later.That is the sole aim.
These Expos are not a meeting place for people who go fishing to meet up n swap stories, forums are for that. These Expos are to showcase, sell n offer NEW or existing product.
In utmost respect, anyone who thinks holding a PINBALL EXPO is about meets n greets, and warm n fuzzy feelings, its not. That comes naturally as we drool over all the new STERNS or over the ramps we see on someone's stand, or that Fully refurbred Twilight Zone that Bumper Action Or PSP has sitting there gleaming with a price sticker attached.Thats what a professional Expo is about.
What about a Expo where a pinball machine was offered with finance that you could afford. Gee, u went there for a look, and ended up spending say 8 grand. Thats what Expo's are about. Surprises, Specials, New products you havent seen before. Do u walk out spending that bit extra on the Mastercard or your cash savings, than what you thought you would before you walked in, hell yes. aND THATS SOMETIMES THE FUN, AND THE AIM FOR SMART eXPO OPERATORS/STALL HOLDERS.
Will we all meet up n say hello, ofcourse. Will some of us spend money, HELL YES. Will some just attend n say hello, YES.
Look at every USA version of the Expo. Its about Sales n meeting great contacts, both being within the Industry or potential Customers.
Does anyone hold a auction of second hand stuff at a professional Boat show, or car show, or Camping Caravan Show. NO NO NO.
I mention this for future expos, not a review of last years format. They did the best they could do.
ALSO, who cares what one seller thinks of the other, do u think YAMAHA employees care what Suzuki people think of them.
Do u think HOLDEN cares what FORD THINKS OF THEM ? NO NO.NO
If I had a business that was totally PINBALL, I would put on a expo that would make alot of money, and alot of people happy.
BUT I run a Security Business. Do i go to SECURITY EXPO'S, yes, do i make shitloads of money there, you bet. Do I care about the opposition, No, couldnt care less.
For the time being, PINBALL EXPO in Australia seems dead n buried for the next year or 3 or 4, until the big boys of the Industry decide to join forces and professionally offer their products.
p.s- A large boat manufacturer on the Gold Coast, was almost in recievership, owing 6 million, it attended a BOATING EXPO on the Gold Coast, only this last few weeks. It got orders for 250 Million Dollars, deposits of 40 million, and their future is now sound. Now, why did the people who bought the boats at the Expo, buy them over that weekend, instead of last week, or last month, My answer IS -
GO TO A PROFESSIONAL EXPO AND ASK THE PEOPLE SHOWING THEIR PRODUCTS JUST HOW IMPORTANT THAT 2 OR 4 DAY EXPO EVENT IS TO THEIR BOTTOM LINE EACH YEAR !.. SAY "ARE YOU COMING TO THE EXPO NEXT YEAR?
IT DONESNT TAKE A ROCKET SCIENTIST TO WORK OUT THE ANSWER.
Also, Mark, dont worry about the 1 percent who may not like u, there is still 99percent of us who enjoy doing business with you. A Pinball Expo in Australia could be such a great money spinner. Even the opposition in the pinball industry loves money. And we all get to attend, spend n have fun. Now, I will just stay positive to/for the future. Never say Never.
Long Live Pinball.
