Isn't it a given Jeff that those who live close will want it there again? The question is, is that good for more exposure for the magazine?
Sorry Cecil I wasn't ignoring you I just didn't that you addressed this question to me before. Yep it is a given that those who live close will want it there again. I concede that. And since I will have to fly in to any city that it is hosted in (unless it's in California, Nevada or Arizona - which is unlikely) I will fly into where ever it is held. Like you I have been to quite a number of conferences (on a whole variety of topics (Accounting & Taxation, Auto restoration, Tortoise Raising & Breeding (bet ya didn't know that I use to raise South American Red Footed Tortoises did ya). We both can put forth arguments for moving the conference or keeping it in the same place. Yes you may gain new members by moving the conference. You may also loose some of the largest attendance block (Texans). Some of the largest conferences in the US stay in the same place and are held during the same time year after year. So I think you could support either argument with evidence.
I believe that magazine sales are a completely different topic than the convention. I suspect that the percentage of conference attendees that were non-subscribers or non-forum members would be very low. I'm guessing but I don't really think that the conference does a lot to increase magazine sales - obviously this is pure speculation on my part.
We had a couple of round-table discussions regarding increasing magazine circulation, one at the conference and one at the LL2. Bob Lusk is an amazingly open person and welcomes new ideas readily (or at least that is my opinion of him given the limited amount of time that I have spent with him). Some great ideas were put forth at both of these discussions. The folks on this forum come from all walks of life, have a multitude of life experiences and an enormous amount of education (both formally and through the "university of life") and it really showed during these discussions.
Where ever it is held, when ever it is held, I just would like the conference to be a glowing success. Obviously I have no financial stake in the outcome of the conference, but I do have a personal one. The conference was a GREAT experience. I learned a lot, I made new friends, and I created memories that I cherish.
I feel the same way about the magazine. I would like it to be a glowing success as well. Just because I really like it.
I don't what any of that has to do with your question, but I'm on a roll and can't seem to stop.
I have been involved both professionally and personally in quite a number of groups and I can say this without hesitation. Never before in all of the groups that I have belonged to have I ever found a feeling of "
family" as I have here. We enjoy each others victories and are saddened by each others losses. I really enjoy the pond boss family and I'd like to see it grow.
We are family,
I got the pond meisters with me,
We are family,
Get up ev'rybody and sing.
Ev'ryone can see we're together,
As we walk on by,
and we swim just like fish that are clever,
I won't tell no lie,
ALL! all of the people around us they say,
Can they be that close,
Just let me state for the record.
We're giving pond advice in a family dose!
Heyyyyyyyy, We are family,
I got the pond meisters with me,
We are family,
Get up ev'rybody and sing.Come on, everybody dance!!!!! Sorry, I lost it there for a moment. Does seem kind of fitting that I stole these lyrics from "Sister Sledge" though.
