Mich-Ohio Sport fishing Expo 2009

February 14th 9am-8pm

February 15th 9am-5pm

Well, here it is the end of July, 2008 and we have to begin working on setting up the "Mich-Ohio Sportfishing Expo" at the MBT Expo Center (Monroe County Fairgrounds http://www.monroecountyfair.com/directions.html)) for 2009 already. If you are a vendor who participated in the 2008 show, or are on our mailing list, we will begin mailing out letters, contracts, and all the information you will need beginning July 31st, 2008.

If you weren't at the show last February, you missed out on a very good 1st year show. The show drew 1,500 in paid attendance not including the kids and people that came in for free for a two day attendance between 2,100-2,300 people. What's more the people that came were buyers as most if not all the vendors did well. The vendors did well enough that on the show survey, 94% of the 62 who responded stated they would be back.

Along with this vote of confidence is that we have planned ahead, having initiated the trade-marking of the show name, two web domains Mich-Ohiosportfishingexpo.com & mich-ohio.com, as well as signing a contract with MBT Expo Center, securing the dates and locking in our costs to rent the Expo for the Mich-Ohio Sportfishing Expo for the next five years. The dates are as follows, February 14th-15th, 2009, February 13th-14th, 2010, February 12th-13th, 2011,February 11th-12th, 2012, and February 9th-10th, 2013.

The 2009 show will have the same setup schedule, where on the afternoon of Friday the 13th ,vendors may come in and setup their booths between 3pm-8pm with our club members being there to assist in helping you setup/and teardown after 5pm Sunday. Show times for Saturday 9am-8pm & Sunday 9am-5pm. There are some changes to the cost and contract, but even with these changes, our show is still the lowest cost show for a fishing show of this size. The contract paperwork along with the new cost schedule will be available on-line August 1st, 2008.

The increase in cost, is being used in its entirety to finance a 300% increase in our advertising budget for the 2009 show, which will include a billboard along US75, two-three weeks of radio spots, increased web page and magazine ad's, and a possibility of arranging several weeks of TV ad's before the show. There are opportunities for some discounts for the vendors so please review the contract for the rates and opportunities! Other changes are the parking areas are being paved/asphalted this summer, change to the floor plan layout so that people are forced to go by every booth, and we now have available to vendors a qty of 102, 10' x 10' booths and 2,400 sq ft of space for boats.  A few other new amenities will be available as we will rent the lounge area at the Expo so that vendors have a quiet place (yes coffee will be available) to get away, and we will have a different choice of food/refreshments for the show. We will have the CHIP program again, but will also be featuring a raffle for a large prize through Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger.

One of the things that were noted as a success during the 2008 show was that some vendors, our club included, had demonstrations going on at their booths that caught big & little kid's interests. The Huron Valley Sportfishing Club has made greater efforts to get kids interested in Fishing, so we are going to ask that you, the vendors participate. I know our club will again be tying crawler harnesses and handing them out to kids, so if you have a demonstration of a technique for fishing, a skill (wood burning art, taxidermy, etc....) it would be greatly appreciated if you would demonstrate that skill, or technique at your booth during the show. Just write down in the requests section of the contract what you intend to demonstrate.

That about covers what we are doing different this year, besides being more organized and getting everything out earlier this year. The seminar speakers will be set prior to the middle of September, which is when we are to begin our advertising. Please note that we are targeting to add several well known, bass guides and speakers in our seminars for 2009.  Advertising will begin with the distribution of fliers so there will be another letter sent out in September to the vendors along with a copy of the show flier. We would ask that you post the flier at your business, or anywhere that would help to promote the show as like the 2008 show, grass roots advertising and word of mouth will help contribute greatly to the turnout of customers. Based on last years results, we are confident that we will have sold all of the available booths and space well before the show opens so don't hesitate this year, otherwise you may miss out on what has all the makings to be one of the best Sportfishing Expos in the Midwest.

The Huron Valley Sport Fishing Club appreciates your consideration and support. Please help us in providing a great Mich-Ohio Sportfishing Expo for 2009.

Sincerely

John Nelson

Show Coordinator

Mich-Ohio Sport fishing Expo 2009