Collecting Supplies by the case

From: Association of Collecting Clubs
18222 Flower Hill Way #299
Gaithersburg, MD 20879
301.926.8663
Info@Collectors.Org

To: Digital Reprieve, Inc.
From: Association of Collecting Clubs

Subject: ACC Update, Vol 3, No 9, October 9, 2005

Atlantique City Show This Coming Weekend
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The Atlantique City Antiques & Collectibles Show will be this coming week - Oct 15-16. ACC is "about" packed and ready to go. If you are planning on attending this major show, please stop by Booth #1991 and say hello. We have 3 booths and will be representing nearly 250 clubs who have provided materials for us to distribute in promoting their groups and recruiting members for them.

Many of our participating clubs are repeaters from previous shows however we do have a number who will be represented for the first time at this show. Some of these include: Bookend Collectors Club, Midwest Sad Iron Collectors Club, Cookie Cutter Collector's Club, Majolica International Society, Van Briggle Collectors Society, Belleek Collectors International Society, Scandinavian Collectors Club, The Elongated Collectors, Orders and Medals Society of America, Cracker Jack Collectors Association, Wave Crest Collectors Club, Antique Outboard Motor Club, Vintage Volkswagen Club of America, Beyond the Pond International Frog Collectors club, KOOKS-Kollectors of Old Kitchen Stuff, Cricket Memorabilia Society, Ohio Valley China Collectors, Key Lock & Lantern, Post Mark Collectors Club, Hasbro TransFormers Collectors' Club, Ohio Art Tin Toys Collectors Club and On the Lighter Side International Lighter Collectors.

Remember, the next Atlantique City show is in March 2006. Let us know if you would like to participate. Call 301.926.8663 or e-mail Atlantiquecity@collectors.org

Join A Club - Update
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ACC will be officially announcing the Join A Club program at the Atlantique City Antiques & Collectibles Show this weekend. We hope this program will become a major membership recruitment tool for every participating club.

Remember, we have geographical check-off club lists both on the website and available to antique malls and show managers. This means if you are a local city or state club, or have geographic chapters, these groups can be listed on the appropriate geographic sheets, e.g. Mid-Atlantic, Mountain States, Pacific Northwest, New England, etc. This is a great way to help your chapters increase their memberships at the local level.

The subject check-off club lists group clubs by over a dozen subject categories - glass clubs, ceramic clubs, advertising, toys, coins, stamps, paper, celebrities, photography, sports, minerals & gems, etc. With this provision, the Join A Club program can specifically accommodate the specialty shows like glass shows, paper shows, military shows, doll shows, train shows, toy shows and so on. This should provide a tremendously expanded audience who may have an interest in learning more about your club.

If you have not yet taken the opportunity to visit the new Join A Club website - http://JoinAClub.Org - we urge you to do so.

Club Tips - PDF Show Fliers
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For many collecting clubs, the website has become their most valuable tool. Designing your Club Show Announcements so members can pull them off the website in PDF format and duplicate them locally is a good idea increasing in usage. A good example is on the website of the Kansas City Marble Collectors Club at http://www.kcmarbleclub.com where they offer a Dealer/Collector PDF Color show Flier in both color and black & white, and a General Public PDF Show Flier in both color and black & white. To go directly to the show information: http://www.kcmarbleclub.com/marblecrazy/2006.htm

This example provides all the show information in a very professional flier that can readily be pulled down by the club membership or the show dealers and used to promote the show far and wide. And, the club has no printing costs; no distribution costs.

Comments: Write info@collectors.org

Club Tips - Promotional Brochure Directly from the Web
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The World Internet Numismatic Society (WINS) has a promotional brochure members may use for advertising the Club and inviting participation. Designed as a handout, the back center panel is blank so it can also be used as a mailer. Members can download the brochure from the WINS website and print as many copies as they need. For more information and to view the flyer go to: http://www.winsociety.org/flyer.html

In addition to providing this WINS flyer for members in PDF format, we like the instructions and options that are presented along with the service. We particularly like the "Suggestions for Use: 1) provide a supply to local coin shops and dealers in your area; 2) obtain permission to distribute them at coin shows you visit; 3) include a copy to the seller or buyer when you purchase or sell a coin in an auction; and, 4) any other way you can think of that will promote the principles of WINS.

Comments: Write info@collectors.org

Club Tips - Make It Easy for People To Contact You
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If you are the public relations contact or membership contact for your collecting group, the LAST THING you should ever consider doing is putting any type of spam filtering program on your e-mail address. People are trying to reach your club for a reason. Blocking their e-mail...even with a "We're sorry for the inconvenience" message...totally defeats the purpose of properly fulfilling your role. None of us like the unsolicited spam messages, but you need to either get used to it or get out of the PR or Membership position.

We will pass along one option. We like the way the executive director of the American Topical Association has handled it. When he receives a message the sender gets the following automatic response:

"My SPAM filter has delayed placing your message in my In-Box. However, it is in a Holding file for me to review. If I know you, or if your reference line shows that you are writing on our hobby or to me personally, I will move your message to my in-box and reply. If I am unsure of the origin of your email, I will delete it."

We find this response both pleasant and acceptable.

Comments: Write info@collectors.org

That's all for now. Let us know any time that we can be of assistance.

Larry Krug & Rick Moses
Association of Collecting Clubs
18222 Flower Hill Way #299
Gaithersburg, MD 20879
301.926.8663
info@collectors.org
http://collectors.org

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