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 Partners'Update, Vol 4, No 7A, April 13, 2006

ACC Partners'Update is sent to our Association of Collecting Clubs' Partners as a way to keep you up-to-date on ACC and the activities of collecting groups and their millions of members. We welcome your comments. Write: info@collectors.org
 

ACC Partners To Have Your Own ACC Update Newsletter
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For the past two years our Association of Collecting Clubs partners have received a copy of the ACC Update electronic newsletter that has been directed to the leaders of ACC member clubs. The combined listing has now gotten to the point where the mailing is just too large and needed to be split.

At the same time, we felt that there was so much ongoing information that needs to be shared with our partners directly that it was time to have a separate partners newsletter.

We value our special relationships with partners and encourage your active participation in assisting collecting groups. ACC currently works with nearly 2,400 collecting groups on six continents. Many of these groups have chapters and regional or topical groups under their "umbrella" so we are perhaps reaching far more than that number.

We will continue to keep you updated on all ACC projects and activities supporting the clubs.

Shows Management Offers Clubs "Satellite" Show Opportunities
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Club leaders have recently been asked "how would you like 1000's of collectors at your next show?"

Through ACC's partnership with dmg world media, collecting clubs can now set up as a "satellite" show (sort of a show within a show) at either the biggest monthly antiques & collectibles show in the Carolinas, or Florida's biggest monthly antiques & collectibles show.

Lydia Sullivan, show manager of the Charlotte Antique & Collectibles Show at Metrolina Expo, and Bethany Coleman, show manager of the West Palm Beach Antique & Collectibles Show, are inviting ACC collecting clubs to consider setting up at one of their monthly shows. The shows are held 12 times a year at both locations.

What are the advantages for a club?

1 - Clubs can sponsor a satellite show within an existing major show with minimal management effort. Producing a show, contracting for facilities, show layout, developing promotion, handling the audience, security, liability and all the rest of the factors involved means a lot of work, particularly when most clubs have to rely upon volunteers.

2 - The show management will promote the show to far more expanded audiences...on the show's public relations and promotion budget.

3 - Clubs can offer their club members who set-up in the satellite show as dealers far greater show traffic than they can provide at a show run by themselves...including crowds of new potential customers that probably would never get to one of their shows otherwise.

4 - A club operating as a smaller show within a larger show affords an excellent opportunity to provide greater club visibility and membership recruitment potential.

5 - A partnering show with a larger event gives the collecting club additional prestige.

Why would dmg world media offer clubs this opportunity at their Charlotte and West Palm Beach shows, you may be thinking? Well, its only fair to list a few advantages it would bring to them, as well:

1 - Participating clubs would bring in a new group of dealers with "new" merchandise. (Some of these dealers may become candidates to set-up at other shows sponsored by the show management on a regular basis, thus it potentially becomes a dealer recruitment tool.)

2 - In addition to those setting up in the club section, it is anticipated the club would bring in potential buyers, directly from their membership and beyond, some which may be new to this show.

3 - The club section offers a major, additional "theme" for show promotion and advertising for that particular event.

4 - Show management may wish to consider utilizing the expertise of the club membership in offering an appraisal component in the specific subject area(s) of the participating club, or as a knowledge resource in other ways.

5 - Partnering with collecting clubs is good public relations not only for the show in which the club is participating, but for continual involvement in the future.

we welcome hearing from other show promoters who may have worked directly with collecting clubs in this way, or would like to.

Shupp's Grove Extends Invitation to Clubs
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Shupp's Grove, the popular antiques & collectibles market in Adamstown, Pennsylvania, has extended an invitation to the leaders of collecting clubs to participate in the 2006 theme weeks relating to their particular areas of collecting interest.

Manager Marilyn Gehman explains that theme weeks do not replace their regular dealers with their lines of merchandise, but are meant to assist the dealers in coinciding their merchandise and extra stock items with the pickers, dealers and collectors who travel great distances to shop the Shupp's Grove market for specialty items.

Convention & Visitor Bureaus Become Growing ACC Partner Group
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In our last ACC club convention survey one of the major needs identified by club leadership was how to select the "right" site and facility for their events...and how to negotiate.

ACC estimates that the nearly 2,400 collecting groups with which we work hold an estimated 10,000 events each year! This includes conventions, shows, seminars, workshops, auctions and other types of sessions. They have needs from small facilities to some of the very largest. Club members attending events often bring their families; and, often the general public is invited to the events.

Many CVB's have not recognized the potential of collecting groups as a significant customer base. Only recently has there been a definite trend to assigning staff to reach out and work with this group.

The Association of Collecting Clubs now has a significant data base of CVB contacts. Our goal is to make it easier for the leadership of collecting clubs to make the decision - how to select the "right" site and facility for our events...and to make it easier for our CVB contacts to know which clubs are in the market for placement of their events and who to contact.

ACC welcomes hearing from personnel from CVB's or facility managements on becoming more involved in this area.

Harry Rinker Hosts New Nationally Syndicated Radio Call-In Show
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Harry L. Rinker, national antiques and collectibles expert, hosts the show. Orly Knutson, a long-time radio personality in the Midwest, serves as Harry's co-host.

Besides answering caller's questions, the show features a five minute telephone guest interview during each hour. Collecting club spokespersons have been invited to participate in this group.

Club Conventions in Full Force
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Flea Market Directory Provides Resource
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Antique Malls and Shows Help Promote Join A Club Program
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ACC's new JoinAClub program is assisting in recruiting new members for the over 800 clubs already participating in the program. The program is tailored to use in antique malls & shops, flea markets, shows and at auction galleries. ACC distributes JoinAClub banners and quantities of "check-off" sheets so your visitors can identify which clubs listed they would like to receive information from. The completed sheets are returned to ACC and requests are forwarded to the clubs for fulfillment.

Many of our clubs are having serious problems with declining participation and experiencing aging memberships. On the other hand, we have more new collectors...and young collectors...today than ever before - many who are unfamiliar with collecting clubs and whey they have to offer. The clubs need to reach new audiences of collectors - audiences such as those visiting your malls, markets, shows and galleries. We need your help.

Here is the information we need:

____ YES, PLEASE SEND US A JOIN A CLUB kit. Send to the following postal address:

Name: ________________________________

Name of Business: _________________________________________

Address: ____________________________

____________________________

City: ________________________ State _______ Zip _________

E-Mail address: ___________________________________________

____ YES, we will place a Join A Club link on our website.

Collectors Trade Show - Reaching the Clubs and Their Members
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The Collectors Trade Show is a virtual trade show always open - 7 days a week, 24 hours a day with aisle after aisle of booths (display ads) offering services and products of interest to clubs and collectors. ACC works with some 2,400 collecting clubs. No matter whether the club has 300 members or 3,000 or 30,000, they have a wide range of needs and interests serving millions of members..

Vendors with collector needs...from shipping supplies to display cases...alarm systems to price guides & publications, should consider a Trade Show booth with direct links to your own website. Club leaders need information on convention & show sites and facilities, on printing options, customized club logo products, promo & educational displays, membership incentives and club management software. And, they are all buyers and sellers interested in auctions, antique shops, malls & galleries, flea markets, appraisal & restoration services and internet resource sites. Many collectors are dealers, themselves, with the same needs as other dealers.

This summer ACC will be launching a major push with our Collectors Trade Show which will be announced during upcoming weeks. We look forward to working with all of our partners in having you represented in the Trade Show.

For more information on this virtual Trade Show, please e-mail: info@collectors.org or call 301.926.8663.