The recent M. L. C Event

[philipsheldon]

Afternoon All,

I have just been looking on the FATG website. I could have been looking in the wrong place & so may not have seen all that I was seeking, but I wondered...it seems to me that the majority of feedback concerning the recent M. L. C. event has taken place here on the Forum, not on BOTH. That's a shame really.

Why ?

I have made a FATG posting saming the same.

I like you ALL, my dear old framers, and I don't mind if you are FATG registered or not. I like it when you order. I like it when you ask questions. I like it when one can share views to make events such as FF & MLC happen.

Ought we not share our views a little more liberally ? Helps us all in the end, my friend !

[Graysalchemy]

I think you must be making the assumption that we are all FATG members. As I'm not a member of the FATG,I can't access the FATG Forum.

No disrespect to the guild but this site gives me all the love and support that I need.

[markw]

FATG - never heard of them.

[philipsheldon]

Oh no. I don't make assumptions. EVER.

As I said in my posting just after the MLC event here on the FF, it was great to meet people...it's just a shame that there wasn't enough people !

I could be looking in the wrong place on the FATG site, but I couldn't see the same level of feedback as there is on here.

Both the FF & MLC events are worth supporting. The organisers of both deserve thanks for arranging the events. A lot of effort goes into these things.

The event type is Irrelevant. From the membership of both FF / FATG, neither event had as many attend as one would have hoped. Why so ?

As yet...not seen any sure fire reason as to why this was the case. I was there for both events so there ought to have been MILLIONS attending !!! (maybe I am the reason that people kept away - maybe ! )...

...anyway...

Keep up the good work, all of those that arrange these events, thank you for doing so & possibly, next time, a few more might just come along

[Graysalchemy]

Both events were south of Birmingham, I get a bit faint travelling that far south

Birmingham is central for us Northerners but I appreciate southerners have the same aversion to travelling North. I will probably give spring fair a miss next year (if it is on) and go to the FF live instead.

[philipsheldon]

Hold 'em both in Nottingham next year....ohhhh, where at ????

MMMM...The City Ground & Trent Bridge - simples !

Not too far North & not too far South.

result!

[stcstc]

ah look the distance isnt an issue, i flew from ireland for 2 days

and it cos me bloody 120 in taxis

but it was worthwhile

[misterdiy]

Londoners don't travel north of Watford as it's in the sticks. Thats why Wembley Stadium was built in the most inaccessible place for everyone ............ except Londoners.

But STCSTC has the answer. Its transport links and somewhere close to Rail/Air and good roads is the best policy. Hence FF live is good because it is close to all three.

I thought that the "Look and Learn" meeting by the FATG would have been very well attended, but was it not?

[Graysalchemy]

It is actually time which is most important to me. I have always gone to spring fair on a sunday as I don't have the time in the week, that and traffic would not make it viable in the week. I also have young kids which means I don't want to stay over.

The last few years the only thing I have come away with from spring fair is its not worth going to. In recent times I haven't seen anything new which I haven't been shown by a rep and if a company can't be bothered to come and see then why should I change suppliers that I am more than happy with.

So really a show would have to be really worthwhile for me to invest the time to go.

Alistair

[Roboframer]

...it seems to me that the majority of feedback concerning the recent M. L. C. event has taken place here on the Forum, not on BOTH. That's a shame really.

Why ?

A while ago it was pointed out that non-FATG members can register on their site to gain access to things like the 5 levels of framing, mount board standards etc. I registered, but to join in on their forum you must be a member (unless I missed something) That forum is a small part of their website and probably not very lively at all and this is a stand-alone forum second only to The Grumble.

[philipsheldon]

Afternoon All.

Another thought concerning the old, " Let's go to an event " question or not, as the case may be...

I guess the THE only question to ask is this;

If you are going to attend a trade event, what do you want / expect a trade event to offer your business ?

If the good folk that arrange & exhibit at these events can have your feedback, it may be in their power to incoporate your suggestions & encourage your participation. No-one knows everything ! If " tricks " are being missed...just say !

A part from the financial climate, " Home " commitments, etc... what keeps people away from all manner of trade events - whatever they may be ???

Phil.

[markw]

Phil

Trade event? Do we class MLC and FFL as Trade Events? I know that FFL sets out to be a members event with the trade invited and its hoped that the natural combination of both will be symbiotic. Unlike trade shows I dont think there is any pretence that it will create a winning selling environment. The thought is always there though that we want all parties to go away feeling that they have gained from the experience - for the trade that will almost always mean that they have made potential -hopefully definite sales. I know from personal experience that I have made friends and built good foundations for a strong business relationship, that must mean something for any business.

Feedback is definitely an important part of the process and FFL made a real effort to get FF members to share their thoughts. Getting everything right is always going to be difficult - so many things change and I suppose at the end of the day its down to the judgement of organisers - having taken in the comments - to create a new event that will please as many people as possible - knowing that you wont please them all.

MLC was its first outing - it needs a little enthusiastic reporting here and in the FATGs own media to make people realise just what they missed (including me). It will grow - and hopefully be something that you will have in the diary for the next year as an event that cant be missed.

So what do I want to see. It happens already but I like to see trade stands showing what makes them different. For me that difference is knowledge - A & Ts the depth of knowledge within your company of machinery - you did some maintenance demo's at the first FFL that were fantastic. Glass and Mirror's knowledge of glass - Hotpress's unrivalled knowledge of flattening stuff. you notice that I haven't commented on any direct selling initiatives - but after talking to Glass and Mirror about speciality glass who would go anywhere else.

My critiscm of the last FFL is that many of those stands were so busy I couldnt get to spend as much time as I wanted to talk over the things that i wanted to discuss.

[Max Roberts]

Some good points made here. Travelling time, Family commitments, apathy, lack of interest etc. All some of the reasons people don't come to events. FF suffered from the same as the guild with the Stratford gathering. We want to learn from our first event. As guild or forum organisers, we give our time freely for what we hope is the benefit of the industry (I feel a song coming on!). We hope people will share our passion, but unfortunately many don't and that is their entitlement. Some are content to do their job, go home, end of story. Fair enough. In the end we have to keep trying. The forum wouldn't survive unless it had people there to organise things. Same with the guild. We are very different animals, but we are both trying to help our members for the overall benefit of our industry. Keep coming up with suggestions as Phil suggests.

[Roboframer]

I think seminars could/should be booked and paid for in advance (unless thay are commercial) - but they would have to be worth paying for of course.

On physical framing.... Who would a seminar on pretty basic stuff attract? Well, probably framers that are not adept at it already .... so attending suppliers can maybe read 'new accounts'

Who would a seminar on more advanced stuff attract - new/different/eyebrow-raising ways of doing things, or things you've avoided/worked around for whatever reason .... like washlines or like making hinges from sheets of tissue and cooking starch paste? Well, probably more experienced framers with open minds ..... so attending suppliers can maybe read 'Why don't these established framers deal with us and what can we do to steal the buggers from whoever they ARE dealing with"? (IOW new accounts again)

... and what about workshops? The things I mention in the paragraph above (and many more that I could mention that have never even had a demonstrational seminar on yet) would require little or no machinery, the materials would be covered in the cost and the results taken home.

[Keith Hewitt]

I know its not likely to happen in 2011 or 2012, but I do believe there is a possiblity for these 2 events to be combined. It will require some out of the box thinking.

The Forum regulars are a special bunch, but nothing to stop them having their dinner is a separate room at a FATG annual do.

I believe that by bringing the 2 groups under one roof, everyone will realise we share the exact same goals - to take framing forward TOGETHER

A single event would be ......

Good for exhibitors - only 1 event instead of 2.
Good for visitors - should be a better event as more people expected
Good for the trade - we grow together.

[Graysalchemy]

I think that would be a good idea as I would unlikely be able to go to two events but would consider going to one of them.

As I have said the spring fair is a dead duck, and now is the time to evolve a new show, one that framers and gallery owners want to go to, and one that the trade feels beneficial to exhibit at. If a show with a buzz can be developed then more people will attend, and if more people attend then more of the trade will exhibit making it worth while for all.

I have been going since its hey day in the early 90's and have gone out of habit in recent years hoping that it will get better, it hasn't. I have heard a rumor that one major supplier will not be going next year and to be honest if that is the case then I certainly won't be going.

So perhaps organizers of both these events should do their up most to attract more exhibitors and advertise it sufficiently that people will attend.

Alistair

[Not your average framer]

It might have been better attended if it was located somewhere easier to get to than Wyboston. It's a very difficult journey from the west country using a lot of slower roads.

I would suggest that somewhere nearer Birmingham would attract more visiers. Good access to the M5, M6 and M40 are likely to help a lot. The location of the Framers Forum Live Event is a good example of this!

[Keith Hewitt]

It might have been better attended if it was located somewhere easier to get to than Wyboston. It's a very difficult journey from the west country using a lot of slower roads.

Totally agree with you. The facilities at Wyboston were superb, but how many use gym, swimming pool and golf? It needs to be near a M way, and an airport which also has a train station - B'ham, Manchester, etc would be good as centrally situated. It must be really easy to get there by car, train or plane.

[Not your average framer]

I know its not likely to happen in 2011 or 2012, but I do believe there is a possiblity for these 2 events to be combined.

I hpoe that both events will remain as separate events. The FF live event is organised for framers by framers, with no specific motive or agendas and this is why it is so popular.

[Graysalchemy]

I hpoe that both events will remain as separate events. The FF live event is organised for framers by framers, with no specific motive or agendas and this is why it is so popular

Yes but it is funded by the exhibitors who will at some point want to have an input into how it is run in order for them to get value out of the event, otherwise they will just not bother going and without exhibitors you will have no show