in case there is some interest in notes from SmofCon 25 Notes from SmofCon 25 by Pam Rice Panel Words we use Language structures our perception of reality. Fandom has its own vocabulary Words may have different understanding to different people. We need to adjust words to agree with the listeners understanding to fans one word, to hotel and sponsors, etc another word. Some problem fannish words: admission/tickets/memberships, guest/program participant, con/show/event We need to be aware of problem words and confirm meaning of words Some words could have specific legal consequences in some communities. Panel Fannish Goodwill Goodwill points can be given and taken away. Suggestion: con com members going to another con and volunteer can generate goodwill and get help in return. Asking for help rather than just going on can generate goodwill. Gestures must be honest offering, eventually discover if hidden agenda. Panel Stocking the Con Suite Different cons may have different expectations from members and staff, especially the annual cons that travel around. Tracking data from previous years can be used for ideas on what kind and how much food and drinks to get. For some the con suite can be primary rehydration station, especially on nights with parties. Be aware of hotel considering you are competing in serving food, maybe only specific types of food no hot food, snacks only, microwave ok, crock pots no; corkage waver and hotel contract consideration. Make sure have options for people with food allergies, diabetes, and other special diets. Stagger delivery of food to help maintain constant fresh supply of food. Plan and label food for specific days, needs depend on other activities Have and publicize (or not) for special times for special foods If using fresh food need buy daily, keep in mind where getting it from and how delivered. Range of estimates for cost is $5-$10 per person attending. Consider single serving bags vs big tear and open bags. If parties pre-order ice through con suite, you can get idea of what need to have out in the con suite. If run out of party rooms, suggest sponsor / adopt some time at the con suite, put out food and items with ID of the sponsor / decorations from sponsors. Trying to move to healthier foods Need 6 to 9 month lead time in talking with food distributors, also try restaurant distributors Plan around what kind of cooling you will have available, refrig of whatever size or coolers Careful use of outlets, spread out around room or between rooms, breakers commonly set up for four (4) rooms and not really designed for cooking equip If you are the con suite manager-stay on property, preferably close to con suite, if next door can serve as a noise buffer. If a resident inn/hotel is close by, consider using one of their rooms with a kitchen, even if small; possibly closer than using your own or another staff members home Panel Finding Your Focus pick up editing wiki space here (came in late) Basic question is Why run con? Best answer is for the love of it as a hobby. You want people to come who enjoy the same things you do and that you like to hang out with. Consider what the audience wants and what the con com wants, these may not be the same thing. A general umbrella con can give audience things to explore. If have tracks of programming, you can end up with mini-cons within a con under a general umbrella Consider if want to have market integrated or segmented To mix things up and sneak in some exploration by single interests folks have an item of non-interest between two items of special interest A problem if grow con by including different groups, you run risk loosing ID Your focus will influence how use space and set priorities for programming; especially noticeable when change hotels Definition of what focus is and what success is, can be very different from different con com members. One way to serve narrow focused groups is to have 30minutes session Panel Start Ups Having someone experienced with money negotiation things like hotel contract can be the most important thing. Need to answer why do a start up? In getting advice be careful of the differences between politics of fandom being different from rest of world. Need a good local fan base to draw on for volunteers Using internet for marketing can be a two edge sword Think about what the con can sell? Ad space, wall space; try to barter for things With media cons, one question media folk ask first is how advertizing? Use of radio and TV shows that you are serious and able to pay bills With media cons an option can be a separate price for attendance at special guest event. Panel Marketing to Fandom With fans, marketing is more a personal relationship between buyer and seller; fans want to talk to seller when they are ready Dealers room is primary reason most come to a con Dealers room can (should?) reflect the focus of the con Most dealers are fans Panel Recovery from disaster Get correct info out as fast as possible, even if only acknowledge problem and that it is being worked on. Panel People flow Good layout has three things: 1) gets people to see things on their way to destination that are not destinations themselves 2) sense of pattern with central area so find way 3) have place and a way to meet people Keep line of sight open Layouts on paper tend to forget about 3rd dimension Have landmarks to find way Panel Team building Small teams can feed into large team, handle some things differently Slogan can bind team together Common adversity can help bind team together Team should have common goal You always have the best people for each job One way to get new people grab some one (especially if looking a little bored) for immediate help and remember them. Supervisor needs to back up decisions of team members Include team members in decisions Panel Friends dont let friends fail If having problems one solution is to switch jobs to one better able to do Try other jobs/departments at smaller cons as a trial Offer to mentor someone that is in a new area/dept. Be aware of needed skill sets for positions, match people to position. Have dept heads make lists wish, want, must have Help identify unrealistic goals before spend too much time on them. Unrealistic goals can trap one into doing or concentrating on wrong part of job. Goals should be struggle to reach, but reachable Definition of success varies from staff member, to attendees, con as whole; definition of success is within context of goals Avoid Silo department structure, must have up/down/lateral communication pathways that work Communication free and open, lots, transparent, no one should be embarrassed to admit having problems and asking for help Panel Leadership Usually with volunteer organizations consensus is basis of management Trust and listen and humility are important traits for leader Leader needs to back up team members 4 aspects: 1) alignment of goals among group involves trust by group 2) competence and ability 3) group members feel a sense of inclusion of being heard 4) group members getting an acknowledgement Leader and manager are not necessarily the same person or require the same skill set Important to have self knowledge gather people with complementary skills, personality, knowledge as co-chair, vice chair, department second etc Management structure may be different depending on size of con Picking good staff is part of good leader/manager Management is more structured, definable; leadership less structured Leader is not necessarily the chair, you can influence group from other staff job Leader gets everyone going in same direction Leader should be able to give some emotional support to staff members When working as co-chairs need close/instant communication and trust that you have a common vision Board of Directors have no place in con management, the BoD hires/fires the con chair, may set general policy and then steps aside. Panel Measuring Success Definition of success is different at different levels of staff, attendees; there are different dimensions of success Success is going to depend on expectations Begin of con / bid need to talk about success and decide what it is Success is not necessarily satisfaction, satisfaction not always able to quantify Need to evaluate marketing success Attendance numbers not always the best measurement of success [I dont remember the context of these two notes: Match staff with expectations and Match market with reality ] Need to evaluate con on yearly basis. How meet purpose of the organization, especially if non-profit Reputation, good and getting better A con having its own blog, etc is one way to put correct info out there Cant control all the marketing Know what want at begin and then at post con meeting with department reports see if met goals Training new staff members to help lower burnout potential Amount to charity can be a funding success
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