I am just curious and don't want to start a bashing hostile thread so if it turns into that please lock and delete.

This was my eight running of MITM and I'm curious what has happened or needs to happen to generate more vendors.
In the first few years at Copper there were 6, 7, 8 maybe 10 vendors putting parts on, selling shirts, badges, shift ***** etc. As well there was a large tent setup by Schomp that offered test drives, free tech inspection, i.e. oil, washer fluid, etc. Schomp sponsered or comped dinners, and giveaways were represented by vendors and some vendors who weren't present donated items.
Move to Winter Park, less vendors but still nice as well as second dealership added tent, with other goodies as well as added fun an enthusiasm. Thumbs up to Mini of Loveland and Ralph Schomp Mini.
THEN? Only few vendors, still Schomp with large tent and second dealership not allowed?? or ?? No speculation just don't know. They "Mini of Loveland" did sponsor Autocross and great time was had at that event with some pretty nice trophies and prizes for those fast cars.
Still trending downhill, this season brought only a handful or less MINI vendors so to speak. Schomp doesn't show up until? Friday? and with a 10x10 popup and keychains and shirts as available items.
Test drives use to be offered ongoing from the beginning of MITM to stir new owners and to entice us older ones with new models.
I have made this event a family vacation time and really enjoy the Mountains. I've made Mini friends and have enjoyed all the rides I've been on. The volunteers and the whole Mini5280 staff have always been helpful.
This is the only National event that I've attended except for one leg of MTTS in 2006?
What are other events doing to keep vendors coming back and to encourage new ones to want to attend? Maybe others are asking the same question but I'm putting in in writing.
This is just my opinion and is not directed at anyone, just my observation.

By the way, I'll be back to MITM 9, 10, 11, etc. etc. as long as it continues.
Thanks for the site
Sincerely
JD

 

I, too, was at MITM this month and a little disappointed by the lack of vendor turnout. Having been to a number of other venues (AMVIV), I missed seeing Way Motor Works and Cravenspeed - I've dropped hundreds of dollars at rallies in the past where they were represented but maybe it's as simple as the risk/reward ratio for these great vendors no longer adds upo. Traveling to these events, staying a few nights, hauling inventory for so many different models/years. If they're looking at slow or few sales it probably is just too great a risk.

Hats off to the vendors who did show up. I was happy to get suspension work, pulleys, and bling added to my car in the past. I was ready to spend more money this year but there just wasn't much to spend it on.

Great weather and lots of fun anyway!!

 

JD, Edgy, Thank you, this is a question that needed to be asked.

I will watch with interest, as I think all the big and small National events need to see what we might change to attract more vendors.

Vendors of NAM feel free to comment. Offer suggestions.

This is important to me and the other officers of MINI5280 and to the organizers of MITM which is an all volunteer team of which I am only one.

Don

 

AMVIV went with a vendor-free format in 2013. It was strange to not have any vendors at all at a major event, but it was also rather understandable, given how slow sales seem to have been for many vendors the last few years. It's getting too expensive and risky for vendors to travel far for events. I for one have been hoping to have a new suspension and some other mods put on my Coupé, but despite going to AMVIV this year and MITM the last two years, no vendors have been doing that kind of wrenching on site. It's hard to find good Vendors' Alleys anymore.

El Prez, perhaps you can ask Barry (Snooter) about how they work with vendors at MOTD? It's a much bigger event, and distances are not as great for many vendors to travel, but he might have some information that could help MITM.

 

Tancred,

Good information and comments, I have talked with Barry a few times on this topic, he has the "MAGIC" of the Dragon to attract and he has his own rules. Barry is the organizer and single source of making the Dragon happen and he gets a lot of volunteers from multiple Clubs.

MINI5280 and MITM has a more limited scope and we have challenges in Colorado not faces by MOTD and I suspect other events.

Even with our limited vendors at this years MITM I managed to spend a grand at the event.

Next year we are going to get slammed by MTTS. Such is life.

 

What's the criteria for being a vendor at MITM? We were very disappointed in the turnout. I love spending my hard earned money on MINI swag!

 

Only requirement is be one of the 70 vendors we invited to attend. It appears some do not like to attend physically.

We did get some nice raffle prizes from a number of vendors, they were handed out at the Saturday dinner, most of the sponsors also offered up raffle prizes.

Sadly it appears to be a trend for some of the smaller (in realation to MOTD) National MINI events.

General requirement for being a vendor at MITM, be interested in MITM, love MINIs, possible have a line of product somewhat MINI related or not, automotive or not!

Willing to pay for your registration, come to the event and promote your product, it cost the attending vendors $30 ($80 at registration, we refunded $50) if they attended. If they needed a working tent 10x10, 10x20 we provided that at our cost, delivery and setup was at MINI5280's overhead.

All vendors got a free table and 2 chairs and we provided multiples at not cost to the vendor. I really do not know why vendors do not come and setup at all the National MINI events when they are invited. Guess it is logistics and cost, some get it, some don't, a great way to promote your business.

Now I will do a /rant off.

Don

Note I posted this as me and individual, personal opinion.

 

I think a large part of it is that the folks out there who want to see certain vendors at this and any other national event need to get in touch w/ said vendors and express that to them.

the trend in business now seems to be email/blog/fb spamming for advertising as that is much more cost effective than going out to the masses and actually speaking w/ the enthusiast, as is the model previously.

as Don mentioned, we contacted 70 vendors officially, that was both in email and on the phone to invite them to come up to MITM...

what you saw at the event was the grand sum of those that said yes.

there were a few people that due to Real Life had to cancel at the last minute, but they were in the minority.

Many vendors also want a pre booked calender before they even get up to the event. which is doable, but they also need to promote themselves, there is only so much we can do via email blasts, and web/forum promoting before it becomes more spam in your inbox.

Clint from Defenders of Speed is a good example of this. He promoted himself far in advance of the event, and because of that had a full schedule ( often into the late nights after everyone else was asleep!).

So if there are vendors, or sponsors that you want to see at our event, please contact them and let them know that. I would've spent more up at MITM, but as stated by someone else already, the options were limited.

That wasn't for our lack of trying...