Me and Pedro Martinez |
One of the reasons this show is my favorite is that everyone is very friendly and helpful. There are items out there for the bargain hunter or the high end collector and of course all of us in between. I've seen autographs for sale that include almost every hall of famer for every sport. I've seen rare items like Cy Young, Babe Ruth and Alan Shepard(First U.S. astronaut in space) signed items. Since I've been attending I've learnt much about collecting, how to preserve autographs and what's out there on the market. I always feel that when I walk and speak with dealers, I learn something new every November.
So here are some tips on how to make the most of one day or the weekend at the show.
1. Walk the entire floor at least once before purchasing anything. My experience is that you will find the same item in multiple locations. The dealers are very competitive and will almost always come down in price to get the sale.
2. Prepare to spend at least 2 hours browsing. Be patient and ready to negotiate.
3. Bring something to drink with you. It is very dry in most facilities.
4. Wear comfortable footwear. The entire floor is concrete.
5. If you are purchasing an autograph or game used piece of memorabilia make sure it is has authentication. Ask the dealer where it came from and who authenticated it. If the price is too good to be true, then don't purchase it.
6. Most dealers will come down in price on the last day of a show. They honestly don't want to haul it back to their homes or businesses.
7. Have cash on hand. Most dealers cannot accept credit cards and if they do, they might charge a service fee to pay for the connection at their table.
8. Sign up for raffles and door prizes. Almost every show has them and there are usually great prizes.
9. If you are attending to meet players, be ready to wait in line, and in small spaces. Also, if you have no idea what you want autographed the promoter's merchandise table will have the best items at reasonable prices.
This year's autograph guests include:
Pedro Martinez
Baseball Hall of Famers Ozzie Smith and Brooks Robinson
Cecil Cooper
Red Sox WS Champion, Doug Mientkiewicz
Boston Bruin and Stanley cup champion, Shawn Thornton
New England Patriot, Aaron Hernandez
Jake LaMotta
Fred Lynn
Will Middlebrooks
Ramiro Mendoza
For more information on autograph guest information please visit www.sureshotpromotions.com
Thanks very much for this great article;this is the stuff that keeps me going through out these day. Trade Show Display
ReplyDeleteShould there be another persuasive post you can share next time, I’ll be surely waiting for it. Flooring For Trade Shows
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