Event Recap: Southeast Fandom Fair
TRANSPARENCYEVENT RECAP
Sorry this is later than usual! I can't remember a time where it has taken me over a week to get out an event recap. I'd call it a testament to just how busy I've been, but that hasn't really been the case. Not really sure what got into me...regardless here we are!
This was a first year event, which normally I try to avoid them unless they are within an hour or two of the house. But Bobby Nash was kind enough to recommend me to the con runners, and they reached out, and for some reason I accepted an out of town event the weekend after Dragon Con.
And damn am I glad I did!
This was perhaps the best organized and promoted first year event I have taken part in. The crowd was steady all day, the food was great, and the company was fantastic. There were only two downsides to the whole shebang, and both were because of my fuckups:
It was four and a half hours from my house, and ya boi was still wore out from Dragon Con. Tifton Georgia is a bit farther than I had anticipated. Should I have googled it before accepting? Sure. Did I? No. It honestly was only a problem on the way home. Leaving the event around seven, meant a late night coming home.
Because I sold so well at Dragon Con, I essentially was out of stock of omnibus one. Long time readers will know, that is my money maker. I had two copies left. So I resolved before leaving to go to the event that I would only pack two copies of omnibus 2 as well, and that I would only sell them as a set.
Despite all that, I had a really great time. There were two particular highlights:
I got to hang out at length with Bobby Nash and Robert Jeffrey (who I met for the first time). I consider Bobby as my second mentor, so anytime I get to chill with him is time well spent. And Robert, who has a really good name I would note, was an absolute delight. I'm hoping that we can roust up a few more Bob/Bobby's/Robert's and throw a Bob con one day.
This con had the best swag bag for guests I have ever encountered. The folks who ran it also run The Zone Collectibles & More. And they custom made each guest their own backpack swag bag full of things they thought the guest would like, based on the interests the could get from our socials. So mine was full of all sorts of cool rpg related stuff, as well as tasty snacks, cool art, and more. Beyond the stuff, just the care and thought that went into each really blew me away.
I have a few small thoughts.
I really want to get a Marsh comic made. Talking with Robert all day (his booth was next to mine) and seeing the work he had done with Milton Davis on Changa...it really got the gears turning. I've been saying this for years now, but maybe I should move those plans up a little.
I was impressed at the quality of the vendor hall. A lot of smaller town events end up having to take what they can get when it comes to nerdy vendors. SeFF put in the work and assembled a really great hall.
It ain't none.
So I was obviously hamstrung by not having omnibus one in any real amounts. When I got there I ended up donating one of my two omnibus sets to the silent auction (raising money for a local animal based charity), and I sold the other within the first hour or so I think. That left me hustling book 1 and Southern Saudade all day. Which really puts an upper limit on how much I can make. Coupled with that, I honestly didn't have that many book 1's. I ended the event with only 5 in stock (which, unless Amazon pulls a miracle will mean I am gonna be strugglin' at my book club appearance this Friday). I did bring some zines, which I wouldn't have done if inventory hadn't been so low. The new editions are in production as we speak, but needs must.
But yeah, so overall sale number by amount was lower than it should have been considering crowd size, but sales number by count was in line with what I wanted to do. If I'd had omnibuses for sale, I think it would have been a really great event sales-wise, especially since as a guest I had virtually zero expenses (they even provided a meal voucher).
Anywho, here are the numbers:
Daily Sales Numbers:
Saturday: $355.00
Total Sales Numbers By Item:
Bringing Home The Rain: 9
Omnibus 1: 1
Omnibus 2: 1
Southern Saudade: 2
Zines: 7
Total:
$355.00
Fixed Expenses:
Badge: $0.00
Booth Fee - $0.00
Parking - $0.00
Hotel - $0.00
Other - 0.00
Total - $0.00
Grand Total Profit: $355.00
