Non-UK Convention Cross-Promotion Plan

[Ferefire]

Everyone knows the UK side of AL has a very vibrant meet and events scene - one that brings in over 60% of our new members nowadays. Several attempts have been made to also do this in North America (both Canada and USA) over the years, but they have usually failed. This has been due to several factors including that simply put not as many of our US members are in to conventions, that USA/Canada is far more spread out, and finally that there's no real people like myself over there willing to invest time and money on a reliable basis to get something started up.

This Plan is intended to achieve several things -

1. To raise awareness about Animeleague to USA and Canadian conventions and events.
2. To get more USA and Canadian ALers interested in cons. (And also other countries too)
3. To bring in a lot of new USA and Canadian con-goers. (And also other countries)
4. UK members on AL understand that Animeleague is part of a wider community and will help defend and stand up for it. US members often don't realise this. We want a better appreciation that there is more than AL out there and a greater willingness for the US side to stand up and push their community!

What We Will Do

1. All staff (and now members) are invited to check out THIS LIST HERE and state conventions that they're close to and would be willing to travel to as reps. (The more the better)
2. We then approach all of these conventions via email and offer them a cross-promotion package.
3. The ones that accept we cross-promote with and we send the reps to!
4. In the long-term we recruit from these cons and turn them in to regions that we will run meetups across the year in.
5. We will aim to get free entries for the reps, but if we can't, we'll cover their entry costs since they're working for AL at the event. We'll also cover costs for printing flyers and banners etc. Can't cover more than this tho.
6. Once we get things better sorted, we'll roll out this rep plan to assistants and then all AL members who want to volunteer. For now we'll do it staff only. We'll do this for all members and all countries, please apply!

Cross Promotion Package

We offer them - Their event put under "Partner Events" on the front page, us making a meetup for them on AL and promoting it via all of our mediums and in a general mail-out, and us running optional ticket giveaway contests.
They give us - Our flyer in all of their conbags, or alternatively our ad in a page of their conbook. A table at the event, a couple of free entries for our reps, and a panel.

What We Need You To Do

FIRSTLY READ THIS LIST HERE

Then fill in this form -

Conventions Near Me that I'd go to: (Don't worry if it's just 1 or 2, even that's great)
Have I been to cons before:
Would I be interested in doing a meet in my local area if we got a proper base of members:

[Aziraphale]

The only con I go to/have access to is San Diego Comic-Con. If you can get them to listen you, yeah, I'd rep it.

But that's all I got. I'm not going to LA. Ever.

[Ferefire]

The only con I go to/have access to is San Diego Comic-Con. If you can get them to listen you, yeah, I'd rep it.

But that's all I got. I'm not going to LA. Ever.

For the larger ones that we can't get cross-promo with, we can always just flyer normally. As said we can cover entry for the flyerers (long as entry isn't ridiculous) and get the flyers printed.

[Spartacus]

Aren't most of the cons over the weekend? I work weekends, so I wouldn't be much help. Plus there's only like 2 cons within the driving distance I'd be willing to do. =o Sorries!

[Ferefire]

Aren't most of the cons over the weekend? I work weekends, so I wouldn't be much help. Plus there's only like 2 cons within the driving distance I'd be willing to do. =o Sorries!

Even just one or two cons per mod is great - since we only really need to get deals going with half a dozen cons in the US to start pulling in a lot of members.

[Bender]

I'd be up for pretty much anything in MA. Go nuts.

[Aziraphale]

Entry for SDCC is 143 (as of this year) for all four days. If you're willing to cover that, I'll flyer it up. But I thiiiink you have to contact them first if you want to flyer while in the con itself. I dunno, never looked into it.

As for the other two questions - yes, I've been to cons before, and eh, I won't have time during the year to organize a meet. Attend one, sure, but my radius-o-travel is about 30 minutes from San Diego.

[Spartacus]

Eh, it's a no-go for me. I can't miss work because we're short staffed enough and I had to pull teeth just to get the next few days off.

[Minerva]

I unfortunately, at this time, don't really have the means (namely money) to attend cons xD There WAS one in my city but it was a one time sort of thing. The closest main one to me in my country is Anime North, but Toronto itself is 3 hours away. I live on the border, but I need a passport to get to the states and they are $150+.

[The Chef]

The conventions around my city is momocon, anime weekend Atlanta, and the biggie dragon con. Conventions are a no go for me. Im got a crazy school and internship schedule.

[Orange_]

mostly i'm to busy to go to cons

but on the off chance i do go to one, i'll let you know.

[K7Sniper]

Classes to get into med school + job + potential med school = lack of time.

Not much I can do, but I'll support whomever I can if they need info on the NY/NJ/Philly area.

[PharaohAtem]

I might go to the one in illinoise next year not exactly sure yet.

[Zen]

Figures this happens when I'm about to skip the country.

So, obviously I can't do this for a year, because I'll be in Ireland, but I do go to several of the cons in Florida (MegaCon, MetroCon, NecronomiCon, J-Con, among others) and would be willing to hand out promotions for AnimeLeague/do a meet.

Like you said, however, your biggest hurdle is the fact that America and Canada are both HUGE. I know a lot of people in Europe tease Americans for not having passports, but the fact of the matter is we don't get them because we have an incredible range of geographic diversity without having to leave the country. What this means is your chances of having anyone who happens to use the same website as you anywhere near you are slim to none.

I've only ever known one ALer who lived in Florida, and what was Android 18. And by the time I met her she'd moved to Arizona. So, you see my point about meets. Either by some stroke of luck find people who happen to live close together or find people who are willing to travel long distances.

[Shadow]

Conventions Near Me that I'd go to: Only two in Sacramento and one is coming up - "Sac-Anime" Aug. 31 - Sept. 2 & Jan 4-6, 2013. There is one that is roughly 2 ish hours from Sac - Newark, and I don't mind travelign there. However, I might make an exception and travel for Fresno if you need me to. So overall, 4 max.
Have I been to cons before: I have been to one convention which was late last year - Sci-Fi Horror Convention.
Would I be interested in doing a meet in my local area if we got a proper base of members: Absolutely. I was going to try as I know at least 5-10 friends are into Anime & Manga