Mega Raffle and Silent Auction, United States Gymnastics Suppliers Association

Mega Raffle 2012

Below are some answers to Mega Raffle & Silent Auction 2011 FAQ’s …..
*** Please, this Raffle will succeed in generating the same excitement, energy and (most importantly) attendance that we desire and deserve in the Exhibit Hall. We need 100% participation from our membership for optimal results.

What is the new Silent Auction all about?
In partnership with USAG, We will be auctioning USGSA Member donated items in an effort to raise money for USAG educational programs at national and regional congresses. USAG will provide booth space in the exhibit hall and help promote this new silent auction event in advertisements and preshow email promotions.
When will the Silent Auction take place?
The silent auction items will be on display from the opening of the show and half of the offerings will close out following the final Mega raffle winner pull on Thursday and Friday evening. Just before the close of the show, Jerry Nelson will announce each of the winners of the silent auction items. The intent is to keep our captive audience in the exhibit hall until closing and raise some money for USAG educational programs.
How do I participate in the Silent Auction?
It’s easy! When you send in your Mega raffle donations just note which of the items are designated for the silent auction. See form below.
Why only 10,000 value?
Because we do not want to diminish the amount of free prizes attendees can win in the Mega Raffle. To test the attendee group to see if they are willing to spend money for valuable auction items for USAG education we agreed to start with a $10,000 top value. This number will be evaluated for future events.
If prizes offered to silent auction exceed the $10,000 value USGSA president has discretion to add items back to the mega raffle. All efforts will be made to contact donating members of the intent to move some of the items donated.
How will attendee’s get their Mega Raffle ticket?
USA Gymnastics has agreed to provide the raffle ticket to the attendee’s in their registration packets.
How will the attendee’s put their raffle ticket in the Mega Raffle drum?
Attendees will have to find the raffle drum in the exhibit hall as it will be located in varying USGSA member company’s booths. The drum will be placed based on company donations for maximum exposure for all as the attendees need to move throughout the hall to find the drum. The location of the drum will be noted on the raffle schedule in the congress guide and announced over the loud speaker by Jerry Nelson.
When will the Raffles be conducted?
The Raffles will be conducted during the two (2) dedicated exhibit hours 11:30am and 4:45pm on Thursday and Friday. Thus, we will have four (4) Raffle opportunities.
Where will the Raffles be conducted?
All raffles will be conducted in the exhibit hall. To maximize traffic, the raffle will again be a “traveling event” Maximum of two (2) moves per Mega Raffle session, (winners will be pulled in three different locations per session). These locations are based on total dollars donated on a sliding scale designed to maximize exposure for donating members and for traffic movement throughout the hall.
Is there a minimum donation for the Raffle?
In order to preserve the “mega” in our Mega Raffle, it was decided that $500 would be the minimum Raffle donation allowed. Additionally, the minimum prize per winner will be $2000.00. Thus, if your donation’s value is less than
$2000 it will be grouped with another prize as needed to get the total prize value to at least $2000.00.
Why such a large increase in the prize size and minimum donation?
In order to reduce the time that it takes to conduct the raffle, reduce some of the distracting sound levels, reduce “no show” raffle pulls and to increase the excitement of the raffle. It was decided to combine the smaller minimum prizes of $500 together into one $2000 winning prize. This will reduce the number of draws and barrel moves to two per raffle event . It will also quicken the pace keeping the excitement at frenzied level. At $70,000 in total prizes the Maximum number of winners is 35 over 4 raffle time slots with two possible moves of the drum reducing each event to only 8 very happy winners.
What determines the location of the Raffle Drum during raffle pulls and what other benefits are available for larger donations?
For every $1,000 donated - your company will receive one Announcement/Promotional Offer on the PA during the trade show (not during the raffle draw) and your company name in smaller letters at the bottom of a Raffle Promotional Banner provided by USGSA.
For every $2,000 donated - your company will receive a Raffle Drum visit during Mega Raffle, (Subject to the number of draws available) Bold Lettering on the printed schedule and (space permitting) in all print ads, and one Announcement/Promotional Offer on the PA during the trade show (not during the raffle draw) per day and your company name/logo on the 2nd tier from the bottom of a Raffle Promotional Banner provided by USGSA.
For every $3,000 donated - your company will receive a maximum of One drum visits during the Mega Raffle, Bold lettering and a logo image in Technique Magazine, Bold lettering on the printed schedule and (space permitting) in all print ads, one Announcement/Promotional Offer on the PA during the trade show per day (not during the raffle draw) and your company name/logo mid-sized on the middle tier from the bottom and top of a Raffle Promotional Banner provided by USGSA.
For every $5,000 donated - your company will receive a maximum of Two drum visits during the Mega Raffle, Bold lettering and a logo image in Technique Magazine, Bold lettering on the printed schedule and (space permitting) in all print ads, one Announcement/Promotional Offer on the PA during the trade show per day and your company name/logo large on the top of a Raffle Promotional Banner provided by USGSA.
What determines the location of the raffle drum during attendee loading of the drum?
The raffle drum will be located in a USGSA member booth on a roving schedule based on the amount of donation. Early and more populated customer fill times booth. The purpose is to get the most traffic movement throughout the exhibit hall so this is considered when scheduling fill locations as well.
Mega Raffle tickets cannot be offered to volunteers of the Trade Show and National Congress. Offer for Paid registrants only.
Suggestion for Gift Certificates: Make sure to add an “Expiration Date”.
All Mega raffle donated prizes must be free to the winner and “purchase required too redeem prizes” rules are not allowed.
What we need from you!
In order to promote this raffle early and create excitement about our generous donations, we need to get your commitment NOW!! What will you contribute? Please include estimated shipping charges in your donation value. Consider a large gift certificate…a company-themed gift basket…a new piece of equipment…be creative!!
How to participate?
Please fill in the form below and fax (860-779-0854) or e-mail (usgsa@gymsupply.com) I need to have your commitment by March 18th, 2011. Please contact John Deary with any questions.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Member Company Name:_____________________________________
Mega Raffle Donated Items Description:__________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Delivered Value of items Mega Raffle:_____________________________
Silent Auction Items Description: _______________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Delivered Value of items Silent Auction:___________________________
Thanks for your continued support. We look forward to Congress and Mega Raffle & Silent Auction 2011.
Regards,
John Deary
John@gymsupply.com

Advertising Deadline is April 30.
If you plan to participate in the Mega Raffle 2011 and you want to have your company logo and prize offering show as part of this years advertising program as offered by USA Gymnastics and other media including Technique, USA Gymnastics magazine, International Gymnastics Magazine and Inside Gymnastics Magazine and USA Gymnastics email campaigns.
I will need your commitment to me by March 15.
We have had fantastic response at the spring meeting from member companies with a strong interest in participation in mega raffle 2010. Get your information into me early so you don’t miss out on the fantastic exposure this promotion can provide your company.
St. Paul, MN will be the official site of the Mega Raffle 2011 !!
At the Las Vegas Nevada Spring Meeting, it was decided to continue this successful promotion. We hashed out a few sticky Raffle issues, created a few new guidelines as well as a few new promotional opportunities. Now it’s time to get the Raffle Rolling!

The raffle 2011 is planned to run the same as last years successful Mega Raffle.
We need your commitment now! Please respond by March 15 !!!
In order for us to jump-start Web Banners, and meet Print Ad deadlines and etc., we need to secure several donations immediately. Our intention is to update the USGSA Web Banners, print advertisements and email campaigns (more on these in a separate e-mail) on an ongoing basis. This way we can add each generous donation and post the Mega Raffle 2010 offering quickly.
Will Mega Raffle 2010 top last year’s donations of over $48,000?

Let’s shoot for $70,000 !

No Prize Under $2,000!
This will be the key to the New Mega Raffle Promotion.

*** Please, this Raffle will succeed in generating the same excitement, energy and (most importantly) attendance that we desire and deserve in the Exhibit Hall. We need 100% participation from our membership for optimal results.

FAQs

How will the attendees put their raffle ticket in the Mega Raffle drum?
Attendees will have to find the raffle drum in the exhibit hall as it will be located in varying USGSA member company’s booths. The drum will move hourly thorough out the hall during fill hours for maximum exposure for all members. Hints on the drums location will provided to attendees at varying times during the day.

When will the Raffles be conducted?
The Raffles will be conducted during the two (2) dedicated exhibit hours on Thursday and Friday. Thus, we will have four (4) Raffle Opportunities.

Where will the Raffles be conducted?
All raffles will be conducted in the exhibit hall. To maximize traffic, the raffle will again be a “traveling event” (Maximum of two (2) moves per Mega Raffle session) and will move to different locations within the exhibit hall to maximize traffic.

Is there a minimum donation for the Raffle?
In order to preserve the “mega” in our Mega Raffle, it was decided that $500 would be the minimum Raffle donation allowed. Additionally, the minimum prize per winner will be $2000.00. Thus, if your donation’s value is less than $2000 it will be grouped with another prize as needed to get the total prize value to at least $2000.00.

Why such a large increase in the prize size and minimum donation?
In order to reduce the time that it takes to conduct the raffle, reduce some of the distracting sound levels, reduce no show raffle pulls and to increase the excitement of the raffle. It was decided to combine the smaller minimum prizes of $500 together into one $2000 winning prize. This will reduce the number of draws and barrel moves. It will also quicken the pace keeping the excitement at frenzied level. At $70,000 in total prizes the Maximum number of winners is 35 over 4 raffle time slots with two/three possible moves of the drum reducing each event to only 8 very happy winners.

What determines the location of the Raffle Drum during raffle pulls and what other benefits are available for larger donations?
For every $1,000 donated - your company will receive one Announcement/Promotional Offer on the PA during the trade show (not during the raffle draw) and your company name in small letters at the bottom of a Raffle Promotional Banner provided by USGSA.
For every $2,000 donated - your company will receive a Raffle Drum visit during Mega Raffle, (Subject to the number of draws available) Bold Lettering on the printed schedule and (space permitting) in all print ads, and one Announcement/Promotional Offer on the PA during the trade show (not during the raffle draw) per day and your company name/logo on the 2nd tier from the bottom of a Raffle Promotional Banner provided by USGSA.
For every $3,000 donated - your company will receive a maximum of One drum visits during the Mega Raffle, Bold lettering and a logo image in Technique Magazine, Bold lettering on the printed schedule and (space permitting) in all print ads, one Announcement/Promotional Offer on the PA during the trade show per day (not during the raffle draw) and your company name/logo mid-sized on the middle tier from the bottom and top of a Raffle Promotional Banner provided by USGSA.
For every $5,000 donated - your company will receive a maximum of Two drum visits during the Mega Raffle, Bold lettering and a logo image in Technique Magazine, Bold lettering on the printed schedule and (space permitting) in all print ads, one Announcement/Promotional Offer on the PA during the trade show per day and your company name/logo large on the top of a Raffle Promotional Banner provided by USGSA.

What determines the location of the raffle drum during attendee loading of the drum time?
The raffle drum will located in a USGSA member booth on a roving schedule based on the amount of donation. Early and more popular customer fill times will be offered to larger donors before smaller donating company’s have the drum in their booth.

Mega Raffle tickets cannot be offered to volunteers of the trade show and National Congress, paid registrants only.
Suggestion for Gift Certificates : Make sure to add and “Expiration Date” ..
What we need from you!
In order to promote this raffle early and create excitement about our generous donations, we need to get your commitment NOW !! What will you contribute ? Please include estimated shipping charges in your donation value. Consider a large gift certificate…a company-themed gift basket…a new piece of equipment…perhaps a “priceless” autograph or piece of memorabilia…be creative!! While multiple donations are encouraged, we reserve the right to limit the number of tickets that can be pulled for your company based on your overall donation size.

How to participate.
Please fax (860-779-0854) or e-mail (usgsa@gymsupply.com) your donated item and description as well as the delivered value of the item. We need to have your commitment by March 15, 2010. Please contact John Deary with any questions.