B/CS Meet and Greet (M&G)

[gee_a_cee]

Originally Posted by tucson

Only around election time will there be any heat.Houston, SA, Dallas and Austin parties were all fun. The first M&G does not have to be a big affair just a private room in a bar with every one buying there own food and drinks. I don't see the ladies buying as most of us don't mind charming a woman with a drink.

I agree with what you say, to a point. What I take exception to is the "every one buys their own food & drink". I feel, as I'm sure most guys do, that the ladies that attend are our guests. Guests are treated to drinks and meals. After all, they could be back home making some well deserved $$. Not to say they can't while they are here. BCS has a relatively small group. But the hope is that some men from the circle of the Houston-Austin-San Antonio-DFW areas come also. This would be referred to as mixing pleasure with our pleasure.

I like the private room bit, but more so if it's a restaurant with bar. Bars alone do not tend to have much to offer in the way of food. Once RSVPs from ladies are tallied, a flat rate for the guys is charged to cover the expected food and drink for the ladies. If more is needed then that means more ladies than expected came. Not a bad thing at all and I'm pretty sure most guys would chip in more.

We are looking at a ways down the road to pull this together for the first time here. All suggestions are welcomed and any comments on the suggestions are welcomed.

[Guest030824]

I don't recall any women buying any thing at any of the partys but I had a date with the lady I brought to the party with BCD after. Keep in mind this is a place where the ladies can parade their wares to the guys. I would think the loss of a 1 hour $250 date will be more than made up for by the advertisement they will gain at the party.

[gee_a_cee]

Originally Posted by tucson

I don't recall any women buying any thing at any of the partys but I had a date with the lady I brought to the party with BCD after. Keep in mind this is a place where the ladies can parade their wares to the guys. I would think the loss of a 1 hour $250 date will be more than made up for by the advertisement they will gain at the party.

I can see where a number of lady attendees will have the opportunity to recoup travel expenses with BCD after the social. But since that cannot be guaranteed for each and every lady I still like the idea of a flat fee for the men to ensure the food and drink cost does not add to their potential expenses. A show of hospitality will go a long way towards attracting more of the premiere ladies to this event. The more premiere ladies that come the more gentlemen will come. We are not looking at a great amount of $$ per man IMHO.

BCS, being home to Texas A&M University, has a reputation for their outstanding hospitality towards out of town visitors. Even though this event has nothing to do with A&M, the welcoming of these guests will be of utmost importance for this event as well as any possible future events.

We are not Houston-Austin-DFW where a large attendance is almost a given since there is minimal expense to attend those. Subsidizing those expenses for a M&G in BCS is a way of saying we really want you to visit. A flat fee for being able to socialize with some of the most beautiful and talented ladies in the country is a no brainer to me.

[enderwiggin]

I concur. Asking the ladies to pay for their own food and drinks is a recipe for a sausage party. Tell them it's free and many of the local spenders will be there...

[Guest030824]

I will drive down from DFW and get a hotel and take a taxi to the party. I may discover a lady that intrigues me and arrange to spend the night with her. We all will spend money for this and then you will want to charge the guys to attend?

[enderwiggin]

It's up to the party's host to determine how his/her party gets paid for. If you don't want to buy your ticket, that's your decision.

[gee_a_cee]

Originally Posted by tucson

I will drive down from DFW and get a hotel and take a taxi to the party. I may discover a lady that intrigues me and arrange to spend the night with her. We all will spend money for this and then you will want to charge the guys to attend?

What it boils down to IMHO is the ladies can stay home and make money, or they can attend and incur expenses with a big maybe of some BCD to offset those expenses. If we ( men ) can offset some of those expenses then a better turnout of the ladies will more likely occur.

Depending on the mix of RSVPs of ladies vs men you may be looking at an additional $30 to $40.

It is impossible to predict turnout at this time. It is impossible to say this will even happen. I would love to say I am in the financial position to fully host an event of this sort. But I am not. One thing I can assure you is that IF it happens and IF there is a flat rate and IF there is excess funds from that flat rate it WILL be used to the benefit of the men who paid it. I have no interest in making a penny from this nor do I want to incur any additional out of pocket costs myself.

[gee_a_cee]

Originally Posted by enderwiggin

I concur. Asking the ladies to pay for their own food and drinks is a recipe for a sausage party. Tell them it's free and many of the local spenders will be there...

The only thing I would change in your post is the word "local". My hope is there will be out of town spenders here also.

[gee_a_cee]

Originally Posted by tucson

I don't recall any women buying any thing at any of the partys but I had a date with the lady I brought to the party with BCD after. Keep in mind this is a place where the ladies can parade their wares to the guys. I would think the loss of a 1 hour $250 date will be more than made up for by the advertisement they will gain at the party.

The flaw I see in that logic is: 1. Out of town ladies have gas to pay for to get here, and 2, they have lodging to pay for, and 3. they will be out of "work" for much longer than one hour.

This is a business for the ladies. This is a hobby for us guys.

[Ms. Athena]

At all the meet and greets that I have attended the gentlemen have paid a small fee..30-40 to cover cost of room and food, and the ladies were free. Now some had a open bar and some had a cash bar. I really hope this can come together and put BCS on the map for hobbying, even though it is one of our smaller towns.

[Guest030824]

Ms A if you will be there I know I will have to attend.

[GenesisNicole]

Originally Posted by tucson

I will drive down from DFW and get a hotel and take a taxi to the party. I may discover a lady that intrigues me and arrange to spend the night with her. We all will spend money for this and then you will want to charge the guys to attend?

WoW.

Keep in mind that the ladies that come in from out of town to such events occur just about the same expenses as you. (Gas, hotel room, food, etc..)

And it's not like every lady is going to get a BCD date after the party to help kick in for HER out of picket expenses. (Not even giving her much of a profit as she is already in the hole).
TRUST me, I've gone to many parties and still have yet to see many of the men who have said, "Your on my list" *eye roll*

Every meet and greet or social type of function I have attended in the hobby had a small entrance fee for the gents and the ladies were always free. (Yay! to the "cookie")

I don't see how this will be any different. The fee from the gents goes to pay for the venue and anything else that needs to be paid for in order to have the event...

Genesis Nicole

[Guest032117]

I have seen the same. The gents pay anywhere from 30-50 for admission and the ladies are free.

If we want to talk about expenses...when I go to a social, I spend about $300 on my outfit, nails, and spa services. I often get a hotel as well even though I could drive home. I also do not plan BCD for the evening of the event or the following morning. This gives me the freedom to mix and mingle without being tied down to anyone in particular. I don't expect to recoup these expenses. What I do get however, is a great chance to build a positive reputation. When the buzz gets around that a lady has been met in person and is a true gem, that's good marketing. I will take that to the bank as a sound investment in my brand name. M & G's are not speed dating...they are networking parties with a chance for positive exposure.

When we start talking about the opportunity to go BCD at the end of the night, for the ladies that is a very tunnel-vision, narrow-minded goal. I understand where the gents are coming from, but personally I can book 2-3 dates from my computer at home in that time span. Once again, the goal of M & G's should not be immediate profit for a lady, but long-term investment.

[Guest032117]

Don't know why I'm still thinking on this but here is what has worked for some of the larger, more successful M&G's:

A panel of 4-6 people (hosts) is put together. Each person in the panel has a "buy-in" of $xxx amount each. The party budget is set from this combined amount. It is understood that these are the hosts and they will not recoup the funds. That their participation as a host is that of service and giving back to local hobbying community.

When the gents are charged more, it sends a signal to the ladies that their potential future clientele is of means and can be trusted to TCB. The more money involved, the nicer, the more exclusive the event, the more the ladies will try to bring their A-game. I am sure that the gents can agree that is what they would expect of the ladies who attend on their dime.

Any money made from admission is recycled for the next party. The hosts should expect to spend money out of pocket, the gentlemen should expect to pay admission, and the ladies should expect to invest their time and put their best foot forward to entice the gents if they want to add to their own success. Ladies and gents who do not represent the community well should expect not to be invited back to the next event.

[gee_a_cee]

I like the way you think Marie. Thanks for posting your thoughts.

Originally Posted by YummyMarie

I have seen the same. The gents pay anywhere from 30-50 for admission and the ladies are free.

If we want to talk about expenses...when I go to a social, I spend about $300 on my outfit, nails, and spa services. I often get a hotel as well even though I could drive home. I also do not plan BCD for the evening of the event or the following morning. This gives me the freedom to mix and mingle without being tied down to anyone in particular. I don't expect to recoup these expenses. What I do get however, is a great chance to build a positive reputation. When the buzz gets around that a lady has been met in person and is a true gem, that's good marketing. I will take that to the bank as a sound investment in my brand name. M & G's are not speed dating...they are networking parties with a chance for positive exposure.

When we start talking about the opportunity to go BCD at the end of the night, for the ladies that is a very tunnel-vision, narrow-minded goal. I understand where the gents are coming from, but personally I can book 2-3 dates from my computer at home in that time span. Once again, the goal of M & G's should not be immediate profit for a lady, but long-term investment.