How to Plan a Car Show Extravaganza and Fundraiser

by: Tonza Borden

A car show “extravaganza” is a fantastic opportunity to bring a community or special interest group together – for more than one cause. Planning your car show event is not an easy task but the process can be simplified and efficient. The most important steps to planning your extravaganza are as follows:
The Organizers
You can be the sole show organizer or it can be a joint venture with another group. Whichever way you decide to go, there is a lot of face-to-face coordination involved. Also, it may be inconvenient to get everybody to together at a meeting on the same day. But you will need to make sure that everybody knows what’s going on and be reminded of their role and responsibilities. You’re probably wondering how to accomplish that because coordinating people is a major feat itself. Here’s where Atlanta Antique Car Club comes in with those hard-to-find resources. We recommend staying in contact with helloWorld – Video e-Mail. It is easy, affordable and so much better than phoning.
The Event
Plan a car show with a fun and festive atmosphere for the whole family. Plan a luxury and performance car and bike event dedicated to the automobile industry – featuring the best possible cars, motorcycles, limousines, customs, and art cars available because this is the “attraction”. Varying your selection of automobiles and automotive products is what will give your show the extravagant factor and take it over the top.
The Venue
Location, location, location. This is where your show will go down in history. Because of the nature of your event, selecting a venue that is unique is very important. It must have an acceptable floor plan to accommodate a large crowd, registration, bathrooms, many exhibitors and vendors, and ample parking spaces for visitors and show car trailers.
The Theme
Classic cars, food and old music are the right formula for an old-school theme and goodtime. Dressing in period clothing can add nostalgia and interest, too. And, when the 50’s music starts, your visitors will be taking a trip down memory lane. Check out this 50s party in a box to get your creative juices flowing.
The Attraction
If this is your main event of the year, it should be a festive “extravaganza” representing a vintage and classic car lifestyle. Whether it is one day or held over a few days, it should have a dramatic theme to set the stage for beautiful motorcars and beautiful people. Your car show should be the hottest ticket in town – not the most boring. So pull out all of the stops and go for it!
The Multi-Task Team Building
The people behind your car show are a very important component – especially the creative team. Here’s a tip that will pay dividends. Keep all of your volunteers happy because they comprise the logistical teams to perform the multi-tasks, at no cost. That being said, the creative team is responsible for planning the theme and working with the committees to get it done, under budget and on time.
The Vendors or Us
purchaseing, cooking and selling foodstuff has its advantages. On the other hand, your event may be so huge that you won’t have enough hands to flip burgers quick enough. Inviting vendors is a good thing as long as they:

• Carry insurance
• Be liable and on-time
• Be very professional

The Fundraising
Make your car show extravaganza make money – without spending a lot. How? Use your church parking lot or a donated venue. Be your own vendor by cooking and selling food and beverage – that’s donated or bought at discount prices. What you spend upfront will make a big difference on your bottom line. Sell tickets for a raffle, special attraction, etc. Charge a small fee for parking lot spaces for swap meet vendors. Or, collect donated sale items from your members for 100% profit. Ask for donated folding tables as well as monetary donations (if you are a nonprofit organization). Write and publish FREE public service announcements to announce your event – giving them at least two weeks lead-time. Tell everyone to tell everyone. Get the word out for FREE.
The Sponsors
Sponsors are companies who wish to be associated with your car show and visitors. A great car show is an event that sponsors would like to be associated with so keep that in mind when building your sponsor relationships.
The Exhibitors
You will want to round off your show with sponsors, food vendors, swap meet vendors, disc jockey, musicians, bands, bike performances, etc. Because when it’s all said and done, it’s all about having a good time so give your visitors variety, thrill and excitement. When they’re happy, they tend to purchase from exhibitors.
The Visitors
Vintage and classic car show visitors are unique. They are in a class by themselves. They are a special group of people who live the old-school car lifestyle. They are car collectors, enthusiasts and wannabes – with purchaseing power. They are a group who recognize and respect universal status symbols and the finer things that money can purchase. That being said, your car show visitors deserve the very best show you can provide.
The Media
Last but not least, you will want to invite the media to make them your partner for all of your car show extravaganzas. As I’ve stated, you must encourage volunteers to tell everyone but telling the media is your best bet. A public service announcement will cover a greater audience and territory than you will be able to do by word of mouth. Another form of ‘media’ is flyers, banners, your web site where people can visit your site for information about upcoming events. In fact, you should be advertising your car club, group, organization at all times and I.D.IT!PLATES is a great way to drive traffic to your web.
Planning and implementing a car show won’t be easy but if it was it probably wouldn’t be a car show “extravaganza”. Use this outline to get started with your first car show. Having a plan will help you to stay focused and efficient – while keeping it simple. After the show, you will want to see pictures that tell the story about your success. So ask all volunteers to bring a camera to snap lots of pictures of event activities and car enthusiast having fun. Please don’t forget to share your pictures with Atlanta Antique Car Club's photo gallery - for the entire world to see.

Kids Just Wanna Have Fun!

by: Cheryl Johnson

During the recent “schools out session” for the holidays. I was reminded how much the kids crave entertainment. No matter what time of year the
“Kids Just Wanna Have Fun.” And who could blame them? I don’t think there are many of us who haven’t longed for the carefree, playful days of our youth. I have four of these carefree fun hungry kids. Keeping them entertained on a tight budget is always a challenge.

I have discovered over the years that more money doesn’t necessarily mean more fun. In fact, some of the simplest, age old activities, seem to feed their fun hungry souls the best. Remember, in the “old days” that is the “very old days”. Family gatherings provided a great source of entertainment. Its hard to believe that in today’s fast paced, high tech, world that children still enjoy this kind of interaction.

I have found that for some reason, maybe because it validates their own behaviors, kids love to hear stories of when we were young. No, not the kind that remind them of how good they have it today. I’m talking about our childhood antics, the times when we misbehaved, did something wrong, and the consequences .

Most of us have funny moments in our life that just stick with us. Sometimes they weren’t so funny at the time at least from our prospective, then. My kids love to hear stories of my childhood antics, when I broke the rules, how I felt about it , and what punishment I had to endure because of it. They especially like the punishment part. Some sort of satisfaction knowing that I had to endure the cruelties of punishment also!

Of course it doesn’t sound amusing to talk about times when you got in trouble. But, those memories are funny to us now that we look back at our childhood. Sure we can laugh now……… We’re a lot smarter and see the innocence of our ways.

This is a great way to also remind ourselves that we were once kids also. And not so different than our own kids. With much the same innocence, gullibility, and scheming potential. Ahhhh… a great tool for reminding us that at least some of the behaviors we frown on in our kids is just the normal age old process of growing up! A very reassuring thought when you’re ready to pull your hair out.

In some ways this ritual of reminiscing shows our children that we love them unconditionally. That we understand. Why, because we’ve been there, done that. And we acted in many ways , and felt in many ways , the same way they do today. Its true that some things never change. I have a shorter list of tales to tell being one of three siblings. My husband on the other hand is one of eleven children, and he can keep them in belly busting laughter for hours, leaving them begging for more. Telling not only his own antics but those of his brothers and sisters.

So, if you ever find everyone sitting around looking bored to the gills, start up a casual conversation and work in some of your funny moments in life. You’ll have them begging for more and more tales. “Tell some more, tell some more!” And the best part ….. It’s Free Entertainment!

With a little research….what was that?……..research? If you’ve been to visit http://www.simpledebtfreeliving.com you know this is one of my pet peeves….. If you don’t know what’s out there or if you don’t know what you’re looking for, you’re doomed to spend too much of your hard earned money!

There no disputing the fact that an “ Informed Consumer = More Savings! “ There! I said it again. Boy did that feel good. Well now that I got that off my chest let me share some ideas on this FUN thing.

• Roller skating- went once a week when I was a kid. Loved it! Guess what? My kids love it too! And it’s cheap if you do your research. Our local rink has a family night. Get this , $1 to get in $1 for skates if you need to rent.
  
  If you make this a regular outing, invest in the skates. That’s one of those birthday or Christmas gifts that will pay you back in the long run. My husband and I don’t skate, those days are gone. Although I highly recommend it for a great workout. That means four kids can get in for $4. Three hours of fun for $4. You can’t beat it!
  
  I could get us in for even less . . .only $2. We have a local grocery store that prints coupons on back of the receipts, one of the most frequent coupons I get ….the local roller skating rink “purchase one entrance fee, get one free” .
  
  I prefer not to use these for family night since my oldest daughter likes to go to the rink on “teen night” The rink socks it to them at $6 an entry. They know where the money is! This is a social event that many teens in the area just can’t miss! This way she can get in free if she goes with a paying friend. Sometimes, just to be fair, we share the savings with her friends and each of them only has to pay $3. This way she doesn’t feel like she’s taking advantage of anyone.



• Bowling: this can be a great low cost avenue for FUN if you don’t get carried away. Usually you have to pay by the game, per person. So set your limits and have fun. Most lanes have bumper guards now that prevent the little ones from excessive “gutter ball blues” It helps put the fun back in it for the very young children. A great feature. Even for the fumbling adult. Who am I kidding, I love those bumper guards!
  Most alleys have a discount night. So, try to plan your activities so you can enjoy the benefits of the discounts.


Just a Note: Both of the above businesses usually offer birthday party rates as well. If you’re not into planning your own party at home (by far the most economical way) then consider checking out the party packages.


• Cookouts and Picnics: Cookouts don’t have to be for special occasions. We have several wonderful parks in our area that sport wonderful playgrounds and scenic walking or biking trails. So take the boredom out of lunch one Saturday or Sunday afternoon and throw together a cookout or picnic at your local park. My kids just need to get out of the house sometimes. They don’t really care where they go, as long as they go somewhere!
  
  As I mention on my Family Entertainment page (www.simpledebtfreeliving.com/family-entertainment.html) , parks are a great resource for free fun! The internet is a great resource for finding new, different, and exciting parks in your area. Just do a simple search and you will probably be amazed at the numerous parks within driving distance from your home. So keep it interesting and travel a little bit to get to exciting new places!
  
  An extra bonus . . . . You will be making great memories for your kids!:)



• Museums and Historical Landmarks: Don’t think you have any near you? Bet Ya’ do! Why even in the far out sticks of nowhere you might be surprised to find a museum within a reasonable distance. I am blessed to live in a highly cultural area between Washington DC and Baltimore. So museums, tourists attractions, and historic landmarks (yes many of them Free) are abundant.
  
  But, no matter where you live, do a little research (yes, again) and I’ll bet you’ll find some interesting attraction or museum convenient to your home. If in a rare case you don’t, then plan to visit an area on a weekend trip where you can enjoy these types of historic attractions.



• Family Game Night:
- I know that many times after a hard days work we just want to sit, relax, and well, basically, do nothing! But, once you get in a habit of designating one night “Family Game Night” I guarantee you’ll look forward to it.

This is a great way interact with your kids. It’s fun, educational, and provides an opportunity for conversation (Now that’s something those teens don’t offer up much). Choose games that everyone enjoys and is capable of doing. Games that suit the family’s entire age span are always more fun. And, there are many out there.

If you have a large family with some large age differences, you can opt to have two game nights so you can include games suited for the younger children that the older ones might get bored with. Of course, always provide the option for older ones to be included. Sometimes, believe it or not, they just enjoy the quality time with parents and siblings. :)

Well, that should keep you busy for now! And Remember, it doesn't have to cost alot to be alot of FUN!

A Strategy for Attracting Higher Paying Client

by: Catherine Franz

 

Some people have little difficulty attracting and maintaining higher paying clients. Others can't get to
first base. Higher paying clients consume less time, exchange energy instead of zapping yours, have higher regards for your relationship, give more referrals, pay on time, and this in turn allows you to make higher profits.

When asked how I recommend raising client’s fees, I answer honestly, "It’s very difficult." Why? Let me share this story, one I'm sure you can relate to. You go to the store to purchase more of something you like but you don't have to have. Before you paid $10 and now its $15. You play with the package and stand there rethinking your need, it’s value and also wondering if can find it cheaper elsewhere. You leave empty-handed or purchase something else. If your price is higher, their reaction gets magnified.

Another angle is to increase their deal, add something to the pot, something of perceived value. It can work if handled correctly. A value added item could be a client-only monthly teleclass or access to a membership-only website. An infopreneur can add client-only informational products.

To collect higher fees, you will most likely need to change demographics, your mindset, internal and external language, marketing strategy and materials.

Here is a list of ten barriers that might be interfering with attracting higher paying clients:

1. Equal stature. People take the time to listen to people who are as or more important than they are. Are you at their listening level? Do you dress and act the way they do? Phone interactions require mirroring their language and thinking. Can you speak their language? Or do you need to learn. Talk as equals. Learn their mindset and shift yours. If your values are too different, then find another
market. If stature doesn't match, they will smell it like cabbage cooking in a kitchen. Show a similar state of authority, confidence, and posture. Walk, talk, and sit the way they do. If their mannerisms are too assertive for you, either raise yours up or find another market.

2. Thoroughly know each of their challenges and what solutions you provide that answer each challenge. What problems are they experiencing? How can you make their life or business easier? People take the path of least resistance. Be that path. Higher paying people are proud of their world and their decisions. They feel they deserve it, they took the risk that the average person doesn't take,
and you need to give them that respect but also have your own.

3. Be friendly with them but don't allow them to manipulate your time or energy. Normally, higher paying professionals know how to delegate and leverage and they will use this technique to test you. Be friendly with their administrative assistants, receptionist, or other gatekeepers but don't bribe them with flowers or something to get in the door. That worked years ago but the trend now is tacky. And, yes, they will always report your language and behavior back to their paycheck controller.

4. The higher their status, the more likely they will be visionary people. Learn how visionary people think, their viewpoints, and language. Visionaries surround themselves with people who believe in their visions. Listen to their visions and respect them. They have the wherefore to make them happen. Support their visions in any way you can. Provide something that answers a step to their vision, even if it something outside the scope of your service or product. Do they need a referral or can't find something, do the research for them.

5. The higher you go, the more they expect from your service. They expect special care and outstanding service. They know their money can purchase it and they demand it. Don't deliver anything less. They know what you provide and what your competitors provide; you must know this as well.

6. Integrity is usually one of their top five values. Always keep your promises and they will keep the relationship. Even if they break theirs, you will need to keep yours. The higher you go, the less you ever want to break a promise. You probably will not get a second chance. It’s like sitting in Donald Trump’s boardroom and he says, "You're fired."

7. Don't brown nose. It’s a cabbage thing. If they smell it, they will either quick answering your calls or play you for entertainment and then toss you away. If you get this label, just move on.

8. People that earn more money substitute the word "mistake" for "learning lesson." If you don't share this philosophy, change it. It’s a good one to change any way. They experience life and don't worry about the valleys. The mistake belief holds an underlying fear. Fear is energy and has a smell, and they sense it, easily.

9. Their first response to your proposal will always be "how can they do it with their own resources." Expect this to be their first immediate thought. Prepare to be able to demonstrate what you offer is what they can't find within their own resources -- they can't match it without more effort or a different focus. This will earn you brownie points towards a sale.

10. The higher the stature, the higher leveraging skills they learned. Leveraging also includes negotiating. The number one skill I recommend people getting in business is to learn how and when to negotiate and how people think when they are in negotiation mode. The game changes with decisions need to be made and the cards are on the table. Higher paying clients don't connect business and pleasure. You will want to learn how to do the same. They may win in business and have drink with your afterwards. Learn to let go quickly.

11. The first "no" is always a test. Don't take it personally or as the final answer but make sure you have the right match. Listen if they say no and give three reasons why not. This is a firmer no and they are telling you what they need (the reasons). It’s your turn to tell them if you can answer those reasons. If not, you loose, negotiation over.

12. When you are looking for higher paying clients, look for people who see your product or service as not only valuable, but also essential to their goals or objectives.

13. Know what your service or product is worth and stand by that value. Discount isn't in your vocabulary or theres.
Don't make it yours and speak of it first or even second.
Only speak of it if they are willing to show you the money now and it leads to a higher value for something.

14. Remove the "under earner" mindset behind. If you have more money then they do because of what you do, don't talk down to them, or make them feel inferior in any way.

15. Make it easy for them to work with you. Remove any hoops or extra steps that take up their time. They are very time sensitive. If it takes chasing you down by phone, they will not bother. If you don't answer their emails within a comfortable time for them, they will move on and accomplish whatever was on their agenda without you. When they do contact you, rest assured, it’s important. They don't waste their time.

16. Decide in advance, how you are going to hand any rejections or protests. What, when, where and how will you follow-up? What back doors can you come in from -- with integrity, of course?

17. High presentation quality required. If they feel comfortable seeing a slide presentation, don't use a hand-drawn flip chart. If you don't know, ask a few of their current suppliers and a staff member.

18. Set up a sophisticated referral-marketing program. It really is who you know in their circle. Find their circle and consistently show up. Not to market but to build relationships and make connections. When they like you, you're in.

19. Be confident about your attraction. Feel the energy of the universe, sense it’s attraction, remove any doubt and believe in it 100%. Know that it will occur and allow attraction to enter and be a total part of your life and business.

Are you ready for this step up? Attracting higher paying clients when you previously didn't, takes commitment, planning, and changing. Jump in without the all the answers, and tweak. It’s guaranteed to work, that’s the way the Law of Attraction works.

How To Make Your Car Show Attractive

by: Tonza Borden

Vintage automobiles, vendors and entertainment work like a magnet to attract visitors to a well planned and well executed car show. A variety of antique classic cars, trucks and cycles, great food, choice of beverage and plenty of it is what visitors want.


Music Matters
Add live music or a disc jockey spinning tunes from the 50s, 60s and 70s and your visitors will stay in the party mood from beginning to end. And no car show would be complete without fun activities for kids.
Kick It Up A Notch
Another attraction can also be your theme such as 50s costumes or funky vintage attire. This is a simple way for hosts and visitors to add to the attraction. The fun can start with shopping at thrift stores for your outfit. Another popular car show attraction is a Swap Meet.
Ask your group to donate retro items from their garage, storage room, etc. and sell it cheap. The cheaper the prices the more you will sell and there won’t be anything to pack up. Are there any musicians or artisans in your group who would perform for the love of it?
An attraction doesn’t have to be huge or expensive—just interesting and fun. Equipped with a small budget and a large cache of creativity, you can make your car show very attractive.

How To Make A Woman Trust You Completely

by: John Alexander

I'm about to reveal a little-known secret of human persuasion that can induce the woman to feel complete trust for you, and have sex with you... even if it's the very first date. You see, for a woman to have sex with a guy, she must not only be attracted to him, but she must also trust him. Look at it like this:
1. Trust Without Attraction = "He's a great friend and I love him to death!" (Translation: "We'll NEVER have sex!")


2. Attraction Without Trust = "I'm not a loose woman. He'll have to wait before he gets any!"
However, if the woman has both attraction AND trust for the guy, she'll be literally begging you to take her home with you that night.
Let's take a typical scenario. Say it's coming up on 11 PM, and you've been with a woman since 6 that afternoon. As long as you've had good rapport with her and you've kept pushing the interaction forward, you can assume she's attracted to you.
And by the way, with a woman, you should always assume attraction until proven otherwise. Because the bottom line is that as long as you've got good body language, you've got a lot going on in your life, and you're witty and interesting, she WILL be attracted to you.
Now you need to build trust. By the time you finish this article, you'll know an easy, efficient way to do that.
And by the way, this is a one of the best-kept secrets of human persuasion. The most successful advertisers and salesmen to make billions use it, and now you'll be able to use it with women.
Have you ever noticed how ads will sometimes mention minor defects in the products? A famous example of this was the wildly success Volkswagen Beetle ads from 30 years ago that had the huge headline: "Lemon."
The point of the ad was that not all of their cars were perfect. VW took its quality inspections so seriously that it took note of even small weaknesses in the builds of its cars.
You see, if a person tells you something that's against his self-interest, you tend to trust him more. We all do. It's a fundamental trait of human psychology.
So when it comes to women, you should point out your minor flaws. Examples could be:
- "I have an ugly mole on my neck. Sometimes I feel self-conscious about it."
- "I had to give a speech last week and felt so nervous!"
- "I don't always floss my teeth even though I should."
Even if they're fake flaws, it doesn't necessarily matter. By pointing them out, you create a perception of honesty within the woman.
Because she believes the minor imperfections about you, she'll believe the MAJOR PERFECTIONS about you as well.
This means that, having both attraction for AND trust in you, later that night she could be breathlessly panting, "I've never done it with a guy this soon before!"

How To Plan A Car Show Attraction

by: Tonza Borden

Antique classic cars, especially collector and specialty automobiles are a hot attraction for any event—whether indoor or outdoor. How do you get the cars to display? If you are a classic car club, members are happy to participate with their vintage rides. Another option is contributing a donation to a nonprofit car club for their service.


Main Attraction
These beautiful motorcars are show quality. So having a contact with a car club is essential. Individual clubs have different rules and regulations for displaying cars. If you are planning a classic car attraction, you should contact the car club as soon as you decide that you want to have a car show. Time is of the essence to work out the details, and get on their calendar, in the car show season. Prepare questions prior to making the call to appear organized and save time. Some frequently asked questions are:

• What is the donation amount for your service?
• How long can the cars be exhibited?
• How many cars will you bring?

A car show requires a large venue with sections for exhibitors, vendors and visitors parking. Overall, you will need an area big enough for everyone’s ease of movement and equipment storage.
Sub-Attractions
Some car show events feature the main attraction, which are the classic cars without considering sub-attractions such as:

• Disc Jockey and musicians
• Food and beverage vendors
• Swap meet exhibitors
• Children’s activities

Just think about it. A car show with just a main attraction could possibly be boring. A great attraction is built with layers such as automobiles for visual, food for smell, music for sound, and games for interactivity to stimulate visitors—all of which contribute to having a good time—and will make your car show much more attractive.

Women and Bad Boys: What Is The Attraction?

"Bad Boys".

If you're a woman, you may be saying "hmmm" as you hear these words. You know you shouldn't, but you just can't help yourself.

There is just SOMETHING about these guys that draws you in, even as your head tells you to "beware"!

So, what exactly is the attraction? It's not necessarily that they are more physically attractive or smarter or more successful than the "nice guys". In fact, they can have fewer of these qualities, yet be harder to resist.

So what is it? Let's begin by defining these guys. This term is generally applied to males who treat women poorly. Do these behaviors ring a bell?

*calling at 8:30 on a Saturday night to ask if you want to get together

*not showing up for a date- followed by no phone call or apology

*never having any money when you are out

* forgetting or ignoring your birthday and other important dates

*flirting openly with other women when you are together

*hitting on your good friend(s)

*making booty calls at 1am, after they've had a night out with others

*is doing time for a serious felony

Instead of asking "what is it about these guys"; let's instead examine what it is about the women who can't resist them. The following are actual statements from women who have a history of attraction to these guys. See if any of these sound familiar.

* "It's never BORING with him. He's unpredictable and exciting."

* "He's strong, aggressive and self-assured; I feel safe with him."

* "It's not his fault; he's trying to get his life together."

* "I haven't met anyone else that makes me feel the way he does."

* "He's so charming and passionate."

* "He tells me how much he likes me, so he must really feel something for me."

* "He needs me."

* "He doesn't come across as needy and desperate."

* "I can't believe I've attracted someone like him."

Now, on the face of these, they seem pretty benign. We all seek at least some of these traits in the men we choose. So, where's the problem?

Essentially it's in his inability to meet the woman's fundamental needs. She is the one doing all (or most) of the giving. The question then lies in; "what's in it for her?"

The answer can be found by exploring three basic issues:

*level of self-esteem

*capacity for intimacy

*roles that she has been in throughout her life

If a woman feels good about herself, she chooses a mate who communicates both verbally and non-verbally to her that she is valued and respected. She won't allow this other person to undermine her positive self-worth. She believes in her ability to participate in a healthy, reciprocal relationship.

If she doesn't feel good about herself, she chooses someone who reinforces her negative self-beliefs.

If a woman is capable of true intimacy, she is open to the true availability of the other person. She wants him to be a full and active participant in the relationship. She can allow herself to be open, vulnerable and able to take as well as to receive all that true intimacy offers.

If intimacy is difficult, she choose someone who is distant, hard to connect with and not emotionally and/or physically available.

If a woman has had a healthy role in her relationships since childhood, she will choose someone with whom she can continue this healthy interaction.

If a woman has been too long in the role of rescuer, caregiver or the one who sacrifices for the good of others, this will probably be the role she will seek out in her relationships.

Fortunately, most women fall somewhere in between on these issues. So the task is to evaluate yourself in each area and decide on a course of action that will help you to choose a "nice guy", who stirs your senses and meets your needs while being truly available for a real relationship.

Begin with an assessment of what you value most in life and cannot live without.

Once you know what is most important to you and believe that you are worthy of achieving it, you will have taken a giant step towards finding the right partner for you.