Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
I am seeking suggestions
We are an aging group of collectors and are more interested in collection than showing exhibits for ribbons. We wish to be more interactive with our show visitors. Oh there will be displays as usual but what ideas would you suggest to show the fun of collecting ?
We have given out beginner collecting kits and groups of theme stamps which interest the young ones who accompany parents and grandparents.
One member suggested bringing in projects in binders and talk about the items enclosed, another a scavenger hunt to find a dozen or so stamps made available in a box of stamps
Please share your thoughts and ideas.
Thank you
Cheryl
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Maybe a few things to try:
- area where people can take stamps off paper - interactive and get to participate - maybe they get to keep the stamps they take off paper once they’re dry?
- show the different ways you can organize or store your stamps - pros and cons and definitely don’ts!
- different types of topical collections to show what’s possible
- have a few tables where people can just go and ask questions if they want to know more
- identifying stamps, learning more about a topic, what to look for when deciding what to buy -whether gear or stamps
- anything that helps a new audience understand the things that keeps experienced collectors engaged - the nerdy stuff 
Other than that, just be your friendly and welcoming selves!! It’s always great to go to shows to learn more from others. With most ‘new’ people coming into the hobby because of an inherited collection, it’s nice to have someone else to share it with and ask questions because they can’t ask their loved one who had the collection anymore.
Mike
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Excellent ideas
Thankyou Mike
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I feel shows need to expand their scope. If you look at events like ComicCon, there are a diverse set of events. A typical stamp show - some dealers, exhibits that many understand or appreciate, and some ad hoc seminars.
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08:37:44am
I agree with Al, something has to be done to make shows more interesting. The newer collectors are more difficult to entertain and something has to really appeal to them before they take notice. I believe the collection of classic material will not interest younger people unless they are continuing a family collection. More interesting thematic items and talks and possibly make it as interactive as possible. It's going to be very difficult to convince the younger generation to actually collect something since, in my experience, no one under 50 wants to be burdened with stuff. Good luck and keep it as entertaining as possible!!!
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Cheryl... The American Topical Society is sponsoring a Zoom session titled 'Energize Your Stamp Club'. It is scheduled for Thursday, December 7, 2023, 7:00 p.m. Eastern. Registration and content information can be found at: https://americantopical.org/event-547455 ... Although not specifically about Stamp Shows, it might contain suggestions that you could apply to the Stamp Show environment.
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02:34:24pm
It's going to be very difficult for someone of our age to get young people interested in stamps because it is very hard for us to figure them out. I'll give an example! A 10 year old grand daughter of a friend was visiting and I was having supper with the family. The young girl is very interested in certain Marvel comics characters, especially one called The Scarlet Witch of X-Men fame. I have a huge collection of Marvel Silver Age comics (1960's and 1970's) including early X-Men and related material. I dug out some early comics featuring the characters she had an interest in and gave them to her to read. Her father enjoyed them but she didn't because they didn't fit with the characters as they are now. She said they didn't "make sense"! I was a bit stunned, but the younger generation is very difficult to figure out. What kind of stamps would a younger person be interested in? Your guess is as good, or better, than mine!! Good luck!!
Edit: I realize that Cheryl was probably looking at a slightly older group but they don't make much sense to me either. They don't seem to be interested in stuff at all, no matter what it is. There are a few exceptions, but not many, and I guess those are the people we have to look at to continue the hobby into the next generation! I am very pessimistic!
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Harvey asked, "What kind of stamps would a younger person be interested in?" My answer: None. None at all. Period.
Starting early in the first decade of this brave new century, I was vice-president and president of the British Columbia Philatelic Society for several years in as well as exhibits chair and chair of VANPEX. Our membership was at all-time high, and VANPEX was a big deal, with a busy bourse, well over a hundred exhibit frames, and internationally known speakers at our banquets. During all of that time, we had exactly two members younger than middle age. One, in his early teens, attended five or six meetings and was never seen again. The other, in his late teens, disappeared after a year or so. The only kids I ever saw at VANPEX were grandchildren of two exhibitors. Very bored grandchildren! We had a bins of free stamps to give away (popular among the adults in attendance, some of whom grabbed more than their share), door prizes, snacks, great looking medals and award certificates) and some wonderful exhibits.
I taught school for 17 years, starting in 1973, and had stamp clubs in each of three schools I taught in, including a large high school. The kids who joined those clubs were...different. They weren't jocks, they didn't belong to the chess club, they weren't in band, they weren't the "popular" kids. But they were earnest stamp collectors. Where did they go? I expect the same kids today would be studying computer programming, playing Dungeons & Dragons, and spending hours and hours on various social media platforms (not StampoRama!).
I know a teacher here in Vancouver who tried to start a stamp club. (I've told this story before, here on StampoRama.) He had a good turnout for his first meeting, where kids bought a lot of the inexpensive stamps he supplied. They came to the next meeting, hoping to sell the stamps they had bought the week before, which they couldn't sell, of course, because they had all become sellers! No one came to the third meeting.
Why did we become stamp collectors? In part it must have been the fact that stamps were common objects in our lives. We needed them. In those days, the only affordable, practical way to communicate was by letter or postcard, both of which required stamps. When I was in the U.S. Navy in the mid-1960s, letters were the only way I could communicate with my family, except in an emergency, without great expense or the use of the Navy's communication facilities. Stamps were even used as currency! And they were readily available, even new issues. Post offices were everywhere, readily accessible, and staffed by knowledgeable people who (in my case, at least) understood stamp collecting and helped to promote our interest in the hobby. Stamps were affordable. They showed us aspects of the greater world beyond our communities. They even dovetailed with the news that we heard on the radio, read in newspapers and magazines, and saw on newsreels at the movie theatres. Among the stamps I first collected was one picturing a MiG-15 jet fighter, which I had seen in combat with American jets in newsreels during the Korean War:
There were the stamps issued by Monaco on the occasion of Grace Kelly's marriage to Prince Rainier (I had been in love with Grace before she threw me over for “His Majesty”:
There was even a stamp issued for me, a newspaperboy!:
Kids today, even young adults, have never had to write ordinary letters, not when email and messaging and "social media" exist and is virtually free. The fact that stamps are often attractive, even beautiful works of art will hardly move them, not when they can easily create their own visual and audio art with their iPhones and other "digital devices.
I suppose that there probably is a gene that causes people to express a need to collect things. If there is, most of you reading this have that gene. My son and daughter-in-law probably have it too, but it's being overwhelmed by their world, which certainly is not my world. Several years ago I turned over some family artifacts to my son and daughter-in-law. They included woodworking tools used by my paternal great grandfather, and a Second World War canteen. A few months later, they returned them because, they said, they just weren't into collecting "things". 'Nuff said.
I personally think that any adult collector who thinks he can influence young people become collectors needs a good head shake. It ain't gonna happen, not on the scale we would like.
Bob
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One year each of the stamp clubs and associations in our area was given an exhibit frame to fill with items that they feel are remarkable.
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I actually believe shows should be attracting more older people that are more likely to appreciate the aspects of the hobby with more time, more inclined to collect something, appreciate history, and have more disposible income.
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So many great ideas and comments Thankyou In response to Bob ,most of my local club members collected when collecting was cool. It was a childhood pastime . Most were away from it when getting educated and raising a family Most returned when retired . All but one of our members had a connection to the postal system (either postmaster themselves or a family member who was in the business or belonged to a youth group earning collector badges ) One in particular recalls that special person they met who shared their postal history and what he learned about people ,events and the countries of the world. Maybe we can still be that special connector person There is more to collecting stamps than just putting them in an album...but it is a start.
As a teacher and wanting to get the class writing stories I would bring in an old shoe,or,hat etc and have them tell a story of its travels . One day I brought in a box of old envelopes with stamps from various countries. Well those 12 year olds had fun not only telling about the country of origin but how it had arrived in the classroom. I wish now I had saved those stories.
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In my opinion it is a myth that the hobby needs young people. Pre-WWII, there were many young people in the hobby; post WWII young people had many more alternative things they could do including television. I can site numerous article and periodicals starting in the 1950s that claim the hobby would die off without young people. That is over 60 years ago, more than two generations, yet we still here people saying that the hobby needs young people. My question is this, how many generations have to pass before we believe that the hobby demographics is actually 45+ year olds?
For me, it makes perfect sense that hobbies and pastimes have specific primary age demographics; there is no need for a hobby or pastimes to reach every age group. For example, would anyone say that playing hockey or video games need people 50+ years or older? Should knitting or genealogy be targeting younger people? Philately is very well suited for 45+ people, they have more time and most importantly they are starting to think about their place in the world and its history. This is why a pastime like genealogy is something that people look into later in life and not when they are young.
Philately also is something that you can do without breaking your neck or hip. As we get older, it can also become more difficult to travel, so moving online makes sense but makes traditional philatelic events like shows less likely to attract attendees.
There is also over a decade of data on which age groups are joining the hobby using online venues. Even though online is often considered a younger person medium, the overwhelming numbers of people entering the hobby online are 45+. This makes me think that philately should be targeting this demographic as the ‘low hanging fruit’.
I have in the past and continue to support younger people in the hobby. But I consider the efforts the same as I would the planting of an apple seedling. It will be many years before it bears fruit, typically once the people reach 45+ age.
Don
Edit:
The 1968 APS national meeting, I see very few (if any) young people. That was 50+ years ago but here we are, the hobby certainly is alive and well. It is also so 'white' that I need sunglasses to look at it. If we are going to attract new people, perhaps targeting women and some more diverse groups would be better than young people.
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09:29:09pm
Don, you make a very convincing argument and I hope you're right! My only problem is that almost all of the people I know in the 45 - 55 age bracket are not even slightly interested in accumulating stuff of any kind. Part of the problem is the huge debt they are carrying - large mortgages, payments on two cars, the price of food and gas, heating oil and many are still paying off large student loans. They won't be able to afford to accumulate stuff, even if they wanted to, for quite a while. Of course there are exceptions but there are many people who are on the edge of serious problems. So maybe by the time they reach the age of about 55 they will be able to afford stamps! This is only me opinion and I might be off the mark but listening to people I know this seems to be the way things are.
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Agreed.
I think that one of the challenges is to spread the word that this hobby can be done without breaking the bank.
I also believe that it is important to embrace all levels of collecting and not be judgmental of what and how others collect. For example, not calling others 'bunnies' or 'bottom feeders' as I have seen in other forums.
But I hope people consider that our hobby may be just fine focusing on the 45+ age demographic. After all, if we wanted to promote Bingo as a pastime, I doubt many folks would believe that targeting young people would be wise.
Don
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I agree with all that has been said…. Our club has stopped hosting shows or bourses because of very low attendance which translates into unhappy dealers.
We eventually gave up on asking for exhibits because it was always the same couple of people.
We had the appraisal tables and the giveaways and the free tables for kids. Nothing worked to draw people in
However, our club is growing. We have Six new members over the last year and a half. They almost all come to every meeting. They range from absolute beginners to advanced collectors. Fun to see the interaction between old and new members.
One member has gotten his 11 year old daughter interested and she comes to our meetings now too. Everyone keeps an eye out for the stuff she likes - she gets a lot of stuff every meeting. Fun for the people who are giving and hopefully fun for her. Don’t know if she will keep at it, but you have to start somewhere
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It's the same in all hobbies.
The collector car scene... at cruise nights the old codgers chase away the passionate younger guys who have tuner cars-- Toyotas and Hondas, instead of 1950s Chevys and Fords. Then they moan about how the hobby is dying!
And it's not a modern thing. Back when I discovered stamps in the 1960s, old guys who have since been reduced to fertilizer would chastise me for liking the current stamp offerings. I liked, and still like the poster art style of that era. They'd tell me I needed to collect 19th century stamps, which appeared stodgy to young me, and I had no interest in them. Still I was told I must like and collect those, and to abandon my pursuit of contemporary subjects that were actually relevant to my life!
Let's move forward to current. While the average seasoned collector shuns modern subject stamps today-- the USPS is targeting the current experience of average citizens. My own non-collector friends in their 60s love the recent dead rock star stamps! Remember the Elvis stamp set records! All that modern stuff like Star Trek, Dr Seuss, Charlie Brown and such all sell well over the postal counter. I was standing at the counter a few years ago when a middle aged lady picked out the ice cream stamp booklet. She thought it would be fun on her mail.
I receive the vendor checks for 2 model car shows... amazing how many of them use car related commemorative stamps on their mail. I'll get mail with 5 year old car stamps, and the guy will admit to buying $200 worth for his mail. All these folks are one stamp away from stamp collecting!
I wind up with first day covers from the 1990s to date in lots I buy for my eBay store. At first I just put them aside, but once I started listing them I realized they flew off the shelf... and guess who is buying them? Young people who are collecting stamps!
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Advertise that Taylor Swift will be there!
Seriously, though, this is a bit of a challenge. Here are a few somewhat random thoughts...
Have an auction for beginners! Have collectors/dealers donate material with “eye appeal” (no junk!!).
Emphasize topicals. My guess is that a large percentage will be drawn to them. Have ATA info available.
Introduce the "A Stamp for Every Country" and where to download the album from (APS). Have an album printed to show. I'm thinking of doing this myself some day...
How to approach and sit at a dealer’s table. I suspect beginners are a bit intimidated walking into a show of any size thinking “now what?” Share the “do’s and don’ts” to help them feel comfortable sitting down and working with dealers. I did this with our son when he was 9-10 years old, and the appreciative smiles & nods for the “etiquette” he displayed was noticeable. Youngsters or adults, dealers appreciate a certain level of etiquette, as do collectors.
Kids/beginners room/table with a mound of stamps. Have a sheet with 10 -12 topics and have them hunt for the stamps in the mixture. Birds, flowers, fish, trains, etc. Once they have found a stamp for each topic, reward them with a packet of stamps and hinges.
Show how to use hinges. Let them practice it! Have packets for sale/give away.
Show how to use tongs. Have different types of them available to try and purchase.
Dry books. How to use. Have them for sale.
Different types of magnifiers, and where to purchase them. If possible, have some for sale.
Catalogues, and how to use them. Find out if the local library has as set, and, if so, tell them!!
Let them know where they can purchase stamps! Are there local dealers? Several shows in the area every year?
Have collectors speak for a couple of minutes about what got them into stamps and what they collect. Keep it short and entertaining!
Emphasize that it can be a very inexpensive hobby for all ages!
Invite local scouts to help them earn the Stamp Collecting Merit Badge.
Identify who could be your enthusiastic ambassadors, and task them with helping the “newbies.”
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One key aspect is marketing...it costs money and has to have a message. Most show costs are paid by the dealers so whatever it is done it needs to benefit them unless admission is charged.
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The biggest problem I see at our local show is actually getting people in the door to start with. Our last show, advertised in local press, posters, street signs and local internet sites, we had less than 10 new faces walk through the door. Sad to say even some of our club members were not present.
Apart from club members selling, there were two dealers and also a coin dealer and a freebie table.
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Thankyou for all your ideas. I took your suggestion to the club meeting and if anyone has Taylor Swift`s address that would help lol
Seriously your ideas led to a great deal of discussion and the top idea to try will be connecting with youth groups that work toward awards, badges etlike thec. Governor General, Two of our members are involved with Scouts etc, and we are going to work with the schools to try a postcard contest...Most young folks carry phones....Our town Bridgewater is 125 years young in 2024 so snapping photos of the places to visit will be turned into postcards and promote the area . We have a contact with the local museum and they were eader to become involved. The town will help with prizes and printing. Thanks again ....AND we did have a new un-retired member attend the meeting....
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09:09:32am
Good morning
I am seeking suggestions
We are an aging group of collectors and are more interested in collection than showing exhibits for ribbons. We wish to be more interactive with our show visitors. Oh there will be displays as usual but what ideas would you suggest to show the fun of collecting ?
We have given out beginner collecting kits and groups of theme stamps which interest the young ones who accompany parents and grandparents.
One member suggested bringing in projects in binders and talk about the items enclosed, another a scavenger hunt to find a dozen or so stamps made available in a box of stamps
Please share your thoughts and ideas.
Thank you
Cheryl
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05:54:31pm
re: Ideas to make a STAMP SHOW more attractive to a new audience
Maybe a few things to try:
- area where people can take stamps off paper - interactive and get to participate - maybe they get to keep the stamps they take off paper once they’re dry?
- show the different ways you can organize or store your stamps - pros and cons and definitely don’ts!
- different types of topical collections to show what’s possible
- have a few tables where people can just go and ask questions if they want to know more
- identifying stamps, learning more about a topic, what to look for when deciding what to buy -whether gear or stamps
- anything that helps a new audience understand the things that keeps experienced collectors engaged - the nerdy stuff
Other than that, just be your friendly and welcoming selves!! It’s always great to go to shows to learn more from others. With most ‘new’ people coming into the hobby because of an inherited collection, it’s nice to have someone else to share it with and ask questions because they can’t ask their loved one who had the collection anymore.
Mike
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09:11:17pm
re: Ideas to make a STAMP SHOW more attractive to a new audience
Excellent ideas
Thankyou Mike
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re: Ideas to make a STAMP SHOW more attractive to a new audience
I feel shows need to expand their scope. If you look at events like ComicCon, there are a diverse set of events. A typical stamp show - some dealers, exhibits that many understand or appreciate, and some ad hoc seminars.
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This is my diabetic cat OBI! I think, therefore I am - I think! Descartes, sort of!
16 Nov 2023
08:37:44am
re: Ideas to make a STAMP SHOW more attractive to a new audience
I agree with Al, something has to be done to make shows more interesting. The newer collectors are more difficult to entertain and something has to really appeal to them before they take notice. I believe the collection of classic material will not interest younger people unless they are continuing a family collection. More interesting thematic items and talks and possibly make it as interactive as possible. It's going to be very difficult to convince the younger generation to actually collect something since, in my experience, no one under 50 wants to be burdened with stuff. Good luck and keep it as entertaining as possible!!!
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re: Ideas to make a STAMP SHOW more attractive to a new audience
Cheryl... The American Topical Society is sponsoring a Zoom session titled 'Energize Your Stamp Club'. It is scheduled for Thursday, December 7, 2023, 7:00 p.m. Eastern. Registration and content information can be found at: https://americantopical.org/event-547455 ... Although not specifically about Stamp Shows, it might contain suggestions that you could apply to the Stamp Show environment.
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This is my diabetic cat OBI! I think, therefore I am - I think! Descartes, sort of!
16 Nov 2023
02:34:24pm
re: Ideas to make a STAMP SHOW more attractive to a new audience
It's going to be very difficult for someone of our age to get young people interested in stamps because it is very hard for us to figure them out. I'll give an example! A 10 year old grand daughter of a friend was visiting and I was having supper with the family. The young girl is very interested in certain Marvel comics characters, especially one called The Scarlet Witch of X-Men fame. I have a huge collection of Marvel Silver Age comics (1960's and 1970's) including early X-Men and related material. I dug out some early comics featuring the characters she had an interest in and gave them to her to read. Her father enjoyed them but she didn't because they didn't fit with the characters as they are now. She said they didn't "make sense"! I was a bit stunned, but the younger generation is very difficult to figure out. What kind of stamps would a younger person be interested in? Your guess is as good, or better, than mine!! Good luck!!
Edit: I realize that Cheryl was probably looking at a slightly older group but they don't make much sense to me either. They don't seem to be interested in stuff at all, no matter what it is. There are a few exceptions, but not many, and I guess those are the people we have to look at to continue the hobby into the next generation! I am very pessimistic!
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re: Ideas to make a STAMP SHOW more attractive to a new audience
Harvey asked, "What kind of stamps would a younger person be interested in?" My answer: None. None at all. Period.
Starting early in the first decade of this brave new century, I was vice-president and president of the British Columbia Philatelic Society for several years in as well as exhibits chair and chair of VANPEX. Our membership was at all-time high, and VANPEX was a big deal, with a busy bourse, well over a hundred exhibit frames, and internationally known speakers at our banquets. During all of that time, we had exactly two members younger than middle age. One, in his early teens, attended five or six meetings and was never seen again. The other, in his late teens, disappeared after a year or so. The only kids I ever saw at VANPEX were grandchildren of two exhibitors. Very bored grandchildren! We had a bins of free stamps to give away (popular among the adults in attendance, some of whom grabbed more than their share), door prizes, snacks, great looking medals and award certificates) and some wonderful exhibits.
I taught school for 17 years, starting in 1973, and had stamp clubs in each of three schools I taught in, including a large high school. The kids who joined those clubs were...different. They weren't jocks, they didn't belong to the chess club, they weren't in band, they weren't the "popular" kids. But they were earnest stamp collectors. Where did they go? I expect the same kids today would be studying computer programming, playing Dungeons & Dragons, and spending hours and hours on various social media platforms (not StampoRama!).
I know a teacher here in Vancouver who tried to start a stamp club. (I've told this story before, here on StampoRama.) He had a good turnout for his first meeting, where kids bought a lot of the inexpensive stamps he supplied. They came to the next meeting, hoping to sell the stamps they had bought the week before, which they couldn't sell, of course, because they had all become sellers! No one came to the third meeting.
Why did we become stamp collectors? In part it must have been the fact that stamps were common objects in our lives. We needed them. In those days, the only affordable, practical way to communicate was by letter or postcard, both of which required stamps. When I was in the U.S. Navy in the mid-1960s, letters were the only way I could communicate with my family, except in an emergency, without great expense or the use of the Navy's communication facilities. Stamps were even used as currency! And they were readily available, even new issues. Post offices were everywhere, readily accessible, and staffed by knowledgeable people who (in my case, at least) understood stamp collecting and helped to promote our interest in the hobby. Stamps were affordable. They showed us aspects of the greater world beyond our communities. They even dovetailed with the news that we heard on the radio, read in newspapers and magazines, and saw on newsreels at the movie theatres. Among the stamps I first collected was one picturing a MiG-15 jet fighter, which I had seen in combat with American jets in newsreels during the Korean War:
There were the stamps issued by Monaco on the occasion of Grace Kelly's marriage to Prince Rainier (I had been in love with Grace before she threw me over for “His Majesty”:
There was even a stamp issued for me, a newspaperboy!:
Kids today, even young adults, have never had to write ordinary letters, not when email and messaging and "social media" exist and is virtually free. The fact that stamps are often attractive, even beautiful works of art will hardly move them, not when they can easily create their own visual and audio art with their iPhones and other "digital devices.
I suppose that there probably is a gene that causes people to express a need to collect things. If there is, most of you reading this have that gene. My son and daughter-in-law probably have it too, but it's being overwhelmed by their world, which certainly is not my world. Several years ago I turned over some family artifacts to my son and daughter-in-law. They included woodworking tools used by my paternal great grandfather, and a Second World War canteen. A few months later, they returned them because, they said, they just weren't into collecting "things". 'Nuff said.
I personally think that any adult collector who thinks he can influence young people become collectors needs a good head shake. It ain't gonna happen, not on the scale we would like.
Bob
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re: Ideas to make a STAMP SHOW more attractive to a new audience
One year each of the stamp clubs and associations in our area was given an exhibit frame to fill with items that they feel are remarkable.
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re: Ideas to make a STAMP SHOW more attractive to a new audience
I actually believe shows should be attracting more older people that are more likely to appreciate the aspects of the hobby with more time, more inclined to collect something, appreciate history, and have more disposible income.
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09:47:28am
re: Ideas to make a STAMP SHOW more attractive to a new audience
So many great ideas and comments Thankyou In response to Bob ,most of my local club members collected when collecting was cool. It was a childhood pastime . Most were away from it when getting educated and raising a family Most returned when retired . All but one of our members had a connection to the postal system (either postmaster themselves or a family member who was in the business or belonged to a youth group earning collector badges ) One in particular recalls that special person they met who shared their postal history and what he learned about people ,events and the countries of the world. Maybe we can still be that special connector person There is more to collecting stamps than just putting them in an album...but it is a start.
As a teacher and wanting to get the class writing stories I would bring in an old shoe,or,hat etc and have them tell a story of its travels . One day I brought in a box of old envelopes with stamps from various countries. Well those 12 year olds had fun not only telling about the country of origin but how it had arrived in the classroom. I wish now I had saved those stories.
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re: Ideas to make a STAMP SHOW more attractive to a new audience
In my opinion it is a myth that the hobby needs young people. Pre-WWII, there were many young people in the hobby; post WWII young people had many more alternative things they could do including television. I can site numerous article and periodicals starting in the 1950s that claim the hobby would die off without young people. That is over 60 years ago, more than two generations, yet we still here people saying that the hobby needs young people. My question is this, how many generations have to pass before we believe that the hobby demographics is actually 45+ year olds?
For me, it makes perfect sense that hobbies and pastimes have specific primary age demographics; there is no need for a hobby or pastimes to reach every age group. For example, would anyone say that playing hockey or video games need people 50+ years or older? Should knitting or genealogy be targeting younger people? Philately is very well suited for 45+ people, they have more time and most importantly they are starting to think about their place in the world and its history. This is why a pastime like genealogy is something that people look into later in life and not when they are young.
Philately also is something that you can do without breaking your neck or hip. As we get older, it can also become more difficult to travel, so moving online makes sense but makes traditional philatelic events like shows less likely to attract attendees.
There is also over a decade of data on which age groups are joining the hobby using online venues. Even though online is often considered a younger person medium, the overwhelming numbers of people entering the hobby online are 45+. This makes me think that philately should be targeting this demographic as the ‘low hanging fruit’.
I have in the past and continue to support younger people in the hobby. But I consider the efforts the same as I would the planting of an apple seedling. It will be many years before it bears fruit, typically once the people reach 45+ age.
Don
Edit:
The 1968 APS national meeting, I see very few (if any) young people. That was 50+ years ago but here we are, the hobby certainly is alive and well. It is also so 'white' that I need sunglasses to look at it. If we are going to attract new people, perhaps targeting women and some more diverse groups would be better than young people.
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This is my diabetic cat OBI! I think, therefore I am - I think! Descartes, sort of!
17 Nov 2023
09:29:09pm
re: Ideas to make a STAMP SHOW more attractive to a new audience
Don, you make a very convincing argument and I hope you're right! My only problem is that almost all of the people I know in the 45 - 55 age bracket are not even slightly interested in accumulating stuff of any kind. Part of the problem is the huge debt they are carrying - large mortgages, payments on two cars, the price of food and gas, heating oil and many are still paying off large student loans. They won't be able to afford to accumulate stuff, even if they wanted to, for quite a while. Of course there are exceptions but there are many people who are on the edge of serious problems. So maybe by the time they reach the age of about 55 they will be able to afford stamps! This is only me opinion and I might be off the mark but listening to people I know this seems to be the way things are.
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re: Ideas to make a STAMP SHOW more attractive to a new audience
Agreed.
I think that one of the challenges is to spread the word that this hobby can be done without breaking the bank.
I also believe that it is important to embrace all levels of collecting and not be judgmental of what and how others collect. For example, not calling others 'bunnies' or 'bottom feeders' as I have seen in other forums.
But I hope people consider that our hobby may be just fine focusing on the 45+ age demographic. After all, if we wanted to promote Bingo as a pastime, I doubt many folks would believe that targeting young people would be wise.
Don
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re: Ideas to make a STAMP SHOW more attractive to a new audience
I agree with all that has been said…. Our club has stopped hosting shows or bourses because of very low attendance which translates into unhappy dealers.
We eventually gave up on asking for exhibits because it was always the same couple of people.
We had the appraisal tables and the giveaways and the free tables for kids. Nothing worked to draw people in
However, our club is growing. We have Six new members over the last year and a half. They almost all come to every meeting. They range from absolute beginners to advanced collectors. Fun to see the interaction between old and new members.
One member has gotten his 11 year old daughter interested and she comes to our meetings now too. Everyone keeps an eye out for the stuff she likes - she gets a lot of stuff every meeting. Fun for the people who are giving and hopefully fun for her. Don’t know if she will keep at it, but you have to start somewhere
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re: Ideas to make a STAMP SHOW more attractive to a new audience
It's the same in all hobbies.
The collector car scene... at cruise nights the old codgers chase away the passionate younger guys who have tuner cars-- Toyotas and Hondas, instead of 1950s Chevys and Fords. Then they moan about how the hobby is dying!
And it's not a modern thing. Back when I discovered stamps in the 1960s, old guys who have since been reduced to fertilizer would chastise me for liking the current stamp offerings. I liked, and still like the poster art style of that era. They'd tell me I needed to collect 19th century stamps, which appeared stodgy to young me, and I had no interest in them. Still I was told I must like and collect those, and to abandon my pursuit of contemporary subjects that were actually relevant to my life!
Let's move forward to current. While the average seasoned collector shuns modern subject stamps today-- the USPS is targeting the current experience of average citizens. My own non-collector friends in their 60s love the recent dead rock star stamps! Remember the Elvis stamp set records! All that modern stuff like Star Trek, Dr Seuss, Charlie Brown and such all sell well over the postal counter. I was standing at the counter a few years ago when a middle aged lady picked out the ice cream stamp booklet. She thought it would be fun on her mail.
I receive the vendor checks for 2 model car shows... amazing how many of them use car related commemorative stamps on their mail. I'll get mail with 5 year old car stamps, and the guy will admit to buying $200 worth for his mail. All these folks are one stamp away from stamp collecting!
I wind up with first day covers from the 1990s to date in lots I buy for my eBay store. At first I just put them aside, but once I started listing them I realized they flew off the shelf... and guess who is buying them? Young people who are collecting stamps!
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re: Ideas to make a STAMP SHOW more attractive to a new audience
Advertise that Taylor Swift will be there!
Seriously, though, this is a bit of a challenge. Here are a few somewhat random thoughts...
Have an auction for beginners! Have collectors/dealers donate material with “eye appeal” (no junk!!).
Emphasize topicals. My guess is that a large percentage will be drawn to them. Have ATA info available.
Introduce the "A Stamp for Every Country" and where to download the album from (APS). Have an album printed to show. I'm thinking of doing this myself some day...
How to approach and sit at a dealer’s table. I suspect beginners are a bit intimidated walking into a show of any size thinking “now what?” Share the “do’s and don’ts” to help them feel comfortable sitting down and working with dealers. I did this with our son when he was 9-10 years old, and the appreciative smiles & nods for the “etiquette” he displayed was noticeable. Youngsters or adults, dealers appreciate a certain level of etiquette, as do collectors.
Kids/beginners room/table with a mound of stamps. Have a sheet with 10 -12 topics and have them hunt for the stamps in the mixture. Birds, flowers, fish, trains, etc. Once they have found a stamp for each topic, reward them with a packet of stamps and hinges.
Show how to use hinges. Let them practice it! Have packets for sale/give away.
Show how to use tongs. Have different types of them available to try and purchase.
Dry books. How to use. Have them for sale.
Different types of magnifiers, and where to purchase them. If possible, have some for sale.
Catalogues, and how to use them. Find out if the local library has as set, and, if so, tell them!!
Let them know where they can purchase stamps! Are there local dealers? Several shows in the area every year?
Have collectors speak for a couple of minutes about what got them into stamps and what they collect. Keep it short and entertaining!
Emphasize that it can be a very inexpensive hobby for all ages!
Invite local scouts to help them earn the Stamp Collecting Merit Badge.
Identify who could be your enthusiastic ambassadors, and task them with helping the “newbies.”
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re: Ideas to make a STAMP SHOW more attractive to a new audience
One key aspect is marketing...it costs money and has to have a message. Most show costs are paid by the dealers so whatever it is done it needs to benefit them unless admission is charged.
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re: Ideas to make a STAMP SHOW more attractive to a new audience
The biggest problem I see at our local show is actually getting people in the door to start with. Our last show, advertised in local press, posters, street signs and local internet sites, we had less than 10 new faces walk through the door. Sad to say even some of our club members were not present.
Apart from club members selling, there were two dealers and also a coin dealer and a freebie table.
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07:13:13am
re: Ideas to make a STAMP SHOW more attractive to a new audience
Thankyou for all your ideas. I took your suggestion to the club meeting and if anyone has Taylor Swift`s address that would help lol
Seriously your ideas led to a great deal of discussion and the top idea to try will be connecting with youth groups that work toward awards, badges etlike thec. Governor General, Two of our members are involved with Scouts etc, and we are going to work with the schools to try a postcard contest...Most young folks carry phones....Our town Bridgewater is 125 years young in 2024 so snapping photos of the places to visit will be turned into postcards and promote the area . We have a contact with the local museum and they were eader to become involved. The town will help with prizes and printing. Thanks again ....AND we did have a new un-retired member attend the meeting....
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