How Genealogical Societies Can Participate in the All-New Society Showcase

Society Showcase Gets a Makeover for the FGS 2015 Conference  

FGS Society Showcase is under construction for FGS 2015. We have big changes planned for the well-loved Society Showcase section of our exhibit hall. When the FGS and RootsTech 2015 Expo Hall opens on February 12th in Salt Lake City, a new and improved Society Showcase will be located with the FGS booth. You don't want to miss this opportunity to reach thousands of potential new members and we’ve made it exceptionally easy for you to participate.

If you've attended an FGS conference in the past, you've seen Society Showcase in the exhibit hall: a section of tables for FGS member societies that desire a presence at the conference without renting a full booth. It's been a focal point of FGS conference exhibit halls, and it's getting even better thanks to FGS Director Caroline Pointer’s new design.

Now visitors and attendees will "travel" the U.S. and around the world discovering what specific resources genealogical societies can provide the individual researcher. They will follow ancestors' migration patterns by moving from society to society learning what is available to researchers in each locality while collecting brochures, asking questions, and connecting with like-minded genealogists and family historians. They can consult the FGS website’s Society Hall section for information about all of our member societies. Better still, Society Hall is directly accessible in our app for mobile devices and is even searchable by state.

We’ve made it simple for your society to be a part of Society Showcase. We’re asking every society to send us 300 of your flyers. If you don’t already have one, check out our Tips for Making Your Own Flyer section, below.

Instructions

• Make sure your society renews membership for 2015, or if your society is not a member and would like to participate simply join FGS today.
• Fine-tune your flyer. It should be in 8.5" x 11” format — single or double-sided page, or even a multi-paged brochure. Include a QR code if you can. (Tip for that is below)
• Print out or photocopy 300 flyers. Use white or colored stock, plain or glossy.
• Place your flyers in a box clearly labeled on the outside with:

"Society Showcase"
The name of your society
The name of your state.

• Mail to arrive by 31 December 2014 15 January 2015 to: 

Cherie Bush
Attn: FGS/RT
50 East North Temple Street, JSMB Main
Salt Lake City, UT 84150

• Please alert us by email (societyshowcase@fgs.org) by 31 December if you are participating. This will help us plan.

• Stop by Society Showcase to answer participants’ questions and help them discover resources your society can provide them. 

Your exhibit will be all set up. You don’t have to bring anything with you! We will display your flyers to the 6000+ attendees and encourage those who visit the FGS booth or Society Showcase to take a flyer or scan your QR code. This will help participants follow a migration path through the Society Showcase. 

Tips for Making Your Own Flyer

Be sure to include:

• Society Name, address, URL and email
• Logo
• QR code (particularly good for the techies!)
• Visit http://www.qrstuff.com to generate your own. Easy peasy!
• Mission Statement
• Geographic area covered
• Publications
• Resources and projects for local and long-distance members
• Mention if your society offers look-ups. 
• Do you offer special interest groups or beginners classes for locals?
• Provide contact information of officers or members attending the conference so interested people can arrange to meet them.

We look forward to seeing many of our member societies displayed in the Society Showcase this year! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me at societyshowcase@fgs.org.

Best regards,

Polly FitzGerald Kimmitt
Society Showcase Coordinator