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February 2020
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April 2020

Digging a "mine" right below your feet

Recently, a fellow business owner said the following:

"That's unbelievable! Where are you getting all that customer data from?"

My response, "right from the customer." My intention was not to be cheeky or curt. It was a straight-up response that's important to every event organizer. There is a mine of untapped customer and event data, right below your feet, RIGHT NOW!

Few if any event organizers are leveraging their existing datasets. Not a single event organizer that I'm away of is fully leveraging their customer data. The lack of data leveraging leaves mountains of potential ticket revenue and attendance on the table.

Additionally, the longer you go without putting your customer data into use, the more "digital dust" accumulates. Especially in today's digital age, digital data changes at breakneck speed. Years ago, a client lost almost 50% of their previous customer data due to neglect.

Here's a little Insider secret on data ...

Clients that have seen astronomical growth in ticket revenue took a deep dive into their existing datasets. They mined their data smartly and increased revenue, profitability, and improved the customer event experience.

With the world pausing most events, now is a great time deep dive into your data. Let me know what you find!

Here are some additional articles on planning a successful event:


The Event Cancellation "Survival" Guide (Webinar)

Here's the sign up link for the Event Cancellation "Survival" Guide webinar scheduled for Tuesday, March 17 at 12:00h EDT (16:00h UTC) and Tuesday, March 24 at 21:00h EDT (01:00h UTC):

(Please copy & paste the link above into your browser, if needed.)

Sign up for the webinar and you will discover actionable advice learned over 20 years, from events directly impacted by postponements, natural disasters, and last-minute onsite event cancellations.

I'm working on including two additional topic area experts, based on subscriber feedback. One expert is from a highly accomplished sponsorship agency. The other expert is from a seasoned event ticketing company.

This live 30-45 minute online complimentary session is accessible worldwide by any smartphone, tablet, or desktop computer (Windows, Android, Mac OS, or iOS) with a high-speed Internet connection. The two different dates and start times are an attempt to accommodate over 600 event organizers from 63 countries around the globe. A lot of time zones there!

What is being shared on the webinar is fundamental and experience-based. It is my firm belief that the information you will discover can be applied to almost every event.

Because we all have busy schedules, the content portion of the webinar will be approximately 20 – 30 minutes, followed by a short Q & A.

Please sign up for the time that is most convenient for you, using the link below:

To your success,

-Eugene

Event Promotion Systems, LLC


The pride in winning absolutely ZERO event marketing awards

Years ago, a seemingly go to question for air show organizers looking to hire me was, "how many marketing awards have you won?" At the time, there was a competitor touting all their marketing awards. And good for them!

When asked, "how many marketing awards have you won?" My proud reply, "ZERO! I'm not in the business of winning marketing awards for clients. The award I seek for clients is delivering them a paid-in-full event, before their event attendees arrive."

Think about it. For most event organizers, no award can equal the emotional satisfaction of having your event paid for in advance. Just consider all the worry it eliminates for you and your event team. And as a result, a better customer experience for your event attendees.

Again, if a client wants to apply for an award. I won't stop them, but I also don't encourage them. Why? Because of the dozens of hours clients spend in the application process. In some cases, just for a single award application.

Having collected around one million words of customer feedback for North American events over the last 20 years, not a single event attendee indicated that they had purchased a ticket to an event because the event won an award ... "Best of," marketing award, etc.

For me, the best clients to work with are those who are intently focused on meaningful business results as opposed to satiating their ego. It's my firm belief that all those (award application) hours are better spent investing in improving one's own event.

Get more insight on effective design that drives your event ticket sales:


Where not to advertise your event in an airport

During today's adventures around the galaxy, the following came up ...

If you're going to advertise your event, business, or anything in an airport, there's definitely one place you want to avoid.

After going to airport security, I notice an event advertisement. The advertisement was a large poster board advertising an upcoming local summer event. The poster hit on the key event points, dates, headlining performers, a call to action, and a website address. All in all, a decent job.

There was one major issue ...

This great event advertisement was tucked away after the security checkpoint. The placement was in one of the lasts places people are going to look at in an airport.

Why's that?

Because after most people clear airport security, they're more often than not, off to their departure gate.

Thus, if a great advertisement for your event is in a place, few if any people might ever look ... your advertising impact is going to be minimal at best.

So as not to be a total curmudgeon, here's my suggestion ...

Place your airport advertising in a place of great attention. Either heading towards a departure gate or on people's way to get their luggage.

Food for thought!

 


Combating the coronavirus & event uncertainty or cancellation

First things first . . . Be safe out there! Here's wishing you, your family, and friends a safe journey ahead.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of incorrect information regarding the novel coronavirus. I'm not here to dispense medical advice. That said, I strongly urge you to stay informed through reliable and reputable medical sources.

Just today, while in a local store, an employee was talking out loud about an ill patient admitted to a local hospital.

In the store employee's own words, "there is someone in a local hospital WITH the coronavirus!"

I heard the statement above and so did several other people. There's one massive issue with the account. The test results for the patient in isolation aren't complete. Nobody even knows if the person in isolation has the coronavirus.

Yet, people are referencing a sick person (incorrectly), and it's the lead story in every local media outlet. What's worst is this type of wrong information can cause many people to panic.

Let's place the above in the context of one's event.

If you've been following the international news, you'll notice that several major events have been canceled or postponed. The impact has even hit the movie industry, with the latest James Bond film "No Time To Die" delayed until November.

Here's my advice for dealing with any potential coronavirus impact and your event. Be proactive about event updates. Keeping your fans and patrons "in the loop." It is the single best way to combat uncertainty, panic, and gossip.

In terms of how to communicate, I'd strongly recommend email or mobile text messages. Unlike Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. email and text messages can get you directly to your event patrons, ticket holders, and potential event attendees.

In short, if there are any changes in your event, make sure that your customers and potential attendees hear from you first and directly! You need to be the definitive and timely source of information on your event.

Want to get more info on event customer service and communication? Check out the links below:


Event Promotion and the Bloomberg "Bomb"

Earlier today, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced the suspension of his 2020 U.S. Presidential campaign.

Today's takeaway has everything to do with politics and the marketing of one's event. Fear not, I'll stay away from the political side of the equation. Here's a short synopsis.

Former Mayor Bloomberg spent over $450 MM USD on his failed Presidential campaign.

Source: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bloomberg-campaign-staffs-future-dropout-172121273.html

Over the last few months, several academic and media pundits were terrified that Bloomberg would be able to "buy a Presidential election." In the end, hundreds of millions of dollars were spent with disastrous results. What some have dubbed one of the biggest financial failures in the history of politics!

So what does the Bloomberg presidential campaign have to do with marketing your event?

It's yet another stunning example of even with the deepest pockets and a den of super-genius consultants, outcomes are never assured. Both in politics and in the event world.

The essential event lesson is that if what your event offers does not appeal to the those you're advertising to (your target market), your event is probably doomed. Because there is no amount of advertising, marketing, or PR that can create demand where none exists.

Lack of demand is probably the biggest reason why events fail. So before you spend a cent on advertising an event, make sure people what to buy into what you have to offer.

Here are some additional articles on planning and promoting a successful event:


Are your considering postponing your event?

Last year, my lady received a message that an annual event we've attended for years is postponed. The event is a holiday tour of historic local homes. Ultimately, the event organizers decided to postpone their yearly event until December 2020.

Previously, I addressed the challenges of postponing or canceling a recurring event. Long story short, if you decide not to have your event, there is a good chance that another event might come into your marketplace.

As a result, your customer base is potentially gobbled up by another event. I've seen this scenario happen with clients on multiple occasions. And it's not good!

Unfortunately, there are times when you're left with no other choice but to postpone or cancel your event. If that's the case, you need to think ahead. And here's an important question to ask yourself:

"What am I doing to collect leads and generate interest for my next event?"

Simply put. Do you have a system in place to generate leads and interest in your next event? In most cases, your dedicated event website is a great place to start. The question above is even more applicable if your event is a few of years away. And it's never too early to start!

One of my military clients really thought through answering the question above. In some cases, their events were held up to four years apart. Because of their foresight, they were able increase their revenue 90% over three events.

A major factor in their success came down to having a well thought out marketing plan for their next event. Use the question above and think through it!

Looking for more event promotion advice? Check out the articles below:


Putting your event marketing detective cap on

Years ago, a seasoned event organizer commented on one of my most powerful marketing strategies. In their words, "I've been involved in these events for 40 years, and what Eugene is suggesting is one of the stupidest things I've ever heard."

As with all things, the event organizer above is welcome to their opinion. The irony of their statement is that my "stupidest" suggestion was integrated on the event organizer's next consulting project.

Far too many event organizers make dangerous assumptions based on their personal bias. It's human nature. What that means is that one could run an event for 40 years and not have a clue of what's really going on at their own event. A simple look at post-event survey feedback adds substantial credence to my previous statement.

Please don't get lost in a 40-year haze, like most event organizers. Fortunately, there is hope, if you do the following ...

When at your event, or someone else's event, I encourage you to be exceptionally observant. Put on your marketing detective hat. That means going beyond, just paying attention. It requires you to set your personal bias aside and ask probing questions, just like Sherlock Holmes.

Sherlock always digs more in-depth, often to a fault, into what most people consider inconsequential. He would get answers to important questions like, "why do people really attend our event?" or "what's our number one advertising source for ticket sales?" When asked, most event organizers cannot accurately or confidentially answer the last two questions.

Moving forward, please make sure you dig a little deeper and find out what's really going on. There is an excellent chance that you'll discover something extraordinary. And I encourage you to ethically adopt that which you uncover!

Here are some additional articles on planning a successful event:


Sharing this critical cog with your event vendors

After each event, clients execute a Customer Experience Assessment (CEA). In short, a CEA is a specialized process used to identify the strengths and weaknesses of marketing, logistics, operations, and customer experience. Think of it as a super-survey.

While conducting my own data crunching for a Platinum client, the client's CEA identified "parking" as one of the most significant customer issues at their latest event.

During a recent review of my CEA findings with my Platinum client, I asked "Do you share your redacted CEA info with your vendors?"

Their reply, "no, we always keep it internal."

I assumed that event feedback would be shared with vendors by the client. Per the above, that wasn't the case. Shame on me for not recognizing the opportunity earlier.

After that, I inquired "if I redact all the personal/customer data, can I share the data with your parking vendor?" The client replied, "yes, absolutely!"

The parking vendor my client uses is one of the best in the event business. Even better, the parking vendor is insatiable about getting any feedback they can improve their level of service.

My question to you, "are you sharing critical feedback with on-site vendors about your event?" Yes, it's extra work. Especially the scrubbing of personal and customer data.

If you aren't already, be sure to consider the above. By sharing redacted patron feedback with your on-site vendors such as parking, food, concessions, novelties, etc. You're able to raise the bar on customer experience.

If you have a personal story related to the above topic, please feel free to hit reply and let me know.

Here are some additional articles on planning a successful event: