1 differentiate yourself from the pack – event strategies that net results dick stephens

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Differentiate Yourself from the Pack – Event Strategies that Net Results

Dick Stephens

Dick Stephens, President Varsity Communications, Inc.

Taste Washington Seattle & Spokane Event Producerwww.varsitycommunications.com

Differentiate Yourself From the Pack -

Event Strategies that Net Results

Event Strategies that Net Results

AREAS WE WILL COVER TODAY…• ROI -- Creating and evaluating• Event industry trends (wine & demographic-like events)• Give consumers what they want• Timing -- when to step on the gas and when to brake

EXAMPLES OF…• Branding and marketing• Cross-marketing and pass-throughs• Did you make their hair on their neck stand up?

First: Understand Your Event & Objectives

• Know your market and their needs• Define your “base hit” and “grand slam”• What’s a threat to your event?• What’s the competition doing (not just wine)• Keep your last event in your head at all times• Use other events and have a “swatch book”• What makes you and your event UNIQUE (educate,

motivate, celebrate)• YOU are the PRODUCER…produce!• Live and shape YOUR budget• Underpromise and OVER-DELIVER

The market and questions to ask yourself

YOUR MARKET AND TOUGH QUESTIONS • HEY, WINE IS HOT RIGHT NOW -- know that going in.• Because it’s HOT, everyone’s doing it! Stay sharp!• Study habits of wine consumers and age interests• How many COMPETITORS meet the same objectives?• What is the POTENTIAL for you with your event(s):

awareness, data, branding, revenue, call backs• Is the timing right• Are other events/entities PULLING for you?• Can you take this to a new level with current resources?

Hit a single or go for the fence!

DEFINE A BASE HIT…• Are you doing the same ‘ol, same ‘ol, every year?• If so, why? -- What can you do to change it up?• Make sure you MASTER the base hit, before you stretch it out

into a double or triple (don’t expand without being sure)• Will a base hit do?

DEFINE A GRAND SLAM…• Outline grand slam event (revenues, awareness, energy)• What would it take to hit a grand slam?• Can you take this to a new level with current resources?• Keep the grand slam vision to yourself -- let it be a surprise

What stands in your way of success?

WHAT THREATENS YOUR EVENT• Do SWOT analysis (strength, weakness, opportunity, threats)• Weather (bad conditions can be a friend and foe)• Economy -- Be mindful and use it to your advantage• Past performance of yours and other “like” events• POOR marketing and presentation• Not being unique• BIGGEST: Poor execution

YOUR COMPETITION• What are other wine events doing WELL and POOR (swatch book)• Don’t ONLY look at wine events (arts, sports, colleges, etc.)• Rate yourself against the competition• Keep a connection with the competition

Past performance and playbook

USE YOUR LAST EVENT AS A GUIDE• From start to finish -- keep last year RIGHT THERE • Tear the past event APART -- full download with team and clients• Ask your clients how they felt about YOUR performance • Improve communication EVERYWHERE • Budget wisely and don’t overextend -- earn the right to grow• Great events HIT their BUDGET

YOUR SWATCHBOOK• This can be a mental and/or physical book• Samples of everything (websites, photos, promo pieces, photos, etc.) • DON’T only look at wine events (sports, arts, mags, sites, whatever

moves YOU!)• Always share these visions with your team

What makes your event DIFFERENT

WHAT MAKES YOU, YOUR PRODUCT AND EVENT UNIQUE• Play up your strengths BIG TIME• Create CONNECTION POINTS where your unique qualities reach public• Create YOUR look and feel around the UNIQUNESS • Operate on ALL FIVE senses if you can (sight, sound, taste, touch,

smell) … NOT JUST TASTE!!!!!!!• Create memorable experiences (music, PA, visuals, awards)

YOU ARE THE PRODUCER…PRODUCE!• What are limitations of you and others • Build a team (visionary, executers, fine detail, finance, uniters, marketers,

game day staff)• MAKE THIS FUN and set goals that stretch but are reachable• Did you EDUCATE, MOTIVATE, CELEBRATE and STIMULATE?

Your money and your promises

BUDGET WISELY• BE REAL…60% of “passion” or “enthusiast” events TANK after their third year. • WHY No. 1? They lose money or miss their subsidy mark and can’t recover?• WHY No. 2? Because they couldn’t evolve and grow -- keeping it fresh!• Make a clear budget and FOCUS on expenses FIRST … not the cool stuff.• Show revenues in at lowest or last year’s marks (don’t anticipate growth).• Look for trade where you can take cash off your books• If you sell tickets, meet your avg. audience price point• Earn the right to add expenses -- show a clear revenue opportunity to offset it.• SPONSORSHIPS and MEDIA: Know the value of your assets you can sell/trade,

get media support before you sell sponsors. Don’t give anybody a free ride.

UNDERPROMISE and OVERDELIVER• Follow through on promises but build-in EXTRA-mile delivery - EVERY TIME.• Never brag, but leave the customer asking for more• I AM ACCOUNTABLE -- “who can I serve, how can I serve”

Expanding your event vision

QUICK AREAS TO GROW YOUR EVENT VISION

• ROI -- Creating and evaluating

• Event industry trends (wine & demographic-like events)

• Give consumers what they want

• Timing -- when to step on the gas and when to brake

• Branding and marketing

• Cross-marketing and pass-throughs

• Did you make their hair on their neck stand up?

ROI: Triggering data and sales

RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI)

• Show your exhibitor, partners, and sponsors ROI opportunity AT THE INVITATION to join you.

• Open up the channel to data collect: forms, mailing lists, enter-to-wins, swipe cards -- where they leave with ROI

• Be willing to do the data invite, collection and sharing yourself• Send them home with your information automatically• If you can sell direct, do it. Today’s consumer is comfy with giving

info and making OTS buys.• Create ways to SHOW that you are ROI-motivated even if it fails.• FOCUS on building your database and keep them “sticky”

Event trends are evolving

EVENT INDUSTRY TRENDS

• The economy is CHOKING “passion” and “enthusiast” events BIG TIME. Home/garden -15%, auto shows -20%, travel -20% , sports/arts -10%

• Consumer spending activity in many passion categories are decreasing.• WINE IS GROWING! According to WWC, AC Nielsen, industry, etc.• Wine events are everywhere in Washington and across the U.S. (industry

events, winery tastings, charity, food and music, etc.)• With growth, comes congestion and challenge to vertically grow• With wine event growth, expertise is stretched (you have upper hand)• Stay in-front and be GREEN! Environment/ energy message is big now.• Forecasts show travel will decrease, local events will gain attention,

commitment to community (town and on-line) are focus areas.

Give them the goods and timing

GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT

• Feed their souls and palettes -- you are the experts -- create sensory stimulation!• Give them “inside” information, make them feel like they are a part of your vision

(ask them for THEIR input…even if you don’t want it)• They are hiding from the daily grind -- offer them plenty of shelter• Be mindful of the economy and offer ways to keep them ON BOARD with selection• MAKE IT FUN and WORTHWHILE.

TIMING

• Find calendar dates that work for your BUSINESS model, not just you• Look at the competition and build distance between them and you.• Indoor events are least likely to suffer setbacks• If you do multiple events, set a cadence and “pace” to your schedule…let it build!• If the stars don’t line up, attend other events and hone your model for release.

Media Campaign Recap

Poster sets the tone for the overall

look and feel of event 2

months out.

Also sets art direction

1,000 printed

Panel Cards and

flyers fill in the gaps

75,000 Printed

Magazines get things in motion

11 magazine ads ran in: Seattle Magazine

Wine Press NorthwestSeattle DinningWine Enthusiast

Washington Athletic Club

Seattle Magazine Jan ‘08

Seattle Magazine Feb ‘08

Newspaper, radio, TV, E-mail blasts heard em in

2 col x 10’’

featuring Ilan Hall

4.83 x 8’’

Seattle Weekly2 col x 10’’

Print Advertisements

This little ad generates about$150,000 in gate revenue

The Seattle Times 8-pg insert goes

in depth and takes care of sponsors in a big way

Website is window to the world

Seattle Home Page Grand Tasting Page

Website is INTERACTIVE

Seminars PageSponsor Page

Site showcases wine and food

Winery Page Restaurant Page

QUICK SNAPSHOTS

We take about 300 photos of every aspect of the event to make a solid recap book for sponsors and partners

Line-up for Grand Tasting

Blind Tasting

Caffe Vita

Chef Demo

Crowd Shot

Farmers Market

Wine Pouring

Restaurant

Maserati

Overview

Dick Stephens, PresidentVarsity Communications, Inc.

Taste Washington Seattle & Spokane Event Producerwww.varsitycommunications.com

THANK YOU for your time!Best wishes with your events.

Let me know how we can help!

Take it easy!stephens@varsitycommunications.com