Gateway Fireworks Displays present attendees at the IAVM Region 2+3 Conference at St. Charles (Mo.) Convention Center with a close proximate pyrotechnics sampler before discussing risk management.
REPORTING FROM ST. CHARLES, MO. — Keeping up with the latest trends and technology in the industry is like running on a treadmill. It is constantly evolving and never static. Attendees of the IAVM Region 2+3 Conference at St. Charles (Mo.) Convention Center were reminded of this through sessions that brought them the latest and best in Wii, concessions and social media, creating a time of sharing best practices and an exchange of knowledge and experience between speakers and attendees.
In case attendees forgot, Kowshik Bhat, of Xirrus Wifi Networks, reminded them that we live in a wireless world where every professional uses an average of three wireless devices on the job. This number has increased even in just the last year, and venues are expected to support that change with their network infrastructure.
Most public access Wifi systems are not designed for growth or performance; they’re usually not secure and provide inconsistent user experiences. Bhat compared a Wifi network to a pizza: the more people you have there, the less you’ll get for yourself. A scalable and intelligent Wifi system designed for capacity, not just for coverage, also needs to be future-proof.
“Once you invest in a system, it needs to prolong through multiple generations of technology,” said Bhat.
Even though the system needs to keep up with constantly changing technologies, Bhat said there are still ways to monetize Wifi. Venues are expected to offer attendees free Wifi, but tiered connectivity service is an option, where users are able to purchase different package levels. A landing page that includes an advertisement can generate sponsor revenue, and putting a tablet in suites that people can use to order menu items has been shown to increase suite revenue.
Chris Bigelow, The Bigelow Companies, led a session on branding and creativity in concessions. He started be asking attendees, “What are you doing as a facility manager to get your food service department to be more creative?”
One of the ways Bigelow suggested was figuring out what local or national brands are popular in your region and incorporating those in your food offerings in some way. Chick-fil-A and Chipotle restaurants are a popular option for college campuses, but it could also apply to specific foods that are tied to the region, such as BBQ in Texas and deep dish pizza in Chicago. Bigelow took this idea a step further when he suggested that venues create a signature menu item to further brand concessions.
Live action stations, such as a grill or sushi bar, where a chef is making the food right in front of the customers' eyes, are also becoming a must-have feature.
“The customer will spend more money, because they’re seeing it being made,” said Bigelow. “It is more labor intensive and requires specialized staffing, but people buy with their eyes.”
Online marketing consultant Marisa Lather reminded attendees that they shouldn’t just be marketing their building through social media, but also marketing the experience. This will help create a clear brand and set them apart from everyone else. And while it all comes down to content, the key to posting is authenticity.
“The key to authenticity is knowing who you are as a facility and how to market your uniqueness,” said Lather.
She suggested posting behind the scenes material — feature employees, promote charity work the venue is involved in and any awards you have won. Promote your venue’s values and distinct advantages while giving followers exclusive access through a consistent sharing of original content, she said. All of this goes toward building your brand. Lather challenged the audience to not be afraid to post about failures and areas of growth and to always include an emotional appeal: give them a story they can connect with using emotive language.
“Take control over the digital info that is out there about your venue,” said Lather.
Lather said that 60 percent of social media time is spent on smart phones and tablets, therefore, optimizing your website’s and social media platforms’ graphics to mobile is essential. She said that your website will even take a hit from Google if it is not optimized for mobile, making it show up lower in a Google search. Lather suggested pretending everyone is looking at your social media via mobile and to format accordingly.
Interviewed for this story: Chris Bigelow, (816) 483-5553; Kowshik Bhat, (805) 262-1600, Marisa Lather, (618) 203-4665