Event evaluation is an ongoing process throughout the year. But understanding the value of your event programming more broadly, and how it advances or hinders your organization’s overall strategy and values, requires a holistic review. 

To conduct your annual event programming evaluation, begin with the following steps:

Step 1: Create a Snapshot of the Year

Start by establishing an overview of the entire year of events, include:

• The number of events hosted
• The average attendance for events
• Total money spent on events
• Total revenue gained from events, or a value estimate of the new business/clients gained from the events

If necessary, include a breakdown of stats by event types or category, such as small recurring events, large seasonal events, virtual, in-person, etc. Make note of any outliers, such as those with the highest attendance or those that garnered the least amount of revenue. 

As you create the snapshot, be sure to include highlights from events that brought about notable engagement or resulted in press coverage. If putting together a formal presentation, include photos that capture important moments from events to bring the year in review to life. 

Step 2: Revisit Initial Goals KPIs

As mentioned above, Q4 should not be the first or only time you’ve planned or conducted an analysis of your events. Instead, now is the time to take a look at your event data as a whole and see how it compares to KPIs (key performance indicators) and goals set for your marketing or programming at the beginning of the year. 

If using Ticketbud as your event ticketing platform, use the reporting tool to generate sales or scan (attendance) reports for each event. You can then compare the amount of ticket sales to your total expenses to determine your event profits. Don’t forget to include any money made from sponsorships and any costs associated with staff or volunteer training. You can also compare a report on ticket sales versus check-ins to determine attendance at each event. 

Beyond monetary and attendance success, it’s important to evaluate how your events progressed your core strategy and values. For example, if your goal was to engage new demographics, were those audiences present at your events? If you had sustainability initiatives, did your event help move the needle forward? 

As you evaluate, consider the reasons behind your successes and failures and whether some events may need to be reproduced, rethought or simply left as a memory. 

Step 3: Look at Social Media Engagement

Most social media sites provide the tools and analytics you need to gauge the success of posts and campaigns related to your event, offering data on likes, comments, shares, clicks, etc. To understand how events may have impacted your overall social media growth and strategy, review any tags, mentions, or increases in followers. 

Special event hashtags can help capture engagement from user generated content. If you did not do so this year, make sure future event marketing campaigns include a specific hashtag for the event or encourage others to tag your organization when posting about the event.

Understanding social media engagement will provide insight into how to reach and interact with your audiences more effectively for future events. It might also offer another avenue to gather feedback and stakeholder impressions of your event. 

Step 4: Review Feedback and Testimonials

It’s best to gather feedback when the event is fresh in people’s minds. So if you did not do so this year, be sure to develop a plan to collect responses from attendees, vendors, partners and staff through surveys during or shortly after each event. 

Then, review this data in its entirety at the end of the year to determine any consistent wins or pain points. Monitoring feedback from each event can demonstrate how you improved from event-to-event and established best practices. All of this is important information to take with you into the next year of events. 

If any feedback is particularly positive, consider using it as a marketing tool for future events. Whether it’s a strong quote or a consistently high rating across attendees and event dates, this data will demonstrate to audiences that an event is worth their time. 

Step 5: Evaluate Partners and Vendors

In addition to digesting the feedback of your stakeholders, it’s important to assess the value of each relationship. Perhaps certain events could not have been done without the financial support of sponsors or contributions of partners. So, consider why they chose to contribute, what they got out of it, and how you can ensure they’ll help in the future. 

It’s also good to maintain a directory of vendors you have worked with – both good and bad – and make note of any info that might make it easier to work with them moving forward (for example: responds best to email, needs attendee numbers 1 week ahead of event, requires payment upfront, etc). This living document will make it easier to plan and delegate vendor communications for future events. 

It’s also important to note if working with outside organizations allowed you to tap into new audiences. So, ask your partners for any details and analytics related to any social media posts, newsletters or emails they produced related to your event.

Step 6: Debrief with Your Event Teams

Report your findings with your events committee or decision-making teams. Together, you can discuss the return on investment (ROI) of your events, or whether the events you hosted were worth the time and resources that went into producing them. Are there any areas of fat you could trim to make the planning processes more cost and time efficient? Are there any best practices you could replicate to ensure no event eats into your ROI?

Wisdom is gained in experience, and failures can help guide future planning efforts. So, outline the lessons you’ve learned along the way, and use your knowledge to refine your approach. 

Step 7: Set Future Goals

Your reflections should inform your aspirations as you set new goals and establish KPIs for next year’s event calendar. Make sure these goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART):

• Specific: Find a way to simply and specifically define success so you and others can easily evaluate whether you’ve achieved it in the end.
• Measurable: Though events result in many valuable qualitative results, it’s helpful to be able to quantify measures of success. So, consider creating numerical benchmarks for ticket sales, revenue, media placements, social media engagement, new clients or relationships developed etc.
• Achievable: Goals need to be aspirational but realistic.
• Relevant: Make sure the goals you are setting are in alignment with your organization’s values and overall strategy. 
• Time-related: Events have a clearly defined timeline; but if you’re hosting a series of events, your goals may be something that you work toward across a calendar year. 

Make annual reviews of your events and annual programming a regular practice. Consistently reviewing your goals and progress leads to continuous improvement in the planning and execution of your events. 

The post A Year in Review: Conducting an Annual Evaluation of Your Events appeared first on Ticketbud.

The end of the year brings on a frenzy of work parties, friend and family get-togethers, school events, holiday shopping and more. Creating an event that breaks through all the noise takes careful planning and execution, with great consideration about your audiences’ time, preferences and needs. 

Get Started

The sooner you can get on people’s calendars, the better. So, determine a date, budget and timeline for the event and planning process, and quickly.

Venues book up fast this time of year, with just a handful of Fridays and Saturdays to work with before the new year. You may need to consider other days or times that might work for your particular event and audience. And, remember to prepare for any weather or other unforeseen circumstances that might affect your plans. 

Once you’ve locked in the basics, it’s important to conduct some market research to understand the types of events you will be competing against:

• Check out community calendars and competitor’s websites for other holiday events.
• Start a spreadsheet to record information about each event’s theme, target audiences, planned activities, ticket prices, etc. 
• Review  the marketing of  competing events, through their event websites, social media posts on and offline promotion, including their discount offerings. . 

When you understand what your event is up against, you can tailor your event by offering a unique differentiator to your audience, such as a theme, special activity or exclusive sale. This will be key in persuading your audience to register for your holiday event and should be emphasized in any marketing or promotions. 

Holiday Event Themes and Activities

A themed event provides an anchor for planning your event and point of difference. So work with a team to brainstorm some holiday centric themes or entertainment you might offer as a way to entice your audiences and bring energy to your event.

Be mindful of how any activities or themes could impact who you may or may not attract to your event. If you’re hosting an event for a very general audience, your event may be more successful if you stray away from religious traditions. However, incorporating these elements could be beneficial if they align with your audience’s values. 

Here are some themes and activities for inspiration: 

• Winter Wonderland 
• Holiday Hoedown 
• Holiday Movie Night or Series
• A Light Show
• Ugly Holiday Sweater Party
• Pajama Party
• Fun Runs or Polar Plunges
• A Gift Exchange
• Christmas Tree Auction 
• A Visit from Santa
• Black Tie NYE
• Candle Making 
• Christmas Cookie Bake Off
• Holiday Bar Pop-up
• Gingerbread House Competition 
• Crafting Classes for Wreaths or Ornaments

If successful, your holiday event may provide your organization brand power year after year. Take for example the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. For nearly a century, people have looked forward to the annual event and have positive associations with the brand and those tied to it. The three-hour holiday spectacle has become so successful over the years that companies will shell out $120,000-300,000 to  sponsor the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade . 

Boost Ticket Sales with Marketing and Promotions

Cross-channel marketing campaigns are a must when promoting any event. So, create a robust plan for direct invitations and email, social media promotion, digital and print advertising.

Reflect on your initial competitor’s analysis to evaluate successful ways you might market your holiday event. And remember, holidays are about cheer, giving and savings. So consider how you might incorporate these elements within your promotional messaging. 

Themed Marketing Campaigns:
Get inspired by the traditional advent calendar or the “12 days of Christmas” to create a countdown to the event. Each day, you could host a giveaway, encourage engagement, share photos from past events or teasers for the upcoming event. 

Referral Codes and Gifts:
Incentivize people to invite friends, family and contacts to your event. With Ticketbud, you can issue unique referral codes to those who’ve already registered for your event. Event organizers have the ability to track these codes. So, if the code is shared and used, the person who shared it could be entered to win a prize or receive a special gift or discount from the organizers. 

And while it’s fun to receive gifts, the holidays are a time for giving. Using ticket sales to raise money for a meaningful cause or local charity may also influence people to take part in the event as well as encourage others. Ensure you have the ability to add donation options with your ticket sales. 

Sales and Discounts:
Early bird sales are an effective way to boost ticket sales and get people to commit to your event before their calendar fills up. These sales are enticing because they offer discounted ticket rates for a limited amount of time, forcing the buyer to act fast.

To motivate a greater influx in sales ahead of your event, you might also incorporate specialty promotions in conjunction with Black Friday or Cyber Monday. For tips on holiday sales, check out “Tis the Season to Save: Hosting Holiday Sales to Sell More Tickets to Your Events.

How Ticketbud Can Help Plan Your Holiday Event

Ticketbud allows event organizers to create a free event website and host registration for free and paid events. Our site offers a suite of ticketing and communication tools to make event coordination easier before, during and after the event. 

The Ticketbud ticket editor can be used to create and sell a range of ticketing options, such as individual or group tickets, early bird or regular sale tickets, general admission or VIP tickets, and more. Organizers are also able to edit and automate sales timelines, so they can set it and forget it. 

Ticketbud also allows event organizers to communicate with attendees via email directly from the ticketing platform. Use it to send important information about venue access and check-in leading up to the event, or to issue thank you emails and gather feedback after the event. Learn more about how Ticketbud works and how we can help ease the stress of holiday event planning.

The post A December to Remember: How to Plan a Holiday Party that’s Worth People’s Time appeared first on Ticketbud.

According to a study published in Nature Communications, the global events industry accounts for more than 10% of global CO2 emissions annually. And, another study found that events contribute 2.5 pounds of landfill waste per person per day. These findings demonstrate why 80 percent of meeting professionals consider green initiatives when planning events. 

Sustainability is Good for Business

One in three U.S. adults say they spend more time thinking about the climate than they did before the pandemic; and 68% of highly empowered consumers report choosing brands that reduce their environmental impact, according to Forrester research.

Choosing greener practices not only engages these audiences, it can also reduce the costs of energy, water and waste management. And the good news is event planners can start small. It’s not necessary to reimagine and reorganize an entire event to have a positive impact. 

Below, we offer nine ways event organizers can incorporate more sustainable practices into event planning, while motivating partners and attendees to pass it on. 

1. Host Virtual, Hybrid or a Series of Satellite Events

Research by MeetGreen shows that air travel by attendees, speakers or sponsors accounts for 70% of an event’s carbon footprint. Meaning, reducing travel is one of the easiest and most significant ways to make a large environmental impact. 

If the content allows, make the event virtual, or create hybrid options to limit the need for people to travel. Researchers from the University of Cambridge found that hybrid conferences combined with the promotion of land-bound travel “could be a feasible compromise to reduce emissions by almost 90%.”

If in-person is necessary and resources allow, organizers might also consider hosting several satellite events in convenient locations across states or countries to meet audiences where they are at. 

2. Go Paperless

Embracing sustainability requires adopting innovative event technologies and practices, replacing physical needs with digital solutions. This reduces the need for paper products and can increase efficiency and effectiveness of event planning and execution.

Start with registration. Ditch paper invitations and registration forms. Instead, create a free event website and online registration form with Ticketbud’s event registration platform. Ticketbud also issues electronic tickets which can be scanned at event check-in to reduce printing needs. 

During the event, trade out traditional posters or brochures for digital visuals. Use AV to broadcast important marketing or event content, and host important speaker, sponsor or event information on an app or website. 

To help people access the materials, simply post a QR code at check-in or email instructions ahead of the event. Driving web traffic or content downloads can also capture important information about audiences and their engagement.

Click here to read Nine Cool Technologies to Help Plan Your Next Event. 

3. Offer Alternative Transportation

Above, we mentioned how air travel can inflict a large environmental toll. When working toward a more sustainable event, it’s important to educate attendees on the impact and provide recommendations on how to work around it. 

Whenever possible, promote eco-friendly transportation. For example, festival planners at Lollapalooza encourage event-goers to take “low-emission” routes to the festival, such as buses, bikes, or carpools. It may be economically and environmentally beneficial to partner with an e-bike or rideshare program to offer free rides or discounts to guests commuting to the event. 

Also, don’t neglect any freight and shipping involved with gathering supplies or swag for the event. When possible, opt for local vendors and scheduled pick-ups. 

4. Find an Eco-Friendly Venue

Venues make up a large part of the event budget. To make sure it’s money sustainably spent, look for venues that have third-party sustainability certifications, such as LEED, APEX/ASTM, Green Key, or IACC Green Star. Or, ask about the location’s energy use or water or waste management practices, such as low-flow toilets or recycling.

For local events, select a centrally located venue that is accessible by public transport. If expecting out-of-town guests, choose somewhere close to an airport or train station to reduce travel. If possible, identify outdoor venue options. 

For help identifying environmentally-conscious venues, check out online directories like Book Different, Green Globe, and TripZero; or read “5 Convention Centers that are Mastering Sustainability.”

5. Choose Partners and Vendors Wisely 

Denver’s Great American Beer Festival has a strong environmental backbone. Its sustainability program includes waste reduction, resource recovery, energy use and education. These efforts are supported by like-minded organizations featured on its website: ZeroHero, Freeman Exhibit Services, Colorado Convention Center, Centerplate Catering, and the Colorado Carbon Fund. 

Through these partnerships, the festival is able to turn a profit during its annual event while realizing large-scale environmental goals. So when looking for vendors or sponsors, lead with sustainability targets and ambitions.

Forge relationships with vendors with well-documented ESG initiatives, such as printers that utilize recycled paper products or caterers that source locally. Find vendors who are members of the Green Business Bureau, an association committed to clean transportation, waste management and other green practices. 

To get started, check out this open-sourced and vetted database of sustainable event vendors, created by Happily. 

6. Eat Green

Though it may come at a higher cost, a locally sourced farm-to-table menu will result in higher quality food with less impact on the environment. To further reduce the event’s impact, consider offering a plant-based meal or courses. 

The World Wildlife Fund estimates that up to 18% of global methane emissions come from livestock. So, swapping out meat for more veggie options can be a strong demonstration of dedication to hosting a sustainable event. 

And, remember that quantity is just as important as quality. According to MeetGreen, more than 20% of waste created by an event is organic material, including food and compostable serving ware. To avoid food going to waste, have guests preorder food or close registration before catering numbers are due. 

This is easy with Ticketbud’s ticket editor, which allows planners to modify and automate registration timelines and create custom questions for guests to answer when registering for the event, such as “Will you be staying for dinner?” or “Select chicken, beef or veggie.” Get started here. 

7. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Of course, food waste still happens. So, come up with a plan to avoid putting it in the trash, such as partnering with a local shelter for food donations. If choosing this route, inform the event and catering staff in advance so they know to box and properly store any leftover food. 

If donation is not an option, look to the example set by the U.S. Open. Since taking on green initiatives in 2008, “Nearly 900 tons of food waste has been converted into nutrient-rich compost for gardens and farms,” including the flower beds at Arthur Ashe Stadium. 

But remember, food and compost waste is just one fifth of waste at events. To avoid sending the other 80% to the landfill, devise a plan to manage waste and educate attendees on the process and importance. If the venue does not offer recycling or composting, contract out the services. A vendor can provide bins, signage and removal services. Extra staff or volunteers may be required to help collect, sort and encourage attendees to dispose of waste in the proper manner.

8. Get Attendees Involved

Hosting a sustainable event goes beyond event day and considers its lasting impact. So, how can an organization motivate attendees to carry the mission forward? 

Start with education. Make clear in event marketing and messaging why the organization is taking action and the impact it hopes to make. The more people understand the why, the more likely they are to act. This will encourage them to be more compliant during the event and may inspire them to be more sustainability conscious after the event. 

Some organizations may choose to incorporate volunteer projects within the event itself, giving attendees an opportunity to get hands-on with the mission and efforts. Or, they may direct attendees to their social media pages or newsletters, where they post local initiatives or projects with volunteer opportunities. 

If welcoming travelers to the event, create a welcome packet and email a recommendation list of businesses or restaurants that support sustainable initiatives. Or, encourage attendees to help the organization offset event emissions by participating in a donation program which contributes to achieving carbon zero or other green initiatives.

Using Ticketbud’s ticket editor, event organizers can create a separate fundraising line to accept online donations directly from the registration page. Learn more about how to add various ticketing options such as donations on Ticketbud.

9. Start Early and Hold Yourself Accountable

From the early stages of the event planning process, design with green in mind. Include sustainability goals alongside all event KPIs and lay out a timeline of objectives and tasks that will help achieve it. 

Utilize online tools, such as SAM or Sustain.Life, to determine the carbon footprint of the event and identify areas that can be improved: energy efficiency, waste reduction, transportation, etc. Then, share these projections and goals with potential attendees and partners to encourage participation and support. 

After the event, put together an impact report to compare goals and results. Distribute the findings to partners and attendees to communicate the impact and show gratitude for their participation and contributions. This demonstrates that the organization is dedicated to the cause and fostering supportive relationships around it. It could also be the reason a person purchases a ticket or a sponsor contributes more funding to a future event. 

In sum, promoting environmentally friendly initiatives and event management practices demonstrates social responsibility and may attract new attendees, clients, partners whose values align. It shows that the organization is concerned not only with profits but with the well-being of the community and the planet. It’s good for the brand, and it feels good to know an event can create both lasting memories and a meaningful impact.

The post Nine Ways to Go Green at Your Next Event appeared first on Ticketbud.

Trusted vendors have a proven track record of delivering high-quality, professional products and services on time. Their experienced staff can bring a wealth of knowledge to developing the intricacies of your event, and their communication and reliability is crucial for ensuring that all aspects of your event run smoothly.

To help kickstart your event planning journey, we’ve compiled a list of the Best of Texas Event Vendors, based on reviews and event organizer feedback. It includes:

• Event Planners
• Printing/Signage
• Av/Tech Support
• Photography/Videography
• Catering/Bartending
• Staffing/Security
• Rentals/Decor
• Entertainment
• Venues

Event Planners

Fauxcades (Dallas)
fauxcades.com 
Offering a full service event design, custom fabrication, production and rentals, Fauxcades focuses on the experiential aspect of every event. In addition to helping with your planning needs, their services include graphic design and print shop, paint, carpentry, welding, lighting and sculpture studios. The team was awarded the silver award for Best of DFW Event Planners in 2021 by the Dallas Morning News.

Red Velvet Events (Austin)
Weareredvelvet.com
For more than 20 years, event planners at Red Velvet Events have focused on their mission to “create compelling human connections through insight, design and collaboration for brands on the cusp of disruption.” The full service industry specializes in a strategic, collaborative planning process and has been recognized through 25 international event awards. 

Printing/Signage

ProGraphix (Austin)
pgaustin.com
ProGraphix is a woman-owned, eco-conscious print shop established in 2002. From design to delivery and installation, their team can help with any print project for your event, be it invitations, brochures, postures, directional signs, window decals or murals.

Minuteman Press (National)
minutemanpress.com
Minuteman Press International has been rated the #1 Printing Franchise in the printing industry by Entrepreneur Magazine more than 30 times. The national chain of print shops offers a wide variety of services, including small paper prints or posters to unique swag or branded food items. 

AV/Tech Support

ATX Event Systems (Austin)
atxes.com 
ATX Event Systems is a full service audio visual company specializing in conferencing, brand activations, concert production and installation. Plus, the company has several studio spaces to host your in-person or online event, as well as a staffing arm to relief in areas beyond technical support, such as food and beverage services, janitorial and security.

Karana Audio Visual (Houston)
Karana-audiovisual.com
Established in Houston in 2015, Karana Audio Visual was built by two musicians with an in-depth understanding of the technical needs of putting together a successful event. They offer a full suite of event production services, including lighting, live streaming, audio, video, as well as video production. The company has garnered an Award for Excellence from the Better Business Bureau. 

Photography/Videography

Bennett Creative (Austin)
bennettcreative.co
Whether you need a conference opener video, a highlight reel, or anything in between, Bennett Creative has got you covered. The Austin-based team provides a bounty of event services, including photography, livestreaming, capturing b-roll, multi-camera set-ups, interviews and timelapses. Beyond event work, Bennett Creative is a great asset to any marketing team looking to bring life to their strategies.

Saturn Photography (Austin)
saturnphotography.com 
With more than 300 5-star reviews, Saturn Photography can help your guests relive your event in high–resolution in the days and weeks after the event. The company’s online gallery system makes it easy to share images with guests to view, download and print, with no watermarks included. Their services also include video production for private and corporate projects. 

DTX Media (Dallas/ Fort Worth)
dtxmedia.com
Though located in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, the team at DTX Media will travel across Texas and Oklahoma to capture photos and video of your next commercial or corporate event. Their services include photo booths and event photography to drone footage and video production for any size of event. 

Catering/Bartending

Glory House (Irving)
Gloryhousecatering.com 
Whether you’re looking for pick-up catering, a full-service reception or to host an intimate bistro gathering, Glory House is a go-to vendor for corporate and private on or off-site events. The company has served the DFW metroplex for more than 20 years, earning the title of Best in Irving Caterer every year since 2011. 

The Heights Catering (Houston)
theheightscatering.com 
Completely customize your event day menu with The Heights Catering, serving clients in Houston and surrounding areas. The Heights chefs offer a versatile menu, including African, Asian, British, Middle Eastern and American. The business also offers service from food trucks to bring a unique flair to your next event. 

la Barbeque Food Truck (Austin)
labarbecue.com 
Bring a local Austin vibe to your next event with a BBQ food truck. The female–owned and operated food truck la Barbeque is an Austin staple, consistently appearing on the city’s best BBQ lists. Invite them to your next event to dish up some delicious, locally sourced beef cooked low and slow for 8 hours for that melt-in-your-mouth goodness. 

Event Staffing/Security

5 Star Event Services (Houston, Austin, San Antonio)
5starstaff.com
Established in 2000, 5 Star Event Services has provided security officers, ushers, ticket takers and event staff personnel at more than 41,000 events throughout the surrounding areas of Houston, Austin, San Antonio. Their teams are trained in customer service and have undergone background checks to ensure a positive and safe experience at each event. 

Trinity Event Staffing
trinityeventstaffing.com 
Rated as a top staffing company in the DFW area, Trinity Event Staffing can cover any of your personnel needs for small private events or large seated dinners or conferences. Easily assemble a food service team, brand ambassadors, or extra security staff to help ensure no one staff member feels too much pressure during your event. 

Event Rentals and Decor

Marquee Event Rentals (Austin, Dallas, Houston)
marqueerents.com
Marquee Event Rentals serves any size of event across Southern and Midwestern markets. The company, which recently culminated from six separate vendors, touts the largest inventory of event rentals in the industry, including tables, tents, china, linens, kitchen and serving appliances, crowd and climate control equipment, lighting and more.

Loot Rentals (Austin)
lootrentals.com
Looking for a unique, curated look at your next event? Look no further than Loot Rentals, a boutique event rental company serving Austin and North Texas. The company’s rental catalog includes bars and tables, dining sets, seating, outdoor furnishings, decor, vintage items and more.  

Entertainment

Texas Entertainment Group (Dallas, Houston)
texasentertainmentgroup.com
No matter the fun you’re hoping to add to your event, Texas Entertainment Group is there to help. Their team will work with you to determine what entertainers, extreme sports, or inflatable games might enhance the experience at your next corporate, school, or community event.

GigSalad
gigsalad.com
If you’re looking to hire an entertainer for your next event, check out GigSalad. The nationwide talent search database will help identify an extensive list of potential musicians, DJs, speakers and entertainers to suit your event needs and budget. 

Venues – Austin

The Sky Lounge on Lady Bird Lake (capacity 35-150)
skyloungeonladybird.com
Located in the heart of downtown, The Sky Lounge on Ladybird promises astounding views of the city and Ladybird lake, as well as convenient access to many popular downtown attractions. Whether you’re hosting a small holiday gathering or a larger community function, the venue offers additional amenities, such as bar and catering services, staging and sound systems, as well as convenient parking and security. 

The Austin Convention Center (capacity 7,000+)
austinconventioncenter.com 
The Austin Convention Center has a bounty of space and resources, and is equipped to handle any of your technological, catering, and security needs. The venue is homebase for many massive events, including the annual SXSW festival, but can also host much smaller events within its 50+ meeting rooms.

Venues – Dallas

Texas Ale Project (capacity 28-600)
texasaleproject.com
Give your guests a local experience by hosting your next event at one of Dallas’s hometown breweries. The Texas Ale Project has a variety of unique event spaces to host anywhere from 28 to 600 guests. The biggest benefit of the venue? The drinks, of course, as well as its AV, catering, wifi and parking amenities. 

Southfork Ranch (capacity 2,000)
southforkranch.com
Nestled on 300 acres of groomed ranch land, Southfork Ranch gives event organizers plenty of room to spread out for large events, or scale down for small gatherings within its private meeting spaces. The venue, which was made famous for its appearance on the TV show “Dallas,” is the perfect place to blend boots and business and has staff onsite to help with your next event. 

Venues – Houston

Ronin Art House (capacity 50-150)
rentalsatronin.com
Hundreds of Google reviews reiterate the same sentiment: If you want to host an intimate event in a unique and beautiful space, look no further than Ronin Art House. Event organizers can choose from three venue spaces based on the size and vibe of the event. Each space is architecturally designed to play with angles and light to present a new definition of industrial chic. The venue is willing to work with any outside vendor or caterer.

Asia Society Texas (capacity 1,360)
asiasocietytexasrentals.org
The stunning cultural center, designed by world-renowned Japanese architect Yoshio Taniguchi, is consistently recognized with Houston’s Design Award for its elegant blend of Japanese and Western the design. The inviting atmosphere hosts five indoor and outdoor event spaces, or planners can choose to rent out the entire building. 

Keep in mind that the event industry is dynamic, and vendors may change over time. It’s crucial to research and contact vendors directly to inquire about their current services and pricing for your specific event needs. Additionally, reading reviews and getting recommendations from event planners, venues, or other trusted sources will help inform decisions when selecting vendor partners for your next event.

The post Best of Texas Event Vendors appeared first on Ticketbud.

Below, we offer a complete checklist to help you plan and execute a memorable and successful event. 

Pre-Planning: 4-6 Months Before the Event 

Before diving into the details, it’s crucial to have a clear understanding of your event’s purpose and objectives. Ask yourself what you aim to achieve with this event. Are you raising funds for a cause, celebrating a milestone, or launching a product? Consider who the right people are to help achieve those goals – think: partners, vendors, sponsors, staff, volunteers, etc. Having the right people in place and clearly defining your objectives sets the tone for the rest of the planning and process. 

In this stage, be sure to: 

• Identify goals and objectives
• Identify key audience 
• Pick a date
• Pick a venue
• Outline a budget and set KPIs
• Put together a planning committee
• Develop a timeline
• Create branding for the event 
• Determine pricing strategy
• Determine a marketing strategy, including social media, email, web and any print or broadcast advertising
• Identify and reach out to potential partners or sponsors
• Begin negotiations with entertainment or speakers
• Select a registration software or ticketing system 
• Announce event and registration dates to audiences 

Get the Ball Rolling: 3-4 Months Before the Event

At this point, the event date is set and you should be rolling full steam ahead with planning. It’s important to secure partnerships, such as sponsors and collaborators, early on. These relationships will help amplify your event promotions as you build interest and anticipation for your event. Consider hosting early bird sales to lock in audiences that are already engaged with you. These folks can also help spread the word about your event. 

In this stage, you’ll need to: 

• Develop workflow for planning committee
• Balance the budget with potential spending and expected revenue earned from sponsorships and ticket sales
• Secure early sponsorships and funding to cover early event costs
• Create an event website and open registration
• Execute marketing and promotions strategies 
• Finalize agreements and pay deposits for venue, vendors and entertainers
• Launch early-bird registration 
• Boost marketing efforts
• Monitor sales and determine if any other special sales or promotions are needed 

Ramp up Sales and Promotions: 1-2 Months Before the Event

It’s time to spread the news far and wide about your event. Finalize and use event details, such as partnerships or novel experiences, to pique interest and build interest in your event. Tease your audiences with news about what they can expect and encourage those who have already committed to refer others to your event. 

During this phase, it’s important to:

• Lock-in sponsorships, partnerships, entertainment 
• Develop run-of-show to share with planning committee, event partners, vendors, entertainment, etc
• Update event website with more finalized details (speaker/entertainment/partner info)
• Incorporate all finalized details into event promotions to pique more interest and sales 
• Organize marketing campaign around sponsors, entertainment, speakers, etc
• End early bird sales and activate general ticket sales
• Meet with all sponsors, partners, vendors and entertainment to lay out plans and expectations for the day of the event
• Encourage referrals to boost registration 
• Finalize any design or printing projects for day-of event (programs, posters, etc)
• Develop contingency plans in case of weather, vendor or other planning issues
• Send out event reminders to contact lists and other audiences

Tie Up Loose Ends: 1-3 Weeks Before the Event

The last month leading up to your event is your chance to make sure all of your ducks are in a row. Start thinking about what your event will look like from start to finish, run it by all who are involved and ensure you have all the people and mechanisms in place to execute it successfully. Additionally, if your ticket sales have become stagnant and you’re worried about attendance, it may be time to consider last-minute sales or promotions. 

During this time period, complete the following: 

• Review and edit run-of-show
• Regroup with event committee
• Recruit and prep any event volunteers or staff
• Check in with all vendors and review day-of plans (catering #s, tech needs, seating arrangement, etc)
• Review all technology or presentation needs and materials, print copies and save on multiple devices 
• Send event reminders to all confirmed ticket holders with any pertinent information within a week of the event 
• Identify any photo-ops 
• Organize any day-of or post-event marketing strategies 
• Prepare for check-in and on-site registration (name badges, ticket readers, etc)
• Invite media – issue media release 
• Close sales or run last minute promotions if needed

The Calm Before the Storm: 1 Day Before the Event

Today is the culmination of all of your preparation, when all the pieces come together to show the exact potential of the event you’ve been planning. During set-up, work closely with your event stylists to create a cohesive and visually appealing atmosphere that matches the theme and purpose of your event. Pay attention to details like table settings, lighting, signage, and seating arrangements to enhance the overall experience.

To prepare:

• Communicate last-minute needs and expectations with planning committee, volunteers and staff 
• Set-up physical space 
• Hang/display signage 
• Ensure you have copies of important materials 
• Test technology and ensure you have a back-up plans in place in case of loss of power, internet,etc

It’s Showtime: the Day of the Event

Take a deep breath. The day you’ve been preparing for is finally here. And because of your careful planning, you’re ready for it. On the day of the event, coordinate with your team and vendors to ensure everything runs smoothly. Assign someone to manage logistics, oversee the schedule, and handle any unexpected issues that may arise. Be prepared to adapt and make quick decisions as needed.

• Arrive early (ask partners, volunteers, committee members to do the same) 
• Greet all partners, sponsors, vendors, volunteers
• Distribute copies of run-of-show to volunteers, vendors, speakers, etc
• Keep calm 

Follow-Up: 1 Week After the Event

After the event, be sure to show gratitude to all of your attendees, partners and vendors while the experience is still fresh in their minds. This is important to preserve trusting, working relationships. Use your follow-up as an opportunity to gather feedback from everyone involved. This information will help you evaluate the success of your event, identify areas for improvement, and allow you to make informed decisions for future events.

Within the a week of your event, consider the following:

• Send thank you email to all attendees, along with a short survey about the event
• Send thank you to venue/vendors/entertainers and request any feedback about the partnership or the event itself
• Send personal handwritten thank you cards to sponsors, entertainers or major partners
• Post any highlights from event to website and social media – consider sharing these moments in your thank you letters and emails as well
• Review spending and revenue

Post-Event Analysis: 1 Month After the Event

After you’ve had some time to decompress, take time to look back on the experience, measure your success and identify any lessons learned. What you determine in this phase will go towards improving events for years to come. 

During your post-event analysis, be sure to: 

• Send survey reminders and review responses from those who attended your event
• Meet with planning committee to debrief and discuss successes and failures
• Evaluate event’s success (financial, attendance, experience), measured against KPIs set in the initial budget 

Planning a successful event requires careful preparation, attention to detail, and effective teamwork. By following this comprehensive guide, you can create an event that not only meets its objectives but leaves a lasting impression on your attendees. 

Remember that flexibility and adaptability are key, as unexpected challenges are a part of event planning. But through dedication, trusting partnerships and the right planning strategies, you can host a memorable and successful event.

The post A Complete Event Planning Checklist appeared first on Ticketbud.

Are restaurants in danger of being ‘Amazoned’ by the rapid rise of online food delivery? Savvy restaurateurs are capitalizing on the rising popularity of events to entice customers to dine-in.

While e-commerce competition has completely changed the face of retail, restaurants for a time seemed to escape the same fate. However, consumer demand for online food delivery is now growing 300 percent faster than dine-in ordering, and is fast eating into profits. 

On the surface it appeared that apps like Uber Eats and Grubhub were providing a great new revenue source for restaurants. However many restaurants are reporting a decline in overall profit, particularly due to the loss of alcohol sales, with more transactions going out the door. With more customers drawn to the convenience of home delivered food, restaurants are increasingly turning into production lines, losing ground on in-store sales. Dine-in meals offer greater value to restaurants and the decline in dine-in customers is impacting the bottom line. 

Particularly popular with millennials, online food delivery is still in the early stages of growth, at 6 percent of the total market and estimated to reach 11 percent by 2022. Morgan Stanley projects this market has the potential to grow from 11 billion to as much as 210 billion, which is 40 percent of the total restaurant market. While a strategy to cater to this market is clearly important, restaurateurs are testing new ideas to entice customers back to dine-in.   

Restaurant operators are realizing they need to adapt fast before their businesses become unprofitable in the future. Many are now looking to capitalize on the 50 billion dollar US events market and the rising popularity of experiential events. 

People are increasingly searching for new experiences and events. According to Google, mobile searches for “events/attractions” plus “near me” have grown over 500 percent from 2016 to 2018. While 51 percent of all mobile searches on Google are for restaurants. With 35 million people discovering public events on Facebook each day, now is the time to be promoting event dining experiences. Restaurants need to promote more than a menu online, offer an experience to entice customers from the comfort of their living rooms. Unique experiences gain consumer interest, a special event or curated dining experience creates an occasion people want to participate in.  

Across the hospitality industry, from bars, family restaurants to fine-dining, managers are looking to experiential event dining to give people a reason to leave the house. Ticketbud works closely with hospitality venues to create and manage in-store events, with packages and campaigns that can be created across multiple events and locations. 

“Prepaid events not only bring people in-store, they offer predictable revenue with cash in advance. Our restaurant clients report greater attendance for prepaid events, with less than 2% no-shows. Offering patrons a prepaid booking and exclusive menu package can capture them for hours, increasing in-store alcohol sales and a chance to promote new menu items”.

Meredith Smith, Director of Operations, Ticketbud.

Partnering with Ticketbud for in-store dining events 

Ticketbud partners with businesses to create event solutions and packages to fit individual business needs. A successful event partnership offers our clients opportunities for customer engagement, creative new marketing initiatives, customer data, increased in-store revenue and predictive sales for budget forecasting. 

We only make money if you make money. Unlike restaurant reservation booking tools, there is no subscription requirement and organizers can build our very low fees into the ticket price. There is also no additional hardware required to execute an in-store event with Ticketbud. We understand the pain points restaurant operators face with training staff on new POS or online ordering devices. We cut that out entirely, making for a smooth and seamless online and in-store transaction. 

Ticketbud offers white label custom solutions or ready to use templates for event promotion pages. Our branded Showcase Pages provide a space for event organizers to cross promote all their events and include an interactive calendar to view all upcoming events. Our platform and check-out is mobile optimized to ensure we maximize sales from mobile devices.

We cater to individual or multi-location event campaigns, with unlimited ticket programming for a variety of packages and experiences to be offered. With real time reporting and simple to use check-in options, Ticketbud makes event hosting a smooth experience. The insights and data gained through event registrations is a great opportunity to learn more about your customer base and is of significant value for future promotions. 

Get in contact with the Ticketbud team if you would like to learn more about hospitality event opportunities with Ticketbud.

The post Increasing Dine-In Revenue In A Take-Out World appeared first on Ticketbud.

Mobile is changing the way consumers are researching and buying tickets for events. With more consumer time being spent on mobile devices, one of the biggest opportunities for growth in event ticketing lies in the mobile experience.

Mobile devices are the preferred way to access content online, with more searches now taking place on mobile devices than on desktop computers. While consumers do much of their pre-purchase research on mobile devices (smartphones and tablets), to date there has been a lower conversion for people completing purchases on mobile. Complicated checkouts are a major factor in around 69% of purchases being abandoned at checkout. A mobile optimized checkout, must be a priority.

Mobile isn’t just the future of e-commerce, its impact is being felt in the present and absorbing a greater share each year. Mobile is becoming the primary driver of e-commerce growth with year-on-year statistics showing more consumers are making mobile purchases. During November and December 2018, mobile devices accounted for 59% of e-commerce traffic and 40% of completed purchases. However this gap in consumer time spent on mobile versus their purchase dollars spent, continues to narrow. Various sources project that mobile commerce sales worldwide will reach between 54% and 73% of total e-commerce spending by 2021.

What’s driving the increase in mobile purchases?

The shift in mobile purchasing can be attributed to factors such as streamlined mobile checkouts, more responsive mobile websites and apps, and even increased screen sizes. This growth is expected to continue in 2019, with young consumers a driving force behind mobile purchasing. However it’s important to be aware that mobile consumers will abandon transactions quickly if the experience is difficult or flawed.

With an audience on mobile ready to buy, the purchase process just needs to be simple. Enhanced user interfaces and creating mobile optimized experiences are significant to this. Adding greater payment flexibility, including one-click payment options such as Apple Pay and Google Pay creates another advantage, especially in event ticketing.

How does a streamlined checkout and one-click payment increase ticket sales?

There are two factors at play:

1. Reducing friction at checkout – Any step along the path to purchase that gives the customer difficulty or time to rethink the purchase, is going to impact sales. Making the path to purchase frictionless by removing hurdles and pain points makes it easier for people to buy.
2. The cashless effect reduces the pain of paying – The less visible the transaction, the easier it is for people to purchase, reducing the negative association we have parting with money. The ‘Cashless Effect’ suggests people spend more when they don’t see their cash being handed over. This effect has been shown with credit card transactions and now the ability to pay with the click of a button (or TouchID) makes payment even less visible. The less time spent thinking about the transaction (imputing credit card details for example) the easier it is to buy.

The appeal of Apple Pay and Google Pay for customers: 

• Convenience – these integrations streamline the checkout process, saving time by enabling one-click or one-touch purchases. Pre-stored credit card details removes the need to input them with each purchase, making it quicker and easier to buy. Customers are spending more dollars when they can act impulsively and with a low-level of friction.
• Increased security – consumers feel more secure knowing their credit card details aren’t being shared with multiple merchants. Fingerprint scanners add an extra level of security implemented by both systems (authentication with Touch ID or Face ID is mandatory for Apple Pay).
• Familiarity – Apple and Google have established trust. Even customers who haven’t used Apple Pay or Google Pay before, are likely familiar with making purchases through Apple iTunes or GooglePlay from mobile devices (particularly millennials).
• Privacy – purchases can be kept private, by not keeping transaction information that can be tied back to you.

Event organizers with the most to gain

A mobile optimized one-click checkout is particularly important to event organizers that rely heavily on mobile sales, such as multi-day pop-up events, hospitality and events targeting millennials. However with such a wide consumer base on mobile, taking advantage of impulse sale opportunities is valuable to all event organizers.

With an audience researching events on mobile devices, a seamless purchase process with fewer clicks and pain points will see an increase in conversion rates. There is therefore a significant advantage in partnering with a ticketing company that has mobile checkout experience top of mind.

Ticketbud commits to an advanced mobile experience in 2019

In 2019 Ticketbud has launched a mobile optimized checkout flow and enhanced user interface, with Apple Pay and Google Pay fully integrated in the checkout experience. 

For event goers – a mobile optimized checkout means the ticket buying process is made quicker and easier.

For event organizers – this translates to increased ticket sales, converting more people from the event page by reducing difficulties at checkout.

Ticketbud is committed to continual platform enhancements and mobile optimization. We are set to roll out a series of platform enhancements in 2019, to further improve the customer experience for both ticket buyers and event organizers.

The post The Future Of Event Ticketing Is Mobile appeared first on Ticketbud.

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This is a big deal – for a long time, the whole concept of ticket resale and scalping was a complete Wild West. And regardless of your feelings of regulation and intervention, most people would agree that ticket scalpers were abusing the system with bots and with scripts. The fact that we have companies like Google stepping in is a very big deal.

I’ve been in the internet marketing space for a long time, and I’ve seen a lot of times where Google has stepped in, usually for the better. The most poignant example in my mind is in the payday loans industry. If you’re not familiar with a payday loan, how these loans worked is that they were short-term, but had an extremely high-interest rate. These were -supposed- to be covered by your paycheck, but the amount you’d owe on the loan was so immense that you would still be in the hole. Payday loans were predatory, to say the least, as they often targeted low-income households without a lot of economic education. So, as I mentioned earlier, Google stepped in and disallowed all advertising related to them.

Now, Google isn’t disallowing advertising for Ticket Resellers, but they are stepping in and saying that there needs to be more information on what the tickets actually go for. One predatory practice that some ticket resellers used was creating fake sites that made it look like they were the official ticket sellers, and so purchasers would be conned out of their money.

The basics of the new requirement form come down to this:

You can read the whole Requirement form here: https://support.google.com/adwordspolicy/answer/7577050?hl=en I’ve summarized it below:

Be honest about your business You can’t imply in your ads that you’re the primary provider of the tickets, with words like “Official” or by including the artist or venue name in the website’s URL. For example, you can’t use “ArtistNameTickets.com” or “VenueNameTickets.com” as your URL.

Provide accurate price information Resellers must also provide a price breakdown during the checkout process and before the customer provides payment information. The breakdown should show the specific costs added, such as taxes and any fees that have been added to the face value of the tickets.

Ticket resellers need to start verifying their business in early January 2018. Although Ticketbud is not a reseller, we plan on becoming certified once the forms become available.

My final thoughts: This is a good move, but it needs to be echoed across all search engines and discovery platforms if this is to truly work. Although this is my initial assumption, I believe that Google will block all ticket resale advertising on their platform until this happens. The next step will be that Google will update its algorithm to start damaging the rankings of resellers that do not comply. Also, if my experience in internet marketing has taught me anything, ticket resellers will be doing just fine. All they will need to do is change how they do business. Cliche: the cream will always rise to the top – those who embrace these changes won’t have a thing to worry about.

The post Google Begins To Clamp Down On Ticket Resellers appeared first on Ticketbud.

The Smart Assistant is another in a line of voice activated, smart speaker assistants like the Amazon Echo and the Google Home. The idea amongst these is fairly simple: a speaker connected with a smart computer device that you can activate by your voice and use it to manage day-to-day tasks. The different assistants can manage anything from purchasing items for you (Amazon Echo does this really well), to streaming music (Google Home has this down with a ton of YouTube playlists) to managing your calendar (Lenovo Smart Assistant seems to have a handle on your calendar and updates really well), these small devices make it easier for you to get things done and set reminders by just using your voice.

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The more things change, the more they stay the same. You might find that funny as an intro for a piece about trends in event software, but it’s true. When you think about why event registration and ticket sales software were invented, it was for one purpose: to make it easier for organizers. At the same time, it was devised to make it easier to count and check in attendees.

Trends in the event software space are still pointing towards the goal of making it easier for organizers and attendees alike. As a writer at Ticketbud, I keep my eyes on trends not just in the event space, but in the overall software and technology spaces. For this particular piece, I have been working with Justin Guinn, Market Researcher at registration software reviews company Software Advice. I spoke with him briefly on two trends he’s noticed.

Trend 1: Social Marketing Sean: “You spoke of two big trends that we’re seeing in events. What’s the first?” Justin: “The first is already happening every day…or really every second. Social marketing is growing into a hugely viable attendee acquisition channel. Event managers can leverage social to engage not only with targeted professionals but also with brands and industry thought leaders in the event’s respective space. And with some event registration software offering integrations into social platforms, attendees can convert right where they are without having to visit an event’s registration site.”

We’ve been seeing this more and more with Facebook, who’ve announced that they are now working with ticket providers to sell tickets directly through their event pages rather than having to go to the website of the event. Ticketbud is one of the few companies that actually has a widget that integrates directly with Facebook.

Trend 2: iBeacons Sean: “What’s the second big trend that you’ve been seeing amongst event registration companies?”

As you can imagine, iBeacons are without a doubt the way of the future. In my opinion, it’s the one piece of event tech that will have the greatest impact on events and has applications in many different industries. Imagine there no longer being lines for checkin in, because everyone checks in themselves. After checking in, they are directed to sponsor booths or are alerted of the speakers they have signed up for. We are moving into a space where technology reduces friction for the attendee as well as for sponsors. Everybody wins, especially the organizers that now no longer need to hire people to check in attendees.

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