Ticketing Tidbits from Ticketbud

In this episode we talk to Dawn Robinette, a PR expert that runs Tale to Tell Communications. Dawn has extensive events experience working with General Motors, sponsorships and promotions, managing more than 175 events and programs annually. Working with NASCAR, the NFL, the NCAA, the PGA, MLB, the Olympic Torch Relay and Cirque du Soleil, achieving a 150% increase in promotional press coverage for GM across all major US media markets. HIGHLIGHTS: In the episode Dawn shares strategic and logistical details for her current project Old West Christmas Light Fest. Dawn manages the dual roles of event manager and event promoter for this Texas holiday festival as part of a small team. Dawn is an advocate for the customer experience and how vital it is to keep this front of mind while planning, promoting and executing an event experience. She is always looking for new ways to engage customers and shares some tactics and strategies around this. Dawn also shares advice on maximizing marketing spend, and where to get the most value for your efforts, particularly if you have limited resources. She gives some great insight around social media engagement, marketing and the use of influencers in your event marketing.

In this episode we talk to Joe Newman, the CEO and Co-founder of the American Basketball Association (ABA), the largest professional sports league in the US. The ABA has teamed up with Ticketbud to focus on growth ahead of their new season. Topics include: - Rebuilding the ABA brand and how the central association supports the success of more than 150 teams - The ABA's partnership with Ticketbud - The value of moving the ABA to online ticketing. Enabling them to reach new audiences, while gaining valuable customer data and buyer behavior insights - Challenges of implementing changes across an organization with so many independently owned teams - Communication practices between the ABA and it's teams - Promoting a new ticketing purchase channel to fans - ABA promotional efforts, merchandise and more

In this Halloween themed episode we talk to haunters Sue Rose and Rick Williams, who have run haunted trail events in California and Georgia. Their current attraction, Nightmare Forest Web of Fears, is a haunted walk through Georgia's historic countryside. Ranked by Style Magazine as one of the "Top 10 Spots to Celebrate Halloween". Attendees rave about the experience. This is a well developed and executed event that attendees rave about. Sue and Rick share how they were underwhelmed by other haunted events that were overpriced and lacking in creativity and production. With a love of halloween, historical stories and urban legends, they decided to create their own haunting experience. Sue and Rick share what goes into planning this experience, from inspiration, to practical execution and logistics. Creating a theme, storyline and characters, as well as preparing the property and designing scenes. Auditioning and working with actors to bring their spooky story to life and create a memorable experience for attendees. Key Topics: - Creating an immersive story - Developing characters and managing talent - Event safety and insurance - Being prepared and adaptable - Common challenges - Team communication - Attendee communication - Ticketing, attendee information, event data and reporting - Event promotion: including showcasing the experience and production value, making people more comfortable with pre-purchasing tickets.

In this episode we talk to Hayden Walker, the organizer of the highly successful Mac and Cheese Festival held in Austin, Texas and Portland, Oregon. Hayden is the Executive Director at AFM Media and Editor in Chief of Austin Food Magazine. With his finger on the pulse of all things foodie in Austin. Hayden created Austin's Mac and Cheese Festival which became a huge sell out success, enjoyed and embraced by attendees and vendors. Now in its 4th year in Austin and 2nd year in Portland, the Mac and Cheese Festival has a winning event recipe that is set to grow, and take on more cities in 2020. Episode Topics: -Turning something you love into a career -Creating the Mac and Cheese Festival experience -Research and inspiration -Evolving a food festival, growing in size and locations -Managing event stakeholder relationships -Testing event formats and target audiences -Ticket pricing and event promotion -Benefits of prepaid events -Preparing vendors for success -Event day gate management

In this episode we talk to Loy Maierhauser from MAP Brewing Company in Bozeman, Montana. Loy manages all private and public events for MAP Brewing. From regular weekly events such a live music and community pint nights, to their highly successful backyard summer concert series. In addition to her role at MAP Brewing, Loy co-founder of Fermentana, a beer-and-all-things-fermented events planning and promotions company. Through Fermentana Loy organizes Craft Beer Week in Bozeman and a women’s only beer education series called Beer Maven, as well as conference planning for the Montana Brewers Association and the Craft Maltsters Guild. Loy is a Certified Cicerone and a Certified Beer Judge (through the BJCP) and regularly attends beer festivals and competitions as a judge. In this episode Loy shares her experiences running brewery events, organizing a summer concert series and managing an event planning company.

In this episode we talk to Kevin Baxter, owner of Vivid Festivals, who has over 20 years experience working in entertainment and marketing. Kevin talks to us about his upcoming food festival, The Big Dill, and his goal to build the biggest online pickle brand through events, content and community building. Key Topics: -Building a brand around something people have a preexisting affinity for -Finding the right partnerships  -Moving away from the food sample model -Short and long term strategies for sponsors  -Building awareness and an online community -Utilizing influencers    -Promotion, promotion promotion - including activations -Communication is the key to a better experience for all

In this episode we talk to Joe Hill, a writer, producer and stand up comedian with over a decade of experience organizing live entertainment events. Based in NYC, Joe is the founder of The Come Up, producing live events for comedians and musicians. Joe created The Come Up to share his passion for live performance, building an artist community and nurturing up and coming artists. In the episode Joe talks about: -How he got into comedy and producing his own events -Coordinating live performances & the secret formula for a great show -Balancing being an artist, with being your own promoter and event organizer -Building a brand through consistent delivery of content -The importance owning your audience data and contact information to be able to connect and grow your following -Tips for maximizing revenue for live shows -The benefit of early payouts to cover upfront expenses

In this podcast we talk to Amber Gunst, the CEO at the Austin Technology Council, a membership based organization geared toward leaders in the Austin Tech Community. Key topics in this episode include: -How the ATC utilizes events as part of their community engagement and membership strategy. -The challenges of organizing events across a wide ranging member base. -Identifying the right marketing channels for B2B events -The best way to approach businesses for event sponsorships. As a female leader in the tech space, Amber shares her personal experience of being perceived as aggressive when displaying the same behaviors as her male colleagues. Amber gives advice on how to manage this double standard and reframe the conversation.

In this episode we talk to Berenice Guzman, event organizer and marketer for Austin City Limits Radio’s summer concert series - Blues on the Green. In the episode Berenice talks about what goes into coordinating a large scale free concert series. We discuss the key costs involved in terms of infrastructure and production, as well as details for planning and logistics. Berenice gives a great overview to sponsorships for this type of event, with specific information about managing multiple sponsors and sponsor packages, including brand activations.

In this podcast we talk to Mandi Thomas, Director of Strategic Partnerships at the Downtown Austin Alliance.  She manages the events, programming and operations of Republic Square, a community park in downtown Austin frequently used for events. In this episode Mandi talks about what goes into managing a public park and event space. She gives an overview of the key elements of her role which include business development, sales, fundraising, event planning and venue management. Mandi shares specific insights on event programming, key challenges and maximizing year round usage of a space. Key Topics: -Downtown Austin Alliance and its role in the Downtown Public Improvement District -Maximizing business partnerships  -Venue operations management and programming  -Securing sponsorships -Managing a public park and venue -Creating authentic and unique event programing for a public space  -Working with event producers to facilitate a great event -Maximizing year round use of an outdoor venue -Key challenges of managing a public park  -Tips and advice for event organizers

In this episode we talk to Mark Kwiatkowski who has owned and managed bars and venues for the past 25 years. Mark owns Replay Lincoln Park, a barcade venue in Chicago that’s both a bar and arcade. Mark has had a lot of success running themed pop-up event promotions as part of their promotional strategy. The venue gets converted with a new theme, such as their recent highly successful Game of Thrones experience, that received significant media attention. Mark has a lot of experience working in hospitality and has great advice for venue and event managers.

In this episode we talk to Teri Smart, the Vice President of Marketing at Forefront Networks. Forefront is an experiential and entertainment agency designing events that build connections between brands and their audiences. Teri shares how Forefront Networks utilizes the CRM platform Salesforce as a key part of their strategy to maximize the success and profitability of events. She discusses the different ways organizations can utilize events for various goals and audiences. She emphasizes the importance of having thorough research and data backing your sponsorship valuations. As well as diving into event marketing, visual direction and creative design, ticket pricing, programming, promotions and gaining traction in the media. As well as assessing the financial sustainability of your event.

In this episode we chat to Scott Shepard from SDG Events, who talks about coordinating the multi-city food festival Wing-A-Rama. Scott discusses the importance of ensuring the event offers value to his three key stakeholder groups; restaurant vendors, sponsors and event attendees. He also shares his experience growing from a single city to multi-city event, and the challenges of expanding into new markets.

Gerry Brooks is a social media star and an elementary school principal. Through his popular youtube videos focused on real-world educational experiences, Gerry has amassed a social media following of over 1 million people. His most popular viral video this year was viewed by over 10 million, and received national media coverage. Gerry’s relatable stories and tell it like it is style, combined with his passion for education, has proven to be a winning formula, which now sees him booking speaking engagements across the country, and hosting a sell out event series called Celebrate Educators. We invited Gerry to the podcast to talk about his rise to internet stardom and what it’s like to be both the talent and the event organizer for a traveling one man show.

In this episode we talk to Jimmy Carilo the Creative Marketing Director for World Of Light, an immersive art installation pop-up event debuting in Los Angeles next month. Jimmy shares the challenges and learnings from putting an event of this nature together - working with artists from around the world and transforming a space into an experience that people haven't seen before. Jimmy talks about the need to schedule bookings for an experience like this to ensure everyone can enjoy it. He shares some unique marketing tactics for getting the word out about the event. He also talks about his experiences working with different ticketing companies and why Ticketbud's approach made all the difference to his team.

Gain a deeper insight on event planning for a large Chamber of Commerce membership based organization.  Lacy Roesler, Manager of Partner Events and Engagement at the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, talks about the wide range of events and initiatives she manages for the Chamber. She shares insights from years of event management experience including working at the Long Center for the Performing Arts.

Abby Sandlin is the Vice President of Marketing and Communications and Forefront Networks in Austin, TX. Forefront Networks has years of experience in live and proprietary events, brand enhancement, and sponsorships.

"Speed dating for live music", as Paul Schomer puts it, embodies the nature of Microsessions. A former NPR musical digital producer, Paul was inspired into action by a musical act that went on way too long because musicians kept being added. The resulting Microsessions has proved to be a great success, with shows in Austin, New York, and soon other locales. In this podcast, we discuss everything from building audiences and retargeting, to how to improve your event through feedback.

Bruce Willenzik absolutely exudes the spirit of Austin. It makes sense - he used to work at the venue responsible for Austin being named the "Live Music Capital Of The World": The Armadillo World Headquarters. With decades of experience running successful events and concerts, Bruce is a great mentor to learn from. Enjoy the history, as well as tried and true lessons of organizing and running successful shows.

Clint Kaulfas is a professional gate manager residing in Austin, who loves working in the festival space. Clint has worked with big event production companies and managed the biggest festivals in Austin. In this episode, we talk about (you guessed it) gate management and managing attendees.

Anne Johnson has grown up with a 40 year old Austin favorite - the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar. It's a decidedly Austin event - live music, local art, and a layout that eschews convention. Today on Ticketbud Tidbits we sit down with her to learn about what it takes to keep such a classic event fresh, while also staying in touch with its roots.

Deidra Sibila has run ticketing for everything from Beyonce stadium tours, local festivals and the hometown rock venue. In the introductory episode of Ticketbud Tidbits, we sit down with her to discuss best practices, challenges, and what it means to be a ticketing professional today.

The Ticketbud Tidbits Episode 16 Podcast is with Ever Gonzalez, the Founder of OutlierHQ and organizer of the Outlier Podcast Festival. Hosted by Lisa Carson, Ticketbud Content Marketing Manager. Ticketbud catches up with Ever to chat about the Outlier Podcast Festival coming up in Austin in May and Denver in June. We talk about what makes this festival different and the ingredients for a great event. Ever shares what goes into coordinating a traveling festival and engaging with local markets. As well as tips for new podcasters and how a podcast can be a great vehicle for you brand.

Join Ticketbud Tidbids for a chat with Deidra Sibila, an expert in event ticketing. Deidra has done it all from theatre events to concert tours and festivals. Deidra worked for Live Nation for 13 years including corporate touring as Senior National Director of Ticketing for Touring in North America. Deidra managed ticketing for major concert tours across the US, from Justin Timberlake to Jay-Z. She has also managed ticketing for C3 Events, known for festivals such as ACL and Lollapalooza. Deidra now works as an independent contractor for festivals and events including local holiday favorite, the Austin Trail of Lights. We talk to Deidra about event planning, the role of ticketing and ticket programming, dealing with the unexpected, and the importance of event protect ticket coverage for unexpected cancelations.

Ticketbud Tidbits interview with Taste of Mexico event organizers Conner Moncrief and Aaron Jimenez from Mexic-Arte Museum. Ticketbud catches up with the event organizers of Taste of Mexico to find out more about their delicious event. We talk about what people can expect from the event, and what goes into putting a food festival such as this together. We discuss event goals, fundraising, vendor participation, promotion, sponsorships, ticket pricing and more. This annual Austin food festival showcases Mexican cuisine from over 35 central Texas restaurants, food trucks, and vendors. Paired with a diverse bar of fine Tequilas, Mezcales, wines, beers, and other refreshing beverages. This year's festival features a variety of interactive activities and demonstrations exploring the influence of Puebla in Mexican cuisine. Join a Taste of Mexico - Wednesday May 1st 2019, 5:30 – 9:00 pm https://mexic-artemuseum.ticketbud.com/taste-of-mexico-2019

Ep 13 Ticketbud Tidbits - Eric Olsavsky of Pelotonia by Ticketbud - Event Ticketing

Ep 11 Ticketbud Tidbits - Richelle Ouellette of Alchemy Events by Ticketbud - Event Ticketing

In this episode of Ticketbud Tidbits, we discuss experiential marketing and events with Corina Frankie of Brand Besties.

Ep 8 Ticketbud Tidbits - Cindy Lo of Red Velvet Events by Ticketbud - Event Ticketing

Nicole Marie Hughes is an events master. She owns her own event company (Nicole Marie Events) and is branching out to create Rebel Weddings (https://rebelwed.com) for clients that want a more "epic" wedding experience. Today on Ticketbud Tidbits we talk about her experiences in weddings, how to make money as an event planner with your own ideas, how to keep clients, and other unique tips for wedding planners in particular. You can read the podcast transcript at http://blog.ticketbud.com/ticketbud-tidbits-episode-6-nicole-marie-events/

CJ Alderton is a busy man - he runs Patrick Crossing, a church that takes place in a pub, and he also heads the annual Durango Celtic Festival in Durango, Colorado. We speak with him about what you need to do to get a strong festival going, how to scale it, and how to use word-of-mouth marketing.

My-Cherie Haley is a model, runs a brand agency, sells her own hand-dyed silk scarves, and runs events - a true Renaissance woman. Today we discuss with her the trends in events in 2017, the 3 things every event needs, and her experience as an event planner.