Fuel Up

Every industry and profession in the world has conferences. If you are in a licensed profession then chances are that you have to attend conferences, classes, and seminars to maintain your certification. For the rest of us, a conference is a vital part of staying ahead of the curve.

A conference of any kind is only has good as you make it. A well-run conference will have an agenda that is timely, informative, and on topic with current trends and advancements. If you attend these sessions then you should walk away with new ideas that can not only help your company but will help you with your career advancement. If you feel like you are in a rut, then go to a conference and re-charge your creative batteries.

Networking

Networking is always a big part of any conference. It’s not just about hanging with friends and business partners. It’s about meeting new people. It’s about sharing ideas. When you have an opportunity to talk face-to-face you will find that many of your colleagues have the same issues. You have a relaxed setting to share these issues and ideas.

You could also use a conference to pitch new business and maintain current clients. If you plan accordingly you can “kill two birds with one stone”. You can save travel expenses by getting several face-to-face meetings at one conference.

EAMC 2009 at Colorado Springs

The Event and Arena Marketing Conference is coming up June 10th thru June 13th in Colorado Springs. carbonhouse is a sponsor of the conference. We sponsor this for two reasons: 1) we want to expose and market our product to this industry. 2) We want to learn as much as possible about the industry. We need to stay as up-to-speed as you do. We need to hear from our current clients and potential clients. We take this info back to the office where we can create new products that the event and entertainment industry needs to market in the 21st Century.

We hope you will join us at this year’s conference. We plan to be part of a panel session discussing online sales & marketing. We also will host a breakout presentation on what we can do for you. If you see us at the bar, tell us you read this blog and we will buy you a drink. Cheers!

EAMC 2009 Registration

Author: James Sack

Statistics published on Facebook.com show more than 150 million active users and more than 3 billion minutes are spent on Facebook each day (worldwide) with the fastest growing demographic being 30 years and older. The average user has 100 friends on the site and more than 20 million pieces of content (web links, news stories, blog posts, notes, photos, etc.) are shared each month. <http://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statistics>

Jason Falls of Social Media Explorer had a great article recently about the Rupp Arena’s use of social networking tools.

Not only does the arena have a nice website and email list, they started a blog and are using Twitter regularly to post brief updates. During the frenzy of the NCAA tournament especially, this is a fun and handy tool for the Kentucky cognosenti. I signed up and have gotten some good posts—and certainly not all basketball related. For example, yesterday they Twittered with a reminder that, “In case you missed it, the presale for the Hank Willians (sic) Jr. and Lynyrd Skynyrd concert is still going on until 9 am tomorrow morning.” (Bocephus will undoubtedly forgive them for the typo in his last name.)

Jason had some other excellent observations—namely, that Rupp Arena’s marketing department let an intern loose to start both the blog and the Twitter group. Also, the arena perceived the value in building a loyal community following vs. just trying to sell more tickets.

Such use of social networking tools, which are exploding, demonstrates the benefits of experimenting and seeing what can happen. It pays to have a strategy, start with a few tools and put someone in charge who a) gets it and b) will devote the time to keep the content fresh. Social networking takes effort and has to build organically—it does not magically produce results overnight.

Surprisingly, many other larger, commercial arenas are nowhere close to this level of interactivity with their customers and fans. One savvy intern from Kentucky should have his pick of jobs when he hits the market!

Why Magnets Are Un-Attractive

First, they are a cheap marketing ploy. That is undoubtedly the No. 1 reason so many Realtors seem to favor them. You can just hear the magnet manufacturers laughing all the way to the bank. “Get a half million custom magnets for just two cents each!”So the average Realtor says, “Why not! I can plaster my name and face all over a couple dozen neighborhoods for next to nothin’!”Their first mistake is thinking that because it’s cheap, there’s no harm.The second mistake is thinking that such a cheap ploy will actually influence anyone positively (get them hired).The third mistake is thinking that there is actually any practical value with these. OK, maybe minimally so-a tacky magnet I can stick on my fridge, yes, and possibly a tiny calendar. Both of those functions (magnet and mini-calendar) override any “awareness” or “image” building you think your face/company name might be having.The thinking must go along this line: “If I can convince people to put this on their fridge for a WHOLE YEAR, think about the constant exposure I will get! When it’s time for them to buy or sell, I’ll be TOP OF MIND!”That thinking is flawed for several reasons:Number 1: If so many are doing it, what makes you think you’ll stand out? You don’t-you just end up stuck up on the fridge with the rest or more likely in the garbage.Number 2: With an expensive product to sell (actually the most expensive thing most people purchase in their lifetime, only a handful of times), what makes you think a cheap trinket will enhance your image? It doesn’t.Number 3: How do most people choose a Realtor (hint: not by who has the best fridget magnet). Answer: Personal referrals. So why waste your money, again, on a cheap gimmick?Number 4: Even if you are “top of mind,” what makes you think you are most qualified to be my Realtor? Personally, I’ve worked with a few I would never work with again-because they were annoying and didn’t have my best interests in mind. Even so, their magnets keep flowing in. More amazingly are the ones that come from the Realtors I haven’t worked with, and have no intention of working with.I also find it interesting that not a single Realtor has actually ever knocked on my door or otherwise delivered a magnet personally. So there’s another strike-an impersonal gesture, that they mistakenly think is personal, warm and fuzzy.Speaking of thinking, that is actually what I expect in a good Realtor: someone who is a thoughtful expert. First, you need to be a specialist in my neighborhood (if I’m selling) or the place I’m buying. As a specialist, I perceive that you have your ears and feet to the ground and know better than a generalist what the pricing is and how to ensure the process goes as quickly and smoothly as possible.Another important point: You don’t need to be my friend. In fact, doing business with a friend on a big real estate deal might (probably will) lead to some trying times, and possibly threaten our friendship. So no offense to any Realtor friends, but unless you are a specialist where I’m buying or selling, you can remove me from your tickler file-and save yourself another magnet.Thoughtful Realtors are the ones who take the time to analyze my neighborhood and keep me updated on what’s happening. Thoughtless Realtors do stuff like buy magnets in bulk, or piece together “helpful articles” or emails they purchased from some canned service. Thank you, but I’ve read enough about the dangers of mold and the generalities of what home improvements recoup their investments over time. What can you tell me about my situation?If more Realtors quit stuffing mailboxes with junk and actually knocked on doors and developed relationships based on expertise and individual understanding, imagine what would stick in their prospects’ minds?