event planning

(This is a guest article by Dan Westervelt)

Mistake 1: We’ll rent a golf course that charges a $65 green fees and charge our golfers $165 to play in the event. While this may seem like a reasonable price you must remember that golfers are very familiar with the local courses and their green fees. Better to offer them a higher priced course to justify the increased fee, golfers will pay more for perceived value i.e. it is far easier to sell an event on a $150 course at $250 than a $65 course for $165.

HINT: Private club green fees are now definitely negotiable and sadly, people don’t bother to ask about them about their current rates, you will be surprised by doing so.

Mistake 2: Our format has always worked with our golfers so we’ll stick with what worked last year. The big problem with this thinking is that as golfers improve their needs change, for example a starting golfer is very happy to play in a scramble format. An advanced golfer probably is not, they either want to play their ball throughout the match or at least have a more hands on approach in play. SOLUTION: Before you announce the format, survey the golfers from last year, ask if they would prefer a change?

HINT: This should be a part of your regular tournament promotion activity anyway, as once you have hosted a golfer, you need to stay in touch with them about upcoming events and a short 3 question survey is the way to gain valuable information before making this mistake.

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sdk(This is a guest article by Stephen Lombardo)

For what seems like an eternity, the NBA has lost some of its appeal to its fans when it comes to All-Star weekend.  The game is the most entertaining part.  However, they don’t actually play basketball until the final five minutes of the game.  All-Star Saturday feels like it doesn’t even exist.  HORSE, the newest event of the weekend, showed its crucial flaw this week when they turned it into a three-point shoot out until someone was declared the winner.  The point guard time trials feel a bit lame, the shoot out is ok, but the slam dunk contest (the NBA’s marquis event) feels like less than a shell of its former self.  How do you save this event, and bring back the excitement there was in the 80’s and 90’s?

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(This is a guest article by Ryan Knapp)

On Tuesday January 26th, Dan Magness set the world record for juggling a soccer ball for just about 36 miles, visiting five different English Premier League club stadia in the process.

Yes, 36 miles, that is not a typo.

This is not Magness’s first time in the spotlight for an act of soccer jugging mastery.  In May 2009 he beat the world record for juggling a soccer ball for 24 hours without letting it touch the ground.

If you are able to watch video of Magness’ travel around London’s soccer stadiums, you can see that he is not simply juggling the ball from point A to B.  At every turn, he is interacting with fans and strangers along the route, performing tricks that go beyond a simple keep-up.  I hope a film crew or at least someone with a flip-cam was following him getting fans reaction on tape.

While sponsors are busy looking at numbers and ROI to justify sponsorship dollars, they are simultaneously searching out the next viral marketing idea or creative sponsorship activation. A freestyle soccer event such as this could generate quite the buzz surrounding your club and your sponsors.

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Networking at the Ballpark

by |February 1st, 2010

Werner Kunz(This is a guest article by Chris Rufle)

Putting on a networking event at your venue can be beneficial for you in a few different ways.  It can give you the opportunity to sell a weak night, draw in new quality leads, and help other business executives further their businesses all at the same time.  As long as you follow a few steps to make sure you plan your event properly it can be a success.

First, pick a night. Since people are primarily coming for the networking event instead of the game, you have the opportunity to pick the date you prefer.  This gives you the ability to take one of your weaker nights and sell it while hosting a successful group outing with great potential for future leads.

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