Jab, jab, jab, right hook—that’s how Gary Vaynerchuk describes his marketing strategy. It’s an apt description for the “thank-you economy” that Vaynerchuk preaches, one in which you give, give, give, and then ask.

Vaynerchuk started his rise to fame by hosting Wine Library TV, a video podcast featuring wine advice and reviews. From there, he’s gone on to write four books and launch VaynerMedia, a social media marketing firm.  He’s never strayed from the belief that in order to receive you have to give.

“A funny thing happens when you give value up front,” he recently said in a New York Times interview by David Segal. “You guilt people into buying stuff.”

That sort of guilt can be applied by trade show exhibitors, too. Rather than push information onto a passive audience and hope they respond, exhibitors must engage with people. They must offer content that is usable and often immediately practicable.

One strategy is speaking at educational events. In a recent Center for Exhibition Industry Research report, 71 percent of exhibitors participate in face-to-face learning sessions as part of their onsite marketing plan. In fact, 86 percent of exhibitors said that speaking at an educational seminar or workshop was effective or highly effective in supporting their marketing objectives.

“Marketing activities that give an exhibiting company singular attention achieve higher effectiveness scores, with speaking at educational seminars/workshops and holding private events outside exhibit hours the most effective ancillary marketing activities,” the report stated.

There are some other good nuggets in the findings.

For example, the top three reasons for exhibiting are to build brand awareness, reach new customers, and to meet with current customers. Also, 80 percent of “exhibitors with annual revenues of $100 million+ find sponsorships of an exhibition special event or session effective as do 74 percent of organizations that participated in 20 or more exhibitions in 2012.”

After reading the report, please let us know how you’re getting out the booth and into the minds of customers. Or better yet, how’s your jab and right hook?

(photo credit: Silicon Prairie News via photopin cc)

Do you know the average number of full-time financial/accounting employees it takes to manage a venue? Or the average number of housekeeping/custodial, guest operations or event personnel it takes? In which areas are you too fat, or too lean? Find out in our 2013 Staffing Survey Report.

Developed by VenueDataSource—funded by the IAVM Foundation—the report presents data about the number of full-time employees (or equivalent) in 27 functional categories. Separate reports are available for arenas, convention centers, and performing arts centers and can be found in our catalog of products (scroll to the bottom of the page). You can also reach out to Frank Ingoglia at Frank.Ingoglia@IAVM.org, and he’ll be happy to assist you in purchasing the report.

Here are some interesting takeaways.

1) Convention centers use almost twice as many FTE employees as arenas, which in turn use twice as many as performing arts centers

2) Large convention centers and arenas use two to three times the number of employees as medium ones.

3) Medium convention centers and arenas use about three times the number of employees as small ones.

4) Large and medium performing arts centers use about the same number of employees, about three-and-a-half times the number used at small ones.

If your venue completed this survey, you can download the report at the VenueDataSource site.

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Please welcome our newest members who joined IAVM in September and October. Thank you for being a part of the association!

Kathleen Battali, general manager—Northern Arizona University
Dennis Bechtol, professor and chair—Northwood University Florida
Edward Bryan, director of event operations—Massachusetts Convention Center Authority
Amanda Caldwell, event manager—Pepsi Center
Gordon Chadwell, safety and security manager—Grand Ole Opry House
Kendra Clark, director of sales and marketing—Stockton Arena/Bob Hope Theatre/Stockton Ballpark/Oak Park Ice Arena
Martin Collins, business development—Acoustic Control Systems NA LLC
Suzanne Davis, director—Albany Recreation Parks Department
Tim Deck, assistant director safety and security services—Taco Bell Arena-Boise State University
Diane DiAntonio, director of event operations—Massachusetts Convention Center Authority
Mike Edwards, events and marketing manager—City of Cranbrook – Western Financial Place
Jodi Feder, senior production manager—Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Lauren Federico, event services manager—Massachusetts Convention Center Authority
Arthur Fritch, event services manager—Massachusetts Convention Center Authority
Carol Gagnon, senior event services manager—Massachusetts Convention Center Authority
Cindy Gaspardo, manager of performing arts—Elgin Community College
Tammy Genovese, general manager—Crossroads Arena
Evan Harwood, event manager—Massachusetts Convention Center Authority
Laura Hatfield, associate teaching professor—Sport Venue Management, University of Missouri
Katie Hawkes, event services manager—Massachusetts Convention Center Authority
David Hu, general manager—David Leading Sports
Mike Hunter, assistant director—Arlington Convention Center
Kenechukwu Kanu, head environ and safety—InnerCity Mission for Children
Stacey Knoppel, director of sales and marketing—Baltimore Convention Center
Michelle Konnath, senior event services manager—Massachusetts Convention Center Authority
Tracy Legarza, event services manager—Reno-Sparks Convention Center
Marcelo Martins, general manager of operations—Time for Fun Entretenimento
Jeremy Meriwether, front of house associate—Bridgestone Arena
Joe Myhra, senior director—Engineering & Maintenance, Seattle Mariners
Heidi O’Hara, director of sales and events—Clark County Event Center
Stacy Paulsen, general manager—City of Cranbrook-Western Financial Place
Anastasia Pharr, house manager—AT&T Performing Arts Center
Roy Pitcoff, general counsel and director of training and development—Gateway Security Inc.
Dan Popowich, CEO—Commissionaires BC
Kevin Rhodes, director—Florence Events Center
Steve Scherrer, manager—Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex
Andrew Shepardson, event coordinator and guest services manager—Montana State University-Sports Facilities
Jeremiah Smith, event manager—Jackson Convention Complex
Vincent Solomon Jr., event coordinator—Georgia International Convention Center
Phil Templar, director of venues and events—Aspire Zone
Mark Wisness, director—Arlington Convention Center

(photo credit: Judy ** via photopin cc)

Here are the answers to the crossword puzzle featured in the August/September issue of Facility Manager magazine. As a reminder, any IAVM member that sends in a photo/scan of completed puzzles from the next two issues will be entered into a drawing for a complimentary registration to VenueConnect 2014 in Portland, Oregon! (Submissions must be received by the deadline printed with each puzzle)

There was a lot of industry news this past week you may have missed. Here are some headlines that caught our eyes.

Samsung Inks $100 Million Deal with the NBA
—Mashable
“The brand is now the official handset, tablet and TV provider of the NBA, Women’s National Basketball Association, and NBA Development League.”

The Best Gourmet Food at Europe’s Soccer Grounds
—Fine Dining Lovers
“Scientific studies have revealed that soccer fans have taste buds too. Some clubs have upped their game accordingly. FC St Pauli, of Germany’s Bundesliga 2, deliver hotdogs to VIP supporters via a special ‘sausage train’ model railway. Meanwhile, in the English Championship, Wigan Athletic’s pies are the stuff of legend. Yet some football stadiums have taken things to another level. Actual restaurants, with tables, chairs and cutlery. Havens of gastronomy, where you don’t even have to like soccer to eat well. In some cases, really well. Here are five of the best.”

Chicago’s Soldier Field Launches Enhanced Distributed Antenna System Network
—MarketWatch
“The upgraded Soldier Field network—installed, managed and operated by Boingo and AT&T in partnership with SMG—will deliver comprehensive wireless coverage to fans, ensuring they are able to stay connected via their mobile devices during the height of a game or concert.”

GWCC Gest First Look at Newest Design Plans for New Falcons Stadium
—WSB-TV
“The designs show a retractable roof unique to this stadium, one of the many special designs McKay attributes to the added cost and the $1.2 billion price tag.”

(Image via Flickr: joshuak8/Creative Commons)