Convention Center Podcast

Brain Coolbaugh is the owner of Cool Ideas Marketing, a promotional company that supplies everything from printing business cards to custom advertising specialty items.
In this podcast, Coolbaugh answers “the” marketing question…Is Print Dead?

As our guest on the Convention Center Podcast, Coolbaugh shares insight on promotional branding:
 • Best B2C & B2B promotional products
 • Suggested promotional items for convention centers and DMOs
 • When a meeting planner or event producers should begin looking at custom promotional items for their event
 • What is trending in promotional products
 • How using EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail) is an excellent avenue to consider
 • The next big thing

Reggie Dyson is the General Manager at WMIR Rejoice radio 103.5fm, 95.5fm, and 1200am, also three times Stellar Award Nominee.  The podcast opens with Dyson sharing profound moments regarding his recent outdoor event – Myrtle Beach Waves of Praise Gospel Fest, an outdoor music festival going into its 4th year.

As our guest on the Convention Center Podcast, Dyson shares primary outdoor event logistics that include but are not limited to:  

• Book artist/talent that will entertain all ages, both young and old.
• Typically, your core demographic is within a 100-mile or less radius.
• Partnerships are essential with radio, television, and out-of-home networks.
• Ask artist/talent to assist with cross promotions by using their social media platforms and radio interviews. 
• Using social media vs printed flyers win every time.
• Consider if your outdoor concert should have a hybrid component.
• Be aware of the weather conditions in the city you are hosting your outdoor event.  Meanwhile, develop relationships with the local meteorologists.
• Have a plan B if rain is forecasted a week out.  Plan B requires a lot of preparation, non-stop phone calls, and numerous text messages.
• Outdoor events offer freedom for both attendees and vendors to space out and move around.

Having produced numerous gospel events both outdoor and indoor, Dyson suggests that these “Must Dos” remain the same regardless of an event’s location.  In ranking order, here’s his…Top Ten

1. Secure the date
2. Secure the venue
3. Secure artists a year in advance
4. Secure the items listed on the artist’s rider
5. Determine the AV needs of each artist or group performing
6. Develop an event budget
7. Find sponsors to off-set artists, rider requirements, and AV needs
8. Sell vendor spaces, meanwhile ensure food vendors offer a variety of meal options from vegan to soul food, an assortment of different beverages, and those selling arts & crafts
9. Keep people at your event by providing everything a concert-goer would need 
10. Secure your talent for next year based on the climate of your recent event

As Dyson shares the ups and downs of his career as a gospel promoter, he also offers advice to new concert producers.  So, keep listening…the four items he provides advice on can make or break a successful event.

For the first time, we introduced a lightning round of Q&A’s with a twist for listeners to better know our guests!  In addition, Dyson shares an important tip that is certain to make you chuckle as he fills in this blank, “Don’t ever_______.”

Michelle Stinson Ross is the CMO of Mindful Appy.  The company works with organizations that are ready to embrace a cultural shift to create a Psychologically safe workplace.  Mindful Appy analyzes the company’s data derived from KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and evaluates employees’ emotional engagement by using NEI (Net Emotional Index).  As you listen…take notes, Stinson provides employees and employers with an easily implemented toolbox.   

This month’s podcast offers insights provided by Mindful Appy on Self-Care -I am not a Machine.  I am a Human Being!

The podcast immediately opens with Stinson answering how an employee can most effectively cope with deadline stress.  One of the many answers she provides is, asking if there is flexibility to shift the deadline out further.  Ahhh…well that seems easy enough.  

While inroads are being made for better health at the workplace, here are a few questions to ponder. 

1. Is management communicating the available options for self-care?
2. Is leadership checking in on self-care balance in the workplace?
3. What is the culture of your company?
4. Is the leadership team assisting employees to do their jobs successfully?  
5. Are people looking busy or being productive?  This is often a cultural issue most represented between Boomers & Gens/Millennials.

Stinson stresses that ownership for mental wellness/self-care that leads to fatigue or burnout no longer rests solely on the shoulders of the employee.

Why is the statement, “Check it at the door” meaningless?  Because “it” will follow up into work regardless.   To prevent “it from coming through the door”, Stinson provides our listeners with alternative methods of practicing mindfulness.  Below are a few of the self-care steps we have shared.  

• Stop and ask what emotions am I feeling
• Can I acknowledge the problem
• Then choose the best path to respond after a negative experience

In addition, Stinson offers advice for those with high-performance jobs that suffer from anxiety and provides a deep dive regarding workplace burnout.

So now, the workday is over and you are at home.  Guess what is next?   Close the stress cycle to decrease the adrenaline and cortisol in your system, Stinson suggests.  Wait… hold up it is not that simple, how do I do that?  Options to close the stress cycle do exist!  Has anyone heard of a good laugh, a big hug from your child or family member, or even the affection from your pet?

Stinson’s podcast conclusion on empathy is defiantly something not to miss!  Do not be left with FOMO.

Tiffany Andrews the Sales and Marketing Administrator at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center provides projected meeting and event industry trends for the next two upcoming quarters.  For this podcast, Andrews isn’t the host, however as a marketing and advertising professional her expertise in analyzing data proves to be extremely beneficial in anticipating trends or the “next big thing”.  

The Convention Center Podcast this month shares Tiff’s Top 5 Trends: 

1. Drive To Meeting Destinations & Advantages of Meeting in Tier 2 Cities
2. Meeting Industry Pandemic Career Threats
3. Moving Forward to Net-Zero Carbon
4. Outdoor Event Spaces as Wow Factors and Allows for Physical Distancing
5. Practicing Mindfulness and Compassion

Shannon Smith the Director of Operational Excellence at Varsity All Star shares what the key ingredients are in creating successful cheer and dance competitions before and during COVID-19.  Knowing that cheering is shifting towards being a sanctioned sport makes listening to Smith’s podcast most beneficial. 

This month’s podcast offers insight into Varsity All Star’s pandemic success:

• Launching Varsity TV for virtual competitions
• How using the Band App for coaches, judges, and staff is essential in disseminating relevant information
• The importance of phone calls, video conferencing, emails, advance communication with coaches, and use of social media to connect with spectators 
• The benefits of using a consistent scoring system, no matter the competition size or location
• Employ a detailed communication strategy on various topics that range from coach check-ins to spectator ticketing/viewing to safety protocols regarding crowd rotation and event timing   

Smith reflects on March 2020 and how events were on a hard pause.  No longer having the ability to see the joy in competitors’ faces, pushed Varsity All Star to be innovative.  So much so, the team quickly became well versed in hosting virtual competitions on Varsity TV and maintaining social engagement.  Varsity TV required the following:

1. Performances to be uploaded
2. Virtual judging
3. Scoring to be emailed
4. Sharing performances to subscribers

Viewed by many as an industry trendsetter, Varsity All Star’s primary goal remains to ensure the industry remains solid.  Will virtual competitions continue?  Most likely, it provides the opportunity for three vital components, scheduling advanced coach meetings, choreography sessions/workshops, and finally yet importantly events for athletes of all ages.

Chris Lindstrom the concessions manager at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center and a host of other city outdoor venues shares protocols and profits.  In this podcast, Chris discusses:

• How to responsibly package concession foods
• Importance of sanitizing food preparation counters and all equipment
• Staff wearing masks and the frequency of changing gloves
• Having a designated person that only handles payment
• Fostering relationships with distributors and cost-saving upwards of 25%

Reflecting, the pandemic did not only affect group bookings but how to serve F&B  to guests.  Lindstrom emphasizes that following the guidelines provided by the CDC was not difficult, because having worked in the hospitality industry for so many years he knows how to respond quickly to changes or requests.   He takes pride in setting the bar at providing a variety of quality foods, having options event-specific (bodybuilding competition with protein bars), pre-ordered box lunches (youth groups with short lunch breaks), and using local distributors (ABF-American Beekeeping Federation with featured items made with honey).   Note… before COVID-19 having a range of 7,000 to 20,000 guests all needing food requires third-party partnerships.  Therefore, when the concession stands and kiosks are not enough, it is not uncommon to see Subway or Chick-fil-A in Prefunction and food trucks or Kono Ice on the Events Plaza.  The podcast concludes with Lindstrom’s purpose and motivation as a hospitality professional. 

For a convention facility to continue hosting events during COVID-19 requires adaptability and understanding the importance of guests’ safety.  Rita Harrell, a veteran in sales and the hospitality industry shares her effective booking strategy.  Learn how to communicate with planners that require face-to-face events during a pandemic, when a hybrid conference, trade show, or event is not an option.  Harrell shares that phone calls (verbal communication) made to planners led to her listening and understanding each group’s specific needs.  As you listen, it becomes apparent that to keep the convention industry moving forward, it is essential to collaborate more than ever, use creativity, and think positively while exploring ways to operate safely.  Currently, Harrell has booked 10 competition sporting events to fill the dates of the postponed trade shows or conventions, with re-bookings in the works.   

GBAC is the cleaning industry’s only outbreak prevention, response, and recovery accreditation for facilities. The Myrtle Beach Convention Center’s top priority is to make every effort towards keeping and maintaining a thoroughly clean and safe environment, free from the risk of infections and diseases, both for our employees and our guests. Kayla Ochse, a member of the convention center team, shares the importance of achieving the accreditation and steps required by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (South Carolina DHEC) to complete the GBAC STAR™ program. Ochse also emphasizes how MBCC plans to remain diligent in disinfection and sanitation practices regardless of events in-house.