Open Air Business August/September 2018

FUNCTION VENUES
INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
What is your
Trademark?
Venues that are succeeding in attracting business bookings "have
personalities that stand out and draw heavily on creating a distinctive
experience”. Andrew White tells us how
THE EVENTS industry is all
about getting people together to
interact, whether it’s a seasonal
celebration, sharing knowledge,
a farewell to a colleague or a
personal milestone; the objective
is to bring people together. And for
an industry that promotes itself
for ‘face-to-face interaction’ more
often than not we shoot ourselves
in the foot, guiltily hiding behind a
computer screen.
Ask a festival, event or
conference organiser their
favourite venue and I will pretty
much guarantee they will mention
not only the venue but its sales
and marketing contact at the
same time. This is because people
buy from people and the events
industry, as well as the success
of the supply chain, is built on
personal recommendation,
not mass social media, endless
e-shots, poorly conceived flyers
and some rather dubious print
adverts.
Jay Danzie, a popular
personality in the media world,
once stated: ‘Your smile is
your logo, your personality is
your business card, how you
leave others feeling after an
experience with you becomes
your trademark’. This quote has
gone viral in the business and
motivational speaker world. It
packs such a punch, it’s almost a
literary slap across the face! It’s
amazing that something so simple
can be so powerful, despite the
fact we are brought up to display
manners, respect our elders, not
to be shy and to try and offer up
interesting conversation. The
workplace is so often clogged
up with online interactions and
faceless transactions, and Jay
is really only re-interpreting the
values we were brought up on for
a new generation.
In the business world - with
messages being rammed into
our subconscious 24/7 - having a
persona is a sure fire way of being
remembered in the constantly
updating arena of social and
online media. And in a sector that
promotes ‘face-to-face interaction’
it’s imperative that whoever is
driving sales and marketing for
your organisation has one hell of a
presence; a trademark.
CASE STUDY
HAMPTON COURT PALACE
Hampton Court Palace, cared for by
independent charity Historic Royal
Palaces, recently launched its new events
space – the Albermarle Suite. Destination
management companies (DMCs) were
invited to arrive at the palace before it
opened to the public where they were
whisked away on a horse drawn charabanc
around the stunning formal gardens.
Breakfast was enjoyed in the Albermarle
Suite before guests were able to experience
an exclusive roof top tour of the palace. The
team went the extra mile to treat guests like
royalty and showcased why an event held
at Hampton Court Palace is one that will be
remembered for years to come.
WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 31