James Besteman

The CEO of LiveOne, Inc. Rob Ellin, discusses the DOJ's lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster, how will if affect you and the future of live events. Watch!

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The practice of setting prices based on projected customer volume goes by many names and the attached from travel industry trade media's Travel Pulse discusses "Dynamic" and "Surge" pricing, specifically for theme parks and attractions. The amusement industry has seen more venues adopting this pricing structure- no matter what you choose to refer to it as...

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Big news rocked my industry last week. SXSW announced a new event in London. This follows a previous expansion in Sydney. Scalability has been the number one issue preventing every CMO or CEO from investing more in events. Not anymore, and the trend is evident. Higher margins, AI, and improved efficiencies are making events more scalable. In every industry, events are expanding beyond their geographic location. A similar pattern is showing in our industry: - IBTM announced Asia Pacific for 2025 - Northstar just launched a show in Singapore - Informa pushing the growth of the Connect brand, traditionally multi-city. What does this mean? Brands like SXSW are now exporting a template of experience that other attendees want to attend worldwide. What are they exporting exactly? - A unique way to select speakers (Panel picker) - A unique event design (distributed) - A deep presence in the destination  - A mix of audiences (tech, business, creative) This is the product of 'experience brands.' Will SXSW be able to create the same Austin experience in London?

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Samantha Coxe just landed a $250k deal with Candace Nelson on Shark Tank, how did she do it? Here are my main takeaways after we chatted on Don't VLOOKUP: 1) She's incredibly data-driven - She was risk-averse as she was getting off the ground (opposite of many entrepreneurs). Knowing that launching an electronic consumer goods business would require a lot of capital, she took a crawl/walk/run approach to proving her idea. Getting positive data points at every step allowed her to confidently take more risks. We dive into this in a lot more depth on the pod - Early on she discovered that her target market wasn't people who had trouble remembering to floss, but people who were already flossing and needed a better, easier way to do it. She immediately saw the opportunity to not have to invest in the education of a behavior change (flossing). Instead left that to the big dogs like Colgate, while she focused on converting her audience. 2) She has one North Star metric - Contribution Margin Flaus has a two-pronged distribution model. DTC and selling through dentists. Having her contribution margin dialed allows her to lean in and incentivize the Dentist channel as much as possible. It's a lower CAC channel so she was able to pay them the highest referral fee to incentivize them 3) Using customer experience as a sales channel, and investing in the relationship with your customers Sam gives the people who HATE her product the best experience possible. For example, if they want a scrubbier floss, and they don't currently have that product, she makes sure to offboard the customer in the most respectful way possible without burning any bridges. She then tags that customer and makes sure to get them back into the marketing funnel when they have the product they are looking for. ... If you want to learn more, make sure to check out the full podcast in the comments below 👇

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Did you know?: Corporate Events Market Will Quintuple This Decade The U.S. corporate event market size was valued at $95.3 billion in 2020, and is estimated to reach $510.9 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 17.3% from 2021 to 2030. What does this mean for your company? 1- If you are already planning corporate events now, you probably will be hosting more in the future. 2- If you aren't planning corporate events now, your competitors probably are. 3- It's time to REACH out to us today to discuss your corporate events strategy, and how quality corporate events planning can set your company up for long term success.

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The event tech boom took companies to Covid pandemic highs. Now, many of the same companies have settled into post-pandemic realities. Learn more in this article from Skift Meetings. https://buff.ly/3xHylxN #eventprofs #tradeshow #booth #eventplanning #eventmanaging #events #exhibition #evenements #evenementiel #salonprofessionnel #stand #exposition

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Case Study: Influencer Marketing for Phoenix Bar Hop Client Overview Phoenix Bar Hop organizes immersive events that showcase the vibrant nightlife scene of Phoenix, Arizona. With a diverse array of bars and clubs, it offers participants a dynamic social experience, attracting both locals and tourists. Strategies and Implementation To elevate awareness and participation in Phoenix Bar Hop events, a targeted influencer marketing strategy was employed, focusing on collaboration, engaging content, interactive experiences, and targeted promotions. 1. Influencer Collaboration Identifying Influencers: Partnered with local lifestyle influencers, nightlife bloggers, and social media personalities with significant Phoenix-based followings. Invitations: Sent personalized invites to influencers, highlighting the opportunity to explore Phoenix's nightlife and share the experience with their audience. 2. Exclusive Bar Hop Experience Special Access: Provided influencers with VIP passes, granting access to exclusive drink specials, priority entry, and guided tours. Interactive Experiences: Organized engaging activities during the Bar Hop, such as mixology sessions and live performances, encouraging real-time sharing by influencers. 3. Content Creation and Sharing Visual Content: Encouraged influencers to capture captivating photos and videos, showcasing the ambiance and offerings of each venue. Social Media Posts: Influencers shared their experiences using event-specific hashtags like #PhoenixBarHop and #ExplorePhoenixNightlife. 4. Giveaways and Contests Influencer-Led Promotions: Collaborated on giveaways, offering free tickets or VIP upgrades to followers. User Engagement: Encouraged follower engagement through contests and challenges, fostering excitement and participation. 5. Post-Event Engagement Content Sharing: Provided influencers with additional resources, like professionally edited photos, for continued promotion. Community Interaction: Facilitated ongoing engagement by encouraging influencers to interact with their followers post-event. Conclusion The influencer marketing campaign for Phoenix Bar Hop significantly boosted event awareness and engagement. Through strategic partnerships, compelling content, and interactive experiences, Phoenix Bar Hop successfully positioned itself as a premier nightlife attraction in Phoenix. This case study underscores the effectiveness of influencer marketing in promoting local events and driving community engagement. #Socialhathi #casestudy #phoenixbarhop #digitalmarketing

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We're excited to be taking part in a Digital Marketing Masterclass with Masterclassing in Los Angeles, Playa Studios, on May 21st between 8.45 am and 12.45 pm. If you are an advertiser interested in future-proofing measuring #ROAS, please register your interest here 🔽 https://hubs.li/Q02vc2Xl0 After all, thanks to the delay in cookie deprecation announced this week, there is now more time to prepare for the #cookielessfuture. Come and find out how we work to #futureproofmeasurement for #advertisers. #event #measurement #cookiedeprecation #ROAS #mobilemarketing #growthmarketing

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In the 21st century, the rate of change will exceed that of the last 20,000 years. What does this mean for the current events industry? How people operate and interact with each other and their community is changing, so inevitably how people interact with events and what they spend on events is changing. Whatever you’ve done in the past isn’t going to be relevant for much longer. The direction? Total immersion. People don’t just want to attend an event - they want to be completely immersed in the experience. They want to be part of it. They want to forget about their lives for a short time - now more than ever. What’s a recent immersive experience you attended (or led) and what was your highlight?

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I think we can officially call it 'FOMOMENTUM' at this point. Did I just create a new marketing term? ➡ All true about ASOTU CON: Tickets are on fire, hotels selling out, we're getting inbound sponsor emails, we are running out of space. We have lots of Auto Dealer attendees, Over 90 speakers, Will Guidara is our featured keynote, We have over 6 Dealer Associations participating, 15 of the top 100 used car dealers will be represented, 2 of the top 10 used EV volume sellers will be there, The MARYLAND AUTOMOBILE DEALERS ASSOCIATION is having their annual meeting before day two, Women of Color Automotive Network (WOCAN) is having a meetup before day one, The event app is crazy good, The swag shop is going to be next level, The conversations have already started. I can only imagine the progress we can make in our industry when this type of passion comes together in one place. The fomomentum feels sudden, but this moment has been almost four years in the making. You can still be a part of it! Tickets at www.asotucon.com Follow the ASOTU | More Than Cars page here on LI while you're at it :) #automotiveindustry #cardealership #cardealer #asotucon

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Great article on the economic power of the events industry! The insights shared are formidable - with survey results, statistics, and revenue projections. In 2019, the industry generated $1.1 trillion, with projections soaring to $2.1 trillion by 2032. This data is instrumental as I map out a plan for my leader. Sharing for those interested in #MeetingPlanners, #MeetingsEvents, #Events, #EventIndustry, #LiveEvents, #PCMA, #MPI, #FICP, and #SITEGlobal.

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Many businesses are becoming "cash free," including theme parks and attractions, and this trend is leading to operational changes and new workarounds for Guests facing challenges. The attached media report discusses this emerging trend and adaptations for "cash free" businesses.

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HALF STEPS!!! Exactly 7 years ago I applied to a marketing job at Monster Energy. Tried to network in via my roommate’s brother in the legal dept but ultimately never heard back from anyone on the hiring team. Not even an automated rejection email. I just got laid off from Beachbody in Santa Monica that same month and I realized I needed to take a half step in my career at another smaller company that offered me greater responsibilities in order to be a stronger candidate for the future for companies like Monster Energy. During Covid, I realized I had no connection to my company, product, or customer even though I was leading a digital marketing team with 7 direct reports for a brand that graciously kept us all employed. I was certainly grateful I had a job. But I knew it was time to move on. In 2021, I worked on my resume and my interview responses, and eventually Ryan Brisco hired me on the blind a week after I quit my job and sold my house (at the height of the market) in order to move back to Southern California. “How did you get an ‘in’ at Monster?” was what I heard dozens of times after getting hired. I just applied. But bigger than that, I realized a half step in the right direction was what I needed in order to get to where I really wanted to be. Where you are right now might merely be a stopping point on your resume for a long term goal but don’t discount its value and how you will spring board into your next adventure. My contract role working for Aston Martin (huge thank you to Beverly Macy) was a jumping off point for my contract job at Nike. Nike was a half step that got me to Beachbody. And so on. Leverage your current opportunity so that you can be propelled into a more long term solution. Build with the end in mind and with a positive mindset and let all the half steps lead the way. Welcome a more intentional journey even if it has more twists than what you might expect. Enjoy those half steps. Live in the present. And love whatever role might come next!

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Anyone remember Tingo, from Tripadvisor, launched back in 2012? This is from our first ever Skift annual trends report, for 2013. Tripadvisor was so early in so so many things, it could have been -- should have been -- BookingX10. It was so early in short term rentals too, with Flipkey. The one early bet that has worked out for the company -- besides of course pioneering online reviews -- has been Viator buy. Btw, price transparency is back as an issue, with a vengeance, just not the way Tingo tried to attack it though. I do think the rebook-at-lowest-cost would be a great feature, I think some startups are there that do that.

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This is a marketing inspo post. Tripadvisor (TRIP) sent me an email to sign up for a sweepstakes that I think is the plain, simple kind of shit I wish I'd see more of from them (and other companies). The sweepstakes background: Dream Vacation Sweepstakes! The entry process is so beautifully simple. 1. Create a saved trip 2. Save at least 5 restaurants, hotels or activities within it 3. Share it with them via a form (first, last, email, trip URL) The prize? $10,000 Why I think this is brilliant: 1. Product adoption: The saved trip functionality is great. I use this a lot, but I'm guessing they're trying to increase adoption of it. This gets people who aren't familiar with it to use the functionality and improve production adoption metrics. 2. Return visitor increase: TRIP will now be able to email users who save a trip more information to bring them back to the app. Whether it's a discount on the hotel they saved or a new review on the restaurant. They can market to the users and get them coming back 3. Partner Benefits: They can share this data with partners and collaborate on offers 4. Customer insights: Talk about a wealth of great customer insights. Depending on the volume of participants, TRIP can use this data to augment personas, segment and feed into models 5. PR: Again, assuming they'll get loads of data from this initiative, they can turn it into countless studies which will give them PR. "Top 10 Dream Locations for Americans" "Off the Beaten Trail Dreams" etc... etc... These write themselves. And actually, AI would write them for you. Again, I think this is just simple and brilliant. $10,000 is a JOKE for the value this kind of initiative will bring them. How can you apply a sweepstakes in a similar way?

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What's Next for the Creator Economy? Ask MrBeast's Marc Hustvedt and Patreon's Jack Conte Actionable insights for digital content creation and distribution MrBeast’s Marc Hustvedt IDs His Top Five Trends for the Creator Economy: Marc Hustvedt, president of MrBeast YouTube — the largest YouTube channel in the US and the fourth-largest globally — analyzed the dynamics currently shaping digital content creation and distribution at the 2024 NAB Show’s Creator Lab. With his extensive experience, including founding the Streamy Awards and pioneering early online video communities, Hustvedt’s role at MrBeast involves intricate partnership management, financial oversight, and the strategic direction of channel creator Jimmy Donaldson's ambitious projects. He elaborated on five significant trends that are influencing the creator economy today, emphasizing the necessity for creators to adapt and innovate continually to thrive in an increasingly competitive market. Artificial intelligence, Hustvedt says, is one of the biggest trends, with AI integration not just an option but a necessity, for those looking to lead and innovate. He emphasizes the need for creators to utilize AI to streamline production and enhance engagement, but also points out the challenges of a saturated social media landscape, where AI-generated content contributes to the noise. This, he says, makes it even more crucial for content strategies to be rigorously tested and adapted. Data-driven content strategies will become especially crucial for the creator economy, says Hustvedt, along with a shift from traditional ad-supported frameworks to more direct monetization strategies such as merchandise sales, direct-to-consumer offerings, and potential subscription models. Hustvedt also highlights the strategic importance of localizing content for global audiences, sharing successful practices from MrBeast’s operations, such as employing human translators and cultural consultants to ensure content resonates across different cultural contexts. This approach not only enhances emotional connection and cultural relevance, he says, but also significantly expands a creator’s global reach. Read about all five trends Hustvedt identifies: https://lnkd.in/gkBDkxmN https://lnkd.in/gXp49acM #CreatorEconomy #AI #DataDrivenContent #DirectMonetization

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