Tuesday, September 20, 2016

September 2017 Newsletter

5 Checks for Website Success

By: Cassie Roberts, Saffire

Whether you’re thinking about getting a new website or just looking to make updates to your current online presence, the process can be fairly daunting! There’s so much “noise” living on the web. It’s hard to know what will attract the most eyeballs and lead to the most revenue. After all, that’s one of the main reasons you have a website—to increase your bottom line by attracting more customers! By following these five tips, you’ll be on the path to website (and revenue) success!

1. You MUST BE MOBILE 
For some of us it seems obvious, but having a mobile website isn’t always a given. We recently attended a fair where a whopping 73% of traffic on their website during their fair was from a smart phone! Go to your own website from your phone often. Make sure it’s easy to find your way around. You may even want to make the first image on your website link to something like your schedule or directions—things that people visiting on their phone might care most about. It may not seem like that’s what someone would want to see on their desktop computer, but if more people are coming on mobile, then that should be more important! Do you need a mobile app? Many fairs & fairgrounds have one and love it! Before you even consider an app however, your mobile website must be up to par. No one goes to the app store when they are looking for directions or trying to get a last minute ticket. Customers have been trained to go to Google, and this is where your extremely important mobile site lives.

2. Give visitors PURCHASING POWER. 
That doesn’t mean just having one link on your website that takes buyers to an external website to buy tickets. You want as many big BUY buttons as possible!
Think about when you go to Amazon.com—there are buy buttons on every product, with a minimal number of clicks to purchase. That’s what you want too! How many clicks does it take before someone is entering in their credit card information to buy a ticket to your fair? Minimize the number of clicks and maximize your sales! Reviews or testimonials next to a ticket or product are great too. One of the key factors that influences a millennial’s purchasing decision (one of the largest purchasing audiences) is what other people think about the product that have used it before. Incorporating thoughts from other people’s experiences on your tickets page can be a great way to boost revenue.
3.  Keep your EYE ON EMAIL.
It’s easy to get caught up in all the fancy social media posting and advertising options that are available out there, and while many of those options are viable and profitable, email is still the number one predictor of a sale. Your email list is your most captive audience—people that have given you their contact information and are BEGGING for your ticket information! Make sure to have a place for people to sign up for your email list on every page of your website, and that you are sending emails with links to buy. The fewer clicks rule applies again—the less someone has to work to sign up, the more sign ups you are going to get.
4. VIDEOS ARE VIRAL. 
Having video on your website is the most surefire way to make people see how much fun they can have at your fair as well as increase the likelihood that a visitor will make a purchase. Most people’s attention span on a particular page of a website is 15 seconds or less; however, with a video, you have a completely captive audience for up to a few minutes. Studies show that customers who watch a video of a product are as much as 85% more likely to purchase from you! It does take extra effort to add videos to your homepage and event pages, but it will be worth it!

5.  Think about CREATIVE CUSTOMIZATIONS FOR CUSTOMERS. 
More and more, people want to go to a website, and feel like you’re talking just to THEM individually. For a fair, this means making each person feel like they’re the most important, regardless of if they’re coming to your site for competitive events information, carnival rides or rodeos. Having big photographic links & buttons on your homepage that take visitors to what they care about most is key. Another great idea is having homepage modules that let a visitor enter information such as their address, and then giving directions based on where THEY are coming from. You could also allow customers to build a custom itinerary of events or click on polls—remember others’ opinions are a valuable part of the purchasing process too! The more customers feel like you are catering to them & their individual needs, the more likely they will be to keep coming back.
Cassie Roberts has extensive experience with online marketing and event planning. She started working with Saffire in 2011 after managing events herself, and since then, the company has grown from supporting a few great organizations in Texas to partnering with hundreds of events, venues and destinations across the country. Cassie lives in Austin, TX, and if you’re looking to visit, can rival any tour guide in the city! Give her a call or shoot her an email if you want more website tips or are coming to visit: 512.430.1123 or cassie@saffire.com


2016 IAFE Convention YPI Events

Raisin' for a Reason - Sunday, November 27, 2016 from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at BLOQ
This redesigned event will replace what was formally known as the Wine and Dine.  The Young Professionals group will be a part of the action supporting new games and fundraising activities. This event requires a ticket and funds raised will benefit the IAFE Education Foundation.

YPI Meeting & Happy Hour - Monday, November 28, 2016 at 3:00 p.m.   
Come mingle with old friends, meet new friends, and relax for this free social hour.  Several YPI Steering Committee Members will be on hand and can tell you more about who we are, what we do, and why you should be involved.

Ment-A-Minute - Tuesday, November 29, 2016 at 2:30 p.m.
This fast paced meet and greet is designed to introduce our up and coming professionals with our season veterans.  It is speed dating without fear of commitment, as you jump from table to table to find an industry mentor who is happy to help you on your way to success.

TopGolf - Tuesday, November 29, 2016 at 7:30 p.m.
If you haven't tried this new way to golf, you won't want to miss this fun for all activity.  Meet up with other young professionals for a great time with no agenda.  No golfing skills required, just wear your comfy shoes and relax.  Visit www.topgolf.com to see more!  Additional purchase required to golf, but everyone is welcome to join in the fun.

Finding Balance: Enhancing Fair Traditions with the Flair of Today - Wednesday, November 30, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. 
Join us for this informative workshop as we hear from both industry greats and rising stars, as they share how they were able to balance tradition with change.  Finding a path to successfully transition your Fair related events and activities can be difficult, but we hope you will leave this session with some tips and a dose of encouragement.

IAFE Awards Gala - Wednesday, November 30, 2016 at 5:00 p.m. 
Our committee is proud to be a part of this celebratory event as we honor our membership for their hard work and dedication.  Come cheer on your friends, celebrate your own accomplishments, or even steal some awesome ideas for your next fair.  And don't forget to stay for the goodies and social hour!

Announcements 
  • REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN for the 2016 IAFE Convention, November 27 - 30 in Las Vegas, NV.  TheREVOLUTION is happening and you won't want to miss it.  Be sure to register before October 3 to take advantage of early bird pricing!
  • VOLUNTEER for an IAFE Committee and the opportunity to learn more about the industry, make new connections, and best of all, HAVE FUN!  Check out the IAFE website for more details and an application.  
  • Get SOCIAL! Tell us what you're up to!  Post using #IAFEYPI.  You might just get retweeted!  We're on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
  • What's ON YOUR MIND? Talk to us!  To tell us what you want to see featured in the YPI Newsletter, click here.