Creating wow experiences for all stakeholders at an event or trade show begins with the seed of an idea, and trusting partners to grow those ideas can result in success beyond imagination. That\u2019s what happened at this year\u2019s VenueConnect, which brings together member of the International Association of Venue Managers.<\/p>\n
IAVM\u2019s opening reception was that kind of wow experience, with fashion-forward food and drink offerings coupled with some surprise experiences like a Zamboni ride, a virtual reality tour and a few games. Held at Bridgestone Arena, home of the formidable fan-favorite NHL Nashville Predators, the reception felt like a night on the town at a high-end bar crawl with your best friends. Selfies with the Predators mascot included. The seed of the event was a conversation between IAVM\u2019s Christy Jacobs, Director of Sales and Marketing, and Leslie Villone at Delaware North, a leader in hospitality and food service management with a strong presence at sports venues nationwide.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe trusted them to create a great experience,\u201d says Jacobs, and Villone from Delaware North echoes that same sentiment. \u201cThere is trust in a partnership that leads to openness and flexibility. That\u2019s how the Opening Reception for the entire attendee base of VenueConnect was born.\u201d<\/p>\n
Early in the year Delaware North realized the convention location in Nashville was an ideal opportunity to sponsor and advance their sales and marketing goals.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf it\u2019s in one of our cities, it\u2019s a natural step,\u201d Villone says. \u201cWe can show off on our home turf and know it will be great.\u201d<\/p>\n
Discussions began with IAVM and rather than a private event for customers only, the reception for all attendees was born. The upside for Delaware North was drawing a bigger audience and being a vital part of the association\u2019s like-minded people coming together and showing off their product.<\/p>\n
With IAVM making changes to bring several sectors of the venue world together at one annual convention, a sponsor-driven opening reception for all attendees allowed the association to support prior smaller meetups so attendees in each sector could find \u201ctheir tribe\u201d before moving on to the Bridgestone Arena.<\/p>\n
\u201cI encouraged (Delaware North) to tell me their ideas,\u201d says Jacobs at IAVM. \u201cAnything that can enhance the attendee experience is a go.\u201d<\/p>\n
The sponsor wanted to invite everyone, and took the lead on the reception coming together quickly.<\/p>\n
To pull the event together, Villone relied on her in-city team at Bridgestone. The Delaware North chefs and managers got creative in the form of lobster rolls, tacos with fresh flavor combinations, divine small bakery desserts and some innovative takes on stadium food. The team reached out to their food and beverage partners to be part of the event showcase and quite a few jumped at the chance, with grateful attendees sampling locally hand-crafted liquors, bellying up to a Tito\u2019s bar and basking in swag from Jack Daniels, who created a gaming and virtual reality activation of their own within the larger event.<\/p>\n
\u201cSuch great feedback from everyone,\u201d Jacobs says, \u201cincluding other exhibitors,\u201d showing the partnership with Delaware North was a benefit to the entire association community.<\/p>\n
And for Delaware North, at a time when many brands are off doing their own thing, the networking and exposure among the wider IAVM audience fell right in line with their business development goals.<\/p>\n
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