Customer Success Story: Whitefish Food & Wine Festival First-Year Sales Boosted!
Type of Event: Beer/Wine
Attendance: 3,000+
Venue: Whitefish, MT
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Overview
The Whitefish Food & Wine Festival 2024 was a highly anticipated first-time event aimed at bringing together food lovers and wine connoisseurs in a unique celebration of culinary arts. Hosted in the stunning backdrop of Whitefish, Montana, the festival’s objective was to create an experience that would highlight local chefs, wineries, and the region’s vibrant culinary culture.
As Ryan Heil, festival founder and Managing Partner at Axcess Entertainment noted, “We’re always looking at new markets and cities that are underserved by traditional entertainment verticals..festivals in particular being a strong point for us.”
Axcess Entertainment, a company known for creating high-end events, identified Whitefish, Montana as an untapped market with a growing demand for elevated culinary experiences. However, with a tight timeline and ambitious goals, the festival team realized they needed a ticketing solution to help them manage the large crowd expected, particularly given that this was their first year.
Ryan Heil, Managing Partner at Axcess Entertainment, collaborated with JR Events and renowned chef Todd English to ensure the festival would deliver a world-class experience. Yet, despite the team’s expertise, there was one crucial area they needed help with: a reliable ticketing system that could handle their requirements.
CHALLENGES: A First Year Event on A Tight Timeline with No Ticketing
Short Timeline
While the festival’s concept was clear, the team faced challenges in executing the event. The most immediate issue was the short timeline for planning, with limited time to organize and promote the festival. Axcess Entertainment needed to find a ticketing solution that could be quickly implemented and customized to meet their specific needs. They required a system that could handle a high volume of sales and support the festival’s marketing efforts, all while being user-friendly for both organizers and attendees.
First-Year Event with No Returning Audience
The Whitefish Food & Wine Festival was a first-year event without an existing customer base, history, or a returning audience to draw on. The organizers needed to create awareness from scratch and convince ticket buyers that the event was worth attending. This required a ticketing system with marketing tools, that connects the ideas that EventHub Ticketing was helpful in making it a success in the context of having to build an audience
Lack of Ticketing Solution
The festival team also lacked an existing ticketing infrastructure. They had quickly sourced a subpar solution that failed to meet the festival’s needs, leaving them searching for an efficient, reliable platform. As the festival drew closer, the team realized they needed a more reliable, modern solution that could integrate seamlessly with their event marketing and deliver a better customer experience.
Implementation of EventHub
Axcess Entertainment and the team at JR Events needed a flexible, scalable ticketing solution that could accommodate their event structure. EventHub was chosen because it offered the tools they needed to manage different ticket types, including VIP and general admission options.
“Being able to create a number of different events and ticket types within our overarching event was very important, and that’s something that EventHub ticketing software did very well for us,” said Ryan Heil.
The setup process was efficient, with EventHub offering a smooth customization experience.
The ability to integrate multiple ticket types and manage them under one platform was important for the festival’s success.
“Having dependent ticket types..was very important… the ability to make sure that you can only purchase the sub-ticket if you had the overriding,” Ryan Heil explained.
Key Features of EventHub Ticketing
EventHub offered the Whitefish Food & Wine Festival a host of features that made the event run smoothly from start to finish.
- Responsive Team: EventHub customer support provided timely assistance, ensuring all technical aspects were handled promptly.
- Modern and Mobile-Optimized: The platform’s mobile-optimized design made it easy for customers to buy tickets and access event information on their devices.
Comprehensive “How-To” Guides: EventHub user-friendly guides helped events manage ticket sales and operations with ease.
Built-in Marketing Features
Affiliate Links and Promo Codes
EventHub Affiliate Links and Promo Codes feature played a role in driving ticket sales. The Whitefish team used these tools extensively, partnering with local businesses to distribute affiliate links and promo codes. “We did use affiliate links and promo discount codes extensively… it’s very important to bring in as many local partners as you can,” noted Ryan Heil. These marketing tools helped to engage the local community, expand reach, and incentivize early ticket purchases.
By engaging local partners and offering them promo codes and affiliate links, the festival team was able to tap into established local networks. Wineries, restaurants, and other businesses in the area were motivated to promote the festival in exchange for a share of the ticket sales generated through their links. This strategy helped the event reach within the community, driving ticket sales and building excitement for the festival.
The festival team deployed a multifaceted strategy to distribute affiliate links and promo codes. They worked closely with local businesses to integrate the festival’s promotion into their own marketing channels, such as social media, email newsletters, and in-store promotions. These partnerships not only helped drive ticket sales but also increased the visibility of the festival across different platforms and customer bases.
Onsite Check-In and Access Control
EventHub Onsite Check-In proved invaluable in ensuring a smooth guest experience. The EventHub scanning app allowed for quick and efficient entry, even for walk-up sales. “The scanning app works very effectively and quickly to scan all the tickets. All the scanning software worked well across all versions of tickets that were presented,” Ryan Heil said.
A single entry point was established, with VIP guests directed to a secondary check-in table for wristbanding. This system ensured that attendees did not have to present tickets multiple times during the event. “We didn’t want to have people have to present their tickets again inside the venue, so we just accomplished that with the training of our check-in staff up front and wristbands for simpler identification for access to that area,” Ryan Heil explained.
Reporting and Data Management
Another key benefit of using EventHub was its reporting and data management features. “We’re very strong on our data-driven backing of our organization.. I prefer to work in the raw data more often than too many complex canned reports,” said Ryan Heil. The team utilized EventHub reporting capabilities to track ticket sales in real time and generate custom reports. This data-driven approach allowed them to make informed decisions and adjust marketing strategies as needed. “I would probably do a full data dump of our ticketing sales every 48 hours,” Ryan Heil added. EventHub easy-to-use reporting tool made it simple for them to access and analyze key data points.
EventHub Support
Throughout the event, the EventHub support team ensured everything went smoothly. The festival organizers were able to conduct a full tech test prior to the event, which allowed for any potential issues to be addressed in advance. “We had the devices in hand from you guys well in advance. It gave us the opportunity to do a full tech test to make sure that we were set up for success,” Ryan Heil said.
Outcomes and Benefits
Improved Collaboration with Local Partners
Affiliate marketing played a major role in the success of the festival’s launch. EventHub Ticketing’s tools allowed local businesses and partners to promote the festival to their networks, further amplifying ticket sales. As a result, the festival garnered significant local support, strengthening ties with regional businesses and building a foundation for future collaborations.
Future Plans
The success of the festival has led Axcess Entertainment to plan for more events in Whitefish, with a commitment to continuing their use of EventHub for future ticketing needs.
“It’s an amazing market… still very much a local-driven economy and local-driven spirit there,” Ryan Heil noted.
Going forward, they hope to expand the festival, further integrating local culinary talent while using EventHub to streamline the ticketing process.
Conclusion
EventHub Ticketing has proven to be an essential tool for the Whitefish Food & Wine Festival, boosting ticket sales, simplifying the event management process, and providing valuable insights for future growth. With its flexible features, customizable options, and reporting tools, EventHub is the ideal solution for every festival and event of any scale.
Are you ready to see how EventHub Ticketing can help your next event succeed? Get a demo today and learn how our easy-to-use platform can help you sell more tickets, streamline check-ins, and optimize your event management.
Feature Customer
Ryan Heil, Managing Partner at Axcess Entertainment
