Introduction
Pamela Sheedy, Marketing and Event Coordinator for the Skagit Island County Builders Association (SICBA), plays a key role in organizing one of the region’s most anticipated events—the annual Skagit Valley Home Show held at the fairgrounds in the Skagit Valley area. Pamela has long been passionate about improving the efficiency and accessibility of event processes for vendors. In this customer success story, she shares how SICBA transformed its vendor registration process with the EventHub platform, resulting in smoother operations and a better experience for vendors and a significant boost in event revenue.
Background of the Home Show Event
The Skagit Valley Home Show has been a staple in the local community for years, offering a space for builders, home improvement professionals, and local businesses to showcase their products and services. Attracting over 3,500 visitors each year, the event has steadily grown in size and influence, becoming an annual highlight for the Skagit Valley area. However, as the event expanded, the SICBA team faced growing challenges in managing vendor registrations and logistics, requiring a more efficient and centralized solution.
Challenges Skagit Valley Home Show Faced Before Using EventHub
Before EventHub, SICBA relied on paper-based registration systems and Excel spreadsheets to manage vendor applications, leading to significant inefficiencies. Pamela Sheedy recalls the frustration of managing registrations manually: “Before my time, they did a lot on paper. They had stacks of forms and files from vendors asking for registration details… With EventHub it’s all in one place and all the information they need can be found in one place anytime they need it,” Pamela Sheddy explains.
This outdated system made communication with vendors cumbersome and led to frequent delays. Managing vendor details, tracking payments, and ensuring proper documentation was a time-consuming process that took valuable resources away from other aspects of event planning. The organization needed a more streamlined, centralized solution to efficiently manage vendor registrations and provide a better experience for both the vendors and the event team.
Why Did SICBA Choose EventHub?
SICBA needed a more organized and efficient way to manage vendor registrations and event details. After evaluating various options, the team chose EventHub, for its ability to centralize all event data in one platform and streamline the process across the board.. Pamela Sheedy explained, “EventHub has helped us reach a broader audience—before, we were mainly limited to our members and local vendors. Now, we’re attracting vendors from outside the region, which has helped expand the event’s reach and appeal.”
The platform’s user-friendly interface also improved communication and sped up processing, allowing the team to handle registrations, payments, and vendor information more efficiently. This reduced manual effort and freed up time to enhance the overall vendor experience and streamline event logistics.
Visible Impact of EventHub on Vendor Sales and Registration
One of the key benefits of EventHub was its ability to broaden the vendor base for SICBA’s home show. Pamela Sheedy noted that, while the show initially saw a slower recovery after COVID, there has been a steady increase in participation over the years. In 2023, the show hosted 100 vendors, but by the 2024 show, that number had risen to 120 booth vendors—a 20% increase—thanks to EventHub Marketplace. This growth not only expanded the vendor network but also contributed to a 30% increase in revenue, amounting to an additional $12,000.
EventHub platform allowed SICBA to connect with vendors from new regions, including New York and Florida, who had never participated before. These vendors, which included diverse categories like cooking and other home-related services, helped expand the event’s variety and appeal, “We have a lot of roofers. We have people from New York and Florida that we didn’t have before… that were like cooking and different, you know, things related to the home, but not necessarily that probably came in through EventHub,” says Pamela Sheddy.
Additionally, the streamlined registration system made it easier for vendors to sign up online, significantly improving efficiency. “The vendors can now input all the details I need directly on the website—terms and agreements are signed, insurance certificates are collected—everything is uploaded and stored in one place,” Pamela adds. This simplification not only made managing the event easier but also enhanced the overall vendor experience.
Game-Changing Features Power Skagit Valley Home Show Success
The Interactive Map was a standout feature with its enhanced digital guide, allowing attendees to navigate the event. “I love the interactive map… As an attendee I can see where the vendors are located and their company description, logos and I can modify things in real-time and be able to move the layout around as needed.” Pamela Sheddy explains.
Additionally, the discount codes and document management provided a much-needed upgrade. Vendors could easily upload their required documents and update their booth details directly in the system.
Operational Efficiency
With EventHub, SICBA saw a notable reduction in labor hours dedicated to event management. “EventHub is just a great way to organize all of the paperwork and everything in one spot… I found that helpful too, that other people in the staff could log in and see the same thing I did if they needed to,” Pamela Sheddy shares.
The platform also made it easier for the team to collaborate. Instead of having to sort through endless files and spreadsheets, the staff could simply log in to EventHub to access up-to-date vendor information. This operational efficiency saved time and allowed the team to focus on improving the event experience.
Skagit Valley Home Show Highlights and New Additions
The Skagit Valley Home Show has always featured exciting activities such as local bands, food trucks, and kids’ entertainment. However, this year’s event had even more exciting additions, including a wine tasting area, beer garden, and a section for young entrepreneurs to showcase their products.
These additions helped make the event even more appealing to a broader audience, and Pamela credits EventHub tools for enabling them to organize and promote these features more effectively. “We are trying some different things… definitely bringing back our young entrepreneurs… and we’re looking more towards a beer garden with games,” she says.
Pamela Sheedy’s Advice for Other Organizations Considering a Management Software
Pamela Sheedy’s journey to streamlining event management provides valuable insights for other organizations. Reflecting on her experience, she acknowledges how overwhelming it felt at the beginning:
“When I first started, it seemed a little overwhelming—all the moving parts, not only in the paperwork and the registration. And so Event Hub has been extremely helpful in organizing all of that and for providing vendors with a visual experience, you know, a visual. I’m a visual learner. I like to see where my booth would be and what the layout is. And so, not just filling out a form, I think it’s super helpful.”
Pamela highlighted how EventHub Interactive Map and mobile-friendly platforms have transformed the vendor experience. Vendors now have a way to visualize their booth locations and navigate layouts, which surpasses the static processes she had observed in other associations:
“When I first started, I asked other builders associations how they ran their home show, and a lot of them ran it through Excel spreadsheets or a CRM. While that captures information, I don’t think it’s user-friendly for vendors. Having a visual map is extremely helpful.”
She emphasized the importance of meeting the needs of a mobile-driven world, nothing that both vendors and customers increasingly prefer platforms optimized for smartphones. “More and more people are moving to mobile phones and want to do things on their phones. EventHub has been great because it’s super mobile-friendly. It’s easy to use, look at, and read. For our customers, being able to see everything and navigate the event on their phones is a huge plus.”
Her advice for other organizations is clear: embracing tools like EventHub is key to improving event management, vendors, and keeping pace with the digital-first preferences of today’s audience.
Conclusion
With the implementation of EventHub, SICBA has transformed its vendor registration process, improving efficiency, reducing labor hours, and expanding the event’s appeal. Pamela Sheddy is confident that EventHub will continue to be an essential part of their event planning strategy in the future.
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Feature Customer
Pamela Sheedy, Marketing and Event Coordinator, Skagit Island County Builders Association