Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017 Recap Vail Symposium WinterSurveyed Event Recap: Vail Symposium July 5, 2017 Vail Symposium Winter 2017 Kris Sabel Executive Director Office: 970-476-0954 Mobile: 970-331-1084 ksabel@vailsymposium.org 2 Vail Symposium Winter 2017 Highlights & Successes 3 The Vail Symposium brought 20+ events and 27 local, regional and national speakers to Vail for the 2016-17 Winter Season. •The diverse schedule covered a variety of topics in the following series: Living At Your Peak, Hot Topics, Unlimited Adventure, Finance, Speaking Locally and Arts & Culture, in addition to a 45th anniversary celebration and TedXVail. •We saw a 131% increase in our discounted tickets which are offered to students and teachers, Eagle County employees, Vail Resorts employees and Vail Valley Young Professionals, illustrating that we are succeeding in reaching one of our target audiences and supporting the community. •We also saw a 50% increase in attendance by donors, which shows that we are meeting our mission of providing for stronger donor support. •We had six sold out events including: our climate change program which consisted of national, regional and local experts; Our near-death experience program that included three doctors on the panel; an evening with Amory Lovins and a presentation by adventurer Eric Weihenmayer. •Vail Symposium continues to be an organization that grows organically, responding to and providing a forum for the topics and conversations that matter to Vail’s residents and visitors. Questions from CSE 4 Program Impact, Testimonials & Observations 5 •Based on the insightful and challenging questions our attendees ask, it is clear they are engaged and want to know more. Many attendees stand in line to meet the speakers and ask one-on-one follow up questions after the program. •A number of our programs are cross-generational and include parents or grandparents attending with their children. •We receive immediate feedback as we interact with attendees at the end of our events, this helps us improve the quality and content of our programs. Often people make suggestions for future programs they would like us to present or follow-up programs that would continue and enhance the discussion on the program they have just attended. •Attendee Testimonial: “I love the variety of the programs. I have learned so much from attending the programs. The affordable prices have allowed e to attend as many as I am to go to.” Attendance Estimate 6 •Attendance was approximately 1.4K people, a 17% increase per event over 2016. •Year over year there was a 131% increase in our attendance from groups like the Vail Valley Young Professionals, teachers, students and VR employees. •Year over year there was a 50% increase in attendance from our members who make donations of $1,000 or more. Visitor Type 7 •As a community-based organization with strong local support, this visitor mix is in line with expectations. •We increased attendance slightly in both seasonal residents and full-time down valley residents, which is in line with our mission to provide educational programs for the Vail Valley community. •We will continue to work to expand our audience of residents, as well as trying to capture the attention of visitors as a secondary focus. Overnight Visitor Profile: Overnight Visitors & Seasonal Residents Only Only 8 •We utilized Vail venues , which made it convenient for guests to stay within the Town of Vail. •The number of people staying in Vail increased from 60% to 75% YOY. •The Antlers offers a minimum 15% - 50% discount to Vail Symposium program attendees. Program Attendee Profile 9 •The Vail Symposium’s anticipated demographic is attendees aged 55 or older; educated; homeowner or second homeowner of the Vail Valley with an annual household income of $100,000 or more. •The Vail Symposium reached our target demographic. We also set a goal to increase our reach with attendees under 55 by collaborating with partners like Vail Valley Young Professionals, Vail Resorts and Colorado Mountain College. •We will continue to work with our partners on expanding our reach to a younger audience. Role/Importance of Event/Program as Reason to come to Vail 10 •As our mission is to provide programming for the community, we see the 54% as a positive. These people may not have come to Vail for the Symposium, but they chose to spend their time at a Symposium program. •We have enjoyed a growing audience from the Front Range as well as some national travelers who come specifically to attend our Consciousness Series. We also see a small percentage of attendees who come to Vail because of their connections to our speakers. •We also continue to utilize local media to encourage guests to return for specific programming. NPS (Net Promoter Score)/Likelihood to Recommend 11 •As an organization that focuses on providing thought provoking, diverse and affordable programming, this score is a good reflection of our attendee event experience. Due to the diverse nature of our programs, some are more controversial than others, which addresses the remaining 28% . Though we hear comments that we lean to far to the left or too far to the right, our mission is to always present a balanced view. •We are continually working on improving overall event production to ensure quality events, as well as consciously designing programs to appeal to a wide variety of residents. Estimated Return on Investment (ROI) & Attendee Expenditures 12 •Program attendees are encouraged to dine out at local restaurants following a Vail Symposium event. •We also held more events in Vail during the winter programming season, which can contribute to ancillary purchases in the town. Event or Program Strengths & Weaknesses 13 Strengths •The Symposium provides diverse programming that appeals to both residents and guests. •We have the ability to add programming, creating presentations and events that are timely. •We improve the quality of life for people who live in the Valley, providing diverse, affordable programming for almost everyone, either for free or at reduced prices. Weaknesses •More competition/increased programming in the valley. •Turnover of staff. •Lack of consistent funding. Vail Brand Compatibility The Premier International Mountain Resort Community 14 The event met the standard of excellence in the “Premier International Resort Community” by: •Providing high-level speakers, including nationally and internationally recognized and respected individuals, who are experts in their fields. •Creating diverse and balanced program topics, including discussions on global, national and state economics, environment, mind/body/spirit health and more. •Utilizing high-quality venues throughout Vail. •Creating a sense of community among program attendees and starting discussions that are of value to the community as a whole. Community Contribution 15 •The Vail Symposium’s Winter Programming impacted Vail’s sense of community by: •Providing weekly opportunities for residents and guests of the Vail Valley to gather to learn about topics they care and discuss those topics both with expert speakers as well as each other. •Utilizing various locations throughout the valley, we give our attendees, many who are down valley residents, a reason to visit Vail. •Developing and improving our partnerships with Eagle County, Vail Resorts and Vail Valley Young Professionals Association to offer employees and members specially priced or free admission to nearly all of our programs. Topline Marketing Efforts 16 •Winter program brochure reached more than 6,000 people; distributed throughout the valley. •Targeted marketing outside of Vail Valley and Colorado, including increased social media presence and direct marketing. •Increasing our digital marketing initiatives as well as traditional marketing, such as ads in Mountain Living Magazine. •Local media efforts include 14 TV8 interviews, more than 50 ads and more than 30 articles in the Vail Daily. •Please attach complete marketing plan to end of presentation. Potential for Growth & Sponsorships/Media Exposure 17 •Expand fundraising efforts to increase and improve programming; engage a broader donor base to support our efforts. •Program evolution: Increase collaboration and partnerships with other local, complimentary organizations like Walking Mountains, Eagle River Watershed Council, Colorado Mountain College and Vail Valley Partnership to increase exposure of likeminded programs to make sure constituents are aware of, and taking advantage of, programming. •Pitch the Vail Symposium story to a broader media audience. •Work with organizations like Vail Resorts and Vail Summer marketing to ensure that Symposium events are included in their media efforts. Hosting visiting media at Symposium events when appropriate. •Work more closely with speakers in advance of their Symposium talk to increase promotion to their fans and followers. Sustainability Efforts 18 What measures were taken at your event to support the environmentally-friendly goals of the Town of Vail? •We recycle at program venues and in our office. •Provide recyclable and/or reusable plates and glassware at program receptions. •Work with speakers and other organizations to provide programs that help generate an awareness and appreciation for sustainability efforts across the county, state and nation. The Town of Vail is committed to the stewardship and protection of our unique mountain environment. In consideration of both our local and global impacts and opportunities, our environmental vision is to demonstrate and promote: renewable energy, resource efficiency, ecosystem protection, and community awareness and education. Event Budget 19 * Event producer to attach detailed budget for recap Item $ Total Event/Program Budget: including marketing $103,279 CSE Funds: $35,000 Cash Sponsorship (not CSE): includes donations, grants, event sales $63,328 In-kind income & expense: not included in this specific report. Shows on annual budget. Marketing Budget: also shown in total budget above $14,695 Profit & Loss: ($4,951) How did you use the CSE funds? Speaker travel, venue, setup, equipment rental and marketing expenses. Summer 2017 and Winter 2018 Sneak Peak 20 Summer 2017 : 24 Programs beginning June 8 – November 2 Highlights include: •Beyond the Bottle with Italian wine maker Chiara Boschis •Tackling Depression and Mental Illness in Colorado, U of C Depression Center •Searching for the Dead Sea Scrolls with archeologist Dr. Randall Price •Vital Voices: The Power of Women Leading Change Around the World with Alyse Nelson •Film Series: Outdoor adventure and consciousness focused, introduced by the filmmakers Programs in partnership with other local organizations include: •Exploring Afro-Cuban Jazz with Vail Jazz •The History and Future of the Eagle Mine with the Eagle River Watershed Council •Forecast for the Future and Nimby Jamboree with the Vail Valley Partnership •Equity and Deeper Learning – keynote speaker Pedro Nogurea with Eagle Co. Schools Winter 2018: 20-25 programs December though April Thank You! 21 Our goal is to provide an event that increases the sense of community and enhances the quality of life for residents of the Vail Valley. With the support of the Town of Vail and the Commission on Special Events, we will continue to bring high-quality, thought-provoking, diverse and affordable programs to Vail. We look forward to providing our community with the outstanding programming focusing on diverse subject matter that they have become accustomed to, both this summer and in our upcoming Winter 2018 season. Thank you! Additional Information/Appendix 22 •Detailed budget in the Appendix •Final marketing plan in the Appendix •Full version of the Survey Dashboard PDF •Winter 2016-17 Program Calendar 11:16 AM 06/28/17 Accrual Basis Vail Symposium Profit & Loss January through April 2017 This specific report does not reflect In Kind Donations or Expenses, which are reflected in our annual budget. Jan - Apr 17 Ordinary Income/Expense Income Total Event Sales 26,350.84 Fund Raising Fund Raising Events 12,047.79 Fundraising-Giving Corporate Underwriting 2,105.00 Major Donors > $1000 22,350.00 General Donors < $1000 6,131.35 Grant Donations 27,843.00 Individual Underwriting 1,500.00 Total Fund Raising 71,977.14 Total Income 98,327.98 Expense Administration Accountant 300.00 Bank Service Charge 27.98 Credit Card Discount 1,042.39 Dues and Subscriptions 536.00 Insurance 636.96 Interest Expense 105.17 Meals and Entertainment 23.75 Office Expense 557.65 Professional Fee 109.12 Rent 3,125.00 Supplies 384.62 Tax 59.00 Telephone 1,165.71 Total Administration 8,073.35 Event Expense Lodging 484.32 Speaker Fees/Promises 292.94 Audio-Visual Rental 1,851.33 Event COGS 1,386.53 Food and Refreshments 1,884.88 Honorarium 792.00 Paid Dinners 1,873.17 Set-up Expenses 140.86 Travel 5,831.83 Venue Costs 3,465.00 Presenter Pass-through Costs 90.00 Event Expense - Other 43.35 Page 1 of 2 11:16 AM 06/28/17 Accrual Basis Vail Symposium Profit & Loss January through April 2017 Jan - Apr 17 Total Event Expense 18,136.21 Fund Raising Expense 10,446.97 Operating Costs Advertising/Media 6,580.98 Brochures and Programs 6,092.56 Postage 1,200.02 Promotional Materials 460.00 Web Site 95.40 Web Site Maintenance 266.00 Payroll Expenses 51,927.04 Total Operating Costs 66,622.00 Total Expense 103,278.53 Net Ordinary Income -4,950.55 Page 2 of 2 2017 Vail Symposium Marketing Plan June 28, 2017 The Vail Symposium would allocate funding from the TOV to fulfill the following marketing and communications efforts of the organization:  Printing 12,000 brochures (6,000 in the winter, 6,000 in the summer) and distributing them  Running ads in the Vail Daily 150 of 365 days a year (1 unique ad running three days in the lead up to each event for approximately 50 events)  Submitting 50+ unique press releases to the Symposium’s media list  Running two ½ page ads in two editions of Mountain Living Magazine as well as one ad in their e-newsletter and appearing in several parts of their website  Implementation of e-commerce tracking and better web analytics structure to study ROI on marketing efforts  Increase social presence on Facebook through partnerships and paid promotion for events, seasonal releases and brand awareness  Engage Colorado Public Radio’s regional underwriting for the mountain region as well as the Denver Metro area  Appear on TV8 the day of each program. Print Twice annual Brochure The Vail Symposium has a program brochure produced twice each year. The brochure features program descriptions, donation information, season recaps, letters from the board chair and program committee chair, a volunteer spotlight, advertisements from businesses or organizations that support the Symposium and other information for the community.  12,000 brochures printed  10,000 brochures mailed directly to Vail Symposium supporters or delivered directly to Vail Post Office boxes  Distribution at all programs  Distribution to concierges at strategic locations  Distributed to Vail reservation center in Keystone Vail Daily 15,000+ circulation daily newspaper with 300 strategically placed pickup locations in the community and resort locations resulting in 91% penetration in Eagle County. In 2017 - 2018, the Vail Symposium plans to release in the Vail Daily:  2 Initial season release articles in Winter and Spring (typically high life cover)  50+ press releases submitted as unique content for each program typically featured in the Vail Daily and the Vail Daily Weekly.  Work with the A&E to assign additional stories based on Symposium events as appropriate.  One ad, typically running continuously from three days before an event until event date totaling 50 unique ads appearing 150 days in the Vail Daily.  Town Talk submissions including special event recaps  The Vail Symposium will also participate again in the annual “GIVE” magazine. 40,000 copies of GIVE will be printed and the Vail Symposium will hold a one-page promotion of the organization and our upcoming programs. Mountain Living Magazine This magazine, produced seven times each year, reaches an average print audience of 33,000 per issue.  The Vail Symposium is featured with a 1/2 –page ad in 2 issues, the January/December issue as well as the May/June issue  These ads are utilized to distribute specific program information as well as promote brand awareness to a target audience of super boomers  In 2017, the Vail Symposium will also receive one ad in Mountain Living Magazine’s e- newsletter and an event rectangle appearing on their website Digital Website The 2016 redesign of the website has proved very beneficial with more obvious linear navigation patterns. That said, there is still room for improvement. In 2017, the Vail Symposium hopes to implement:  Donor perfect ticketing software to integrate marketing and development efforts and streamline communications processes in both departments  Implement e-commerce tracking for better indications of ROI  Use 2016 keywording experience to improve SEO so out of town guests looking for event options in Vail through organic search are properly informed of Vail Symposium events Social Facebook proves to be an incredibly useful and informative tool for informing the community of Vail Symposium events. The Symposium Facebook page has 1,300 followers. Organic posts usually reach 900 or more people in one week resulting in 50 post engagements. Particular programs that are boosted (paid for promotion) have also received strong engagement, reaching more than 1,000 people in 4 or 5 days leading up to the event and receiving nearly 180 post engagements. In 2017 the Vail Symposium plans to:  Expand Facebook engagement with posts and strategic promotions that both promote the organization’s page as well as boosts ticket sales for particular events  Utilize the target marketing tool to increase awareness and drive event traffic from the Front Range where other marketing efforts can be an expensive gamble  Target particular age groups to continue our success in attracting a super boomer audience as well as target millennial achievers from Denver and Boulder for free programs.  Use strategy-driven campaigns to drive traffic to the website  Collaborate with other groups in the valley to cross-promote events where we see synergies.  Engage with users to increase community reception and appeals Twitter continues to be a useful tool for engaging with visitors to Vail by trolling popular hashtags in the region such as #Vail #VailLive #VailMtn. We use these tags to follow locals and interact with guests. If they are interested in the programs, we direct them toward our Facebook or webpage. Other Media Radio  The Vail Symposium previously held a relationship with 104.7 the Mile before it came under new ownership. In 2017, the Vail Symposium will seek out a new radio partnership for promotion of programs, season releases and talk show slots  The Vail Symposium would also like to re-engage the underwriting services of Colorado Public Radio’s regional broadcast and Denver Metro campaigns for the winter season. In the winter season of 2016, the Symposium received 189 mentions on the regional broadcast and 12 mentions on the Denver-Metro broadcast. The Symposium was able to target the message at primarily college graduates with an income of over $100,000 a year, equally mixed gender and ages 45-64. Television The Vail Symposium will again work with TV8’s Good Morning Vail show that is available to more than 900,000 Comcast subscribers throughout the State.  The Vail Symposium utilizes this medium to promote program on the day of the program through morning interview on Good Morning Vail. We often give tickets away or have the speakers themselves address the community about their programs Grassroots Partnerships The Vail Symposium will also work on expanding our network within the community, leveraging relationships where there is cross-over in terms of focus. We will ensure that hotels have our information for inclusion in guests communications; work with other non-profit and for-profit organizations to ensure their members are aware of programs of interest; collaborate with other public relations entities, like Vail Resorts and the Vail Local Marketing District, to ensure that our programming is top of mind for visiting media and messaging. Presented by Katie Coakley, Marketing and PR Manager Total economic impact per attendee day Admission Restaurants/ Bars/Prepared Food Vendors Recreation Other items, excluding lodging Lodging Shopping $0 $100 $200 Economic Impactper Attendee-Day$19 $19$44 $3 $0$2 $1 Direct Economic Impact to TOV per Attendee-Day In commercial lodging In rent-by-owner lodging Vacation home/timeshare With friends/family Other 50% 50% Overnight Visitor Profile Myself Only 2 3 4 5 6 or more 25% 50% 25% 1 2 3 - 5 6 - 8 9 - 14 15 or more 33% 33% 33% Vail Beaver Creek Avon Edwards Eagle/Gypsum Summit County Other 75% 25% Under $50k $50k-$100k $100-$150k $150k or more 11% 33% 18% 38% Overall Visitor Profile Under 18 18 - 24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55 - 64 65 - 74 75 or older 16% 29% 30% 11% 9% 5% Male Female 36% 64% Promoter Passive Detractor 0% 20% 40% 60% 80%Percent Responding71% 22% 6% Likelihood of Recommending Event to a Friend or Family Member 0: None, I would have come to Vail anyway 1 2 3 4 5: Half my reason for coming to Vail 6 7 8 9 10: My only reason for coming to Vail 0% 20% 40% 60%Percent Responding54% 17% 2%6%4%1%4%2%4%2%2% Importance of Event in Decision to Visit Vail Today - Overall 2017 Event funding Direct economic impact to TOV Economic impact payback ratio $1.70 $59,330.27 $35,000.00 Return on Investment: Funding vs. Impact Summary of Key Trip Characteristics and DemographicsAttendee Days0K 10K 20K 1.4K Attendance Est 65% NPS Net Promoter Score Overnight visitor Seasonal resident of Vail Valley Full-time resident of Town of Vail Full-time downvalley resident Day visitor to Vail 0% 50%Percent Responding15%20% 58% 3%3% Visitor Type Colorado Florida Connecticut Iowa California Delaware 1% 1% 2% 2% 3% 86% 2017 Vail Event Visitor Summary: Vail Symposium, Jan. - Apr., 2017 Survey technique: Post-trip web. Overall sample size: 131 (Please note that sample sizes are smaller for subgroups.) Number of years event has taken place in Vail (including 2017): 47 Average Overall Overnight visitor Seasonal resident of Vail Valley Full-time downvalley resident Day visitor to Vail 6.5 3.2 1.7 3.3 3.0 Are you staying: How many people are staying in your accomodations unit? Nights in the area this trip Where are your lodging accommodations located? Annual Household Income Age State/Country Gender Nightly Rate (if Paid) Average: Median:$268 $268 Overall Overnight visitor Overall Vail Symposium Winter 2016-17 Program 12.01.16 Fears and Facts: A multidisciplinary approach to dementia 12.15.16 Beyond 7/2: Breaking the explorer’s grand slam world record 12.29.16 The maestro of Gen Y money: Making investments matter 01.05.17 DIRSUPTIVE ENERGY FUTURES with Amory Lovins 01.18.17 2016 key election ballot outcomes: What’s next? 01.25.17 The eye, inspiration and passion for collecting: C.M. Russell & the old American West 02.09.17 Hacking immortality: The science and science fiction of extreme human life extension 02.16.17 Bold impressions: Innovating the entertainment experience 02.23.17 The economics of beer 03.09.17 7 billion reasons to reconcile climate change, politics and human behavior 03.16.17 Physicians’ perspectives of near-death experiences 03.17.17 Workshop! Synthesizing science and spirit through near -death experiences 03.21.17 No Barriers with Erik Weihenmayer 03.23.17 45 Year Celebration of the Vail Symposium 03.30.17 Connecting the dots: Economic impacts of a new administ ration 04.06.17 SPECIAL ADDITION – Illuminating Life: An evening with Dr. Geoff Tabin and Timmy O’Neill 04.13.17 Military witness accounts, nuclear missile shutdowns and evidence of ET visitation 04.14.17 Workshop! Abductees and contactees: Are they ma king it up? 04.17.17 Living amidst nuclear nightmare: A chill in the air 04.20.17 Infinite Awareness: The Awakening of a Scientific Mind 04.21.17 Workshop! The nature of consciousness: can we reconcile scientific and experiential perspectives