a league of our owna quarterly newsletter for unique venues members

Find increased exposure with a new video tour

Unique Venues • 239 Main Street, Suite 100, Johnstown, PA 15901 • 866.266.6857 • uniquevenues.com

New Service! Virtual Reality

Spring 2016 Edition

Spring Into Action!Renew your membership and win

Thirty years ago, in 1986, Unique Venues Founder Michele Nichols started the company with an idea to collectively represent non-traditional event venues. It began with 146 members and an annual guide to convening on colleges and campuses to, today, over 600 members in seven market segments, an annual marketing conference for members, the industry’s only magazine covering unique spaces, and new services like boot camps and virtual tours.

In January, the entire Unique Venues team gathered for a retreat to reflect on the milestone while also recapping 2015 and planning for 2016 and the future. Our collabora-tive discussions gave us new ideas for ways to generate more leads, create more services for members, and come up with a year-long plan to celebrate 30 years of serving our members.

Here are 6 ways we enhanced our services in just the last year:• LaunchingaMembershipServicesDepart-ment. A dedicated employee of Unique Venues now schedules follow-up calls to ensure all your membership benefits are being utilized. This includes answering questions about lead reporting, scheduling e-mail blasts to planners, and targeting potential features for upcoming magazine issues.• CreatingaVenueBroadcastService.Everytwo months we focus on a new market segment and share information on applicable members with targeted planners. In 2015 we

Now that we live in a world of entertainment on demand and TV binge watching, most people expect to find streaming video and enhanced online features in everyday life. In our industry, that translates to a growth in virtual venue tours, which will explode in 2016,saysMarkCooper,CEOoftheInternationalAssociationofConfer-enceCentres(IACC).“Sophisticatedtechnologies, including virtual site inspections, can give a feel for a venue without even being there,” hesays.Byprovidingavirtualtour,you can attract more planners from across the world.

Unique Venues now offers Virtual Tour production that can be added to your membership profile to show off your amenities and increase business. For $995, our team will produce the video, which includes a professionally written script and a gallery of photos of your venue accompanied by background mu-sic. All we need from you is a brief interview and 15-30 hi-res pictures. To get started, contact Jeanne Feathersat(866)266-6857,ore-mailJeanne@UniqueVenues.com.

It’s OurBirthday! Unique Venues

turns 30this year

continued on page 2

It’s time to take advantage of our early bird renewal special.StartingFebruary8,wewillbeginrenewingmemberships that are set to expire this summer. The earlier you renew, the more chances you have to win prizes in a series of weekly drawings on Feb. 19, Feb. 26, March 4, and March 11. Bonus:IfyourenewbeforeFeb.19,yournamewillautomatically stay in the game for all four weeks. PrizesincludeaKeurigElitewith$50giftcardforcoffee,Wegner2-PieceBusinessSetLuggage,PolaroidSnapInstantDigitalCameraandtheitemeveryonewants – an Apple Watch!

You must renew before April 29 to avoid disruption inyourmembershipservices.Callyoursalesrepresentative to discuss, and find more information in your mail and e-mail.

Everyyear,UniqueVenuestoaststhebestinourindustrywiththeannualBestOfawards,determinedbyreaders.Thisesteemed honor is not only featured in our winter magazine issue, but all winners also receive a plaque to hang in their officeaswellasalettertothevenue’sPresidentorCEOrecognizing their efforts, and a blue ribbon icon in our magazines and online directories, all of which spreads the word about their excellent service. For a complete list of the 2015 winners, visit www.UniqueVenues.com/BestOfWinners.

Voting opens again in July for the 2016 nominees. Make sure to add membership@uniquevenues.com to your address book to get all the updates.

And the Awards Go to… It’s Our Birthday continued from page 1

UVAMC 2016:Blockbuster Marketing & Sales

2 Unique Venues • uniquevenues.com

Unique VenuesAnnual Marketing Conference (UVAMC)

Denver, ColoradoOctober 13-14, 2016

FREE Registration opens April 1

Get ready to see stars because we’re meeting at the movies! That’s right, our 5th UniqueVenuesAnnualMarketingConferencewillbeheldatthenewlyrenovatedUnitedArtistsDenverPavilionswhereyoucankickbackinrecliningleatherchairswhile hearing from special guest speakers.

While on location you’ll have a chance to do plenty of shopping, dining, and activities allwithinwalkingdistance(sononeedtorentacar!).Aswell,ourhotelheadquarters,HomewoodSuites,isjustoneblockawayfromthetheatre;yourroomrateincludesafull, hot breakfast every morning and hors d’oeuvres/light dinner and beer/wine from 5:00to7:00p.m.eachnight.Thebestpartis,Denver’smuchtalkedabout“lightrail,”withdirectconnectionsfromtheairporttodowntown(forlessthan$10eachway),will be up and running by the time we arrive!

We will be sharing the programming info with you very soon, and it will be chock full ofmoresolidmarketingandsalescontent.RegistrationopensApril1andisFREEforall Unique Venues members.

Save the Date

Lookingforyourreportcard?Eacheditionis

archived in your Member Dashboardorrequest

another copy by e-mailing membership@

uniquevenues.com.

UV

highlighted nonprofit centers, government and military-focused venues, and spaces that cater to youth programs and summer camps.•Installingserverupgrades.Thisallowedforfasteruserexperiences on UniqueVenues.com and UniqueVenues.ca, contributing to a 43% increase in page views.• Welcomingnewmembers.172tobeexact!• Distributingmoreleads.Weenjoyeda3%increaseinsalesleads to members in 2015, with the busiest lead months in January, August, and October.• Increasingourplannerdatabase.Atotalof55,000+planners(professionalandpart-timers)currentlyreceivecommunications from Unique Venues, with nonprofits and association planners becoming the two largest market segments utilizing our websites.

It’s Our Birthday continued from page 1

Inside EditionHere’s a sneak peek at our next magazine issue

Unique Venues • uniquevenues.com 3

Spring 2016• CampusCheers!Breweriesandwineriesarepoppingupatcolleges and universities.• OneAndDone:Theideaofa“one-stopshop”evolvesevenfurther with full-service conference management programs.• CollegeRoadTrip:SouthernCharm.Wegetasweetteaseoffive must-see venues.• SlamDunk:LearnhowtheannualSpaldingHoophallClassiccomes togetheratSpringfieldCollege.

…Plus much more!

Your Progress Report

Part One: Show You’re Certified

Lookingforyourreportcard?Eacheditionis

archived in your Member Dashboardorrequest

another copy by e-mailing membership@

uniquevenues.com.

Did you know?

Unique Venues first incorporated as

CollegiateConferencesinDenver,Colorado,

in 1986.

Now that the first edition of our brand-new Membership Progress Report has been delivered, perhaps you are interested in learning more about your venue’s progress bar listed at the top of the page. This helps you visually identify how much of your membership you are actually using to date and where you can expand. We’ll have a four-partseriesinLeagueofOurOwnthisyeartogiveyousometips, starting right here:

ShowoffyourUniqueVenues affiliation with pride, and tell planners your venue is part of an elite, respected community, by adding the certified memberlogotoyourvenue’swebsite.Bydoingso,interested planners can easily access your venue’s profile page where we can track traffic and click throughs. Follow the steps at UniqueVenues.com/certified-member and e-mail us at membership@uniquevenues.com when it’s all set up so we can monitor the activity. For an example, visitwww.SpiritFireRetreatCenter.com.

Get People TalkingSocial Media Tip:

We are currently reading Contagious, a book about why ideas catch on with certain people. One important tidbit is: “Word of mouth is the primary factor behind 20% to 50% of all purchasing decisions.” If you haven’t done so yet, ask your current customers to follow your social media accounts and pass it on to your colleagues. Then, give them something to talk about with robust posts that will stir word of mouth, online and in real life.

Sign up for Sales Plan Boot CampMarch 28-April 1, 2016

Carter Hall Conference Center (Millwood, Virginia)attendance is Limited to 20 participants, and spots are filling up fast!

Get Your Sales Operation in Optimal Health

Welcome to the Family

For the first time ever, Unique Venues will be conducting an intensiveworkshoponcreatingacustomsalesplan.TheSalesPlanBootCampincludesfullgroupinstruction,smallgroupwork,andone-on-oneworkreviews.Bytheend,you’llhaveacompleteplanyou can execute when you get back to your office.

TheprogramtakesplaceoverfivedaysatCarterHallConferenceCenterinMillwood,Virginia(justashortdrivefromWashingtonDullesInternationalAirport).Thecostwillincludeinstruction,groundtransfertoandfromCarterHallConferenceCenterandWashingtonDullesInternationalAirport,accommodations,andallmealsandbreaks.Spotsarefillingupfast!Registeratwww.UniqueVenues.com/BootCamp!

UniqueVenueskeepsgrowing!EachquarterwearebreakingmembershiprecordswithnewmembersfromboththeU.S.andCanada.Wecouldn’tbemoreproudtowelcomeallthenewvenuestoourfamily.AFC Fitness PennsylvaniaAMS Conferences + Catering British ColumbiaArrowhead Stadium MissouriBeaver Hollow Conference Center New YorkBoston Conference Center MassachusettsCanyon View Event Center TexasCentral Oregon Community College OregonClock Tower Events ColoradoDowntown DC Event Space - WDCEP District of ColumbiaDuke University North CarolinaEssex County College New JerseyFathom Gallery District of ColumbiaGeorgia State University Housing - Georgia Conference Services

Grant-Humphreys Mansion ColoradoHard Rock Casino Vancouver British ColumbiaIrene’s Myomassology Institute MichiganLa Troupe du Jour SaskatchewanManitowoc Area Visitors & Wisconsin Convention Bureau Newport Church CaliforniaNOAH’S Event Venue AZ,AR,CO,FL,IL,IA,KS,KY, MI,NC,NE,OH,OK.TX,UT,WIOutput New YorkOxford College of Emory University GeorgiaRensselaer Polytechnic Institute New YorkRipley’s Believe It or Not! - Hollywood CaliforniaRipley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium Texas

Riverbanks Zoo & Garden South CarolinaSaint Mary’s College of California California Scarritt-Bennett Center TennesseeSea of Glass - Center for the Arts ArizonaSouthern Oregon University OregonTerminus 330 GeorgiaThe University of Texas at San Antonio TexasThe Yummy Pig VirginiaTulane University LouisianaUniversity of Lethbridge AlbertaUniversity of Waterloo OntarioUS Navy Memorial District of ColumbiaWash Park Studio Colorado

highlightsof this issue:New Service! - Virtual Reality 1

Renew Membership And Win! 1

It’s Our Birthday! 1

And the Awards Go to… 2

UVAMC 2016: Blockbuster 2Marketing & Sales

Inside Edition 3

Your Progress Report 3

Part One: Show You’re Certified 3

Social Media Tip 3

Welcome New Members 4

Sign up for Sales Plan 4Boot Camp

Return to: Unique Venues • 239 Main Street, Suite 100, Johnstown, PA 15901