Businesses have been bringing groups to popular events for decades and the most common mistakes haven’t changed.
Don’t try it on the cheap.
The most common mistake is handling everything in-house and working with a less-than-reputable planner/broker. “The easiest way to find a bad ticket broker is to find one who will sell to you for the cheapest price,” says Brian Learst of QuintEvents. The ticket business is infamous for brokers who “sell air” — tickets they have not yet purchased. Companies like QuintEvents and BI, which put packages together for Fortune 500 clients year after year, have established partnerships that ensure your participants will be wowed.
Do stick with a proven resource. “These are not your typical incentive trips,” says Ety Rybak, COO of Inside Sports & Entertainment Group, a New York ticket brokerage that specializes in corporate events. “You can shop it around and get a better price, but at the end of the day you want to stay away from someone who doesn’t care if he risks his reputation.”
Don’t be conservative.
Think big! One of the toughest challenges continues to be educating corporate clients that almost anything can be done. “The lure of the live event is giving someone a chance to be part of something great,” says Rybak.
Do plan around the event.
A veteran planner will help you create around the event itself so your participants don’t have to be football diehards or horse racing regulars to enjoy a memorable experience. They’ll go home talking about the Maxim Super Bowl party they attended or the unbelievable concert they saw the night before the big event.
