Finally the day has come for us to rehearse INSIDE Sun Life stadium, enough of the cold bumpy field. Plus I think they had enough faith in us -- finally.
Day 4, Friday night, started the same way that day 1 through 3 did. Although the volunteer crowd seems to be getting thinner. I think many people came to the first couple of rehearsal days and bailed on the rest -- and of course it was a Friday night. Who knows. The way that it is structured is kind of loose. I guess when you get unpaid people to help with an event that is making billions (and costing billions) of dollars you aren't too picky.
At check in on day 4 we were "wristbanded" so we could enter the stadium. Once inside the fenced field where we have been the last 3 rehearsals, we again went to get our "box lunch" and took a seat on the bleachers. One indication that we are really getting closer to game day is that our "box lunch" was different -- and better -- than the past 3 rehearsals. They actually had roast beef sandwiches left by the time I got there, which tonight was actually on time. But instead of just a bag of chips and 1 cookie, these boxes had a two-pack of Oreo cookies, chips, an apple and a fruit cup. Not sure what's up with all of the fruit and the beefed (no pun intended) up boxes but we all just assumed that they want us to work harder this time!
We started much more quickly and had no "old guy stories" from our fearless leader Cap. Whew! We were saved! Marcus, or one of the other top dogs told us all to walk over to the stadium at about 6:40 or so -- again we were early since the past 3 rehearsals didn't get going until 7 or 7:15. I almost missed what we were doing since they only had a bullhorn and not a mic and speaker system. I was hanging out drinking more Gatorade and talking to my crew-mate who knows my next door neighbor (in my previous blog I think I mention how small a world it really is!).
We walked over to the stadium and right inside the dock and hallway that we were planning to bring the carts through on game day. Now being on the turf -- and tarp since they had to protect the grass -- inside the stadium was really a trip. Just looking up and seeing the 75,0000+ seats, the lights, screens, etc. was a little overwhelming. We were taken to a lower part of the stands to all sit in seats. Now I know where the mic and speakers were -- inside the stadium ready for us.
Once all of us (there probably was only about 300 max) sat down Cap come on the talk. Again, no old guy story (amazing!) but he did introduce us to the grounds keeper who was 81 and has been the grounds keeper for all 43 Super Bowls, and now 44 -- that's a lot of grass to take care of. Apparently the grass is grown in North Carolina but this year with the cold weather it was shipped down to us much earlier where it froze down here - not good. I am sure that this fellow had many a sleepless night worrying about his beloved grass for the Super Bowl (and Pro Bowl I assume). The area where the tarp did not cover was amazing. The grass was perfect - not a dent or yellow blade in the entire thing. Cap did mention that he has seen him on his hands and knees plucking out dead blades of grass! Now that's perfection!
We had a little talk from him, which I kind of zoned out on: I can't tell you what he said. I was a bit pre-occupied just taking in the stadium with all the set-up people doing "things" and also I was just so focused on this 81 year old's stature. He was about the shortest man I have ever seen -- he really, seriously looked like an aging jockey. Not that I have ever met a jockey in person. When I say he was short I mean he was really short, probably 4'8" or something. Well, I knew I should have paid more attention since it was kind of cool meeting and hearing from this legend -- even though he is a grounds keeper.
Once Cap told us a few things about logistic (again I'll have to kill you if I tell you details) he said that they shuffled us in to "gawk" at the stadium before we were guiding our carts. Being distracted while being responsible for 2,000 pounds of very expensive equipment -- not to mention the safely issues -- is not good. We gawked and talked and touched the grass -- it was all good. Again, not that I remember anything of what was told to us by the organizers.
We then went to our cart leader on the field and walked with them back through the tunnel and out the loading doors to our cart. We are kind of bonding with our cart at this point and we all seemed happy to see it. The young guy that was supposed to bring the lobster mascot didn't come through so we are mascot-less. I also was thinking of bringing down something my son has in his multitude of "little guy" things but he and I forgot to select something when I ran out the door (always running late and worried about traffic).
Once we found our cart we discussed any more changes they had made during the day. We ended up seeing more tape, more equipment and some more handles thankfully. No joking when I say that these things are really sharp, cold, bulky and just plain dangerous. Of course we signed our life away on the 5-page waiver form we had to complete at the beginning.
We also found out (the previous night) that we all get a long sleeved t-shirt, that is unique to our group, to wear onto the field on game day. This is kind of cool since we are all hoping -- and talking about -- these shirts will really be a great way to remember our experience.
Once we got to the cart and waited for the cars ahead of us we pushed off and walked -- calmly -- through the tunnel, which has a jog in it, and out past the goal post onto the field. By now we know our spot and can just head off to it quickly. When we get past the goal post they tell us to pick it up and get to our spot as quick as possible. Now running with a 2,000 lb. cart is not small trick. I am positioned near a kind of sharp bar that is shoulder height. And it's really a shoulder knocker. Thankfully a union roadie (not our roadie leader Steve) overheard me talking about my shoulder and he taped off the metal part that is banging into me. Nice, they are really all just plain nice guys (and like one girl).
Another really nice guy is our electrician from Iowa. He is from Cedar Rapids and sorry to anyone who is from/has lived there -- the one time I had to travel there for work was horrible. It was winter, freezing cold and snowy, I had to fly in a tiny plane to get there (bumpy!) and the hotel was really bad (the nicest hotel in town). Not to mention the John Deere dealership next to the hotel being the largest thing in town. Anyway, this electrician is really nice and always takes time to chat about random stuff. Apparently he has 3,000 acres in Cedar Rapids and grows crops - a really nice quiet life. Not that I would like it.
We had a heck of a time with the "whale tail" with our first run through. These things are not good. Not good at all. They are just too wide and it is just too hard to get them to all fit while rushing to get our carts in position. I just had to say something, and of course did to Cap, our fearless leader. Now he's just about the crustiest guy I have ever met -- well, showbiz crusty -- and a little intimidating. Not that I am easily intimidated. He happened to be walking near me so I told him that I had an idea. On day 2 he mocked someone who raised their hand with an idea. He basically said that unless it's earth shattering to not mention it -- that "we have done this for 10 years, blah, blah, blah". OK, now I am also experienced in my occupation, as I am sure you all are in yours (yes, I have been doing marketing work for 25 years) but I would never mock anyone who has an idea. You just never know, someone may look at something so different than you do -- and have a great outside perspective. You may learn something from them: I never discount any ideas, they all lead somewhere and may lead your mind to something great and new. His comment made me lose immediate respect for him I am sorry to say.
When I stopped Cap to tell him my idea he did say, very demeaning, "should I get a pencil and paper?" Geesh, this crusty old guy is really full of himself, really. Then he said "what's your big idea?" -- again mocking me. I just looked him in the eye and said "no, it's just a little idea..." and then I told him what it was. Really, not earth shattering but an idea that must be considered at this point in my mind. OK, maybe working on events for 25+ years has provided me with some insight. Funny, but he seemed to light up some and really like the idea -- again, I thought it was just a little idea. He ended up asking my name (not that he cared about any of us before) and called over someone -- not sure who Steve was but I think it was all good. Cap then said that when we return for rehearsal 5 that "I may get lucky" and my idea will have been put into place. Of course Steve had to explain that there were computer issues to my idea and that they need to figure all of those out. Well, I tried.
The second run through was much better. The whale tails were not on top of each other and we did it much faster. Thankfully we were all excused early again - yeah.
The spot that we go to on the field during the show kind of stinks -- although I do think I am were the band will be entering the stage. No elevator or dropping in from above going on here. They just will be walking out of the field and up the steps -- and may be my set of steps (remember that our cart is against the walkway). I just hope that Roger Daltry and Pete Townsend turn around some so us in the back/side of the stage get to see the show.
Once we did the second run through we had to "blowout" our carts and place the wheels on wood "pads" to protect the field. We didn't end up seeing it lit up as we had hoped, I am sure that they will test it out a number of times before we see it - darn. Our roadie union cart leader said that he was scheduled to work until 3 am this morning - yikes. Although I am sure that he was getting paid by the hour and didn't mind. I like Steve, he's a really great guy.
We left, really kind of in a let-down mode. Not sure why. I think the newness of it all had totally worn off, plus we are getting a little bored and tired. I just can't believe one of my cart mates drives from and back to Tampa (210 miles he said) for each rehearsal. I thought driving 36 miles each way was tough!
Thankfully I have a break and am not due back until Tuesday of next week...let's just hope we remember our mascot, get to see it all lit up and that they have completed my idea so we don't all chop off our fingers on show day. Do you think we'll get that luck?
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
Super Bowl- Day 3 Rehearsal: Mascot Time
*Sigh* Day 3 started just fine with even less of a line at check in. Plus I was very happy about just picking up my free Pro Bowl tickets, even though I gave them away. Again, I made a beeline to the food area just as the wind started to kick up. Why is it always so cold on that darn field outside of Sun Life stadium?
After getting yet another turkey sandwich, chips, cookie and gatorade I took a seat on the aluminum bleaches to eat -- and wait. I think in my previous blog entry I mentioned that I need to stay far away from the coffee they offer. After a couple of nights of sleeplessness I vowed to not touch a drop. Of course after hearing another person say very loudly that he has not slept in a couple of nights because of the coffee they served I am certain that this is planned by the event producers -- they really want us all to be very active and alert as we work our carts onto the field...and the coffee helps!
I sat where there was actually space for my box "lunch" dinner thing and then one of my crew-mates called to me from across the isle. I decided to move and sit with him to at least bond some more with a member of my crew. As you can imagine with all of that standing around we are talking about our lives, where we grew up and more -- funny but he is friends with my next door neighbor. Small world we live in.
Once again, Cap had to speak although spared us an "old-guy" story. Sorry to say, even when I get to be his age I will still call those stories "old-guy" stories since they always draw upon some really ancient time that all of us don't know about, understand or is so foreign to how we live now that we just don't get it. I know, I know, you are thinking that I most likely tell "old-gal" stories to my kids...well, my 15-year-old will tell you that I do, but they are not that old really. I don't think stories from the mid-1980's qualifies does it?
For some unknown reason they called us, once again, cart by cart by number. By now you see we all know exactly where our carts are parked so our crew just thought it would have been easier to just tell us to report directly to our cart. But no, they had to do it more orderly. Finally we saw our number and leader -- Steve -- and followed him out to our cart.
The good thing is that they took most of the daytime to figure out how to better work with the "whale-tail"...that's a great thing since I was certain that one of the four crew-mates were going to come out of Super Bowl with one less finger. Handles and an actual system to follow were instituted so I felt better. Although one crew-mate brought his 15-year-old son and I was a little nervous the whole time for his safety.
The "whale-tail" movement was practiced a number of time while the rest of us just looked on. Again, I can't give you any specifics about what exactly I mean or I'd have to kill you. But trust me, this is no small task. Just wait until you see the half-time show at SB...you'll see exactly what I mean. [And no it's not really a "whale" or a "tail", no worries.]
We ended up practicing going into and out of the mock stadium, goal post, hallway and all about 3 times. We really tried to work on the time allotment. Not sure if I mentioned it but 5 minutes and 52 seconds is all the time we have to get the entire thing set up for The Who to take the stage. Not sure this is going to happen.
Then there's the wheel issue. Yes, we have a very good chance to tearing up the field with these crazy non-turning wheels that really don't like to cooperate. And yes, we are trying to find the best way to get this all done in the 5 minutes and 52 second time limit to get the things in and back out again without ripping up the field.
We ended up having to run our part into and off of the mock field -- yikes this is hard and yikes it is a work-out. They tell us that our piece weights in at about 2,000 lbs. since we have not only lasers but lots of electrical equipment on it -- more *sighs*.
Then there's mascot talk. Our fearless leader, Steve, thinks we need a mascot for our cart. One of my crew-mates said that he has his ex-girlfriend's lobster (stuffed of course) and that we actually could burn it for all he cares...I am really not sure why/where the burn comment came from but that does sound promising. I may also be bringing a mascot of my own to secure to the cart - just for kicks we could have a few (we'd have to really hide them from Cap I think), but our fearless leader would certainly be on board with this plan.
At the end Cap did say we are doing a great job, much better in fact so that was good. Although besides seeing a bloody arm and a couple of banged fingers he said that if he sees anyone texting while pushing then he'll take their cell phone away until the end of the night. I do think he has a point -- no need to stop to read text and get run over. This is not a task without risk.
The Good and The Bad and The Good...and The Bad
We all got excused at 9 pm so that's the good news...but we are at it again tonight so that's the bad news...but the good news is that we are going to actually practice on the field several times tonight...but the bad news is that Cap will have his boss, his bosses boss and his bosses boss watching. And if we look bad then they will ride him, which in turn will make our lives miserable...
Day 4 coming at ya tomorrow. Just keep your fingers crossed that it goes smoothly and that we don't get in too much trouble (for texting, chewing up the field, strapping mascots to our carts and various and sundry other things).
After getting yet another turkey sandwich, chips, cookie and gatorade I took a seat on the aluminum bleaches to eat -- and wait. I think in my previous blog entry I mentioned that I need to stay far away from the coffee they offer. After a couple of nights of sleeplessness I vowed to not touch a drop. Of course after hearing another person say very loudly that he has not slept in a couple of nights because of the coffee they served I am certain that this is planned by the event producers -- they really want us all to be very active and alert as we work our carts onto the field...and the coffee helps!
I sat where there was actually space for my box "lunch" dinner thing and then one of my crew-mates called to me from across the isle. I decided to move and sit with him to at least bond some more with a member of my crew. As you can imagine with all of that standing around we are talking about our lives, where we grew up and more -- funny but he is friends with my next door neighbor. Small world we live in.
Once again, Cap had to speak although spared us an "old-guy" story. Sorry to say, even when I get to be his age I will still call those stories "old-guy" stories since they always draw upon some really ancient time that all of us don't know about, understand or is so foreign to how we live now that we just don't get it. I know, I know, you are thinking that I most likely tell "old-gal" stories to my kids...well, my 15-year-old will tell you that I do, but they are not that old really. I don't think stories from the mid-1980's qualifies does it?
For some unknown reason they called us, once again, cart by cart by number. By now you see we all know exactly where our carts are parked so our crew just thought it would have been easier to just tell us to report directly to our cart. But no, they had to do it more orderly. Finally we saw our number and leader -- Steve -- and followed him out to our cart.
The good thing is that they took most of the daytime to figure out how to better work with the "whale-tail"...that's a great thing since I was certain that one of the four crew-mates were going to come out of Super Bowl with one less finger. Handles and an actual system to follow were instituted so I felt better. Although one crew-mate brought his 15-year-old son and I was a little nervous the whole time for his safety.
The "whale-tail" movement was practiced a number of time while the rest of us just looked on. Again, I can't give you any specifics about what exactly I mean or I'd have to kill you. But trust me, this is no small task. Just wait until you see the half-time show at SB...you'll see exactly what I mean. [And no it's not really a "whale" or a "tail", no worries.]
We ended up practicing going into and out of the mock stadium, goal post, hallway and all about 3 times. We really tried to work on the time allotment. Not sure if I mentioned it but 5 minutes and 52 seconds is all the time we have to get the entire thing set up for The Who to take the stage. Not sure this is going to happen.
Then there's the wheel issue. Yes, we have a very good chance to tearing up the field with these crazy non-turning wheels that really don't like to cooperate. And yes, we are trying to find the best way to get this all done in the 5 minutes and 52 second time limit to get the things in and back out again without ripping up the field.
We ended up having to run our part into and off of the mock field -- yikes this is hard and yikes it is a work-out. They tell us that our piece weights in at about 2,000 lbs. since we have not only lasers but lots of electrical equipment on it -- more *sighs*.
Then there's mascot talk. Our fearless leader, Steve, thinks we need a mascot for our cart. One of my crew-mates said that he has his ex-girlfriend's lobster (stuffed of course) and that we actually could burn it for all he cares...I am really not sure why/where the burn comment came from but that does sound promising. I may also be bringing a mascot of my own to secure to the cart - just for kicks we could have a few (we'd have to really hide them from Cap I think), but our fearless leader would certainly be on board with this plan.
At the end Cap did say we are doing a great job, much better in fact so that was good. Although besides seeing a bloody arm and a couple of banged fingers he said that if he sees anyone texting while pushing then he'll take their cell phone away until the end of the night. I do think he has a point -- no need to stop to read text and get run over. This is not a task without risk.
The Good and The Bad and The Good...and The Bad
We all got excused at 9 pm so that's the good news...but we are at it again tonight so that's the bad news...but the good news is that we are going to actually practice on the field several times tonight...but the bad news is that Cap will have his boss, his bosses boss and his bosses boss watching. And if we look bad then they will ride him, which in turn will make our lives miserable...
Day 4 coming at ya tomorrow. Just keep your fingers crossed that it goes smoothly and that we don't get in too much trouble (for texting, chewing up the field, strapping mascots to our carts and various and sundry other things).
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Super Bowl Half-Time Show Rehearsal - Day 2
Well, day 2 of rehearsal was a bit smoother than day 1 although a little less exciting...
I think it was the "newness" of it all that wore off some, and the excitement of being part of something so large. When I got to the Sun Life stadium the lot was really full. Looked like they were having "media day" for the Pro Bowl that happens this weekend.
I parked a mile away from the practice area and checked in to the white tent once again. No line buddy this time sine the line was kind of short - surprisingly enough. I guess I was actually almost on time, it being 6:10 pm, and most people are late. This time I knew to make a beeline to the food area and pick up my box lunch (not sure why they don't call it dinner, maybe since it is sparse) and take a seat on the cold aluminum bleachers.
I saw some of my "crew mates" in the bleachers but decided to not try to sit with them (I spend hours and hours with them on our "cart" so meeting some new people was a nice thought). I sat first in a spot that was empty so I didn't have to balance the plastic container on my lap. I ate and just observed the masses. It's just so interesting really just people watching for 20 minutes or so -- something that I never get to do in my hectic life.
After eating I decide to get a cup of coffee (a mistake, you'll see why later) and ran into more of my "crew" on the way. They just walked in so I let them get their food and eat in peace. My last spot was taken so I found a new seat next to some very nice new people. One of them was a newbie, having not been at either the orientation or the day 1 practice -- lucky her!
When Cap got up to speak to us, yes he felt compelled to tell another story, she couldn't believe it. OK, this time it was not about WWII but about the sharecroppers on his Uncle's farm. And a lot of it was really not politically correct but the small nugget of information that applied to what we all were there to do was kind of interesting. It was to not follow the crew in front of you but to see -- and keep your eye -- on where you are docking your piece. Well, after about 15 minutes it seemed to me to be a long, drawn out way to say that.
We were then all called to our piece by remembering our number and our union leader (the paid staffers). Of course Christine was on 2 carts so we got Steve...he seems very nice and was kind of more interesting to talk to...I like him. We had to take our part out and back in again -- twice. The interesting part is that they constructed a mock goal post and mock tunnel. This is to replicate what obstacles we actually have to get around on game day -- yikes!
As you can guess, one crew took out the goal post -- funny! We all clapped and the thing just went down. The tunnel seemed to hold up better but this is no small trick. Our cart was much heavier this time and I expect tonight to feel even more weight.
OK - one of the best things is that on my side where I stand once we "dock" is where the steps are. That's the great news just thinking that Roger and the rest of The Who may be entering the stage right next to me. The bad news is that ours has no hand railing -- the other side where there are steps does. Bummer. I think that we may just not be that lucky. Oh well.
I did find out that we will be on the team sidelines during the show and really, really close to the stage. Of course just so we can get quickly in there to take it back out of the stadium.
Day 3 is tonight and I have to run. Please check back tomorrow to hear about tonight. Day 4, Friday, will be the most interesting to date I think because we take our parts actually onto the field inside the stadium.
Remember, if you see a big hole in the grass while watching Pro Bowl then just think about the wheels on our cart. We have to make sure they are turned the right way or we gouge a hole in the grass...not good. Although I did say that perhaps our crew and cart will go down in history as the stage piece/cart that make that huge hole on the field at the Super Bowl...now that would count for my 15 minutes of fame, wouldn't it?
:)
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Superbowl HalfTime Show Stage Crew Volunteer Rehersal - DAY 1
OK, I did send out a poll to see if this blog would be of interest and quite a number of people thought that it would so here goes...
I signed up to be one of the 500 volunteers that will be "stage crew" for the Superbowl half-time show. Now certainly the show consisting of The Who was one of the major deciding factors for getting me to sign up, but there is also a huge curiosity of how a production company can gather 500 volunteers and teach them how to assemble such a huge stage. Having been in marketing for over 20 years and involved in conventions, trade shows, events, meetings and seminars -- from creating, designing, organizing and everything in between -- I just had to see what process they use to accomplish this feat.
With that being said I will be blogging about the process and how it is rolling along each time I attend the rehearsals. Day 1 was last night and this is how it went:
First we were told exactly how to get to Joe Robbie/Dolphin/Land Shark/I mean Sun Life Stadium via a nicely done map with exact parking instructions. Once there I was a little confused on where exactly to go but they did station someone in a golf cart to direct us lost souls.
We were told to "line up" to check in at the white tent, which was a snaking line of about 50 or so. It did go fairly quickly since most all of us already attended an orientation session at Nova and filled out the various forms, including a confidentiality form which is a concern of mine so I really have to be careful to not tell you anything really about the s - t - a - g - e that we are setting up.
Once they found our name on the sheets we were handed more information about future rehearsals which is great as they keep reminding us when and where to be (over and over which is great for us time staved, scattered people).
They had constructed metal bleachers for us all to sit on although once I found a seat (yes, I was a little late having to stop for gas on the way) I realized everyone around me had their "box lunch" -- even though it was dinner time. I quickly asked where those were and my fellow volunteers pointed to another area where they had sandwiches with chips a cookie and various beverage choices. All is good so far. My line buddy -- yes, I did meet a sweet girl who worked for Carinval Cruise Line and was alone as I was -- said she wondered where I went since I didn't make a beeline to the food area. :)
Once I re-seated myself, and balanced my food on my lap, another half hour passed before they finally got all of us "late-shower-uppers" checked in and seated. Whew!
Cap, the top dog to the entire show, came on stage and after quite a few of the wireless mics decided to not work, he went on to use an old fashioned bull horn - oh my! After about 10 minutes of bull horn use, a tech person finally gave poor Cap a wired mic and he seemed just so much happier.
His motivational speech was a little odd, and old, about WWII folks being feed by volunteers in the Midwest for many years. He really tried to tie this story in with the fact that the volunteers feeding the soldiers where not expecting anything for their time and food donations. OK, I kind of get the slight reference of giving of time but really not certain how he thinks this is the same as 500 of us spending six long nights and one day moving parts around a football field for a for-profit production company so The Who can make millions, sponsors can pay millions and foodball teams can make millions...hmmmm, am I missing something here?
What they did very well is to group us in teams of about 10 people and assign us to a "piece" that we all -- as a team -- will need to move in place in about 5 minutes and move out again in about 5 minutes. Well, you probably are saying, "What's the big deal? You have 500 people, how hard can that be?" Well if I told you exactly the way this thing will look then I'd have to kill you, but I can tell you that this is no small task. Not only do we volunteers have to learn how and where to move these - and line them up perfectly (yikes!) but we also have to allow time for the pros who are electrical, pyrotechnic, sounds and various other folks, WIRE this all in the 5 minute time frame. Now, that seems to be the real obstacle in my mind -- how the heck will they have the time?
Last night was the first time that this thing was together - well, kind of. It really didn't work all that well, so they probably spent all night and all of today fixing the darn thing. Not that you and I would know what didn't work well, but they said that there were some issues that they were going to fix.
Now I do have to tell you about my "crew". I am with 9 other people which couldn't be more different. We have the obnoxious sports guy (did you think any different?!), the three your women who goodness knows why they came (but they were cute and very nice), a very odd guy who really seemed to study our equipment, a few guys about my age that are mostly sports fans although I do think one of them loves The Who also and just volunteered for that reason. I think that's about it but I do know that our group will most likely "bond" by the end of this adventure since we will spend hours standing around waiting (yes, last night we did a lot of that). Our lead roadie, yes they hired those to help out and it was a girl who was very cute and nice, had two crews to lead so we were left on our own -- to stand around -- for quite a long time. Well after obnoxious sports guy told us all blonde jokes (yes, I am blonde and the only one on our crew) I realized that this may be a long, long night - and it did get quite cold. I can't wait for the next adventure...
I have a break tonight but back at it tomorrow night, Thursday and Friday. Look for the next installment of my blog and half-time show adventure!
I signed up to be one of the 500 volunteers that will be "stage crew" for the Superbowl half-time show. Now certainly the show consisting of The Who was one of the major deciding factors for getting me to sign up, but there is also a huge curiosity of how a production company can gather 500 volunteers and teach them how to assemble such a huge stage. Having been in marketing for over 20 years and involved in conventions, trade shows, events, meetings and seminars -- from creating, designing, organizing and everything in between -- I just had to see what process they use to accomplish this feat.
With that being said I will be blogging about the process and how it is rolling along each time I attend the rehearsals. Day 1 was last night and this is how it went:
First we were told exactly how to get to Joe Robbie/Dolphin/Land Shark/I mean Sun Life Stadium via a nicely done map with exact parking instructions. Once there I was a little confused on where exactly to go but they did station someone in a golf cart to direct us lost souls.
We were told to "line up" to check in at the white tent, which was a snaking line of about 50 or so. It did go fairly quickly since most all of us already attended an orientation session at Nova and filled out the various forms, including a confidentiality form which is a concern of mine so I really have to be careful to not tell you anything really about the s - t - a - g - e that we are setting up.
Once they found our name on the sheets we were handed more information about future rehearsals which is great as they keep reminding us when and where to be (over and over which is great for us time staved, scattered people).
They had constructed metal bleachers for us all to sit on although once I found a seat (yes, I was a little late having to stop for gas on the way) I realized everyone around me had their "box lunch" -- even though it was dinner time. I quickly asked where those were and my fellow volunteers pointed to another area where they had sandwiches with chips a cookie and various beverage choices. All is good so far. My line buddy -- yes, I did meet a sweet girl who worked for Carinval Cruise Line and was alone as I was -- said she wondered where I went since I didn't make a beeline to the food area. :)
Once I re-seated myself, and balanced my food on my lap, another half hour passed before they finally got all of us "late-shower-uppers" checked in and seated. Whew!
Cap, the top dog to the entire show, came on stage and after quite a few of the wireless mics decided to not work, he went on to use an old fashioned bull horn - oh my! After about 10 minutes of bull horn use, a tech person finally gave poor Cap a wired mic and he seemed just so much happier.
His motivational speech was a little odd, and old, about WWII folks being feed by volunteers in the Midwest for many years. He really tried to tie this story in with the fact that the volunteers feeding the soldiers where not expecting anything for their time and food donations. OK, I kind of get the slight reference of giving of time but really not certain how he thinks this is the same as 500 of us spending six long nights and one day moving parts around a football field for a for-profit production company so The Who can make millions, sponsors can pay millions and foodball teams can make millions...hmmmm, am I missing something here?
What they did very well is to group us in teams of about 10 people and assign us to a "piece" that we all -- as a team -- will need to move in place in about 5 minutes and move out again in about 5 minutes. Well, you probably are saying, "What's the big deal? You have 500 people, how hard can that be?" Well if I told you exactly the way this thing will look then I'd have to kill you, but I can tell you that this is no small task. Not only do we volunteers have to learn how and where to move these - and line them up perfectly (yikes!) but we also have to allow time for the pros who are electrical, pyrotechnic, sounds and various other folks, WIRE this all in the 5 minute time frame. Now, that seems to be the real obstacle in my mind -- how the heck will they have the time?
Last night was the first time that this thing was together - well, kind of. It really didn't work all that well, so they probably spent all night and all of today fixing the darn thing. Not that you and I would know what didn't work well, but they said that there were some issues that they were going to fix.
Now I do have to tell you about my "crew". I am with 9 other people which couldn't be more different. We have the obnoxious sports guy (did you think any different?!), the three your women who goodness knows why they came (but they were cute and very nice), a very odd guy who really seemed to study our equipment, a few guys about my age that are mostly sports fans although I do think one of them loves The Who also and just volunteered for that reason. I think that's about it but I do know that our group will most likely "bond" by the end of this adventure since we will spend hours standing around waiting (yes, last night we did a lot of that). Our lead roadie, yes they hired those to help out and it was a girl who was very cute and nice, had two crews to lead so we were left on our own -- to stand around -- for quite a long time. Well after obnoxious sports guy told us all blonde jokes (yes, I am blonde and the only one on our crew) I realized that this may be a long, long night - and it did get quite cold. I can't wait for the next adventure...
I have a break tonight but back at it tomorrow night, Thursday and Friday. Look for the next installment of my blog and half-time show adventure!
Friday, January 22, 2010
47 Ideas To Grow Your Business
Being someone who has created the marketing strategy and executed complex marketing plans for various products, brands and services, I am often asked about what can be done to gain more business. For me, this is a fairly easy question to answer - please see my 47 "top of my head" ideas below. But the most important part is that you must be able to execute these ideas. That's the hard part and where I come in.
The "how-to" part is really not the hard part...it's the execution that takes the time and energy. If you need help with your marketing and business growth contact me. I can create and execute a marketing plan for your company.
Hope@thebuzzagency.net
1) Start a blog
2) Go to Chamber of Commerce events and other local business events
3) Release products (articles, etc.) that can be used for free with attribution
4) Hand out business cards
5) Post on blogs relevant to your skills
6) Attend groups/networking events and meetups in your area
7) Place your brochures/cards/information in relevant businesses
8) Attend or participate in a conference
9) Network online: Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are a must for 2010
10) Share samples of your work online
11) Send interesting press releases and media alerts to local/national media outlets
12) Sponsor/donate items to an event to get your product/service/name in from of the attendees
13) Suggest a story about your product/sercice to a reporter or blogger
14) Offer a coupon or easy point of entry into your product/service/business
15) Offer to speak about your specialty at networking events
16) Answer questions on LinkedIn Answers, Yahoo Answers and other question sites
17) Comment on articles and posts, be interactive with the online community to get your name known
18) Create package deals
19) Develop a partnership with a consultant or freelancer with a different skill set
20) Send out a useful newsletter geared towards your clients
21) Provide a free initial consultation
22) Join a professional organization and attend meetings to gain contacts/emails
23) Add yourself to directories, both online and in print
24) Place promotional items in event and conference gift bags
25) Run targeted adds: both online and traditional print
26) Contribute articles to other companies’ newsletters
27) Volunteer your product/services to non-profits
28) Contact companies that could use your services directly
29) Attend alumni events for your school
30) Contact past clients, ask for referrals and industry information
31) Join online forums
32) Print t-shirts/specialty items listing your website and make sure you distribute
33) Have a giveaway or donate your time as a prize in someone else’s giveaway
34) Survey companies in your target market about their needs (and then follow up on those needs)
35) Optimize your website for search engines
36) Hand out brochures that showcase your projects
37) Get great testimonials from past clients
38) Teach a class
39) Brand yourself as a business
40) Start a podcast or videocast
41) Sell your services through affiliates
42) Work with an agency to really market your company, www.thebuzzagency.net is a great example!
43) Trade services with others, especially the media if budgets are tight
44) Send out a postcard or other mailer
45) Package your promotional materials or services with other freelancers
46) Tell happy clients that you’ll give them a referral discount for any new clients they send your way
47) Celebrate the end of a large project with your client
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
What's Your USP and Why Should I Care?
Here's one question all businesses should be able to answer in 60-seconds: “Why should I buy what you sell when I can buy it from one of your competitors?”
This question runs through the head of every potential customer who is about to buy a product or service you. Your answer to this is your USP, or unique selling proposition - the one thing that makes you different, and hopefully better, than your competitors.
If you sell a commoditized product such as apparel, food or services, then your USP should be based around how you deliver your product, or another service that sets you apart. For example, Zappos.com sells shoes but their USP is customer service. We sell software that helps small businesses sell online at BigCommerce.com and our USP is ease-of-use. I could go on with examples all day, but I'm sure you get the point.
So what's the best way to find your USP if you don't already have one? Well, what's the main reason customers buy from you:
Is it price? Are you lower than your competitors? Is what you offer larger/better for less?
Fast or free shipping? Add-ons/added value you offer with your product or service?
Customer service? Do you go above and beyond? Are you more responsive?
Better/faster results? Do you deliver more than your competitors? How so?
Quality? Is your product or service better quality? Can you quantify?
If you're unsure then the best way to find out is to ask.
You could use a tool such as PollDaddy.com to setup a free poll on your website and ask customers why they buy from you, or if you want immediate feedback you could send a survey via email using SurveyMonkey.com. Just create a multiple choice question titled "What's the main reason you chose to buy from us?". Create answers for all of the reasons you think customers buy from you, and then make sure you add the "Other" option. So, you might have something like this:
What's the main reason you chose to buy from us?
If you email a survey to a few dozen customers you'll usually have your answer within 2-3 days. You can use the answer to craft your USP and that can then become your company's tag line. For example, if 85% of customers said they bought from you because of your liberal return guarantee (let's pretend you offer a 200-day return-for-any-reason guarantee), that becomes your USP and should also become your tag line, such as "The widest selection of shoes, backed by our 200-day return guarantee!".
To get real insight into why customers buy from you, you might also ask for their email address or phone number so you can follow up with them. It's amazing what you can learn from a 5-minute call. Put yourself in your customer's shoes: do you think they've ever been asked for their opinion on something they've purchased? My guess is no, so they'll appreciate the opportunity to speak with you, plus you'll get even more feedback to help shape your USP.
Finally, you can use your USP to position your company against competitors. Remember, at face value your business probably doesn't look that much different to your competitors, so you need a strong USP that shouts to potential customers "Hey, here's why we're better!". If you look at your closest competitors I bet they don't offer potential customers a USP, so the opportunity is there for you to easily win more business.
The one thing you have to remember is to always deliver on your USP. You want to become well known for your USP and if you do anything and everything you can to make sure you and your staff members deliver on it, you'll be amazed at the amount of referral business that will come your way.
To get more information about how I can help you market your business, or help with determining your unique selling proposition call me today: (561) 715-7705 or email hope@thebuzzagency.net.
OK, you want to know what OUR unique selling proposition is? We offer a collaboration of seasoned South Florida marketing and public relations professionals with a diverse background and first-rate experience in all aspects of communications. And that's a fact!
www.thebuzzagency.net
This question runs through the head of every potential customer who is about to buy a product or service you. Your answer to this is your USP, or unique selling proposition - the one thing that makes you different, and hopefully better, than your competitors.
If you sell a commoditized product such as apparel, food or services, then your USP should be based around how you deliver your product, or another service that sets you apart. For example, Zappos.com sells shoes but their USP is customer service. We sell software that helps small businesses sell online at BigCommerce.com and our USP is ease-of-use. I could go on with examples all day, but I'm sure you get the point.
So what's the best way to find your USP if you don't already have one? Well, what's the main reason customers buy from you:
Is it price? Are you lower than your competitors? Is what you offer larger/better for less?
Fast or free shipping? Add-ons/added value you offer with your product or service?
Customer service? Do you go above and beyond? Are you more responsive?
Better/faster results? Do you deliver more than your competitors? How so?
Quality? Is your product or service better quality? Can you quantify?
If you're unsure then the best way to find out is to ask.
You could use a tool such as PollDaddy.com to setup a free poll on your website and ask customers why they buy from you, or if you want immediate feedback you could send a survey via email using SurveyMonkey.com. Just create a multiple choice question titled "What's the main reason you chose to buy from us?". Create answers for all of the reasons you think customers buy from you, and then make sure you add the "Other" option. So, you might have something like this:
What's the main reason you chose to buy from us?
If you email a survey to a few dozen customers you'll usually have your answer within 2-3 days. You can use the answer to craft your USP and that can then become your company's tag line. For example, if 85% of customers said they bought from you because of your liberal return guarantee (let's pretend you offer a 200-day return-for-any-reason guarantee), that becomes your USP and should also become your tag line, such as "The widest selection of shoes, backed by our 200-day return guarantee!".
To get real insight into why customers buy from you, you might also ask for their email address or phone number so you can follow up with them. It's amazing what you can learn from a 5-minute call. Put yourself in your customer's shoes: do you think they've ever been asked for their opinion on something they've purchased? My guess is no, so they'll appreciate the opportunity to speak with you, plus you'll get even more feedback to help shape your USP.
Finally, you can use your USP to position your company against competitors. Remember, at face value your business probably doesn't look that much different to your competitors, so you need a strong USP that shouts to potential customers "Hey, here's why we're better!". If you look at your closest competitors I bet they don't offer potential customers a USP, so the opportunity is there for you to easily win more business.
The one thing you have to remember is to always deliver on your USP. You want to become well known for your USP and if you do anything and everything you can to make sure you and your staff members deliver on it, you'll be amazed at the amount of referral business that will come your way.
To get more information about how I can help you market your business, or help with determining your unique selling proposition call me today: (561) 715-7705 or email hope@thebuzzagency.net.
OK, you want to know what OUR unique selling proposition is? We offer a collaboration of seasoned South Florida marketing and public relations professionals with a diverse background and first-rate experience in all aspects of communications. And that's a fact!
www.thebuzzagency.net
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