What are the biggest marketing challenges facing fairs today? Like all good marketers, we ask a lot of questions. Taking our curiosity on the road, we interviewed different fairs from around the country to hear about their greatest marketing wins, challenges, and opportunities. The answers may surprise you...

1. Confessions of a Fair
Marketer
2015 IAFE ANNUAL CONVENTION & TRADE SHOW
Presented By
Suzanna Best
December 2, 2015
#IAFE2015

2. #IAFE2015
Follow along!
bit.ly/IAFERHP15

3. #IAFE2015
What was your
biggest marketing
challenge
last year?

4. #IAFE2015
What worked?

5. #IAFE2015

6. #IAFE2015
Allegan County Fair
Saree Miller
Manager, CFE
“Our ticket sales from email have
increased 92% from last year.
Through testing, segmentation
and mobile-optimization we have
been able to drive more ROI
through email than ever before.”

7. #IAFE2015
Ellie McKinney
Director of Events and
Performance Programs
Email Marketing:
Be Willing to Think
Outside the
1

8. #IAFE2015
Subject Lines using Emojis received a
3% higher open rate and a 2% higher click rate.
A little creativity can go a long way.

9. #IAFE2015
Minnesota State Fair
Christine Noonan
Marketing
Supervisor
“Our email and social media efforts
are important components of our
overall marketing plan as we strive
to not only break through the
overabundance of messaging in the
marketplace, but also stand out.”

10. #IAFE2015
Ellie McKinney
Director of Events and
Performance Programs
Contesting:
Give a Little,
Gain a Lot
2

11. #IAFE2015
If you can’t get a purchase, get an
email.
The Minnesota State Fair
collected over
500 email addresses
from one contest
and reached almost
13,000 Facebook users.

12. #IAFE2015
State Fair of West Virginia
Kelly Collins
CEO
“Social media is not only a platform to relay
information, but it’s a platform we use to
establish relationships with our customers.
We are able to see who we are talking to, what
they like, what they don’t like and even what they
are looking for. We want our customers to feel
like they are actually a part of the fair, not just
ticket buyers!”

13. #IAFE2015
Ellie McKinney
Director of Events and
Performance Programs
3
Afterglow:
Don’t Say Goodbye
Too Soon

14. #IAFE2015
Keep the momentum going after the gates close.
Compared to the social posts during the fair, the State Fair of West
Virginia’s Fan Photo Album earned 2x the reach,
2x the impressions and 3.7x the number of engaged users.

15. #IAFE2015
How you can get started TODAY...
Test. Measure. Repeat.
Find the right contesting platform. Bonus: Most
are free!
Begin developing a social strategy before, during
AND after the fair.
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2
1
4
5
Audit yourself: perform a search, purchase a
ticket, sign up for your email list.
Implement automation in your off-season
(“Welcome” emails, reminder messaging, etc.)

16. Say hello.
Ready to get started?
Suzanna Best
Sr. Account Manager
suzanna@rockhousepartners.com
hello@rockhousepartners.com | rockhousepartners.com