Thanks to everyone who joined us for the conference last year.
Registration is now open for Vendini Member Conference 2016!

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About

The Vendini Member Conference will take place July 20-21, 2015 in beautiful Chicago, Illinois. A mix of expert led conference sessions, discussion panels, and common interest groups, the conference will arm Vendini Members with skills and strategies to grow their business and do more with the Vendini system. Conference attendees will get intensive system training, learn about industry trends and best practices, and forge new contacts with like minded professionals.

VMC 2015 collaboration

VMC 2015 instruction

VMC 2015 networking

Location

Stage 773
1225 W. Belmont Avenue
Chicago, IL 60657

Directions to Stage 773 ›

Conference Passes

Admission

to all sessions and breakouts

Meet 1-1

with Vendini Staff and speakers

Meals

breakfast and lunch provided

Free Shuttle

to-and-from the conference

Social Event

the Monday night social event

Goodie Bag

your attendee bag of goodies

REGISTRATION

Early Bird (through May 24) $295

Standard (after May 24) $395

Register

NON-PROFIT DISCOUNT : GET $100 OFF

There is a $100 discount available for non-profit members. To take advantage of the non-profit discount, members must supply current 501(c)(3) documentation and tax ID number. Contact Melissa Sheehan at eventmarketing@vendini.com for the non-profit discount code.

Speakers

Tricia Baker

VP Customer Success, Vendini

Nancy Boas

Director of Product Marketing, Vendini

Courtney Bryan

Director of Ticketing & Group Sales, SPI Entertainment

Thomas Benoist

Patron & Donor Relations Associate, The Cabaret at The Columbia Club

Ruth Egherman

Customer Relationship Manager, Vendini

Andrew Eisenmann

Performing Arts Chair & Vocal Music Director, Helene Galen Performing Arts Center

Adam Engelbrecht

Member Account Manager, Technical Support, Vendini

Jason Epperson

Executive Director, Greenhouse Theater Center

Michael Friedman

Senior Product Manager, Vendini

Keith Goldberg

Chief Revenue Officer, Vendini

Eric Heilmeier

Director, Campus Information & Services, University of Michigan — Ann Arbor

Tim Hines

Channel Marketing Manager, Vendini

Betsy Holbrook

Training & Documentation Program Manager, Vendini

Millie Manning

Member Services Project Manager, Vendini

Pete McCarthy

Senior Product Manager, Vendini

Heather Meza

Director of Marketing, Vendini

Russ Nelson

VP Product, Vendini

Katie Nix

Member Account Manager, Vendini

Gary Payne

Director of Finance, Irvine Barclay Theatre

Stephanie Phipps

Development Director, Thalian Hall Center for Performing Arts

Jim Pritchard

Director of Theatre Operations, Riviera Theatre

Leah Ross

Executive Director, Birthplace of Country Music®

Michele Schmitt

Senior Product Manager, Vendini

Jesse Schmohl

Customer Development Manager, Vendini

Melissa Sheehan

Senior Marketing Manager, Vendini

Jack Short

Director of Tenant Services, Stage 773

Tim Smeal

Patron Services Manager, Reg Lenna Center for the Arts

Mark Tacchi

President & CEO, Vendini

Russ Thompson

Box Office Manager, State University of New York at New Paltz

Gary Tucker

Marketing Director, Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts

John Uetz

Senior Product Manager, Vendini

Cristin Whitley

Member Account Manager, Vendini

Schedule

Monday, July 20, 2015

7:45AM – 6:00PM

Shuttles will run between The Willows Hotel and Stage 773, and the Days Inn Chicago and Stage 773 from 7:45 AM to 6:00 PM both days. The shuttles will run on a loop approximately every 30 minutes.

8:00AM – 6:00PM

City Suites Chicago is a short 5-10 minute walk from Stage 773. For those that prefer to take the shuttle, the shuttle will run between City Suites Chicago and Stage 773 from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM both days. The shuttle will run on a loop approximately every 15 minutes.

8:00AM – 9:00AM

9:00AM – 9:30AM

Welcome to the Vendini Member Conference 2015!

Speaker:

  • Mark Tacchi, Founder & CEO

9:30AM – 10:00AM

Cultivating loyal patrons is one thing, and getting new butts in your seats is another. Learn how Vendini has invested in new promotional tools that work behind-the-scenes to extend your reach and better promote your events. We’ll discuss how Walletini Insider and the Vendini Affiliate Program extend your marketing efforts to reach new patrons and sell more tickets.

Speaker:

  • Tim Hines, Channel Marketing Manager

10:15AM – 10:45AM

Thermal tickets are classic event mementos, which can be leveraged to improve brand recognition and patron services. Join us to learn how Vendini is expanding customization of thermal ticket templates to help you shape the right experience.

Speakers:

  • Michael Friedman, Senior Product Manager
  • Jesse Schmohl, Customer Development Manager

10:15AM – 10:45AM

Review major new updates to Logistics Manager, including wristband fulfillment and RFID access control. Learn about upcoming modules such as Form Builder, Point of Sale, Catering, and Artist Planner.

Speaker:

  • Pete McCarthy, Product Manager

11:00AM – 12:00PM

Fundraising is all about building strategic relationships. Donors and members are passionate about your cause and want to help. Our job as development directors is to find out where their interests lie and find a place that makes them successful. This interactive workshop will help you learn new ways to cultivate new and existing donors and sponsors, make the ask and move them along in your organization.

Speaker:

  • Stephanie Phipps, Development Director, Thalian Hall Center for Performing Arts

11:00AM – 12:00PM

Form Builder is a flexible and powerful tool that allows you to do everything from create online applications for your vendors and volunteers to build interactive surveys for your patrons. We’ll discuss how Form Builder works and the best ways for your festival to use it.

Speaker:

  • Pete McCarthy, Product Manager

12:00PM – 1:00PM

1:00PM – 2:00PM

Join Vendini for a live stream of our latest app announcement: Patron Connect, a new app to help Vendini Members promote successful patron interactions. We will discuss how Patron Connect can help you build meaningful relationships with your patrons to cultivate advocates and donors.

Speaker:

  • Keith Goldberg, Chief Revenue Officer

2:15PM – 3:15PM

Join fellow Vendini Members for an interactive panel discussion about building and benefiting from community partnerships. After Member panelists share their partnership strategies, we’ll turn it over to the audience for discussion and best practice sharing.

Panelists:

  • Andrew Eisenmann, Performing Arts Chair & Vocal Music Director, Helene Galen Performing Arts Center
  • Jason Epperson, Executive Director, Greenhouse Theater Center
  • Leah Ross, Executive Director, Birthplace of Country Music®
  • Gary Tucker, Marketing Director, Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts

Moderator:

  • Melissa Sheehan, Senior Marketing Manager

2:15PM – 3:15PM

Join our member services team to get started with reporting. In this session, we will cover the basics and best practices for event creation in order to set you up for future reporting success.

Speaker:

  • Katie Nix, Account Manager

3:30PM – 4:30PM

Break into common interest groups to discuss topics specific to your organization and industry with your peers. Birds of a feather breakout groups to include: small and large universities, small and large performing arts organizations, tours and attractions, and live music, festivals and promoters. Meeting room locations to be announced at the conference.

Large Universities (more than 10K students)
The Cab
Moderated by:

  • Eric Heilmeier, Director, Campus Information & Services, University of Michigan
  • John Uetz, Senior Product Manager, Vendini
Small – Medium Universities (fewer than 10K students)
The Box
Moderated by:

  • Millie Manning, Member Services Project Manager, Vendini
  • Russell Thompson, Box Office Manager, State University of New York at New Paltz
Large Performing Arts Organizations (more than 20K tickets per year)
The Thrust
Moderated by:

  • Ruth Egherman, Customer Relationship Manager, Vendini
  • Gary Payne, Director of Finance, Irvine Barclay Theatre
Small – Medium Performing Arts Organizations (fewer than 20K tickets per year)
The Pro
Moderated by:

  • Tim Smeal, Patron Services Manager, Reg Lenna Center for the Arts
  • Cristin Whitley, Member Account Manager, Vendini
Tours, Attractions & Museums
Lobby
Moderated by:

  • Tim Hines, Channel Marketing Manager, Vendini
  • Katie Nix, Member Account Manager, Vendini
Live Music, Festivals & Promoters
Lobby
Moderated by:

  • Robby Black, Director of Festival Solutions, Vendini
  • Kevin Hazlip, Project Manager, The Orange Blossom Opry

4:45PM – 5:00PM

Join our VP of Customer Success to discuss our efforts to foster a culture of Member success at Vendini.

Speaker:

  • Tricia Baker, VP of Customer Success

6:15PM – Shuttle
7:00PM – 10:00PM

Unwind after Monday’s conference sessions wrap. Join us to enjoy some Chicago blues, soul food and brews at Buddy Guy’s Legends, a Chicago staple. Mike Wheeler and his trio will perform an exclusive show for Vendini Member Conference attendees.

Complimentary shuttles to the party will be provided and will depart each conference hotel at 6:15 PM sharp. The final shuttle will depart at 10:15 PM sharp from Buddy Guy’s Legends. Conference attendees can also stay for that evening’s Brother John show at 9:30 PM.

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

7:45AM – 6:00PM

Shuttles will run between The Willows Hotel and Stage 773, and the Days Inn Chicago and Stage 773 from 7:45 AM to 6:00 PM both days. The shuttles will run on a loop approximately every 30 minutes.

8:00AM – 6:00PM

City Suites Chicago is a short 5-10 minute walk from Stage 773. For those that prefer to take the shuttle, the shuttle will run between City Suites Chicago and Stage 773 from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM both days. The shuttle will run on a loop approximately every 15 minutes.

8:00AM – 9:00AM

9:00AM – 10:00AM

Join fellow Vendini Members for a panel discussion of creative pricing strategies that influence the bottom line. After Member panelists share their strategies, we’ll turn it over to the audience for discussion and best practice sharing.

Panelists:

  • Thomas Benoist, Patron & Donor Relations Associate, The Cabaret
  • Courtney Bryan, Director of Ticketing & Group Sales, SPI Entertainment
  • Jim Pritchard, Director of Theatre Operations, Riviera Theatre
  • Jack Short, Director of Tenant Services, Stage 773

Moderator:

  • Keith Goldberg, Chief Revenue Officer

10:15AM – 10:45AM

Your approach to pricing can make or break an event. Building on the Creative Pricing Strategies panel earlier in the day, we will review how to structure ticket fees to drive organizational success.

Speaker:

  • Ruth Egherman, Customer Relationship Manager

10:15AM – 10:45AM

We’re at it again, adding to our suite of role-based mobile apps intended to provide our members with actionable insights to drive sales. Learn about our latest app that gives members access to up-to-the-minute sales stats, at a glance. We’re looking forward to getting your feedback with this interactive session.

Speaker:

  • Michelle Schmitt, Senior Product Manager

11:00AM – 12:00PM

Building on the Introduction to Reports session, this advanced session will dig deeper into understanding how product configuration will enable stronger reporting capabilities, and how reporting can be used to measure and drive the health of your business.

Speaker:

  • Betsy Holbrook, Training Manager

11:00AM – 12:00PM

With the mobile invasion, email best practices are changing. Join our Marketing Director to learn more about how to get the most out of your campaign strategies and get the most traction for your efforts.

Speaker:

  • Heather Meza, Director of Marketing

12:00PM – 1:00PM

1:00PM – 2:00PM

Knowing which patrons to engage, how often to contact them and their likes/dislikes has traditionally been an inexact science. New technological advances are eliminating the guesswork to ascertain potential donors and provide better customer service. This session will focus on the data, workflows and best practices required to succeed in the “conversation” economy.

Speakers:

  • Nancy Boas, Director of Product Marketing
  • Betsy Holbrook, Training Manager

1:00PM – 2:00PM

From Disney World to Apple Pay, there are exciting developments in the world of RFID and contactless technology. We’ll take a look at these advances and how they will impact the future of Logistics Manager and events as a whole.

Speaker:

  • Pete McCarthy, Product Manager

2:15PM – 3:15PM

Conversion tracking is a powerful way for businesses to collect and analyze their website user data. Conversion tracking helps businesses monitor many important metrics, including conversion rates, bounce rates, referral source, and more. In this session, we’ll explore what conversion tracking is, how to implement it in the Vendini system, and examples of how Vendini Members are using conversion tracking to grow their sales.

Speaker:

  • Adam Englebrecht, Technical Support Manager

2:15PM – 3:15PM

Vendini has many features to offer your most loyal patrons easy and preferential access to tickets. In this session, we will look at how you can use packages, memberships, and season renewals to drive ticket sales. We’ll also dive into real-life usage cases of how Vendini Members use these features in creative ways, and learn best practices and advanced strategies for using these features to benefit your organization.

Speaker:

  • Cristin Whitley, Account Manager

3:30PM – 4:00PM

The mobile box office enables you to sell and print, scan, connect, and track sales – all from a mobile device. Join us to discuss best practices for operating on the go and how you can implement a mobile box office to cut down on lines and increase revenue.

Speaker:

  • Michael Friedman, Senior Product Manager

3:30PM – 4:00PM

With online and mobile ticket sales accounting for an ever increasing portion of the market, your website is key in keeping a consistent connection with your patrons. User experience (or “UX”) is critical because it determines how your patrons feel when using your website, as well as influencing their behavior. This session will touch on improving user experience through topics such as calls to action, mobile-responsive design, and search engine optimization (SEO). We will discuss general guidelines for how these components should be incorporated into your general website design, and how they can be easily implemented through Vendini Website Manager.

Speaker:

  • Millie Manning, Product Manager

4:15PM – 4:45PM

Join our VP of Product for a glimpse of the future of Vendini’s product, including philosophy and upcoming features.

Speaker:

  • Russ Nelson, VP of Product

4:45PM – 5:00PM

Thank you for joining us at the Vendini Member Conference 2015!

Speaker:

  • Mark Tacchi, Founder & CEO

Hotel

We’ve arranged discounted room rates at local hotels.
To reserve a room, call the hotel directly and mention the Vendini Member Conference group.
Limited rooms available. Book before mid-May.

City Suites Chicago

City Suites Chicago Hotel
933 West Belmont
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 404-3400
$151 — 191 PER NIGHT

The Willows hotel

The Willows Hotel
555 West Surf St.
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 528-8400
$151 — 191 PER NIGHT

Days Inn Chicago

Days Inn Chicago
644 West Diversey Pkwy.
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 525-7010 x 0
$127 — 153 PER NIGHT

Complimentary shuttles will run between the three conference hotels and the conference venue. Shuttles will pick up outside of each hotel and Stage 773. For shuttle pickup times, see the conference schedule.

Shuttles to the Monday night party will also be provided.
Party shuttle information is available on the conference schedule as well.

Questions?

Contact:
Melissa Sheehan
eventmarketing@vendini.com
(415) 693-9717