about

Idiot Who Founded DIGITALGUESTLIST.com | Rebel With A Cause | Hired Gun | Analytics Junkie | AntiHero | Serial Envelope Pusher | Optimist/Cynic

read more

search

expand

What I’ve Learned About The Tallahassee Social Scene In The Last 5 Days


posted on
March 23rd, 2010
written by
Joey Digital
category
Events, Untitled

Over the past 5 days, I’ve been performing customer development strategy for an upcoming event series in Tallahassee, FL, and, for the most part, my observations were spot on. The objective was to turn my assumptions on the problems with promotional deals being offered at events into facts.

My top 4 issues (in order) were:

  1. Top shelf drink prices too high

  2. Too much effort to get in for free because of long lines

  3. Events cost too much

  4. Food isn’t offered

Surprisingly, most people I talked to ranked the problems in the following order:

  1. Too much effort to get in for free because of long lines

  2. Events cost to much

  3. Top shelf drink prices too high

  4. Food isn’t offered

I thought most people wanted better drink specials on quality brands, but they, essentially, just want to get through the door at a reasonable price and in a timely manner. Go figure.

As for the problems with the actual events, nearly 100% of those polled said there weren’t any events designed strictly for young professionals (either they have to attend events for the college market or their parents’ generation) and that quality music was rarely played (defined as non-radio/songs describing violence, money, misogyny, etc).

Don’t shoot the messenger.

Comments

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments

2comments
  • R. T. - March 23, 2010 at 1:53 pm -

    I can say that for Homecoming, I felt that the Crown Royal event and the other one that were both held at Cafe Cabernet were TOO exclusive, and the venue must not have been big enough. I still vouch for FAMU Homecoming over Howard’s on an undergraduate level, but for young grads, their HC and the ATL Classic are much better. Even if there are only 1-2 major options for the 23-30 young graduate/professional crowd, there shouldn’t be such an exclusive feel, and you shouldn’t have to get there before 10 P.M. just to get in, free or not.

  • Joey Digital - March 25, 2010 at 6:22 am -

    @RT: I’ve been planning on writing an entry about this topic for a while, but the point of Crown Royal Affair, Ciroc Luxury Lounge, etc IS to be exclusive.

    Make no mistake, this IS a business (something I talk about at Sponsorship U). These companies spend ALOT of money on their events, and they aren’t doing it out of the goodness of their hearts so you can have an awesome party. They are INVESTING in people – people who will purchase their products in the future.

    From a legal/social responsibility standpoint, having more than 300-400 driving around town after getting smashed at a party doesn’t make a lot of sense. All it takes is for one person to get in a wreck and kill themselves or someone else, and the events are shutdown…forever.

    But most people from FAMU don’t think that deep. They think their entitled to these events like it’s a birthright. And this is why are Homecoming isn’t what it used to be. People in DC and Atlanta understand the game, and play by the rules.