From Static Event Calendars to Complete Visitor Experiences

Q3: How do local businesses fit into that process once an event is awarded, and how do you encourage them to participate and offer promotions?

Our promotions really started after one of our SEA committee members attended an event in Rapid City, South Dakota. The Rapid City Sports Commission, which also uses Playeasy, was handing out “show your badge” cards that directed attendees to the promotions tab on their event microsite.

That experience got me thinking about how we could better incorporate our local businesses into our event marketing. I reached out to local businesses using a template Brenna from the Playeasy team shared with me. I essentially cold-emailed businesses we felt would benefit from promotions during our events and explained the opportunity for community collaboration.

One of the biggest talking points I emphasize is that it’s completely free for local businesses to participate. It gives them an opportunity to run a campaign while events are in town and capture additional traffic.

Currently, seven local businesses are registered on Playeasy. Five of those businesses participate in weekly, event-specific promotions, while others have created general campaigns that automatically populate across event pages.

Q4: How do onsite activations like QR codes fit into your overall strategy for engaging visitors while they’re in Mitchell?

Once an event is awarded funding, we send two emails to the organization. The first email updates them about their funding status, and the second email comes with a Playeasy event microsite introducing Playeasy. I include a screenshot of the main screen of their event microsite, and then I explain the tabs that are incorporated within the microsite.

We also provide organizers with QR code cards to use onsite and encourage them to share the QR code on social media or in event programs. A day or two before the event, I'll connect with the event organizer and give them QR Code Cards they can hand out to participants or attendees which take them to our promotions page (see reference picture).

After the event, we’re able to share analytics like unique users and page views, which helps organizers see the value and engagement their event generated.

Q5: With more data now available around events, visitors, and partner engagement, how has that changed the way you tell the story of your program to your board or stakeholders?  

Our motto remains the same for the overall message we share: “The Sports & Events Authority promotes and sells the Mitchell community, its facilities and accommodations to the sports and events marketplace for the purpose of bringing a variety of events to Mitchell, in order to improve the quality of life in the Mitchell region and to further the Mitchell economy”.

What has changed is the amount of positive information we can now share. Playeasy allows us to help events grow while also providing visitors with a better experience through hotels, promotions, and attractions.

When organizations submit a grant application, we evaluate it using a funding matrix. Prior to Playeasy, the first question after a presentation was almost always about hotel room nights. While hotel nights are still critical because that’s where our funding comes from, we also look at the priority month of when the event is coming in, if it’s a new event, days of the week of expected hotel nights, age group, team vs. individual sport, and if people are traveling from outside 100 miles from Mitchell (likely to stay in hotel if so).

The matrix isn’t set in stone, but it gives our committee more insight into the full economic and community impact of each event.

Q6: Have you received any feedback from event organizer partners around your promotions or microsites you create for them?

This was our first year fully implementing Playeasy event microsites, so there was definitely an educational component for organizers. That said, the feedback we’ve received has been entirely positive. Organizers have found the microsites convenient, easy to use, and beneficial for their attendees.

The QR code has been especially effective as a simple way to get a large amount of information in front of visitors.

The Hoop City Classic and the Midwest Miracles, which are run by the same organizer, have both risen to become the top two trending events on Playeasy. It really shows that once someone understands how to use the event microsite, it can drive meaningful engagement.

Q7: What’s one part of the program you’re most excited to continue growing or refining, either on the partner side or the event experience side?

The destination and event marketing side of Playeasy is what we’re most excited to continue refining. When local businesses can clearly see upcoming events, it allows them to staff appropriately and prepare in advance.

Educating partners on how supporting events directly benefits Mitchell has been key. Our goal is to give visitors a great experience so they’re more likely to return in the summer or plan a future trip to explore attractions they didn’t have time to visit during the event.

Incorporating destination marketing into the event experience has also saved us a significant amount of administrative time while delivering better results.

Q8: For smaller cities out there using Playeasy, what advice would you give them?

My advice comes down to one word: communication. We focus heavily on communicating with the SEA, event organizers, and local businesses before, during, and after each event.

What I’ve learned, especially with local businesses, is that real-time, person-to-person communication makes a big difference. Being available and responsive helps partners get set up quickly and builds trust.

For smaller cities, I’d also encourage reviewing RFPs even if they aren’t a perfect fit. Understanding what larger events are looking for helps build knowledge and prepares your community for future opportunities.