Author: Caterina Mayer
ABCey’s Weekend Line-Up: San Francisco November 27th- November 30th, 2014
This Thanksgiving weekend has much more to offer than just turkey and gravy! Get into Christmas mood, explore the night sky, or learn about culture! ABCey’s weekend line-up shows you the best events to round up your holiday weekend!
2014 Thanksgiving Sunrise Celebration
Thursday, November 27 | 4:15-6PM | Alcatraz | Cost $14
Join the presenters of current and past indigenous people for a unique celebration on Thanksgiving. Enjoy an evening of music, dance, and culture. You can learn about Indigenous people’s history and struggles, while watching the sunset. The event is free but the boat ticket has to be purchased. Children under 5 years are free.
Ghirardelli Square 50th Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony & Santa Visit
Friday, November 28 | 4PM – 9PM | Ghirardelli Square, 900 North Point Street | FREE
Welcome the Christmas season this Friday at the Ghirardelli Square! Calm down from the Black Friday rush and enjoy a hot beverage while walking over the holiday market. Live music, snow, and vendors that offer gift ideas or delicious treats, will create the perfect spot to get into Christmas mood.
City Star Party & Telescope Night
Saturday, November 29 | 6PM – 9PM | Main Post (Presidio), Park Blvd. and Lincoln Blvd. | FREE
If you’re into stars, here is your chance to enjoy a fun event revolving all around the night sky. Meet like-minded hobby astronomers, learn more about astronomy, or simply enjoy the great view! The San Francisco Amateur Astronomers provide the equipment for a perfect view.
Etsy Holiday Emporium
Saturday and Sunday, November 29 – 30 | 11AM – 5PM | Pier 35 | FREE
DIY fans can’t miss this local shopping event! More than 200 vendors and DIY stations will be offering their products and foods. Click here to see the vendor list. Shop from local artists or get inspired for your own DIY projects! The event is free, but it is encouraged to bring your own bag. The first 50 visitors on Saturday will receive a free goodie bag!
What will you do this weekend? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook or Twitter!
Tech Tuesday: ABCey’s Best Event Finder Apps
Tech Tuesday highlights the best and brightest ideas in the tech world. ABCey would like to recognize these up and coming technologies for their innovative ideas and impact on the event world!
With hundreds of events out there each week, it’s not always easy to keep track. Other times, you miss an awesome event, because you simply didn’t know about it. ABCey has the perfect event finder apps for you, which help you to pick out the best events for you!
Gravy
Gravy is the perfect app for you if you belong to the indecisive crowd of people that like to make decisions according to their mood. Whether you like it “classy,” “brainy,” “lively,” or “whatever,” Gravy helps you to find the best events depending on your mood. You can also decide the distance you’re willing to travel to the event. If you don’t feel like a long car drive, why don’t you just chose something in walkable distance?
Like A Local
Do you travel a lot and want to see more than the typical tourist attractions? Like A Local is a real-time stream app, which is curated by locals and designed for you to discover the hidden gems of the city. Learn about the best spots to eat, party, shop, or relax. The app tells you why locals love the spot and why it’s worth a visit. With Like A Local, you can literally explore cities like a local!
SongKick
Are you crazy about music and love going to concerts? Don’t miss any concerts of your favorite bands and artists anymore with SongKick. The app connects with your music library and alerts you of upcoming concerts and shows in your area! It also marks the event down on your calendar and shows you where to buy tickets.
Spotsetter
If you have a lot of traveling friends, this app will be perfect for you! Spotsetter is a travel app that connects with your social media accounts and notices what your friends have said about particular spots on their trips. If you happen to travel to the same place, you can check out what your friends have said and either follow their recommendation or avoid a certain spot right away.
Time To Enjoy
This smart app connects to your smartphone calendar and looks for nearby events in your scheduled free time! For instance, if you have a busy day but a three hour break in between, Time to Enjoy offers you the right event for your off-time window! Use your free time to actually do something you enjoy and make the best of your day!
Which of these apps would you use and why? Tell us about it in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!
ABCey’s Weekend LineUp: November 13-16
The weather forecast got some rain for us this weekend, but luckily, ABCey Events picked out some great indoors events, which are mostly FREE! Check out these awesome events that will keep your feet dry and your mind entertained!
7D Experience
Thursday, November 13 | All Day | Pier 39, San Francisco | Cost $2
Have you ever had a 7D experience? If not, it’s time to visit Pier 39’s 7D Experience! On Thursday, November 13, the business offers its rides for only $2. Shoot zombies, robots, or aliens, and experience a laser-blasting thrill ride you will never forget!
Green Festival 2014
Friday to Sunday, November 14-16 | 12 PM – 6 PM | Fort Mason Center | Marina Bld. And Buckanan St., San Francisco | FREE if you ride your bike to the event, otherwise $15 at the door
The 2014 Green Festival San Francisco revolves around living in a sustainable and healthy lifestyle. Learn about living green by joining vegan and vegetarian cooking demos, listening to educational speeches, or participate in fun activities. More than 250 green vendors will offer their green products – from food, body care products and health, to fashion, technology, and design.
Black Market SF “Harvest”
Saturday, November 15 | 6 PM – 11 PM | Folsom Street Foundry | 1425 Folsom St, San Francisco | Cost $8, or FREE tickets available here
Black Market SF “Harvest” is a seasonal food lounge and craft market held in the late evening hours. The Bay Area’s most popular food vendors will offer their local and seasonal products. Try new foods or discover local fashion fall trends. Enjoy live music in the main and front room or just relax in the upstairs lounge. The market is also a great family experience and offers plenty of activities for kids, such as pumpkin carvings, a candy apple station, or other DIY activities.
Third Annual International Tea Festival
Sunday, November 16 | 10 AM – 5 PM | 1 Ferry Building, San Francisco | Cost $25
Tea fans shouldn’t miss this annual tea event! The International Tea Festival offers a day full of tea with more than 100 teas to sample from all over the world. Presentations and exhibitions will delight any tea fan – not to mention are all the goodies and festival gift bags. Meet other tea fans and enjoy music and activities. Get your tickets here.
Will you shoot zombies at 7D Experience or rather enjoy a cup of tea at the Third Annual International Tea Festival this weekend? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!
Startup Monday: Bed|n|Build, Affordable Startup Housing
Startup Monday is ABCey’s weekly post that features some of the best and brightest companies in the Bay Area. They are often companies that we have our eye on or have worked with in the past & would like to share with friends and followers of ABCey Events!
This week, we have our eye on Bed|n|Build, a startup that provides a great service that benefits the startup world. Bed|n|Build differs from most other tech related and software startups in the Bay Area because it offers something fundamental – housing!
Most entrepreneurs, tech geeks, nerds, designers, hackers etc. have better things to do than look for affordable housing, furniture, and housing services. For many people without a credit history, it can be a challenging task. Not to mention, people that travel to the Bay Area from different countries often struggle to find a place to stay.
Bed|n|Build is the perfect landing pad for startup people! It doesn’t just offer affordable startup housing, but also a whole network of like-minded housemates, as well as activities and events on a regular basis that help establish new friendships or business connections.
Currently, Bed|n|Build offers housing in San Francisco and Redwood City, but plans to expand the business globally. Busy entrepreneurs could travel around the globe and always have a place to stay with Bed|n|Build. The houses are big, clean, and completely furnished and the tenants can chose between private or shared rooms.
Best of all, Bed|n|Build knows that life is not just all about work. Aside from providing the perfect environment to get work done, the tenants of Bed|n|Build receive plenty of entertainment and networking opportunities! Weekly pub crawls, group cooking, weekend trips, meet and greets with successful entrepreneurs, and happy hours are just a few things on the list.
ABCey loves Bed|n|Build’s vision of a global landing pad for startup people. Its service has become more and more popular and rooms fill up fast! Would you stay with Bed|n|Build? Comment below or on Facebook and Twitter.
Startup Monday: Songhop, the World’s First Active Music Discovery Software
Startup Monday is ABCey’s weekly post that features some of the best and brightest companies in the Bay Area. They are often companies that we have our eye on or have worked with in the past & would like to share with friends and followers of ABCey Events!
This week, we want to introduce you to Songhop, a startup located in Palo Alto. Songhop was recently launched and offers “the world’s first active music discovery software.” Users can browse through dozens of songs and decide whether they like them or not. Songhop also helps new artists gain recognition in the midst of the mainstream.
How it works: The interface is very simple. Sign up and start listening to songs right away! If you sign up with a social network account like Facebook or Twitter, you can see what songs your friends like. Start exploring songs that are categorized by genre, or check out your friends’ favorites. As soon as you play a song, Songhop provides you with three options. Click the “X” if you don’t like the song or the heart symbol if you like it. You can also share the song via message or social network.
Why we love it: Songhop enables you to broaden your musical horizon! Discover new music you would have never heard otherwise, or help new artists to find success. Are you planning on throwing a country themed event, but your knowledge of country music barely exceeds Taylor Swift or Brad Paisley? Use Songhop to discover more! Best of all, Songhop is free, and free is good!
Would you use Songhop? Tell us what you think about the world’s first active music discovery software in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter.Tips to Improve Customer Relationships
5 Things You Didn’t Know About Your Customers
Any business professional should know how to manage customer relationships and event planners have a unique perspective on these. ABCey has outlined five insider tips to help improve customer relationships and motivate your customer base to choose you over the competition!
Customers Value Quality Over Quantity
As event planners, we are often in a rush to satisfy our customer’s needs quickly and present preliminary results as soon as possible. However, rushing in order to satisfy the customer could impact the results and the quality of our work negatively. When all is said and done, most customers remember how competently and accurately we did our jobs and prefer that we are knowledgeable and precise rather than fast. In fact, a recent Gallup study revealed that the number one reason customers leave a service is because they feel too rushed. Very few people have stated they have left a service because it was too slow.
Customers Value Time Over Money
When it comes to events, always make sure to promise your customers a good experience rather than an inexpensive service! Customers feel better about a brand or a service if they feel like their time was well spent. They will most likely chose a service that guarantees their event to be a success and a great experience, no matter how inexpensive your service is compared to others. Most people favor memories of good times over memories of great savings.
People are Willing to Pay More for Customization
Offering basic packages is easy. Often, the small differences help your service or brand stand out. Surprise your customers with unexpected extras and put additional effort into your work. Your customers will notice additional benefits and pay more if they feel comfortable with your work. They are also likely to be repeat customers in the future, because they will remember little extras you offered in your service.
Loyalty Programs Actually Work
Offer your customers a loyalty program and they will stand by your brand. When you start a loyalty program with a first-time customer immediately, they are more likely to come back and finish the program. You could offer a 10% discount to repeat customers or offer discounts for referrals. There are many ways to reward loyalty! Be creative and have be open to suggestions and ideas.
Customers Love Stories
Persuade your customers of the value of your service or brand by sharing brand-related stories or anecdotes. Past researches have shown that storytelling is one of the most persuasive forms of communication, whether in verbal or non-verbal from. If we can connect our service or brand to a story, we convey lasting messages in our customer’s mind, because they build relevant connections. Therefore, storytelling enables us to leave a powerful impression on our audience.
What valuable lessons have you learned from your customers? Tell us about in in the comments below or on Facebook or Twitter!
4 Types of Content That Increase Brand Awareness
In this era of social media and online marketing, nothing is more important than valuable online content to get your brand’s name out there. Especially as event planners, we want to spread our events out the world. A wide online presence helps you reach a large audience. ABCey introduces you to the 4 types of content that increase brand awareness and help you to establish your brand in the market.
Free Content
Blogs are a great way to provide your customers with information about your service or product. They are free and give customers an idea of what you offer. It’s even better if you provide your audience with more than just information about your own brand, but include informative news about the industry you’re working in. This way, you turn your blog into a regularly visited destination for your audience. Depending on the value you provide, people might even share your blog on social media, which helps increase brand awareness.
Email Newsletters
Most people check their emails on a daily basis, which makes an email newsletter a great way to increase brand awareness. It is time efficient and cost effective! Email newsletters are a great way to promote your events as well! An informative email addressed to all people on your subscription list updates your audience about news regarding your brand, industry, or events. Reaching out to your audience illustrates your engagement and that you care about them. However, too many emails might come off as too spammy and people might unsubscribe soon. Therefore, send your email newsletters just once a week or on a bi-weekly basis.
Images
Images make your content more compelling. Whether they are on your website, in your blog, or in email newsletters – always include some relevant images! Texts without images look boring and are likely to be skipped by people. Using images also helps you create a certain atmosphere that might be relevant for your brand. Bestow your brand with a serious, funny, or playful vibe to attract potential customers. In addition, use a brand logo to establish recognition value in your industry. It is important that your logo is consistent and always looks relatively the same, otherwise your audience could get confused.
Videos
Studies have shown that customers who watch videos about a product or service, feel more confident about purchasing it. Creating videos might be a little bit more work than all of the above, but it’s worth the effort! An artistic or eye-catching video will likely be shared on social media by your customers and therefore reach a larger audience. Make your video go viral on Youtube with a strong message that helps you to increase brand awareness. If you are an event planner, why don’t you post some clips of previous events to give your customers a taste of your great work?
No matter which type of content you use, all of them demonstrate engagement with your audience. Include a “call to action” in order to establish interaction between you and your customers.
What is your advice on how to increase brand awareness? Tell us about it in the comments below or on Facebook or Twitter!Tech Tuesday: EventMobi, Create, Customize, and Launch Your Event App
Tech Tuesday highlights the best and brightest ideas in the tech world. ABCey would like to recognize these up and coming technologies for their innovative ideas and impact on the event world!
“Create, customize, and launch your event app!”
This week, we are encouraging you to check out EventMobi. This application enables event planners and marketers to create their own event app for their individual needs. Millions of event planners, marketers, and attendees from more than 40 countries use this app, which is easily accessible from a smartphone, tablet, or any other online device.
How it works: You have full control over the creation of your personalized event app. Whether you want to include registration features, post-event reporting, or attendee activities, EventMobi helps you to set up the features you need. If you’re in doubt, you can contact the EventMobi support team, who will help you design your app according to your needs.
Why we love it: EventMobi is easy to use and cost-efficient! You can customize your personal event app exclusively with features you really need, without any clutter. Using EventMobi also reduces the need for paper, which helps your event simultaneously go green and stay organized!
No matter what kind of app you create, EventMobi keeps it secure and confidential! You can create pre-event, on-site, and post-event features, with individual branding for your company. Organizations like Disney, IBM, and SalesForce are just some of EventMobi’s popular clients.
ABCey’s Weekend LineUp: San Francisco October 9th – 12th, 2014
There is a weekend of festivals ahead of us and ABCey has selected the best ones for you! Our weekend lineup shows you where to find the best entertainment and coolest festivities. From party animals to food lovers, we’ll fill you in on the hottest spots in San Francisco!
Union Square Fall Fashion Festival
Thursday, October 9 | 5PM to 11PM | Union Square | Free The stores on Union Square will be celebrating the upcoming fall fashion and are inviting everybody to a fashion party in the heart of San Francisco. Participating shops will be offering discounts and gifts, combined with entertainment, refreshments and music. Most stores will be open late! Fashion fans that want to continue the festivities, are also invited to the after-party at Hawthorn Cocktail Lounge. You can purchase tickets for the after-party here. 
Fleet Week
October 9 – 13 | 11AM to 6PM | Northern Waterfront, San Francisco | Free Fleet Week is back! In honor of the armed forces of our nation, the Northern Waterfront will be presenting air shows, ship parades, and military displays. Visit the pier to enjoy all kinds of live entertainment and performances. Visitors can watch the famous ship parade on Friday at 11AM and the Blue Angels air show rehearsal from 12:30PM to 3PM. If you like fireworks you can watch the firework show on Saturday at 8:30PM. For the full program click here. 
2014 World Vegetarian Day Festival
October 11 – 12 | 10AM to 6PM | SF Country Fair Building inside Golden Gate Park | Free from 10 AM to 10:30AM, then $10. Free for students with ID and children under 12 years. This two-day festival is a must for all vegetarians, vegans, and meatless food lovers! Aside from guest speakers, talks, cooking demos, and health exhibits, there will be plenty of free samples! Inform yourself about a healthy diet and learn how to use plant-based meat substitutes like seitan or soyrizo in your meals. Click here for the schedule. 
Yerba Buena Night Festival
Saturday, October 11 | 4PM to 10 PM | Yerba Buena Center for Arts, 701 Mission Street (at 3rd Street) | Free | If you’re looking for a fun culture event, the Yerba Buena Night Festival will be your best bet! The 4th annual outdoor event presents music, dance, and art on 5 stages. Enjoy performances by Ensemble Mik Nawooi, Hope Mohr Dance, The Verms, and many more. Novela, La Boulange, Off the Grid and many other vendors will be there to spoil you with delicious food. 
Decompression 2014
Sunday, October 12 | 12PM to 12AM | Entrance 19th Street and Mariposa | Cover: $15 before 4PM, then $20 | Do you love Burning Man and can’t wait for next year? You don’t have to wait that long for your next Burning Man experience! Dedicated Burners have the chance to party, enjoy music, dancing, performances, and art this weekend, in good old Burning Man style. Dig out your fanciest costume and join Decompression 2014 for a day celebrating the Playa.
Which festival will you be enjoying this weekend? Tell us about your plans in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!
Tech Tuesday: How the New Apple Technology Benefits Events
Tech Tuesday highlights the best and brightest ideas in the tech world. ABCey would like to recognize these up and coming technologies for their innovative ideas and impact on the event world!
Apple’s new iPhone 6 and the Apple Watch have been enthusiastically discussed, even before they were released. Some people criticize Apple’s new technology, especially after the iPhone 6 “bending scandal.” However, we at ABCey tested N.F.C., a feature both gadgets offer, and think it has great potential to benefit the event world!
The biggest feature of both, the iPhone 6 and Apple Watch, is their near-field communication (N.F.C) technology. It enables devices to communicate and share information with each other when they are just a few inches apart. This feature is also used for Apple Pay, a new way to pay, in which customers wave their phones at the point-of-sale device to make credit card transactions. For events, the new Apple technology is a great way for visitors not to worry about cash and easily make purchases with their Apple devices.
N.F.C. could also be useful as a registration tool that keeps track of the guests that enter and exit the event. Also, categorizations, such as general admission or V.I.P, can be registered by the system. This way, we could eliminate paper tickets and make registrations faster, easier, and environmentally friendly.
In addition, the devices make it really easy to share event information on social media. Hosts and visitors can share activities instantly; for example, as soon as visitors enter the event, they would automatically “check-in” on Facebook. The new Apple technology also enables hosts to encourage visitors to share on social media in order to win prizes for participation.
After the event, visitors can take a survey or post on social media, which helps event planners collect feedback and improve their events in the future. Last but not least, the Apple Watch is a really handy gadget, which means no longer trying to sneak peaks at your phone during events!
How would you use Apple Watch or iPhone 6 for events? Tell us about it in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!