Etix Blast! 2024 Full Schedule
September 5 - 7 | Raleigh, NC
WHAT'S HAPPENING AT BLAST!
Etix Blast! is our annual Client Summit held each September in downtown Raleigh, NC alongside the Hopscotch Music Festival. It is the perfect mix of networking, industry education, and fun for our clients and partners, packed with Etix University training workshops, partner sessions, and social events.
SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
Wednesday, September 4
Welcome to Blast! Join us for heavy hors d’oeuvres and tasty drinks as we kick off the 2024 conference.
Sponsored by NIVA
Thursday, September 5
Welcome to Blast 2024! Check in at the registration table in the Sheraton Hotel and network before our keynote begins.
This cross-departmental Etix update will get you up to speed and primed for two days of learning, networking, and general fun-having at Blast.
Description coming soon!
Lunch is on us! Dine and relax before sessions begin.
Attend box office and marketing sessions, industry panels, browse Exhibit City and meet our sponsors, and get your questions answered in Learning Lab.
Keep an eye on your phones! On Thursday and Friday afternoons, we’ll message info for two unique Pop-Up Happy Hour locations out in the wild. Explore beyond the parameter of the conference and enjoy a pre-dinner drink on us at some of Raleigh’s finest watering holes.
Sponsored by Allianz Partners
Network with your peers, enjoy drinks and snacks, and enjoy the best view of Hopscotch Music Festival from the VIP Lounge in the Capital Room at the Sheraton.
Sponsored by Hive
Join us for the after-after party where we keep the drinks and food flowing. Pace yourself and stay hydrated!
Friday, September 6
We kept you up late the previous night, so let’s start day two with an easy, mid-morning brunch. While you’re refueling, get to know some of our conference partners and sponsors in a speed-round-style showcase.
Early birds, rejoice! We’re opening up a special morning session of Learning Lab. Sign up in advance or see the check-in desk for appointment info.
Join our panel of industry experts and insiders to examine leading-edge tools and techniques designed to help your message stand out among the clutter, connect with new fans, and ultimately sell more tickets.
Ask your questions and get answers in Learning Lab.
Attend box office, marketing, and industry sessions; browse Exhibit City and meet our sponsors.
Share your knowledge and experience! Join round table discussions on a variety of the most-used Etix products and features.
Pop-Up Happy Hours are back with two fresh destinations downtown. Explore beyond the parameter of the conference and enjoy a pre-dinner drink on us at some of Raleigh’s finest watering holes. Keep a lookout for a message containing day-two location info on Friday afternoon.
Network, enjoy drinks and snacks, and enjoy the best view of Hopscotch Music Festival from the VIP Lounge in the Capital Room at the Sheraton.
Sponsored by Hive
Saturday, September 7
Rejuvenate, refuel, and relax with brunch in our Saturday Recovery Lounge while bidding fond farewells to friends new and old. Grab a bite before you hit the drive out of town, or take a moment to decompress before catching your flight. We’ll see you next year!
DETAILED SESSION SCHEDULE
Etix in Focus
(10:00 am – 10:45 am)
Room: Oak Forest A & B
Presenters: Aaron Bare, Etix Chief Marketing Officer; Chris Battaglino, Etix Chief Product Officer; Molly McGlothlin, Etix Director of Client Success; Alyssa Newell, Etix Director of Training; Marshall Pred, Etix Director of Sales; Michael Reklis, Etix Director of Sales; Dennis Scanlon, Etix Vice President of Sales; Maddie Snider, Rockhouse Partners Director of Marketing Services;
Who Should Attend: Everyone!
Description: Welcome to Blast 2024! Catch up on the latest and greatest news with the folks at Etix who help keep the wheels turning day in and day out. This cross-departmental update will get you up to speed and primed for two days of learning, networking, and general fun-having at Blast.
Product Class of ’24
(11:00 am – 11:45 am)
Rooms: Oak Forest A & B
Panelists: Travis Janovich, Etix Founder/CEO; Chris Battaglino, Etix Chief Product Officer
Who Should Attend: Everyone!
Description: Join Founder/CEO Travis Janovich and Chief Product Officer Chris Battaglino for an in-depth discussion about new products and innovations in 2024, the expanding Etix ecosystem of solutions, and exciting developments coming in 2025 and beyond.
Welcome to the Etix Family
(12:45 pm – 1:15 pm)
Room: Hannover III
Presenters: Chris Battaglino, Etix Chief Product Officer; Kevin Brosseau, Etix Product Manager; Kimberly Kolb, Etix Director of Client Success; Molly McGlothlin, Etix Director of Client Success; Alyssa Newell, Etix Director of Training; Kia Slade, Etix Support Department Manager; Maddie Snider, Rockhouse Partners Director of Marketing Services;
Who Should Attend: New & Future Clients
Description: New to the Etix system, or planning to make the switch? This panel discussion will give a brief overview of the Etix conversion process and the resources available to you in the system to make a smooth transition.
Exhibit City
(1:30 pm – 4:30 pm)
Rooms: Oak Forest A & B
Description: Visit our sponsors and experience all the equipment Etix has to offer with hands-on demos.
Sponsored by Alvarado, Boca Systems, Data Capture Solutions, Hive, i6, The Kiosk Group, and more.
Learning Lab
(1:30 pm – 4:30 pm)
Rooms: Governors I & II
Description: Connect one-on-one with Etix Staff, ask us questions, and learn more about using the Etix system.
Your Business, Your Brand: Cobrands, Ticket Layouts, and Emails
(1:30 pm – 2:15 pm)
Room: Hannover I
Presenters: Alyssa Newell, Etix Director of Training; Kevin Brosseau, Etix Product Manager
Who Should Attend: Ticketing Professionals, Marketers
Description: Discover how to customize your mobile ticket and membership cards along with how to add your own branding to Etix emails and sales links.
Unlocking the Power of First-Party Data to Sell More Tickets
(1:30pm – 2:15pm)
Room: Hannover II
Presenters: Bryant Chappell, Rockhouse Partners Marketing Specialist; Jenni Mayer, Rockhouse Partners Marketing Specialist
Who Should Attend: Marketing Professionals
Description: Digital ad platforms (like Meta and Google) have drastically changed how they optimize and serve ads in the last few years. New privacy standards and state laws have greatly limited how these platforms can track and target users. This, in turn, has made our ads less effective than they had been just a few short years ago. This session faces our advertising reality head-on and offers up new and proven marketing concepts to help increase ticket sales.
Reporting 101
(1:30 pm – 2:15 pm)
Room: Hannover III
Presenters: Jenny Johnsen, Etix Training Specialist
Who Should Attend: Box Office Professionals, Venue and Organization Managers, Financial Professionals
Description: Lay the groundwork for understanding reports by covering fundamentals such as report levels, receipt versus revenue reports, and top reports that evert box office manager needs!
Super Secret Product Announcement
(2:30 pm – 3:15 pm)
Room: Hannover I
Presenters: Etix Product Team
Who Should Attend: Everyone!
Description: Shh… it’s a secret.
Box Office Highlights and Hidden Features
(2:30 pm – 3:15 pm)
Room: Hannover II
Presenters: Alyssa Newell, Etix Director of Training
Who Should Attend: Everyone!
Description: It’s true; Etix has a lot of system capabilities. With features being created and updated on a daily basis, you could easily miss a system tool that would be advantageous to your ticketing practice. During this session, we’ll highlight box office standouts and a few hidden features.
Changing the Game: How Conversion APIs Make Ad Optimization Meaningful Again
(2:30pm – 3:15 pm)
Room: Hannover III
Presenters: Courtney Barwick, Rockhouse Partners Director of Digital Marketing; Katherine Symanowicz, Rockhouse Partners Marketing Specialist
Who Should Attend: Marketing Professionals
Description: In the wake of privacy changes ushered in by Apple’s iOS 14.5, traditional ad optimization techniques relying on browser pixel tracking no longer deliver the desired results. Enter Conversion APIs! Conversion APIs or CAPIs, are game-changing tools that bring a new level of precision and insight to ad optimization. This session will explore how Conversion APIs can revolutionize your marketing strategy by providing accurate, real-time data that enhances your ability to optimize ads effectively.
Show Me the Money: Settlements Explained
(3:30 pm – 4:15 pm)
Room: Hannover I
Presenters: Brian Crossland, Etix VP of Finance; Alyssa Newell, Etix Director of Training; Shon Stump, Etix Settlements Manager
Who Should Attend: Venue and Organization Management, Finance
Description: In this session, our accounting experts will show you how to run, understand, and analyze the three main reports that are included in all of your weekly settlements.
System Marketing Tools
(3:30pm – 4:15pm)
Room: Hannover II
Presenters: Jenny Johnsen, Etix Training Specialist; Annie Thomas, Rockhouse Partners Senior Marketing Specialist
Who Should Attend: Box Office and Marketing Professionals
Description: Discover new ways to make your events even more profitable with our data-focused features to increase sales, boost brand awareness and grow your customer database. Learn how to implement system social media features, execute ways to track sales and more.
What’s New? Rockhouse Web and Mobile App Team Update
(3:30pm – 4:15 pm)
Room: Hannover III
Panelists: Brett Geoffrey, Rockhouse Partners Director of Client Website Services; Kathleen Marsocci, Rockhouse Partners Client Website Front End Developer; Taylor Panaccione, Rockhouse Partners Client Website Specialist
Who Should Attend: Marketing Professionals
Description: Join us to review 2024’s most significant web and mobile application developments! This session will explore the latest advancements in the Etix Event Plugin for WordPress and an overview of new server and security updates. Plus, don’t miss a special case study with the Orange Peels’ Robb McAdams on how they are achieving new monetization heights with their mobile app!
Learning Lab
(10 am – 11:30 am)
Rooms: Governors I & II
Description: Connect one-on-one with Etix Staff, ask us questions, and learn more about using the Etix system.
Break Through the Noise: Finding Fans in the Modern Entertainment Marketplace
(11:15 am – 12:15 pm)
Rooms: Oak Forest A & B
Moderator: Aaron Bare, Etix CMO
Panelists: Febrice Sergent, Bandsintown; Ashley Bradbury-Kane, Meta; Steve Richo, Noise New Media; Jon Ostrow, Spotify
Who Should Attend: Everyone!
Description: Join us for a fresh perspective and actionable insights to help your organization thrive in a competitive and exciting new entertainment landscape. Our panel of industry experts and insiders will discuss leading-edge tools and techniques designed to help your message stand out among the clutter, connect with new fans, and ultimately sell more tickets. We’ll explore difference-making concepts such as budget management through timing and targeting, using discovery platforms like Bandsintown and Spotify, paid social media like Instagram and Facebook, leveraging analytics, and how the Etix Event Discovery Network can strengthen marketing campaigns to attract fans and build lasting customer relationships.
Exhibit City
(12:30 pm – 3:30 pm)
Rooms: Oak Forest A & B
Description: Visit our sponsors and experience all the equipment Etix has to offer with hands-on demos.
Sponsored by Alvarado, Boca Systems, Data Capture Solutions, Hive, i6, The Kiosk Group, and more.
Learning Lab
(12:30 pm – 2:30 pm)
Rooms: Governors I & II
Description: Connect one-on-one with Etix Staff, ask us questions, and learn more about using the Etix system.
Level Up Your Point of Sale with Octave
(12:30 pm – 1:15 pm)
Room: Oak Forest A & B
Presenters: Etix Product Team
Who Should Attend: Everyone!
Description: Say hello to Octave – a new integrated point-of-sale solution from Etix. Take an inside look as Chief Product Officer Chris Battaglino demonstrates how you can gain a more informed, 360-degree view of your fans and streamlined sales operations with Octave’s vendor and buyer app user interfaces.
Google Analytics 4: Year One Recap
(12:30 pm – 1:15 pm)
Room: Hannover I
Presenters: Morgan Pestyk, Rockhouse Partners Marketing Specialist; Genny Wooten, Rockhouse Partners Marketing Specialist
Who Should Attend: Marketing Professionals
Description: Ok, we’ve been using Google Analytics 4 for over a year now and it’s time to assess its impact on our ability to report and analyze insights and trends. This session will highlight the Etix GA4 integration and Rockhouse custom Google Looker Studio dashboards. We’ll explore the features and insights you need to gain a deeper understanding of user behavior, optimize marketing strategies, and drive superior business outcomes.
Feature Spotlight: Bulk Tools
(12:30 pm – 1:15 pm)
Room: Hannover II
Presenter: Leah Finch, Etix Training Manager
Who Should Attend: Box Office Professionals
Description:Did you know there are several tools that allow you to generate or edit performances in bulk? You can also manage your inventory across performances of your choice. Efficiency? Yes, please.
Caveat Emptor: Dealing with Fraud and Chargebacks
(1:45 pm – 2:30 pm)
Room: Hannover I
Presenter: Mandi Grimm, Etix Director of Anti-Fraud Solutions; Krister Larsson, Etix Director of International Operations
Who Should Attend: Everyone!
Description: Join us for an insightful session dedicated to understanding the latest trends in fraud and chargebacks within e-commerce and the entertainment industries. We will explore emerging threats and innovative prevention strategies. Attendees will gain valuable insights into identifying vulnerabilities, leveraging technology for protection, and best practices for managing chargeback disputes. Whether you’re in the box office, operations, finance, or support department this session will equip you with the knowledge to enhance your fraud mitigation efforts and protect your bottom line.
Inbox Innovation: New Integrations and Strategies to Make Your Email Marketing Thrive
(1:45 pm – 2:30 pm)
Room: Hannover II
Presenters: Maddie Snider, Rockhouse Partners Director of Marketing Services; Annie Thomas, Rockhouse Partners Senior Marketing Specialist; Brandon Price, Cymbal; Evan Floyd, Cymbal
Who Should Attend: Marketing Professionals
Description: Old is new again! It’s time to rethink how we use the OG digital marketing tool: email! Triggered automations, segmented targeting, message timing, and even a little SMS is on the agenda. We’ll recap best practices and then dive head-first into the future of automated email solutions with our friends at Cymbal.
Ready, Set, Go! Day of Show Features
(1:45 pm – 2:30 pm)
Room: Hannover III
Presenter: Leah Finch, Etix Training Manager
Who Should Attend: Box Office Professionals
Description: Your event is coming up! Are you ready? During this session, we’ll walk you through all aspects of your event to have in place so your operations can run smoothly. We’ll cover user permissions, credentials, test printing & scanning, printing will call and access control to name a few.
Pull Up a Chair: Etix Feature Roundtables
(2:45 pm – 3:30 pm)
Room: Oak Forest A & B
Who Should Attend: Everyone!
Description: Share your knowledge and experience! Join round table discussions on a variety of the most-used Etix products and features, from Seating Chart optimization, Membership management, Reporting best practices, and more.
No-Problem Parking
(2:45 pm – 3:30 pm)
Room: Hannover I
Presenters: Dennis Scanlon, Etix Vice President of Sales; Jeffrey Shapiro, Solutions Event Services
Who Should Attend: Everyone!
Description: Take the headache out of parking logistics and turn parking into a true revenue generator in this interactive session.
Marketing Nightmares II: More Harrowing Tales of Worst-Case Scenarios (And How to Fix Them!)
(2:45 pm – 3:30 pm)
Room: Hannover II
Presenters:Bryant Chappell, Rockhouse Partners Marketing Specialist; Taylor Panaccione, Rockhouse Partners Website Specialist
Who Should Attend: Marketing Professionals
Description: Be afraid. Be VERY afraid! Our team has collected the most harrowing, spine-tingling, gruesome tales of marketing mistakes and “you’ve got to be kidding me” situations that are guaranteed to keep you up at night. Don’t miss this lighthearted take on some of our most infamous marketing mishaps and (most importantly) how to keep them from happening to you!
