Summary of Available Services 

There’s no mistake that our main business is talent buying but what makes Backstage Planet unique is the ten other service areas that we can provide. Instead of using two or more vendors, you can increase your efficiency and reduce your costs by using one vendor that does it all. After your review, we would like to discuss your thoughts and individual needs and then design a personalized plan complete with pricing options. Our service areas are:

Talent Buying

Selecting the right act is key for your venue and a necessity in a competitive market such as yours. With all the factors that must be taken into consideration to meet your goals, talent buying should be targeted.

• Research for available talent to match client entertainment needs; national, regional, and local
• Layout talent options for client decision making
• Manage negotiations between client and artist (Includes entertainer fees, technical requirements, merchandise rates, meet and greets, and other contract terms as approved by the client.)
• Secure written acceptance with authorization to commence advertising and ticket sales
• Consult client on ticket pricing levels, dates and show times for each concert event
• Order promotional materials and have sent to client
• Secure and review all contracts and technical rider requirements
• Draft addendum to contract and riders
• Coordinate deposits and balance of payments to artists along with executed contracts
• Consult and assist with implementation of proper state entertainment tax withholding laws
• Coordinate reports of advance ticket sales to artists’ management or agents upon request
• Conduct a show advance with artist’s tour and production managers
• Conduct a show advance with venue personnel and all related production vendors
• Coordinate needs of artist-affiliated sponsors
• Coordinate artist’s hotel arrangements and secure rooming list
• Assist as necessary to coordinate artist’s transportation needs, catering, etc.
• Coordinate artists’ guest lists and/or ticket needs
• Act as a liaison between artist and client to help amicably resolve problems
• Follow-up with artists and client to asses whether desired outcomes were achieved
• Provide box office reports to artists, their management and their agents as requested

*On site assistance available

Special Event Planning

This is an area that is particularly fun for us and we have many successful events under our belt.  Not only can we plan a first-rate event or dinner for you but, we know how to plan it around the gaming revenue you need to achieve.

• Assist with planning for player dinners and events to include themed proposals, entertainment, décor, budget set-up, agenda, assist and if requested, final night execution
• Assist with planning for special events; grand openings, New Year’s Eve, anniversary celebrations, final night promotions, gaming floor and hotel lobby entertainment, holiday moods, etc.

Production

We can either compliment your staff’s existing skills or provide comprehensive services.  Production can either make or break a guest’s concert experience.  We want to make sure that production is the least of your worries when the show starts and are prepared to provide effective communication between the artist, the venue staff and the sound and light company.

• Arrange for sound system, stage lighting, backline equipment rental, staging, roofing, piano tuning plus miscellaneous technical artists’ needs. Review and process related billing; client pays vendor directly
• Organize and schedule stagehand labor. Review and process related billing; client pays vendor directly
• Attend concert event to assist with day of show activities related to production

Marketing

You can have the top headliner in your venue and if the show is not communicated properly, your showroom will be empty. This is an area that we excel at and are very experienced with. Each market and each casino has its own set of circumstances that need to be considered. We can provide you with solutions that will not only increase your ticket sales but your gaming activity as well.

• Provide consultation for internal and external marketing efforts related to concerts and events; media buys, radio spots, promotional programs, direct mail, collateral, marquee, website, etc.
• Management of public relation efforts to include press releases, artist interviews, radio promotions and ticket giveaways
• Create ticket holder user codes and tracking process
• Assist with obtainment of entertainment related sponsorships
• Assist with procurement of ticketing company and set up
• Assist with maximization of ticketing company marketing programs
• Set-up internal communication documents such as on sale notices, promotion notices, etc. to increase client employee knowledge of events
• Integrate player development efforts; comp ticketing, player tracking, player rewards, pre-show functions, meet and greet opportunities, priority seating

Strategic Planning

How does your entertainment fit into the overall organizational picture? We can help you look at the big picture and entertainment to provide feedback from an unbiased standpoint. What image does your entertainment project externally? Let us put together a competitor report for you. We can also assist with maximizing your media partnerships for increased exposure and tickets sales. Our specific entertainment advertising and marketing experience can provide you with a fresh look at your current programs.

• Consult with management to set property goals for entertainment as an amenity. (We spend time with whomever you designate. i.e. Entertainment Director, CFO, CEO/GM, Marketing Director, etc. plus a written report of findings and recommendations.
• Creation of added value programs with your media contacts; assistance with media meetings
• Entertainment Advertising and Marketing Consulting
• Provide Competitor Information Report
  • Venue information     
  • Concert Line-Ups   
  • Pricing/Ticket Sales Strategies

  Site & Service Evaluation

  We take pride in ourselves on the high level of service we have always provided not only to the guests but the artists as well. Tour managers have increased their say in their artist’s schedules and often report back to the agencies about the venues. If your venue is difficult to work with, or unorganized, you could jeopardize future dates. On the flip side, if your venue has a great reputation, the agent is more apt to book your venue over someone else’s. The benefit of great guest service is obvious and we can help you determine if your service levels are where you need them. Our evaluation will also indicate if your service levels internally are optimum.

  • Evaluation of current service levels: front and heart of house

  We like to spend time with the box office staff the day before a concert time during the day of the concert with each area involved and time with your coordinator on the post show day. Our evaluation includes recommendations for procedural efficiencies, internal communication, improved seating, ballroom layout, flow of traffic, meet and greet sessions and artist services.

  Training

  Don’t have time to individually train your staff the way you want to or have the ability to spend that quality time with each person? We can offer one on one or classroom style training for your staff.  To ensure your success, you need a successful staff.  Let us alleviate your workload and provide them with the tools and knowledge you need them to have.

  • Box Office: sales and management of ticketing systems, guest service, event night duties
  • Entertainment Staff Coordinator: show advancements, procedure documents, check lists, etc.
  • Entertainment Manager: collaboration with artist management, management of event night duties, revenue management, ticket sales management, marketing and advertising for shows, budget management, etc.
  • Entertainment Marketing Analyst (or designated staff person): revenue projection reports, pro formas, quarterly/yearly comparison reports, post-event reports, tracking analysis, etc.
  • Executive Host Staff:  planning and executing player events, utilizing and maximizing entertainment as a player reward, comp ticket distribution and player tracking.

  Ticketing System

  Important to gauging the financial side of concerts is proper player tracking. We can evaluate your current ticketing system for its coding and tracking abilities. The development of new ticketing companies has created a wonderful competitive atmosphere for pricing and improved products. Let us sort through the comparisons and provide a recommendation that best suits your situation. We can then help you best utilize the system to its fullest potential.

  • Ticketing System
  • Evaluation of current system’s capabilities; consult based on results
  • Training assistance for Ticketing System
  • Ticket Coding and Utilization Reporting
  • Management of seating inventory

  Player Development

  Gaming revenue ~not ticket revenue~ is the key to making your concert venue successful. Targeting your best players to receive complimentary concert tickets rewards their play while at the same time, drives heavy “event night” traffic to your gaming floor. However, if the tickets are not managed efficiently, you lose potential revenue for both gaming and ticket sales. We are extremely experienced in putting together business practices that maximize your revenues and player development efforts.

  • Creation of business procedures/processes to increase ticket distribution and utilization for your best players.
  • Planning Pre-concert functions tailored to your best players.
  • Maximization of meet and greet opportunities for your best players.