Orange County NC Website
2 | Page CHOCVB BOD Meeting October 21 , 2015 <br /> <br /> <br />She also stated that the compression they create, we would like to say those rooms stay in Orange County. She <br />reminded the board that we do need to take a hard look at space and what impact new space in Durham will have. <br />Chairman Carey recognized Clean Design. Ms. Paolicelli introduced Tom Hickey and Stephanie Perri of Clean Design <br />whom we have been working with for the past four years after an RFP was completed and we moved from Jennings. <br />Ms. Perri passed a copy of Our State Magazine around the table that feature a Carolina Performances ad as an example <br />of the creativity of partnering in our advertising. Ms. Perri stated they were receiving great feedback on the Secret <br />Ingredient campaign. New ads are being added monthly. Tom Hickey offered an overview of the media plan. Looking at <br />the media budget, geographically, it is primarily focused in the state of NC. Paolicelli stated that she wants the board to <br />look at where we are not and how this relates to the fund balance discussion. <br />Mr. Hickey shared that more advertising dollars have been moved to Cvent, which is “a leading cloud-based enterprise <br />event management platform”. Cvent offers software solutions to event planners for online event registration, venue <br />selection, event management, mobile apps for events, e-mail marketing and web surveys”. Khanna stated that his <br />property spent $6,000 on a promotion with Cvent that resulted in $120,000 in actualized leads generated. <br />Hickey went on to introduce some test initiatives in Boone and Wilmington focusing on content marketing or paid <br />content such as advertorials, ads within your feed. Facebook is still dominant, but a good balance is needed across other <br />platforms. What’s in the news is concern over ad blockers and there effect on the free internet and the escalation of <br />fraud in digital space. <br />Sales Report <br />Marlene Barbera reported that she attended a Small Market Meetings conference in Littlerock, Arkansas. She had <br />twenty-three one on one appointments. She was able to meet with planners from different segments and got one RFP <br />while at the conference. The Visitors Bureau hiring a contract Sales Specialist who will begin in December. <br />Budget Update <br />Penny Rich, Finance Chair, reported that we are on target but watching the revenues closely. She spoke to the fact that <br />last year our revenue numbers were higher due to the delayed opening of the LUX. She reported that available fund <br />balance, after 15% reserves, is approximately $400,000 and that we will wait until after the 2015 audit is complete to <br />make decisions about spending part of that money on advertising, a possible space study and some county-wide <br />initiatives. <br />Executive Directors Report <br />Laurie Paolicelli reminded the board of the campaign initiated by former manager Frank Clifton, Fifty Reasons to Love <br />Orange County, which ran in the Herald Sun. It really called attention to everything great about Orange County so she is <br />talking to the Manager about some possibilities going in that marketing direction, nothing certain as we are waiting for <br />the audit. She will bring it back to the board. On a different note, Ms. Paolicelli shared with the board the interest by <br />some of the County Commissioners to sponsor a contest to rename an interstate sign in Orange County that currently <br />reads, “You’ll Be a Fan for Life.” Lee Pavao stated that it had been two months since Ms. Paolicelli had been appointed <br />to her new position as Director of Community Relations and Tourism by the county manager. While he is very pleased <br />that this now makes the Visitors Bureau a direct report to the County Manager he asked if this took her time away from <br />the bureau. She answered no, and thanked him for the question. She explained that she spent a couple of months on <br />the diagnostics of the new job to see what is needed and now is in the implementation stage. She does not feel the