Lance Fensterman is global vice president of ReedPop, the pop culture division of event and trade show organizer Reed Exhibitions. ReedPop produces 26 annual events for more than one million total attendees; its roster includes New York Comic Con, the Penny Arcade Expos (PAX) in Boston and Seattle, C2E2 in Chicago, and BookCon in New York. This year, the company added comic conventions in Vienna, Shanghai, and Paris to its growing number of international events.
1. Remember that everything that we do is for our guests. My company builds fun. “Build” is the operative word. Planning and logistics are the framework that fun hangs on. Think through the details via guest eyes. If we make our fans happy, they reward us.
2. Gear up. It is not uncommon for my team to be walking as much as 15 to 20 miles per day at our conventions. Make sure that you have the proper shoes, high-tech socks, and high-tech undergarments. Drink lots of water and make sure you eat a big breakfast. There is definitely a very real physical component to events that needs to be prepared for.
3. Hustle. Big lines and lots of waiting mean guests will be watching you and your staff. Make sure they don’t see you standing around chatting up co-workers or scrolling through your phone. If they see you hustling and trying to make their experience better, they won’t be so frustrated with a line because they know you’re doing your best to get them through.
4. Locate the nearest good restrooms. When you have 150,000 people in a building, like we do at some of our conventions, finding some peace and quiet to handle the necessities can be near to impossible—but they do exist!
5. Take care of your team. Carry some snacks and water in your bag, and make sure you’re checking on your team. You need them in top shape to get through the day, so make sure they are taking some breaks, eating, staying hydrated, and not overexerting themselves.
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6. Talk to strangers. Make connections with guests. They’ll appreciate the attention and knowing that their feedback is going to someone with a vested interest in the event. You’ll get valuable insight into why they come and what they want from the day. I’ve made friends for life with random fans by doing just this.
7. Be attentive and flexible with guests. Fans at our conventions wait all year for this one event. We want to make sure we deliver an experience that is worthy of their passion. If fans are in costume: Remember, they likely have invested a great deal of their heart, soul, time, and money into their costume and care deeply that others see it and can interact with them. They need a safe place to show it off. An extra measure of patience and empathy will help, too.
8. Information is king. Keeping everyone informed makes them very happy! What line they are in; what time we may be moving the line; yes, they are in the right line; yes, they can leave the line and go to the bathroom; yes, they will get into the panel. Whiteboards work very well on the ever-changing messages needed for guests.
9. Never make a decision based on fear. Running a crowded pop culture event full of passionate fans can be intimidating. Act boldly and positively based on preparedness, common sense, research, guts, and instinct—but never fear. (It’s my rule for life, too.)
10. Have fun. Our convention guests are there to have fun—period! If the staff is having fun, too—talking to fans and creating an environment that is built for fun—then good things happen and the guests leave happy. My team and I are all fans as well, so we think about what your ultimate pop culture experience would be and try to create that for the audience.
