Xtra Cash N Gold Website

Xtra Cash N Gold Site

I was responsible for writing all of the text on the Xtra Cash N Gold website. As a small business startup, my goal was to position the company as one that is very community oriented. The steps involved in buying and selling gold can often be confusing to anyone not familiar with the process. I set out to explain in detailed layman's terms exactly how everything happens step by step. I felt that it would be essential in such a small community to voice the opinions of past customers who had enjoyed their experiences. This led to the "Testimonials" page which provides potential customers with others' reviews.

Internship Course: VVCC Portfolio

1.           INTRODUCTION OF POSITION

A)        For my Spring 2011 Internship, I held a position at the Valley View Casino Center located at 3500 Sports Arena Boulevard in San Diego, California. The Valley View Casino Center is a multi-purpose facility showcasing sports events, concerts, family shows, and many other events. In 2008 the Valley View Casino Center partnered with AEG, one of the world’s leading providers of innovative live sports and entertainment. This relationship has allowed for over $2.5 million in facility improvements and upgrades over the last three years, including a re-vamped VIP lounge: CLUB 3500. Previously known as the San Diego Sports Arena, Valley View Casino bought the naming rights to this facility in 2010. Now dubbed the Valley View Casino Center, this arena continues to be one of the top names in entertainment.

     My position at the Center was that of a Marketing Intern. I worked primarily with the Group Sales department directly under the Group Sales manager, Jennifer. I was responsible for posting free advertising information on websites, newsletters, meet-ups, and other similar sites. A main component of the internship was to help create and administer a target marketing campaign for each upcoming event. Some of these events included Eric Clapton, Cirque du Soleil, WWE, and Sesame Street Live. I designed fliers and assisted in administering and creating email and direct marketing campaigns. I was also responsible for customer service cross-promotion for various clients which required updating discount flyers with logos, printing and sending out packages. I updated the company profiles on various social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Outside of the office, I assisted in promoting the new VIP lounge, CLUB 3500. This involved marketing the membership package to prospective clients, such as the Greater San Diego Chamber of Commerce. On event nights I assisted with registering CLUB 3500 members as well as answering any questions customers had about the company’s recent improvements. I also worked at Employee Vendor Fairs to promote any upcoming events at the Center.

2.           MY WORK PRODUCTS

Direct-Mail campaigns

A)   One of my primary responsibilities at this internship was to assist in creating direct-mail marketing campaigns for the Valley View Casino Center’s upcoming events. These are half-page post cards featuring an advertisement for the event on the front, with an order form to order tickets on the back. These mailers were used exclusively for the Group Sales department. Each mailer includes special discount SuperGroup codes which can be entered online at TicketMaster.com to purchase tickets at a discounted rate. Often times, these codes only apply to groups of ten or more.

B)   Many of our marketing materials were created in-house, simply to save both time and money. To create these mailers I employed the use of Microsoft Word. We have a general template which is used to create postcards of this type, but they must be individually altered for each event. The first step is to insert a picture of the event on the front of the mailer. This picture must coincide with the terms of the contract in existence between Valley View Casino Center and the act. For example, for the Strikeforce UFC Fighting event, I had to ensure that all four fighters were equally represented on the postcard as was required by their contracts.

For the order form on the back, I had to contact TicketMaster.com to receive our special discount SuperGroup codes for each event. These are codes which allow the buyer to receive a special discount when they order tickets online. I created a table into which I entered information regarding seating prices, according to different seating areas. It was crucial to triple check all information so as to ensure no pricing mistakes were made. Once the mailer was completed, we would print them in-house on colored card stock and cut them in half (these are always produced as half-page mailers).

Finally, I created mailing labels for the postcards. This was done through a program called CardScan in which I uploaded an Excel file of contact names and addresses. Often times, I was  also responsible for prospecting new clients for these events. In this case, I would search companies that fell into our target market via the internet and acquire their contact information. The program converts the spreadsheet into mailing labels which I then printed out in-house and applied them to the front of the mailers.

C)   I used the knowledge learned in my Advertising class to create these mailers. To create a direct-mail marketing campaign the first step was to hone in on our target market. Due to the wide variety of events at the Center, this market was constantly changing. For example, the Sesame Street Live event draws in a market of families with very young children. On the other hand, the Strikeforce event had a core demographic of men between 16-35 years old. The goal with direct-mail is to somehow entice the customer to become interested in your product/service. The skills I learned in Information Systems was also a great advantage. In this course I learned how to use Microsoft programs such as Word and Excel, which were both used to create the direct-mailers. These skills allowed me to create professional looking marketing pieces, even though they were produced in-house.

D)   The bulk of what I gained from creating these mailers was how to prospect new clients. For the success of these campaigns, it was essential that the mailers be delivered to our target market and not wasted on people who were not interested. To prospect, I would employ lists of past purchasers for recurring events at the Center. Once I understood the core demographic who had bought tickets for this event in the past, it was much easier to find prospective clients. Most of this was done via the internet- finding companies or organizations and contacting them to arouse interest in the event. These potential clients were contacted through email, telephone, and regular post-mail.

Participation at Employee Vendor Fairs

A)   This is an information package which was used at Employee Vendor Fairs to promote the events at the Valley View Casino Center. The packets include fliers for many of our upcoming shows, as well as an advertisement in the back promoting CLUB 3500. Although the Group Sales department typically deals with only groups of ten or more, at the employee fairs we offered the same group discounts on individual tickets to employees of the company. The packet also had order forms which the employees could mail in if they wished to purchase tickets.

B)   My participation at the Employee Vendor Fairs was to work the Valley View Casino Center table at the actual fair. At our table we had postcards for all of our upcoming events, as well as information about CLUB 3500 and the recent name change from San Diego Sports Arena to Valley View Casino Center. My main job was to talk to people and try to spark their interest in our upcoming shows. My goal was to get the employees to write down their phone numbers and/or email addresses to be used by the Group Sales department to deliver more promotions.

C)   I employed skills learned in my Organizational Behavior course to interact with the employees at these fairs. It was essential to read the employee to try and determine which events would most interest them. This allowed me to grab their attention at the beginning of the conversation, which hopefully would lead to ticket purchases later on. My Advertising course also helped me to win people over. I knew how to sell not only the events but also the company as a whole. A major roadblock was the confusion caused with the recent name change- many old customers had incorrectly assumed that the Sports Arena had converted into a casino, which is not the case.

D)   The new knowledge that I gained by working at the Employee Vendor Fairs was salesmanship. There are many vendors at these fairs, most featuring giveaways such as TVs, food, pens, or clothing. Unfortunately, the Valley View Casino Center table lacked these items. This forced me to really sell the company and events on my own. I had to count on my personality and charisma to draw people in to the table and explain what we were all about. This has improved my ability for public speaking, and also helped me to come out of my shell a little bit.

Promotion of VIP CLUB 3500

A)   This is a flier showcasing our all-new VIP CLUB 3500 (so named for the address of the Center). It is simply an informational piece informing the reader about the CLUB and giving details on attaining membership. Although the former San Diego Sports Arena did have a VIP lounge, it was nothing like this one. The CLUB 3500 was completely renovated. A world-class artist was hired to paint pictures of the big-name artists who have performed at the Center in the past, including the Rolling Stones, Justin Timberlake, and Aerosmith, to name a few. There is also a brand new bar area which offers drink specials on event nights. The CLUB is often open to the public, however it can be rented out by companies or organizations for special events. Those who have purchased a CLUB 3500 membership package have the benefits of an exclusive entrance to the venue, reserved parking, reserved table with bottle service, in-seat service during events, and much more.

B)   I was responsible for assisting in the promotion of CLUB 3500. During event nights, I was posted outside the CLUB to draw people in and give them information about the CLUB. If the CLUB was rented out for a private party, I would act as a “floater”, mingling with the clients and answering any questions they may have about the venue or the CLUB in particular.

C)   One course that influenced my work with CLUB 3500 was Women in Management. Because these were typically night events, with alcohol involved, it was pertinent to maintain my authority as a representative of the Center. Although I am a woman, I had to make sure that I was taken seriously. Some of the skills I gained from this course were how to speak in public, including the use of annotation and filler words. The course also outlined what proper attire was for a business woman in order for her to be taken seriously. Through the use of these skills I was able to successfully act as a respected agent of the CLUB.

D)   Similarly to the skills gained at the Employee Vendor Fairs, I was able to build my ability to publicly speak. When working at the CLUB I was forced to walk up to complete strangers, often business men, and offer up information about the company. It was my job to spark peoples’ interest in the CLUB.

Website Postings

Cirque du Soleil - QUIDAM

March 30 – April 3

Valley View Casino Center

(formerly San Diego Sports Arena)

3500 Sports Arena Blvd,  San Diego, CA  92110

Group Discounts - save up to $30 per ticket!

Group Incentives:    For Every 50 tickets purchased get 5 tickets FREE!

Full Price for Groups 15+

Peak Shows:

          Fri. April 1 @ 7:30pm

          Sat. April 2 @ 3:30pm & 7:30pm

Peak Shows – No Discounts

          $119 -  Floor & End Lower Level

          $99 – Lower Level & Loge

          $74 – Lower Terrace

          $49 – Upper Terrace

Group Pricing for 15 +     

Non-Peak Shows:

          Wed. March 30 @ 7:30pm

          Thu. March 31 @ 7:30pm

          Sun. April 3 @ 1:00pm & 5:00pm

Non-Peak Shows Discounts:

          $103.00 - Floor & End Lower Level

          $71.50 – Lower Level & Loge

          $52.75 – Lower Terrace

          $34.00 – Upper Terrace

Special Weekday Matinee Group Pricing for 15 +     

Non-Peak Weekday Matinee Pricing:

          Fri. April 1 @ 3:30pm       

Weekday Matinee Discounts:

          $81.00 -  Floor & End Lower Level

          $67.00 – Lower Level & Loge

          $49.50 – Lower Terrace

          $32.00 – Upper Terrace

Youth – Scouts – Senior Non-Profit Group Pricing for 15+   

Non-Peak Shows:

          Wed. March 30 @ 7:30pm

          Thu. March 31 @ 7:30pm

          Sun. April 3 @ 1:00pm & 5:00pm

         

Non-Peak Shows Discounts:      

          $103 -  Floor & End Lower Level (reg. $114)

          $64 – Lower Level & Loge (reg. $94)

          $44 – Lower Terrace (reg. $69)

          $29 – Upper Terrace (reg. $44)

$29 Tickets Buy online: http://www.ticketmaster.com/venueartist/360477/1149766?did=grpyth

PASSWORD:  YOUTH

Military Group Pricing for 15+    

Non-Peak Shows:

          Wed. March 30 @ 7:30pm

          Thu. March 31 @ 7:30pm

          Sun. April 3 @ 1:00pm & 5:00pm

         

Non-Peak Shows Discounts:

          $103 -  Floor & End Lower Level (reg. $114)

          $64 – Lower Level & Loge (reg. $94)

          $29 – Lower Terrace (reg. $69)

          $29 – Upper Terrace (reg. $44)

$29 Tickets Buy online:  http://www.ticketmaster.com/venueartist/360477/1149766?did=grpmil

PASSWORD:    SUPMIL

HOW TO BUY GROUP DISCOUNT TICKETS:

1. Mail in Check with printable order form: http://valleyviewcasinocenter.com/content/eventpdfs/102.pdf  or

2. Charge 15+ tickets thru Group Sales at 619-308-4311

3. Groups of 15+ can Email or Fax order form to vvcc.groups@valleyviewcasinocenter.com or fax  619-224-3010

4. Buy Youth and Military tickets online with the links above.  Or call ticketmaster at 800-745-3000 with discount Password Youth or Supmil

Deadline is March 24th.  Tickets are subject to availability.  Kids 2 & up need a ticket.  Parking Cost:  $20 car/$40 buses

A)   This is an example of a text version of our website posting for Cirque du Soleil- Quidam. This information would be posted on various websites such as MeetUp groups, Yahoo groups, CraigsList, Backpage, and many more. We would use this information to attract customers and boost online sales of tickets. Each posting outlined the location of the event, dates and times, ticket pricing, and SuperGroup discount codes. At the bottom of every website there was a step-by-step guide on how to purchase the discounted tickets.

B)   To create these postings, I used the information from the event postcards. The postcards were always made first and then all of the pricing and other information could simply be copied. To create the postings, I used the program Notepad. Once all of the information was entered into Notepad, the file was saved and reused again and again to post to various websites. I would also use these files to email prospective clients. We would inquire as to whether or not the organization may want to make personalized  fliers for their group, which we would then provide via a Pdf. document.

C)   The skills I acquired in my Advertising course greatly benefited me with the website postings. I had to scour the internet for prospective sites on which to post our information. I had learned of many free sites in this course which could be used to advertise a product or service, and also what the core demographic was for each site. I was also able to locate prospective target companies and try to sell them on purchasing group tickets. Information Systems also gave me a better grasp on how to navigate the internet, and how to use Notepad. This is a very simple text program, with not formatting or special tricks.

D)   By creating these website postings, I learned of many new internet website which previously I had not known even existed. For example, Meetup Groups – these are a huge collection of groups of people who organize events that would satisfy their similar interests. For many of our family events, we targeted Mom’s Meetup Groups of San Diego, of which there are hundreds. By contacting the group’s administrators via email, I was able to have those administrators organize a Meetup Event for which their members could sign up and purchase tickets together as a group in order to receive our special discount.

Group Sales order form consolidation

	VALLEY VIEW CASINO CENTER
	Group Ticket Sales Report
	By Event & By Customer
	STRIKEFORCE APRIL 9, 2011
CUSTOMER/		NUMBER	TICKET	TOTAL $		SEAT/
CONTACT		OF TICKETS	PRICE	AMOUNT		LOCATION
-		-	-----------------------	-		-
FDN		10	$    64.00	$        640.00		L11
		24	$    24.00	$        576.00		UT23
ID Solutions		12	$    64.00	$        768.00		L23
Metal Mulisha		36	$    64.00	$    2,304.00		Floor J
Undisputed		48	$    24.00	$    1,152.00		UT24
		20	$    44.00	$        880.00		L19
		4	$    44.00	$        176.00		L19
		1	$    44.00	$          44.00		L19
		2	$    44.00	$          88.00		L20B
		3	$    44.00	$        132.00		L20B
		12	$    44.00	$        528.00		L20A
		12	$    84.00	$    1,008.00		L24
		32	$    24.00	$        768.00		T11
Warrior Foundation		15	$    84.00	$    1,260.00		Floor E/L3 wc
EL NINO GROUPS
		36	$    49.00	$    1,764.00		L18B
		10	$    74.00	$        740.00		L23
		10	$    74.00	$        740.00		L15
		13	$    99.00	$    1,287.00		L14
		2	$    49.00	$          98.00		L20
		4	$    99.00	$        396.00		L12
		2	$    49.00	$          98.00		L20B
		2	$    49.00	$          98.00		L20B
		5	$    49.00	$        245.00		L20B
		6	$    74.00	$        444.00		L15
		6	$    99.00	$        594.00		L12
		1	$    49.00	$          49.00		L18B
		10	$    99.00	$        990.00		L12
		3	$    99.00	$        297.00		L14
		8	$    49.00	$        392.00		L20B
		2	$    49.00	$          98.00		L20B
		6	$    49.00	$        294.00		L20B
		7	$    74.00	$        518.00		L23
		2	$    74.00	$        148.00		L23
		2	$    74.00	$        148.00		L15
		2	$    49.00	$          98.00		L20B
		2	$    99.00	$        198.00		L14
		3	$    49.00	$        147.00		L20B
		2	$    99.00	$        198.00		L14
		2	$    99.00	$        198.00		L14
		1	$    99.00	$          99.00		L14
		3	$    74.00	$        222.00		L15
		2	$    49.00	$          98.00		L20A
		2	$    49.00	$          98.00		L18B
		2	$    49.00	$          98.00		L20A
		1	$    49.00	$          49.00		L18A
		1	$    49.00	$          49.00		L18A
		4	$    74.00	$        296.00		L15
		3	$    49.00	$        147.00		L20A
		4	$    49.00	$        196.00		L20 A
		7	$    49.00	$        343.00		L20A
		2	$    74.00	$        148.00		L15
		4	$    49.00	$        196.00		L20A
		7	$    99.00	$        693.00		L14
		2	$    99.00	$        198.00		L14
		2	$    49.00	$          98.00		L20A
		3	$    49.00	$        147.00		L18A
		2	$    24.00	$          48.00		L18A
		1	$    49.00	$          49.00		L18A
		2	$    49.00	$          98.00		L18A
		3	$    74.00	$        222.00		L15
EL NINO GROUPS
		5	$    49.00	$        245.00		L20A
		2	$    49.00	$          98.00		L18A
		2	$    49.00	$          98.00		L18A
		2	$    49.00	$          98.00		L20A
		2	$    49.00	$          98.00		L18A
		4	$    99.00	$        396.00		L14
		4	$    49.00	$        196.00		L20A
		3	$    49.00	$        147.00		L18A
		34	$    49.00	$    1,666.00		L18A
		4	$    99.00	$        396.00		L14
		9	$    49.00	$        441.00		L20A
		6	$    74.00	$        444.00		L23
		12	$    99.00	$    1,188.00		L14
		4	$    49.00	$        196.00		L18A
		2	$    49.00	$          98.00		L18A
		1	$    49.00	$          49.00		L18A
		17	$    74.00	$    1,258.00		L23
		6	$    49.00	$        294.00		L20A
		4	$    49.00	$        196.00		L18A
TOTAL GROUPS SOLD		560		$  31,795.00

A)   This is a copy of the Group Ticket Sales Report for our recent event, Strikeforce. It is an Excel spreadsheet which consolidates all of the group orders for the UFC fighting event, Strikeforce. The Sales Report lists ticket sales first by group, then by individual customer names (which have been blacked out to protect customer privacy). Next listed is the number of tickets, the individual ticket prices, the total amount paid for all tickets, and finally the seating locations of the tickets. At the bottom of the sheet there is a grand total of all the tickets sold through the Group Sales office for this event, followed by the total dollar amount accumulated for all sales.

B)   To produce the Sales Report, I had to gather all groups sales order forms for the Strikeforce event. I categorized the order forms according to group names, for example, all of the individuals purchasing tickets under the group title “El Nino” were grouped together. I then entered the information from the order forms into the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. After the Sales Report had been compiled, I had to double check our information with our retailer at Ticketmaster. This consisted of receiving a similar Sales Report from Ticketmaster outlining the customer names and number of tickets they had ordered. Once I had ensured the information from both reports was identical, I submitted the Sales Report to my supervisor.

C)   A course that was useful for me during this project was Information Systems, where I learned to use Microsoft Excel. I had to enter various formulas in the cells to calculate total ticket amounts, as well as the grand total at the bottom of the sheet.

3.           SUMMARY & CONCLUSION

A)   This internship has certainly impacted my career considerations. I have always had an interest in the Marketing side of Business, and this internship has proven to me that I would enjoy a career in that field. I especially appreciate that creative allowance given to my supervisor to create her own in-house advertisements. Working in the Entertainment industry is very exciting, with new events and performers being added to our venue every day. Even though the Valley View Casino Center is a large company, when working in the office it truly felt like a family. Even the CEO himself would come by the Group Sales office from time to time to say hello.

B)   My work certainly lightened the load of my supervisor. When I was hired in Ferbruary, there were no interns working in the Group Sales office. During my first few weeks I could sense my supervisor’s stress because there was so much work to be done and she could not handle it all herself. Luckily, myself along with three other interns were able to take some work off her plate. We also volunteered to work at events for her, which allowed my supervisor to spend more time with her family.

C)   The work that I performed during this internship benefited the San Diego community through entertainment. We not only provide great fun for the whole family through our various events, but due to the hard economic times we try to make these shows open to everyone by offering discounts. When working at Vendor Fairs or CLUB 3500, I also was able to shed some light on one of our most common misconceptions- that the Valley View Casino Center is actually a casino, which of course it is not.