Contribution to Book
"Attendee Basics: Survival Guide for Patrons, Customers, Guests, and Goers" from The Pop Culture Business Handbook for Cons and Festivals
The Pop Culture Business Handbook for Cons and Festivals
(2017)
Abstract
This article is part of a series of book excerpts The Pop Culture Business Handbook for Cons and
Festivals, which provides the business, strategy, and legal reference guide for fan conventions, film
festivals, musical festivals, and cultural events.
Cons use a range of labels for the people who attend the event as paid ticket holders. Whether the
people are labeled attendees, patrons, guests, concert-goers, or customers, many of the chapters of
this book identify how the Con organizers address these differing ticket holders and should plan and
prepare to assure each group has a safe, fun, and memorable experience. This chapter focuses on the
attendees and what they should do to hold up their side of the equation to assure themselves that they
have the kind of experience they desire.
The relationship between the Con and its customers is akin to a partnership. Customers should
be able to expect the Con to deliver on its promises and hopefully to exceed them. Similarly, the Con
will be most effective when the attendees do what is expected. As discussed below, purchasing tickets
on time, treating other attendees with respect, following directions to attend programs, and engaging
in cosplay with both fun and safety in mind will all help make the Con successful. When the guest and
the Con work together, then the event is at its best.
Attendees should also consider what their goals are for attending a Con. Attending the most
famous events may be a point of pride and a personal achievement to check off their bucket lists. The
largest of these events are also incredibly crowded, and seats for the top panels within those events
are hard to get. Smaller events will often provide much greater access to the headline panels and
attractions. In addition to planning how to attend a particular event, fans should consider whether
attending a combination of events will better meet their goals. Some fans will have a better experience
by attending a variety of Cons to achieve the balance of the programs and experiences they seek.
Keywords
- film festival,
- pop culture,
- con,
- convention,
- fan convention,
- business
Publication Date
2017
Citation Information
Jon M. Garon. ""Attendee Basics: Survival Guide for Patrons, Customers, Guests, and Goers" from The Pop Culture Business Handbook for Cons and Festivals" The Pop Culture Business Handbook for Cons and Festivals (2017) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/jon_garon/46/