Since 2001, Raving NEXT has been a premier event on the Tribal Gaming calendar, a clearinghouse of information for operators.
Billed as a deep dive into analytics and marketing, Director of Conferences and Events Chris Faria admits the event has had to adjust the last couple of years because of the pandemic.
But the mission of Raving NEXT remains the same.
“It’s the only and longest-running conference that is truly dedicated to both Tribal gaming and marketing & analytics,” Faria says.
Raving NEXT, sponsored by Raving, will take place virtually Feb. 8-10, 2022. The Native-owned company is managed by women and has partnered with over 152 Tribal Nations and enterprises and 71 Commercial properties, along with First Nations throughout Canada and Asia.
Some adjustments are being made because the event is virtual, but Faria says the information provided remains essential. This year’s sessions include “How to Increase Profit Through Player Segmentation Utilizing AI“; “Segmenting Your Database for Super Targeted Social Media Campaigns“; and “Turn Your Website Into a Marketing Revenue Channel Using eCommerce and Analytics Tools.”
“From the start, we’ve tried to offer an experience that addresses all learning styles,” says Faria. “We tried to make the conference very hands-on with the ability for not only attendees to network with each other and learn from each other, but also take knowledge from exhibitors and vendors. It’s been very important for us that people understand that we don’t necessarily believe in one type of education.”
The idea that decisions should be driven by data is widely accepted. But the challenge remains among operators of all sizes that face limitations of resources, talent, and time to use that data efficiently.
Raving NEXT will help operators find and use hidden information in their databases and how to analyze it over shorter time periods.
“It’s hard to compile all that data and make strategic marketing decisions,” Faria says. “Especially in the last two years, that data has to be looked at more in micro looks, often two weeks or one month, instead of a looking back at player data over a year. People are asking what to do with this data from the last couple of kooky years because of COVID and the different player behavior that we’ve had.”
Raving NEXT attendees will be able to review and watch sessions for 60 days after the conference. They also will have access to masterclasses starting in March and running through early April on host and player development, data analytics, leadership, and marketing.
