(This is mainly an excerpt from my Senior Thesis on Audience Development, I figured why write it twice...)
Arts organizations need to function as any other marketing agency would; they cannot, because they are involved in the arts, think that they are free of the general rules of consumerism. Organizations need to practice the “Four Ps”of commercial market planning: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. (Stephen Belth. “The Marketing Process.” Harmony: Forum of the Symphony Orchestra Institute 9 (October 1999): 75-76.) By following the basic rules of marketing along with special grassroots efforts, arts organizations can give themselves a chance at broadening their audience and building their community relationships. The main areas of marketing that organizations need to focus on are targeting, information gathering, programming, promotions, and advertising.
Targeting
The continual struggle of every arts organization is to identify, locate, and attract their target audience. Target audiences are demographics that include current arts patrons, those on the borderline, and people who do not attend arts events. How organizations cater to these groups is very important. When targeting specific groups, it's important to remember Price and Place. In the commercial world, price is determined by the basic rules of supply and demand. In selling a subscription series of tickets, supply and demand cannot easily be determined and followed. Subscription prices are often set before the season’s program is developed. Concerts that would sell out at higher prices are paired with concerts that will have empty seats. Some concerts in this case may be overpriced and some under-priced to create a balance. Organizations should attempt to focus more on audience response to prices then on their own budgets. If prices conform to consumer desires, then the more popular concerts will create higher box office returns and the less popular concerts will not be full of empty seats.
Age groups
When considering targeted groups and prices, organizations need to advertise the price in a way that is suited to the expectations of that particular class of patron. When considering a group of middle aged arts users with a sizable income who participate in a mid-level arts patronage, do not highlight the price of tickets for prestige, but also do not apologize for the price or offer discounts. When approaching younger audiences that include men and women in their late 20s or 30s that may be married and have children, the price should be described as a bargain for the kind of busy people that they are. Expand upon the intrinsic value of the experience that these men and women receive for their ticket price. When targeting younger students or groups, offer discounts. These are the people who will help fill the empty seats left after subscription orders have all been filled. Student rush tickets are an excellent way to encourage students to purchase tickets and maintain a full house. Students are guaranteed a seat, and even have a chance of ending up in the front row for only $10. Particularly for ensembles that perform in larger halls where some seats are less desirable because of obstructions of view, offering rates compatible to the student rush tickets for anyone who comes in the day of the concert and is willing to sit in these undesirable seats will help fill the house.
Location
A third, less frequently implemented demographic target is location. This falls under "Place". Music of the Baroque*, a sixty piece orchestra specializing in Baroque era music, has a grant from the Wallace Foundation to conduct research and analysis geared towards identifying potential audience members from high-density housing developments that are within walking distance of the Harris Theater, where Music of the Baroque performs. Music of the Baroque has identified 28 buildings in the downtown area and has specially targeted these buildings for receiving special materials and discounts in paper as well as online. Many of the residents in these buildings are empty nesters that can appreciate the concerts being in close proximity; thus this program will also draw new audiences to other events hosted by the Harris Theater, which is usually frequented by a younger crowd.
Music of the Baroque is not only making use of targeting methods in this instance, but is improving community relationships as well. They are focusing on building relationships with staff members in these buildings as well as residents. Targeting by location, while somewhat limiting diversity when similar people inhabit the same building, helps spread information about the arts out to people who might never have had the opportunity for that exposure. People who have no prior history with the arts but happen to live near the Harris Theater are given an opportunity to try something new and to share the information with others.
*(the info on MoB comes from an interview with Roslyn Modzelewski. Director of Marketing and Communications of Music of the Baroque February 27, 2008
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Saturday, April 18, 2009
The Smothers Brothers!
So last night was a pretty monumental moment of my life. I drove 3 1/2 hours with my parents to Wabash Indiana (kind of near Fort Wayne) to see the Smothers Brothers. A little background...
My parents are a little on the old side and their parents were even more so. Instead of taking his kids to Disney World, my grandfather took them to Yellowstone. My dad thought it was a great idea and did the same thing. He also inflicted his interests in music on us. While some of it is pretty bad, one thing we all liked were the 1960s folk groups he listened to. So we listened to the smothers, and they became a family tradition. Not only can I sing along with the CDs we have, but I can time the jokes just right and love to walk around saying things like "What do you need an exterminator for!!!!!"
So we went to Wabash to see them and it was like being at a meeting of the Hoosier AARP group, but I had a great time. We hung around afterwards and noticed that a group of the venue's VIPs were getting led into the Green Room for a meet and greet. I learned over the years that it never hurts to hang around and see what you can do. So after most of the people had exited out a stage door, i went in that door and asked the cop if there was any chance he could let me in. I said that even though I wasn't a VIP, I was probably the youngest person in the entire place that actually wanted to be there and wasn't dragged there by my family.
And the reason I believe they were so huge? Because they were funny. I think that the most successful people in the world are people who know how to make others laugh because you rarely will find someone who DOESN'T like to laugh.
It's personality and character that draw people to the Smothers and while their act is based specifically on that, the idea can work for any performer. If you have a small chamber ensemble, there's no reason that your audience has believe that they are all extremely serious musicians that don't have any fun. If you can find a way to let the personality come through either in a performance or some sort of talk-back, then people will feel a stronger connection with your group and a stronger desire to be a part of your organization.
While any arts group that is surviving obviously is full of talent, the best ones are those that merge talent with character and provide a well-rounded entertainment experience.
My parents are a little on the old side and their parents were even more so. Instead of taking his kids to Disney World, my grandfather took them to Yellowstone. My dad thought it was a great idea and did the same thing. He also inflicted his interests in music on us. While some of it is pretty bad, one thing we all liked were the 1960s folk groups he listened to. So we listened to the smothers, and they became a family tradition. Not only can I sing along with the CDs we have, but I can time the jokes just right and love to walk around saying things like "What do you need an exterminator for!!!!!"
So we went to Wabash to see them and it was like being at a meeting of the Hoosier AARP group, but I had a great time. We hung around afterwards and noticed that a group of the venue's VIPs were getting led into the Green Room for a meet and greet. I learned over the years that it never hurts to hang around and see what you can do. So after most of the people had exited out a stage door, i went in that door and asked the cop if there was any chance he could let me in. I said that even though I wasn't a VIP, I was probably the youngest person in the entire place that actually wanted to be there and wasn't dragged there by my family.
After waiting outside in the lobby for a while the last of the VIPs and employees left. A man in a dark suit waved me backstage and there I was with Tom and Dick. The Suit told me they just had time for a quick picture, and I didn't want to push my luck so I didn't stay to chat. But they took a couple pictures w
ith me and were very nice. They tried to do different poses and the Suit took an action shot that looks like Tommy's trying to grope me. So it was a pretty awesome night. But why am I writing about it in this blog you might ask? Well very few of my friends may know who these guys are, but they were pretty huge back in the day, look them up.
ith me and were very nice. They tried to do different poses and the Suit took an action shot that looks like Tommy's trying to grope me. So it was a pretty awesome night. But why am I writing about it in this blog you might ask? Well very few of my friends may know who these guys are, but they were pretty huge back in the day, look them up.And the reason I believe they were so huge? Because they were funny. I think that the most successful people in the world are people who know how to make others laugh because you rarely will find someone who DOESN'T like to laugh.
It's personality and character that draw people to the Smothers and while their act is based specifically on that, the idea can work for any performer. If you have a small chamber ensemble, there's no reason that your audience has believe that they are all extremely serious musicians that don't have any fun. If you can find a way to let the personality come through either in a performance or some sort of talk-back, then people will feel a stronger connection with your group and a stronger desire to be a part of your organization.
While any arts group that is surviving obviously is full of talent, the best ones are those that merge talent with character and provide a well-rounded entertainment experience.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Second Post: Conducting Interviews!!!! (you're doing it wrong!)
First of all, someone mentioned that only Blogger members were allowed to comment, so I fixed that.
Okay so if you work at a non-profit of any sort, you're going to have to conduct an interview because at the very least you need free labor from interns, and maybe even some not-so-free labor from real employees.
Well here's the deal. Major corporations have HR people who's ONLY JOB is to recruit and do interviews. It's pretty safe to say that these people can tell based on a 5 minute phone or 10 minute in-person interview who's perfect for the position and who is not. Heck I bet some of them are good enough to be able to tell if you'll fit for the job just by hearing your voice. (although that would suck for me since I sound like a 12 year old on the phone).
So you're not an HR interviewing whiz.....so why do you call a potential intern up and ask them these 5 questions that tell you NOTHING about whether they can do the job or not.
1. Tell me why you want to work for my company? (ie. tell us why we're awesome)
2. Tell me your life goals (such a dangerous question...)
3. What can you bring to our organization (waaayyyy too broad)
4. Tell me 3 positive and 3 negative things about yourself
5. What do you hope to gain from this internship (this is almost the same as question #1!!)
I can't count how many interviews I've had just like this...and of course not gotten any of the jobs because they didn't learn anything about me!
Before I continue, I'm not saying that all arts orgs are like this. Some have given me great interviews and others have redeemed themselves after crummy phone interviews with great in-person interviews. The main point here is that most marketing directors or devo directors looking for a summer intern have never had to do an interview before and have no time to really figure out how to get the most out of one.
When you are the interviewee, nothing is more frustrating than knowing what facts you want to share, and never getting a question that gives you an opening, or a break to bring that info up.
If you are conducting an interview HAVE THE RESUME IN FRONT OF YOU AND ASK SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT IT! Did the person work for a PR firm last summer? GREAT! ask them about it! Even if you don't know which specific questions are best, give the person a chance to tell you stories about their experiences.
Give your interview-ee some infor about the position. Tell them a little about some of the projects and ask what they think or what they've done that's similar. Don't ask them to tell you about a time they were a leader, look at the resume and ask what leadership skills they used in their position as store manager at Dairy Queen.
This post is getting long, but just do some research. While I recognize the importance of asking the "Tell me how you stay organized" or "describe your attention to detail" questions, you really aren't going to get a good picture from the answer they give. A certain theatre that DID hire me as their intern asked me a better question. "Tell me how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich." Yes, it sounds crazy, but I answered as only my mostly Type A self could, and they got a much better clue than if I'd said "I'm VERY organized"
Plus, if your applicant is way too "normal" or "cool" to be working in the arts, this question should help you figure that out.
Okay so if you work at a non-profit of any sort, you're going to have to conduct an interview because at the very least you need free labor from interns, and maybe even some not-so-free labor from real employees.
Well here's the deal. Major corporations have HR people who's ONLY JOB is to recruit and do interviews. It's pretty safe to say that these people can tell based on a 5 minute phone or 10 minute in-person interview who's perfect for the position and who is not. Heck I bet some of them are good enough to be able to tell if you'll fit for the job just by hearing your voice. (although that would suck for me since I sound like a 12 year old on the phone).
So you're not an HR interviewing whiz.....so why do you call a potential intern up and ask them these 5 questions that tell you NOTHING about whether they can do the job or not.
1. Tell me why you want to work for my company? (ie. tell us why we're awesome)
2. Tell me your life goals (such a dangerous question...)
3. What can you bring to our organization (waaayyyy too broad)
4. Tell me 3 positive and 3 negative things about yourself
5. What do you hope to gain from this internship (this is almost the same as question #1!!)
I can't count how many interviews I've had just like this...and of course not gotten any of the jobs because they didn't learn anything about me!
Before I continue, I'm not saying that all arts orgs are like this. Some have given me great interviews and others have redeemed themselves after crummy phone interviews with great in-person interviews. The main point here is that most marketing directors or devo directors looking for a summer intern have never had to do an interview before and have no time to really figure out how to get the most out of one.
When you are the interviewee, nothing is more frustrating than knowing what facts you want to share, and never getting a question that gives you an opening, or a break to bring that info up.
If you are conducting an interview HAVE THE RESUME IN FRONT OF YOU AND ASK SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT IT! Did the person work for a PR firm last summer? GREAT! ask them about it! Even if you don't know which specific questions are best, give the person a chance to tell you stories about their experiences.
Give your interview-ee some infor about the position. Tell them a little about some of the projects and ask what they think or what they've done that's similar. Don't ask them to tell you about a time they were a leader, look at the resume and ask what leadership skills they used in their position as store manager at Dairy Queen.
This post is getting long, but just do some research. While I recognize the importance of asking the "Tell me how you stay organized" or "describe your attention to detail" questions, you really aren't going to get a good picture from the answer they give. A certain theatre that DID hire me as their intern asked me a better question. "Tell me how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich." Yes, it sounds crazy, but I answered as only my mostly Type A self could, and they got a much better clue than if I'd said "I'm VERY organized"
Plus, if your applicant is way too "normal" or "cool" to be working in the arts, this question should help you figure that out.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Ahh the inaugural post
After that hefty introduction under the title, I don't know where to start. I guess I can do a little free PR for the places that have molded me into the wannabe arts administrator I am today.
I graduated last May from DePauw University in Greencastle Indiana. I majored in Music Business because I play the flute, but did not want to be an unemployed performance major (the joke's on me on that one) and I didn't want to teach. DePauw is a great school and I'm glad I went there, but the music business program is one of the oldest in the country...and hasn't done much to update itself.
My best internship/marketing experience has been the time I spent with the Chicago Chamber Musicians. In the 2 1/2 years since I was their intern they have been doing SO much with marketing and audience development and I'm very excited for them. I've done internships with the Harris Theater and learned a lot there and am currently Special Events intern at the Chicago Children's Theatre.
I did my Senior Thesis in college on Audience Development in Chicago Arts Organizations. I did some book research, but the majority of my research involved calling people up, reading marketing plans they sent me, and sometimes going in for interviews. I learned a lot of neat things from this expeience, and more importantly I learned that a lot of these marketing people had NO CLUE what all the other marketing people were doing. I'll save the ideas I got out of that for another post.
So basically all these experiences I've had, and the struggle I've been going through trying to get a job (I keep getting rejected for older people with "more experience") have led me to this blog. I need to vent my frustration a little bit, and show the world (and remind myself) that I do know what I'm talking about. I might not have 15 years as Marketing Director at FancyPantsTheatreCompany under my belt, but I have new ideas and am not so burned out I'm going to give up on them.
I graduated last May from DePauw University in Greencastle Indiana. I majored in Music Business because I play the flute, but did not want to be an unemployed performance major (the joke's on me on that one) and I didn't want to teach. DePauw is a great school and I'm glad I went there, but the music business program is one of the oldest in the country...and hasn't done much to update itself.
My best internship/marketing experience has been the time I spent with the Chicago Chamber Musicians. In the 2 1/2 years since I was their intern they have been doing SO much with marketing and audience development and I'm very excited for them. I've done internships with the Harris Theater and learned a lot there and am currently Special Events intern at the Chicago Children's Theatre.
I did my Senior Thesis in college on Audience Development in Chicago Arts Organizations. I did some book research, but the majority of my research involved calling people up, reading marketing plans they sent me, and sometimes going in for interviews. I learned a lot of neat things from this expeience, and more importantly I learned that a lot of these marketing people had NO CLUE what all the other marketing people were doing. I'll save the ideas I got out of that for another post.
So basically all these experiences I've had, and the struggle I've been going through trying to get a job (I keep getting rejected for older people with "more experience") have led me to this blog. I need to vent my frustration a little bit, and show the world (and remind myself) that I do know what I'm talking about. I might not have 15 years as Marketing Director at FancyPantsTheatreCompany under my belt, but I have new ideas and am not so burned out I'm going to give up on them.
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