tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33812369.comments2024-03-10T05:16:28.207-05:00Arts MarketingChad M. Baumanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11006981818882000169noreply@blogger.comBlogger301125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33812369.post-5038817473953839442013-07-25T15:51:28.962-05:002013-07-25T15:51:28.962-05:00I think you were in my Financial Adaptation "...I think you were in my Financial Adaptation "Home Room" at the TCG conference? If it was you, I apologize that I didn't realize you were the author of this blog that I love! Congrats on your post and looking forward to hearing more from you soon. Sarah Frazierhttp://www.playco.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33812369.post-58856336763679315842013-04-24T06:19:53.111-05:002013-04-24T06:19:53.111-05:00Chad, I quoted this article in a podcast episode. ...Chad, I quoted this article in a podcast episode. Really love this thought experiment. Not sure if anyone will talk about it in the comments, but wanted you to be aware just in case. http://soldoutrun.com/episode004/Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15319278105690163784noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33812369.post-55346955736190703692013-03-04T19:16:24.799-05:002013-03-04T19:16:24.799-05:00Hi James,
We done market research that has cost a...Hi James,<br /><br />We done market research that has cost a few thousand dollars up to around twenty thousand dollars depending on the complexity of the task. If you can afford it, I'd definitely recommend a research firm as they are worth the investment. If you can't, I'd suggest holding focus groups on your own and using a free survey company like survey monkey.<br /><br />ChadChad M. Baumanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11006981818882000169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33812369.post-30252632828300805632013-03-04T12:17:52.115-05:002013-03-04T12:17:52.115-05:00What was the cost of that market research? This ad...What was the cost of that market research? This advice may be fantastic for a $30m organization, but in my market, the largest producing theatre (a term I use loosely) is only $8m and the one I work for is $1.4m.James Knoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33812369.post-89240402010287438462013-02-05T12:30:28.359-05:002013-02-05T12:30:28.359-05:00Hi Erik,
Great couple of questions. Let me answer...Hi Erik,<br /><br />Great couple of questions. Let me answer the second one first. The political climate in DC doesn't change, even if we have a Republican President. For example, in 2004, 89% of DC residents voted for John Kerry. DC is overwhelmingly Democrat, and that doesn't change with administrations. That said, when we do see turnover in the White House, we see some turnover in our subscription base as Presidential appointees change. I have heard from other DC theaters that their sales are down this year because of the election year, but it doesn't seem to have affected us as our sales are up. It is hard to purchase media in election seasons, particularly in a swing state like Virginia, because you are competing for very limited inventory (particularly on television).<br /><br />To your first question, I think this previous post might answer it:http://arts-marketing.blogspot.com/2011/09/subscriptions-dead-maybe-not.html. It is along the same lines as this blog post, but a little more tactically oriented.<br /><br />ChadChad M. Baumanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11006981818882000169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33812369.post-44278508540828235842013-02-05T10:06:10.225-05:002013-02-05T10:06:10.225-05:00Chad this is a great post! Lots of wisdom, and I&#...Chad this is a great post! Lots of wisdom, and I've had a hunch that subs weren't dead especially considering that the baby boomers are now of subscribing age, which to me means there are more fish in the lake than have ever been (not that I know anything about fishing).<br /><br />Question: you say that "<br />if our customers still want subscriptions and our subscriber base is rapidly declining, then the way we sell, market and promote subscriptions if fundamentally flawed (it should be noted that we also tested satisfaction with artistic product and found that was not a challenge for us). In short, we were killing subscriptions. <br />"<br />So outside of artistic product, what was Arena Stage doing to kill subscriptions? That is, what were you doing outside of your equation for success?<br /><br />Also separately wondering if you find the political climate in DC has any effect on your subs or single ticket revenue. I can't help but notice you lost 40% of your subscriber base during the two terms of a particular individual. Not placing blame on a political party, of course, but maybe climate? Madison, WI encountered something similar during the Gov Scott Walker protests. <br /><br />Erik Schroeder <br />Director of Marketing<br />Lookingglass Theatre CompanyAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17033811057254417385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33812369.post-62703720216993747562012-09-12T17:30:50.560-05:002012-09-12T17:30:50.560-05:00I think that crowdsourced curating is just a place...I think that crowdsourced curating is just a place on a spectrum and is not a new wave. <br /><br />There has always been a wide variety of choices from fine art accessible to a limited audience versed in the vocabulary of that art, through popular entertainment. <br /><br />And there will always be a place for the introduction of more challenging work from the non-mainstream by curators who use tools to give non-experts access to experience and appreciate it.<br /><br />In theater, we do have an old school way of presenting popular entertainment, and that's the blockbuster touring shows. Contemporary methods of figuring out what shows people want to see might change how those shows are chosen, but it's the same principle.<br /><br />There remains a need for audiences who are more interested, but not actually in the field, to find an accessible curated way to learn about and have access to less mainstream work.<br /><br />It's a kind of slippery slope to always follow the audience demand - one will necessarily end up with the most watered down work.<br /><br />I think the following of "friends", though, is another form of curation. Somewhere two or three degrees away from you, is someone who does have more expertise and does try more challenging work, and does the work of the critic for you. But it remains an influential few - whether the critic with a readership, or the friend of a friend, who has a "readership" of hundreds through the circles of their social networks.<br /><br />In the corporate world, Apple is an example of a heavily curated product, where Jobs made clear and limiting choices about product design and function. No consumer feedback or choices went into shaping his products, as they do with Microsoft or Android products for example. But that doesn't seem to stop customer demand.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07412585991176814287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33812369.post-12890232022294432002012-09-10T17:55:31.477-05:002012-09-10T17:55:31.477-05:00Nice article. I follow what you post because I’m a...Nice article. I follow what you post because I’m also in marketing – but my experience is in CPG, Shoppers and B2B. I’ve never done Event/Arts Marketing and am fascinated by the dynamic.<br /><br />That is to say: in what I’ve marketed the product goes TO the consumer through distributors to retail outlets. In E/A marketing – the consumer has to come TO the product: there’s a seat to be filled. <br /><br />Plus, most CPG are essential – E/A take discretionary income: so NOT a mandatory: I NEED bread, yogurt, razor-blades, I don’t need (in the same way) a concert or a play. (unless, being uninformed, these things are not considerations for E/A marketers?)<br /><br />Still, fascinating. And Thanks! And I look forward to reading more about E/A marketing from you. <br />kimmchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07922538610108859590noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33812369.post-36223278225805404092012-08-27T02:39:33.238-05:002012-08-27T02:39:33.238-05:00Last year I met some French friends in New York Ci...Last year I met some French friends in New York City, and we visited (among other things) the wonderful Natural History Museum in Central Park. In the dinosaur exhibit, they had this nifty little kiosk which took live videos of museum guests and then placed their images into a funny little video about a NY taxi cab being attacked by a tyrannosaurus rex.<br /><br />The resulting video was so cute, we of course entered in our email addresses so that the kiosk could email the video files to all of us. Well, as you can imagine, that cute video signed us up to a year's worth of email marketing messages from the museum! Which, frankly, were well written and interesting, except that I live in San Jose, CA and have few occasions to revisit the museum. <br /><br />But what an innovative method for getting contact info from museum visitors!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04283666627340868111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33812369.post-81025463385699676712012-08-23T11:32:50.093-05:002012-08-23T11:32:50.093-05:00So very true. There is no one solution that fits a...So very true. There is no one solution that fits all. Jenni Rebecca (Fresh Arts)http://www.fresharts.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33812369.post-67907128300245115462012-07-20T21:51:56.196-05:002012-07-20T21:51:56.196-05:00It's so refreshing to know that I'm not th...It's so refreshing to know that I'm not the only one thiking this way. I'm new to the non-profit arena and have be tasked with building strategic partnerships within the organization that I work. There are BIG goals on the table, but what I find to be a short sighted vision for how to get there. When aiming big and laying foundation for future success, there has to be balance between achieving short-term financial goals and investing in programs and relationships that will benefit the future. Performing arts organzations especially are on edge in doing so due to the nature of our 'product'. When the focus is on the bottom line all the time, it's hard to focus time and money on a project or program that may not provide direct revenue. Certainly avoiding risk saves money, but without keeping in mind a comprehensive vision in making decisions, we limit our ability to continue to lay down foundations upon which new support can be built. Adjusting to changing economic climates is second-nature for any educated business person. A smart business person ajusts successfully, but considers the long-term reprocussions of every decision. What saves you a penny today might cost you a dollar tomorrow. It's a shame how even those at the top fail to see the picture in it's entirety. Focusing on numbers alone to guage the success of an organization provides instant gratification but it doesn't do anything to build a support system for the future.Melanienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33812369.post-67400676518890981732012-07-18T13:46:07.441-05:002012-07-18T13:46:07.441-05:00This is a great article. I cannot agree more. Ther...This is a great article. I cannot agree more. There has been so many occurrences where the smaller theater near me gives out tickets to promote interest in the arts. Unfortunately people take the tickets as free way to occupy their time. The recipients of the free tickets don't respect the art for what it is. I am trying to bring more art related content to Boston. I found a lovely website that offers great deals on <a href="http://aniceticket.com/Theatre" rel="nofollow">theater tickets</a> . I even love their name; aniceticket.com. The people involved in the shows deserve praise and rewards for their efforts to bring the arts back into the public eye. I hope your theaters do well.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13331973835634314063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33812369.post-28674001672748212802012-06-28T10:49:51.233-05:002012-06-28T10:49:51.233-05:00Excellent information. Your site definitely explai...Excellent information. Your site definitely explains essential concepts to its readers. Thanks for continuing to write such wonderful articles.Dr. Vaughan Dabbshttp://www.drdabbs.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33812369.post-35673738411888177762012-06-04T12:04:47.380-05:002012-06-04T12:04:47.380-05:00This was really interesting food for thought and w...This was really interesting food for thought and we referenced it in a blog post we ran today, "Arts Organizations and Social Media: Collaborators or Competitors?" http://blog.cdginteractive.com/my_weblog/2012/06/arts-organizations-and-social-media-collaborators-or-competitors.htmlCDG Interactivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10521336852010624287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33812369.post-87846492206381416422012-04-21T21:59:24.247-05:002012-04-21T21:59:24.247-05:00Hi Tori,
Several years ago, a large consulting fi...Hi Tori,<br /><br />Several years ago, a large consulting firm told me that the best retention rate you could expect is 90% because of lifestyle changes and death. In my experience, 80%+ renewal rate is very good. At Arena Stage, our full season subscribers renewed at a rate of 88%.<br /><br />ChadChad M. Baumanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11006981818882000169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33812369.post-67211679514631604892012-04-20T09:11:48.482-05:002012-04-20T09:11:48.482-05:00Hi Chad. I really enjoy following your blog. As so...Hi Chad. I really enjoy following your blog. As someone in my first official arts marketing position, you are a wealth of information!<br /><br />That said, please excuse my ignorance. You said that at best subscription retention is 80% for theaters. Where did you get this figure from? Is this just from your experience, or did you read this somewhere? If so, what is your source? I'm in the process of planning my theater's marketing for next season and am looking for a place where I can find information regarding "industry standards" for things like customer aquisition and retention, just to see how we stack up, so I'll know where our starting point is, and where we should be. Thanks for your help!Torinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33812369.post-75846819405137877142012-03-01T14:02:54.106-05:002012-03-01T14:02:54.106-05:00Hi Chad,
What is your stance when it comes to Vol...Hi Chad,<br /><br />What is your stance when it comes to Volunteer Tickets? In my organization, we typically give a volunteer a complimentary ticket to the performance they are working. We will typically seat them the day of the show in an available seat. Do you offer complimentary tickets or tickets at a discount for volunteers? I am just curious as to where you draw the line for providing incentive for community developmentholcombrockerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04610715739026920692noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33812369.post-51023476243017905752012-02-07T06:16:51.762-05:002012-02-07T06:16:51.762-05:00"Once they have an exceptional first time art..."Once they have an exceptional first time artistic experience, art becomes an option and then we work to get them addicted."<br /><br />I absolutely love that statement. Make sure to WOW them in the first experience, and then start to build the relationship. Great in depth food for thought.Debbie @ Work Your Arthttp://www.workyourart.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33812369.post-46885073163650523772012-01-30T13:09:17.241-05:002012-01-30T13:09:17.241-05:00I LOVED your last paragraph. AMEN!! =DI LOVED your last paragraph. AMEN!! =DRachel Polinghttp://rachelannpoling.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33812369.post-88700604778736784232012-01-16T23:57:02.035-05:002012-01-16T23:57:02.035-05:00Thanks so much for responding, Chad. I absolutely ...Thanks so much for responding, Chad. I absolutely agree that healthy competition drives theatre companies to do better work, and that support and competition can coexist in the arts community. <br /><br />I also share your desire for an arts environment where audiences are choosing between two theatres rather than between theatre and movies/TV/streaming Masterpiece Mystery on Netflix. <br /><br />And I wonder how theatres (large regionals and small companies alike) can strike that balance between healthy competition and supporting each other and consequently the theatre community of DC. <br /><br />In case I never say it in 140 characters, I'm very glad that Arena has such a responsive marketing person.Steve Spotswoodnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33812369.post-74995181347712865362012-01-16T17:44:54.456-05:002012-01-16T17:44:54.456-05:00DC arts Board chairs may be a step ahead of your N...DC arts Board chairs may be a step ahead of your New Year's resolution. Several years ago, we created the Arts Chairs and Presidents Organization (Arts CAPO). This organization of Board leaders from the region meets several times a year to address common problems and work towards a common good.<br /><br />As one of the founders of Arts CAPO, obviously I agree with you that we all benefit when the community collaborates. But I also agree that it is a competitive environment, and it's shortsighted to believe they we don't think of our own institutions first. When only 10-15% of residents attend theater, this is just a reality.Mark Shugollhttp://www.shugollresearch.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33812369.post-29601839369197759222011-12-20T18:15:12.863-05:002011-12-20T18:15:12.863-05:00Chad- I'm fascinated by the system you have de...Chad- I'm fascinated by the system you have developed using algorithms to determine the customer/patron value, and the integration of donor history and ticket sales history. I'm wondering what your thoughts are on ways for smaller companies to scale these ideas down for scenarios when a Cadillac level software system and expensive consultants are out of reach; or, as in the case of many New York area theaters, the ticket sales function is outsourced to a company like Telecharge, ovationtix, etc?Greghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15641903635886388021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33812369.post-30586844720003874102011-12-20T13:51:14.794-05:002011-12-20T13:51:14.794-05:00I just watched the livestream recording of Scott S...I just watched the livestream recording of Scott Stratten's opening to the NAMP. I'm so excited to have found it and watched it. <br /><br />What was deeply impressed on me from his speech was just what you pointed out in your post here. Arts communities have a serious problem with customer service. An area where we could be super stars!<br /><br />Just wanted to pop in and say a belated ditto. :)Rachel and Annie Polinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17741932213470081883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33812369.post-89865596863215299142011-12-16T16:20:47.489-05:002011-12-16T16:20:47.489-05:00Tony,
In my experience, exchange fees are assesse...Tony,<br /><br />In my experience, exchange fees are assessed for two reasons:<br /><br />1) Exchanges usually occur at the last minute. Sometimes they cannot be avoided, and other times they are requested for convenience. Either way, when a theater has a sold out performance, and a ticket is returned at the last minute, often times that ticket remains unsold or has to be sold at a significant discount (i.e. a rush ticket). In exchange, the patron gets a ticket for a future performance that most likely would have been sold at full price anyway. So an exchange can actually cost theaters more than 50% the face value of the ticket. Even a very modest exchange fee will encourage customers to commit to a date. If a theater were to completely eliminate exchange fees, patrons would purchase tickets for dates they weren't fully committed to, and would exchange frequently. Given that each exchange could cost a theater a significant amount of revenue, it would be a losing proposition.<br />2) The value proposition of a subscription is based upon subscribers getting the best seats in the house at the best prices with the maximum amount of flexibility. Theaters reward subscribers for their loyalty with certain benefits, and one of those benefits is complete flexibility by providing no cost exchanges. If a theater were to remove fees for everyone, they will lose a significant subscriber benefit. In my opinion, loyalty programs should be in place to reward patrons for subscribing.Chad M. Baumanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11006981818882000169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33812369.post-59410486840673061202011-12-16T14:09:27.120-05:002011-12-16T14:09:27.120-05:00What would happen if instead you didn't charge...What would happen if instead you didn't charge people a change fee?Tony Adamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02141675073979325374noreply@blogger.com