What I’d Like to See Orchestras Provide Audiences: 10 Words Over 10 Days

August 24th, 2010 § 8

We have more orchestras with better-trained musicians than ever. Yet these marvels of precision bleed anxiety over the future. Most of that anxiety centers on revenue. In my view, possibly because of our focus on commerce, the artistic product needs reinvention. Orchestras are like General Motors in the early 70s, still humming along but with the seeds of destruction long sown.

Over the next ten days I’ll list ten things I believe audiences don’t get from their orchestras. While I’ve already made up that list, please feel free to add your own things.

1. Art (Last Word, for September 2)

The art of music.

Clive Gillinson, formerly of the London Symphony Orchestra and now at Carnegie Hall, says, “Follow the music.”

Over the last two years orchestras have cut costs repeatedly and deeply.  Let’s cut costs, not ambitions.

Michael Kaiser of the Kennedy Center and The Art of the Turnaround reminds us constantly to plan meaningful artistic projects rather than get caught up in the short term. With today’s financial pressures his advice is more important than ever.

Look at the excitement this year when the New York Philharmonic staged György Ligeti’s Le Grand Macabre. Our audiences hunger for meaning. Let’s create it for them. That’s our mission. » Read the rest of this entry «

Tom Holm of Enertex Tells How to Grow Your Audience

August 18th, 2010 § 0

It’s always a challenge to bring in new single ticket buyers, isn’t it? Let alone broaden your subscription base.

Extend Your Reach

Your house list is your best source for audiences. And trades with other arts organizations can supplement that list. Are there other ways to boost your mail campaign? I asked Tom Holm, Vice President of Enertex Marketing, who managed my lists for many years.

Even though your own customer list might be large enough to achieve your direct-mail quantity objective, it is very risky not to market to fresh blood as part of each direct mail campaign. Orchestras and other arts organizations around the country are reaching out to new audiences from sources such as the following:

Obtaining lists from such national non-profits as Sierra Club, National Trust for Historic Preservation, and Nature Conservancy—obviously names only within your market.

Finally, nationwide music lists.  These examples range from members of BMG CD Club with a classical music interest, to the Metropolitan 
Opera, to the New York Philharmonic, again only selecting names within your market.

Direct marketing to people who have seen Broadway shows in New York City.   This is most helpful in marketing Pops events and of 
course Broadway shows or concerts with Broadway artists. » Read the rest of this entry «

50 Words for Classical Music Marketers to Rest

August 12th, 2010 § 10

An Age of Puffery

Adam Sherk has statistically catalogued The Most Overused Buzzwords in Marketing and Press Releases. Gregory Sandow has satirized the language of classical music press releases, saying he hopes they die. And the anonymous blog Proper Discord has laid out 10 Cliches of Classical Music Journalism. Why do I find these columns delicious? Perhaps because they sting when I recognize my sins in them.

A Corpus of Corpses

We orchestra marketers have amassed an impressive number of words that no longer mean anything to our audience. We lean toward classical-music jargon, huckstering, and synonyms for perfection which we strangle with overuse. Or we write “magisterial” and other words that we’d never use in spontaneous conversation. May these 50 words and phrases rest in peace.

  1. Amazing
  2. Ambassador [such as "ambassador of the flugelhorn"]
  3. Artistry
  4. Award-winning
  5. Back by popular demand
  6. Beloved
  7. Collaborated with [rather than accompanied]
  8. Critical acclaim » Read the rest of this entry «

What to Write in a Single-Ticket Ad. Yes, It Still Matters.

August 11th, 2010 § 3

The top of a geodesic dome? Or the pupil of the eye?In this day of social technology there’s little attention paid to the ABC’s of advertising. Yet developing an effective ad will always be a useful skill, whatever the medium.

Learn from The New York Times

My first newspaper ads in the orchestra industry were display ads, heavy on visuals and low in detail. Meanwhile, the ads I saw in the Times were heavy in detail, more like listings than billboards. I reasoned that I could learn from the best marketers in performing arts how to make use of expensive space. Indeed, as I consulted existing market research studies and commissioned others, I found their insights pointed me toward a similar style. » Read the rest of this entry «

List Your Orchestra’s Concerts Free: Bachtrack and Eventful

July 26th, 2010 § 2

Have you had calls and mailings from print or online services that charge exorbitant rates to list concerts around the world? Here are two free listing services every orchestra should consider in addition to Instant Encore, about which I’ve already written.

Bachtrack the Future

While Bachtrack’s classical listing service is free, linking back to your site involves a fee. Yes, I know there are only so many hours in the day. And there are other online opportunities to list concerts, particularly locally. Who has the time to do all of them?

You be the judge: TrafficEstimate says BachTrack.com gets 31,200 visits a month. The site calls itself The World’s Best Way to Find Live Classical Music, and indeed its navigation is simple and intuitive. It’s merchandised well on Google. » Read the rest of this entry «

How to Hire an Orchestra Marketer

July 14th, 2010 § 0

Hiring for any position is as much art as science. Choosing an orchestra marketer can be especially difficult. Understanding the dimensions of that choice can frame the decision within our orchestra’s true needs. » Read the rest of this entry «