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Tag Archives: orchestra
20 Orchestral Orgasms
Updated count: 32 (see comments below) Beatles producer George Martin famously called the gigantic crescendo of the Lennon-McCartney song “A Day in the Life” an orchestral orgasm. Last month Rolling Stone named it #1 of the top 10 Beatles songs. … Continue reading
Posted in Amusements, Lists
Tagged beatles, day in the life, orchestra, orgasm, programming
9 Comments
Why I Market Classical Music
Sure, there are easier things to do. I’ve marketed candy, cigars, nuts, lighters, gasoline, travel and education. All were easier. But music can change lives. It has thrilled mine. Music carries deep, otherwise-inexpressible meaning. 35,000 years ago our species was … Continue reading
Posted in Calls to Action
Tagged audience, marketing, mission, orchestra, programming, strategy
2 Comments
What I’d Like to See Orchestras Provide Audiences: 10 Words Over 10 Days
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 … Continue reading
Posted in Calls to Action
Tagged audience, consumer, marketing, orchestra, programming, strategy
8 Comments
Tom Holm of Enertex Tells How to Grow Your Audience
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 … Continue reading
Posted in How To's, Thought Leaders
Tagged audience, direct mail, marketing, orchestra, single tickets, strategy, subscription, target
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How to Hire an Orchestra Marketer
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.
Posted in Essentials, How To's
Tagged hiring, management, marketing, orchestra, strategy
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Social Media Doesn’t Trump Direct Marketing: What the Rule of 40-40-20 Means for Orchestra Marketers in 2010
In the 60s direct marketing expert Ed Mayer popularized the 40-40-20 rule. He claimed 40% of a mailpiece’s success depended on the list, 40% depended on the offer and 20% depended on other factors including design. Check the Numbers Yourself … Continue reading
Posted in How To's
Tagged audience, consumer, design, direct mail, marketing, orchestra, segment, social media, strategy
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How to Cut—and When to Add—Orchestra Marketing Dollars
The Danger of Across-the-Board Cuts Over the last two years virtually all orchestras have cut spending to balance the budget. In many cases they’ve used across-the-board reductions. This can have the negative effect of further reducing ticket revenues by more … Continue reading
Posted in Essentials, How To's
Tagged accounting, budget, expense, financial analysis, lifetime value, management, marketing, orchestra, revenue, single tickets, symphony
1 Comment
A Social Technology to Market Every Orchestra. No, It Isn’t Twitter or Facebook.
Twitter and Facebook get the headlines. InstantEncore may be more important for orchestra marketers. I’m not saying to forgo Twitter or Facebook. Each of them is useful for orchestras. Indeed, InstantEncore makes it easier to use those sites and others … Continue reading
Posted in Calls to Action, Resources, Thought Leaders
Tagged drakos, facebook, ford, instantencore, management, marketing, online, orchestra, social media, strategy, symphony, twitter, website
1 Comment
A Map of Social Media for Orchestras
I’ve put together a diagram of the social technology landscape designed with orchestras in mind. If you work at an orchestra or other performing arts group, leave your name and address below and I’ll send you a poster free of … Continue reading
Why Everything’s Fine in Classical Music. Including the Pain.
[This was originally posted at the League of American Orchestra's microsite, R/Evolution, before the June 2010 League Conference in Atlanta] Everything’s Fine Everything’s fine in classical music. Let’s celebrate today’s terrific musicians, the best ever. Professional music-making isn’t a cushioned … Continue reading
Posted in Calls to Action
Tagged audience, consumer, management, marketing, mission, orchestra, programming, social media, strategy, symphony
2 Comments
The Third Reason Orchestra Marketing Is Difficult: Multiple Work Styles
In previous posts I identified two ways in which orchestra marketing is unusually challenging. First, the discipline involves a wide range of functions. Second, the job demands managing a year-long subscription campaign at the same time it requires numerous in-and-out … Continue reading
Charlene Li’s Upcoming “Open Leadership” Can Teach Orchestras How to Manage Social Media
Charlene Li sent me an advance copy of Open Leadership: How Social Technology Can Transform the Way You Lead, to be released May 24. Thank you, Charlene. In 2008 Li co-authored Groundswell, which illustrates the nature and power of the … Continue reading
Posted in How To's, Resources, Thought Leaders
Tagged groundswell, leadership, li, management, marketing, orchestra, organization behavior, social media, strategy
2 Comments
Reason 2 That Orchestra Marketing Is So Difficult: Dual Periodicity
Orchestra marketing demands two sets of complex skills related to the marketing cycle. We manage a series of seasonal promotions. And we manage an annual campaign. Simultaneously. In-and-Out Promotions Think of the seasonal aisles in your local drug store. At … Continue reading
Posted in Lists
Tagged campaign, management, marketing, orchestra, promotion, single tickets, strategy, subscription
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Reason 1 of 3 That Orchestra Marketing Is So Difficult
When I entered orchestra marketing I thought turning sales results upward would be easy. After all, I’d succeeded over many years in many businesses. And in that work and in my schooling I’d benefited from wonderful mentors. Surely the practice … Continue reading
Posted in Lists
Tagged challenges, management, marketing, orchestra, strategy, tasks
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What the Dalai Lama Can Teach Orchestras About Direct Mail
The Dalai Lama wrote me. He called me a dear friend. The Classic Direct Mail Package His letter is part of a classic direct mail package without a brochure on behalf of the International Campaign for Tibet. It turns out … Continue reading
Posted in Essentials, How To's
Tagged dalai lama, direct mail, envelope, form, letter, mailing package, marketing, orchestra, premium, reply, subscription
2 Comments
Ten Great Marketer-Musicians
I assembled a list of ten musicians who market themselves beautifully. I realized in the process how this became a list of great musicians regardless of marketing. The Gustavo Dudamel / Los Angeles Philharmonic / Walt Disney Concert Hall / … Continue reading
Forty Years Ago We Marketed Webern
Forty years ago the Cincinnati Symphony and Decca Records marketed Webern’s Passacaglia, Mennin’s Canto, William Schuman’s Tripych and the Dallapiccola Variations as orchestral showpieces. And the orchestra performed them as showpieces, too, with that most mainstream of conductors, Max Rudolf. … Continue reading
Posted in Calls to Action
Tagged cincinnati, marketing, orchestra, programming, rudolf, symphony, webern
2 Comments
When Orchestras Emulate Madoff
Every year one or two orchestras make news by closing their doors. They cancel the rest of the season. There’s no money for creditors. Tickets for future concerts become worthless. It’s rare that it’s an orderly process. May that never … Continue reading
Posted in Calls to Action
Tagged accounting, fraud, management, orchestra, ponzi, stanford, voysey
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How the Orchestra Marketer Can Choose Target Segments
We can integrate consumer marketing and orchestra marketing language with a unified view of market segments. That puts us in position to select target segments and to allocate resources to marketing tasks. How Does It All Fit Together? When I … Continue reading
Posted in Essentials, How To's
Tagged audience, consumer, loyalty, marketing, orchestra, repeat, segment, subscription, target, ticket, trial, usage
2 Comments
