There’s Even An App For Broadway!

The last time I was able to bring the family to New York City and check out a Broadway show was two years ago.  I love Broadway shows. I just never get enough time in NYC to see them.  Anyway, we spent hours waiting in line to buy good tickets.  We did get great seats but at full price.  I commented afterward that there must be a better way. 

Fellow entertainment blogger and Broadway producer Ken Davenport has created a better way.  Of course using an iPhone app called At The Booth.  People who attend shows in NY all know about the TKTS booth. This is the booth in Times Square where you can find discounted tickets to those days shows.  Ken and his team’s app gives you the scoop on what is offered at the TKTS booth plus what is playing on and off Broadway.  From his blog; here are highlights of what the app offers

At The Booth™includes: 

• A list of all the shows available at the TKTS® booth and at what price (both in dollars and percent off – 50%, 40%, etc) updated throughout the day!
• A “line indicator” that tells you how long the line is!
• A full directory of all the shows on Broadway and Off-Broadway, whether they are at The Booth or not, including cast lists, photos, videos, and more!
• A full directory of all of the theaters in NYC, including maps!
• Links to reviews of all the shows!
• Links to full price tickets and discount tickets, just in case your show isn’t at the booth!
• And more!

This is a great example of reacting to our changing world and our customers needs.

People Love Traditions

Last Friday I went to opening day at the Saratoga Race Track in Saratoga Springs, NY.  It poured rain the entire day.  Even with the soaking rain they still had an attendance over 20,000.  Why did so many people brave the elements to attend, tradition.

Growing up in upstate NY, you understand that opening day at the track is kind of like a holiday.  The Saratoga Race Track is only open a little over 6 weeks a year.  At one time it was only open in the month of August.

This one and a half month long event attracts every socio-economic group.  It is one of the only places that the rich and famous openly mingle with your average Joe.  For the most part, no one bothers the celebs.  Everyone is there for the same reason. 

Traditions can overcome recessions.  Yes, they may feel the effects of the economy but a good, long lasting tradition can weather the storm.  

Think about our holidays.  These are traditions.  Even when times are tough, Santa stills makes his yearly ride.  His sleigh may be a little lighter, but he still shows up.  (Sorry, but I had to use the Christmas analogy.  Recently heard how retailers are really pushing the “Christmas in July” theme this year.) 

Jimmy Buffet is still a tradition in many markets.  He knows he is.  He plays the same markets around the same time each year. Outdoor summer concerts in general used to be a tradition for many people.  The amphitheatre business was built on this.  Concert fans couldn’t wait to see the summer lineup. Over the past few years, this has really dropped off.  The reason is because promoters are not treating it like a tradition. These sheds are now just a venue to play a show.  The price of the show has become out of reach for many concert fans.  It’s just not a fun summer night out anymore.

If I ran a summer amphitheatre, the first thing I would do is change it from a venue to a destination.  The key to these sheds is to get repeat business.  Give every music fan reason to go to at least a few times per summer.  Get them excited for the upcoming summer concert season.  I would return it to a tradition.

What’s Your Customer Interaction?

Want to know what I think could be your best marketing /advertising asset?  It’s not traditional advertising like TV, radio, or newspaper.  It’s not new marketing like social media.  Its customer/fan interactions.

There are a few examples that I always remember when it comes to personal interaction with a product.  Several years ago I took the Anheuser- Busch brewery tour while promoting a show in St. Louis.  At the end of the tour, I couldn’t wait to have a Bud or any other AB beer.  Most breweries offer these tours.  This is smart marketing.

If you have ever been to Hershey PA you know they no longer give factory tours.  However, they have created a free Epcot like interactive experience called Chocolate World.  The tour ends at the food/merchandise area.  By the end of the tour, you can’t wait to eat some chocolate.

One of the most successful Ringling Bros. engagements I ever promoted was with a customer interaction promotion.  I took some of the marketing dollars for the engagement and spent it on a menagerie.  This was an opportunity for circus goers to go “behind the scenes” and see the circus animals up close and personal.  To accomplish this, we set up a huge tent behind the arena where we produced the interactive experience.  The circus fans loved it and we broke ticket sales records that week.

Today’s customers want to feel connected to your product.  In the old days we used to market to either the masses or the classes.  Today we need personal marketing.  I know you are saying “that costs way too much”.  But does it really?  The key is for all of us to re-tool our marketing brains. Think about what you are marketing. Who are you marketing too? What interactive opportunity can you offer your customer that will make them crave you?

Today’s PR: What’s The Story?

Do you think today’s PR is easier to manage or harder to manage?  The world of public relations has really changed over the past 10 years. 

Ten years ago the communication tools for PR were limited.  We had press releases that were mailed, faxed, email, or hand delivered.  We had telephones to call and discuss. 

Today we have all of the above plus several more options.  Of course it seems no one waits for the snail mail option anymore.  Why would you when we live in an instant news society.

Today the world of technology has made PR a lot easier to get the word out.  Not only do we have the internet but we have the world of social networks.     But while it’s so easy to get the word out, doesn’t that make it harder to get the message actually read? What makes you special?

I recently went to the retirement party for my parents.  After 35 years they sold their public relations business in upstate New York.  Many of their friends, clients, media, and co-PR peeps came to what was a sort of a roast/tribute to them.  This event reminded me of the two main reasons why my parents were so successful: Relationships and never afraid to think outside the box.

Without the relationships, they would have been just another public relations firm peddling information.  One member of the media told me how he will never forget getting deli platters personally delivered (by my parents) to the news rooms on major holidays. 

PR events and stunts are legendary with my parents PR firm.  They have a knack for dreaming up stuff that will not only drive the media to the event but always get the public talking. Don’t you think it’s cool when PR is the event?

Think about the amount of potential news items the media receives today compared to 10 years ago.  Today, anybody can act like a PR person to get their message out.  Our world is bombarded with constant messages. 

If you handle PR for an event, show, or venue don’t rely on the message or the vessel for the message.  You are still the messenger.  You need to have that face-to-face relationship with the media. You need to create PR events that will create excitement not just for the media but your potential customer.  That is what brings your message to the top of the pile.

It’s How You Look

Anytime you want to know about a company, a brand, or a person, you Google them.  The results usually bring you to a website.  This is the first impression.  What does your website say about you?

I am going through entire website change right now.  As my regular readers know I am changing my core business to meld with culinary.  This requires all new information.  To go along with a new website I am creating a new logo. 

As I go through this process, it is giving me a chance to think about what a potential client will think.  Will they get my business at first glance?  This is really important.  If they don’t, I can lose them before I am even given the chance. 

I believe it all starts with the logo.  What does your logo say about you?  Is it eye appealing?  Does it explain your brand?  As we are building the website, my web people built the home page first without the logo.  They kept asking me what I thought.  I did like the page but without a logo I just can’t see the page.  The home page needs to revolve around the logo. 

We are now working on the logo.  Now that we are really close to having the logo complete I want to see it on the home page.  My guess is that we will need to re-work the page because the logo will change the overall look.

Today, a website might just be your most important marketing tool.  Make sure it tells your story.  Make sure your customer loves it!

Price, Price, Price

The continued buzz in the industry is the lack of ticket sales for many shows and events this summer.  The number one reason I hear from customers is PRICE!

Over the past few years, I have heard industry big shots say the customer will tell us when we have gone too far on price.  Guess what live entertainment world, they are telling us. So why are we ignoring it?

On my wall I have framed some tickets from concerts I went to when I was a teen.  I always laugh when I see the front row tickets to major concerts that were priced at $9.00 in 1981.

I have proposed this before and I bring it up again. We need a big industry pow-wow.  We need artists, managers, agents, promoters, venues, and some of our fans to get together.  We need a makeover of the industry. 

No one in this business likes to leave seats empty.  No one likes to offer discounts or fire-sales.  No one likes to paper the house.  Yet these options are becoming more common than just selling face value tickets.  If a tour goes out with a price point that the customer likes, you will fill more seats which will make up for the difference between current high prices and affordable prices.

How come the concert industry has never embraced group sales? 

It is never too late to fix our problems.  Let’s  show the customers we hear them and are ready to welcome them back with open arms and inviting ticket prices.

Let’s use this blog to start the dialogue on ticket sales.  I invite all of you to give your ideas and feedback.  We are  live event marketers.  We have great ideas and are usually never for a loss of words.  So let’s hear from you!

Ready To Cook Up Something New

As many of you know I have been attending culinary school for the past year.  I am happy to report that I graduated.  Now what?

As I have mentioned before, the goal is to meld the live entertainment world with the world of culinary.  If you think about it, this is an easy goal to accomplish.  Food is not new to entertainment.  Actually, food has always been part of the entertainment world.  In medieval times chefs created huge banquets complete with live entertainment. 

As marketers, we need to always be on the lookout for new and exciting ways to get butts in seats.  Food is always an opportunity to draw people.  You can add culinary to anything you are promoting.  Think about it.  If you are marketing Sesame Street Live you can make cookies with Cookie Monster.  If you are selling Walking with Dinosaurs you can use those Flintstone size beef ribs.  This is the new and exciting stuff I hope to accomplish with my new business.

If we are going to add food to the live entertainment world then we need chefs who “get it”.  This is why I am also creating chef representation to the business.  Even though chefs are considered the new “rock stars” they are different from rock stars.  Putting chefs on stage in front of a live audience is a fairly new thing. Many chefs are not used to this kind of attention.  Who better to bridge this together then a live entertainment marketer who is also chef?

So let’s get hungry together and cook up new ways to fill up our venue seats and our customer’s bellies.