I Like To Do Business With “Out Of Box Thinkers”

I always preach about “thinking outside the box”.  As marketers we should always be thinking this way.  I enjoy working with people who think this way.  Why, because it makes marketing fun. This in turn makes what I do enjoyable.  None of us should work in a field where we don’t enjoy what we do.  I don’t say “I work for a living”.  I say “this is what I do”.  If it becomes work then you need to change fields.  When you cut deals, isn’t more fun to cut some really cool new promotion?  Doesn’t pitching the same deal over and over get boring?

I am working with Craig Peters http://www.ckpcreative.com on the Thomas Live on Stage tour.  Craig is the “tech” marketing guy in our group.  He understands the web and how to market in the social network space.  He is one of the many great “out of the box” marketing gurus I have the pleasure to work with on this tour.  Everyone associated with the marketing of this tour loves marketing and is not afraid to try stuff.  “Failure is not in trying something.  It is not trying” (oh no I am writing a quotable).  Craig is a big Twitter fan.  He understands the marketing and PR uses with Twitter.  Craig put out a Thomas Live ticket giveaway promotion on Twitter.  Check it out http://tinyurl.com/agwjkb.  I like this because it was a free, easy, and a “no brainer” promotion.  It is also “out of the box thinking”.  The cool marketing effect will be how this small promotion spreads throughout the Twitter community.

The Academy Awards

I actually enjoyed the awards show last night.  Yes, some of it should have ended up on the cutting room floor but I did stay up to watch the whole thing.  I am always happy when my favorite movie of the year wins.  They got it right with Slumdog Millionaire.

 

Friday Free For All

Ain’t nothing but a party

Last night the J. Geils Band including Peter Wolf opened the new House of Blues in Boston.  I can’t think of a more perfect Boston band to open the joint.  I hear that it was Don Law that made that happen.  Of course the place was sold out.  They had TV coverage on all the local news broadcasts.  This morning it was in all the newspapers and again on local news.  HOB placed a full page (tab) color ad in the Boston Globe entertainment section announcing the opening with the great lineup of upcoming acts.  They are also running top of page banner ads on Boston.com.  Not a bad marketing plan for a concert promoter (only kidding).  Oh, and I guess my invite “must a got lost”.

And the winner is…

It will be interesting to see how the TV ratings are for the Academy Awards Sunday night. As I mentioned in the past, the movie industry is kicking ass right now.  I am rooting for Slumdog Millionaire.  Award show ratings have been dropping like a rock lately.  Let’s hope they put on a better show then the Grammy’s. 

A few comments from the past week

From It’s A Package Deal posted 2/18/09

Good post and I personally find it relevant because we’ve been working hard at completely reworking how our ticketing system handles packages so we can offer as many options as possible. We’ll currently be able to offer series packages, flex package (pick 5 of 10 events, etc.) and standard discount packages. Packages really are a great way to keep people coming back to the venue and should be used as much as possible.

Chris Auman

http://www.eventticketingsystems.com

 

I think it sounds like a smart idea – given the economy. People will definitely keep going to see entertainment – the depression bears that out when movie lines were longer than ever for escape value. But they cannot afford to KEEP going if it’s pricey.

 

If packaging can give them a substantial family discount (understanding that ancillary sales in the venue help re: making that up) then the venues can stay full. Everything is price sensitive now so anything that helps reduce cost will be attractive to an audience that needs diversion.

 

Barbara

http://www.bpmediarelations.com

 

From Do You Want To Trade? Posted 2/17/09

 

Joe,

 

Great Story! Barter is great and I am trying to float that concept.

 

Did you see that we sold Santonio Holmes winning Super Bowl catch gloves in a Reebok sponsored auction for $70,200.00!!!

 

Not bad for 10 days exposure.

 

Speak to you soon.

 

Stan

www.cmarket.com

www.biddingforgood.com

 

 

From Fees, Fees, Everywhere A Fee posted 2/06/09

 

Why is it that people in the live event industry don’t understand basic marketing?

 

Consumers want to know what they’re paying.  They want one price. 

 

Why not simply calculate the “ticket” price, any additional fees that are required, present the consumer an “all-in” price when they purchase, and then split out the correct proceeds on the back end to the venue, promoter, manager, artist, etc? Why is this so difficult to do?

 

Anonymous

 

 

Have a great weekend!