Synopses & Reviews
If you are a performing arts manager, marketer, educator, student, board member, or consultant, you will find this book indispensable.
Standing Room Only is a comprehensive, newly revised, and up-to-date sourcebook of marketing strategies and techniques for theater, music, dance, and opera organizations. It presents the ideas and information you need to attract and engage current and potential customers effectively and efficiently today and into the future. This book combines proven marketing wisdom with viable new ideas and approaches that will help arts organizations improve their practices and impact and realize their artistic missions.
In Standing Room Only, Joanne Scheff Bernstein guides readers to understand performing arts audiences, provide excellent customer service, conduct market research, comprehend the complexities of pricing strategies, and engage audiences. Bernstein discusses ways to develop loyalty while subscriptions are declining, people want to choose exactly which performances to attend, and competition for leisure time activities is on the rise. In this era of changing customer values and a highly dynamic business environment, Bernstein offers strategies for long-range marketing planning and advises readers how to leverage the Internet, email, and social media as powerful marketing tools.
Bernstein presents vivid case studies and examples that illustrate her strategic principles in action from organizations large and small world-wide—strategies that will ensure that the performing arts will prosper in today's rapidly changing social, economic, digital, and demographic climate.
Review
'Bernstein's book is equally valuable to professional arts managers who are looking for solutions to their marketing problems as it is to students who want to learn arts marketing principles for the first time. But what makes this book unique is that Joanne truly believes in the fundamental greatness and power of the arts to positively affect the people and society. She challenges us to believe in it too, and then tells us how to effectively communicate that greatness to our potential audience.' —Miho Ito, Arts Bridge, Inc. (Tokyo)
'The best 'crash course' in audience development in the arts there is. If you're a busy executive, you owe it to yourself to read it. You'll find compelling strategies and tried-and-true techniques, and you'll quickly see why this should be required reading for all new hires, as well as your Board. Don't reinvent the wheel—find out what really works!' —Eugene Carr, Founder & CEO, Patron Technology
'In this second edition of Standing Room Only, Bernstein includes a new paradigm for engaging consumers through social media, website development, online ticketing, blogs, email and mobile phone marketing. A compelling read and a global 'call to action'—compulsory reading for all involved in marketing the arts.' —Jennifer Radbourne, Emeritus Professor, Deakin University, Australia
'An extraordinary guide for every marketing manager who wants to develop arts audiences. Anyone interested in the value of marketing in the arts should not miss this book.' —Lanfranco Li Cauli, Head of Marketing, Piccolo Teatro di Milano, Italy
'Having already devoured the first edition of Standing Room Only, there is a wealth of updated and new information in the second edition. A great guide to all aspects of marketing. It's like having your own consultant sitting on your bookshelf.' —Andreas Mitisek, Artistic & General Director, Long Beach Opera / Chicago Opera Theater
Synopsis
First published in 1997, Standing Room Only has long been considered the marketing bible for theatre organizations. The collaborative effort of two professors from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Business, it has consistently been one of the top-ranked business schools in the US. Standing Room Only combined practical advice for creating a strategic marketing program and maintaining a successful performing arts organization with innovative examples from real theatre organizations around the nation were harnessing the marketing tools at their disposal to achieving rewarding benefits. Its lessons are internationally applicable and easily adaptable to the organization type (theatre, opera, ballet, etc.).
In this revised edition, Bernstein will bring the work up to the digital age, cutting the concepts that are no longer as viable in today's market while providing much needed guidance for navigating the possibilities of the internet. From online ticketing options to marketing options in social and mobile media, the new edition provides a framework to effortlessly transition into the online market. It also reveals the innovative ideas other theatres have already successfully integrated into their marketing plans, including the Joffrey Ballet's use of Groupon to expand their outreach and effectively work their pricing strategies to attract a whole new level of patrons.
About the Author
Joanne Scheff Bernstein was coauthor of the acclaimed first edition of Standing Room Only and author of Arts Marketing Insights. One of the world's leading arts marketing authorities, she is a well-known educator, arts manager, and consultant to the arts management community. She was Professor of Business Institutions at Northwestern University, taught arts management at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management, has taught at Bocconi University in Milan and was a Fulbright Senior Scholar at the Helsinki School of Economics. She has been a frequent speaker across the United States and internationally, including engagements in Seoul, Tokyo, Moscow, Sydney, and Copenhagen. She served as executive director of a symphony orchestra and a dance company, and has consulted extensively with diverse non-profit arts organizations.
Table of Contents
Introduction
1.The Performing Arts: History And Issues; An Ongoing Crisis? A Growing Crisis?
2.The Evolution and Principles of Marketing
3.Understanding the Performing Arts Market: How Consumers Think
4.Exploring Characteristics of Current and Potential Performing Arts Attenders
5.Planning Strategy and Applying the Strategic Marketing Process
6.Identifying Market Segments, Selecting Target Markets, and Positioning the Offer
7.Conducting and Using Market Research
8.Using Strategic Marketing to Define and Analyze the Product Offering
9.Managing Location, Capacity, and Ticketing Systems
10.Delivering Value and Maximizing Revenue Through Pricing Strategies
11.Identifying and Capitalizing on Brand Identity
12.Formulating Communications Strategies
13.Delivering the Message: Advertising, Personal Selling, Sales Promotion, Public Relations, and Crisis Management
14.Harnessing and Leveraging the Power of Digital Marketing Methods
15.Building Audience Frequency and Loyalty
16.Focusing on the Customer Experience and Delivering Great Customer Service
17.Audiences for Now; Audiences for the Future