Okay, I accept the fact that social media is a fundamental part of how we as individuals (and the institutions we work for) communicate with and engage segments of our audience. I’m so convinced of this that I even began using Twitter a month or so ago and already have over forty brave souls who are following along @JimHirsch1953.
Recently the daily deal sites have been getting a huge amount of attention and a number of us have dabbled in using them to find new audience members. This is probably good news for people looking for arts events on a budget, but I’m not so sure that it is serving the organizations that use them. Unless you figure out how to get the people who signed up for your event through Groupon, Living Social, or one of the other services to join your email/mail list, you really have no way of encouraging repeat business. Plus, you have offered a pretty steep discount to get them in the door.
Is this a good business practice? One other question. What is the best use of social media for our classical music organizations? Who is doing this the best in your opinion?
One last quick plug. The Chicago Sinfonietta is performing a free concert in Millennium Park on Sunday, August 14th at 6:30 pm. Here’s a link to our new Music Director Mei-Ann Chen discussing this free concert. Join us!
Comments
Facebook & YouTube Go Around the World
Wed, 9/7/2011 - 12:57pm — Elmhurst Choral...London Symphony uses photography at Facebook. They tour, and sometimes use tour photography in their posts. Nice way to remind their fans of upcoming performances nearby.
And having 33,000 fans sure helps them have a real conversation, too.
What we've noticed in a small way is that YouTube gets classical music (and maybe even your ensemble's name) out to all over the globe. Fellow YouTube posters can "subscribe" to your channel. The few subscribers who've found us hail from around the world. I don't suppose we will see some of those distant fans at our next concert, but increasing the buzz for classical music is a good thing, anywhere.
Gail Mrozak
Elmhurst Choral Union
Ticket Pricing, Building Audience, Sustainability
Wed, 8/10/2011 - 1:21pm — WandererI become increasingly convinced that Groupon and similar sales techniques are only marginally effective at improving the overall sustainability of an arts organization. This view is also shared by an increasing number of arts managers from theatre Managing Directors to symphony orchestra Executive Directors. Here's what the story is:
1) Using Groupon, you're basically selling a ticket for 75% off the retail price.
2) Many if not most of the people who buy those tickets are already aware of you and your product. They're just hunting for a bargain. You're not getting any NEW patrons for your steep discount.
3) You're doing irreparable damage to your brand. No one will ever again want to pay full price once you tell them you're willing to take 25% (which is what you get after Groupon takes it's slice of an already 50% discount.)
4) Arts fall more into a luxury category than a commodity category. When one combines dinner with friends before or drinks after a ballet, symphony or theatre performance, this is a big deal, not a quick trip to the corner deli for a pastrami on rye. If you sell your performance as something special, people are more likely to pay a premium for it. If you're selling a soggy tuna fish sandwich wrapped in celophane, that's what people will pay for.
In conclusion, find a way to make a performance by your organization the really special occasion it is and worth the price you need to charge to make it happen. Leave Groupon to the massage parlors and nail salons that seem to be an increasingly large part of their business.
Milan Vydareny
Odradek Theatre Company
Groupon
Wed, 8/17/2011 - 2:28pm — Jim HirschHi Milan,
Thanks for your thoughtful post. I tend to agree with you, especially about the potential brand damage. Which of us faced with large quantities of unused seats hasn't either been tempted, or in fact implemented a discounting scheme to get something out of the unused inventory. I have been guilty of that. We all believe in our art so much that we often think that if people are simply exposed to what we do they will soon become repeat buyers. Probably a bit of wishful thinking. Still, we have all heard the stories about the Art Institue or the Joffrey Ballet attracting thousands of new customers using Groupon.
Jim
Good Examples
Tue, 8/9/2011 - 9:38pm — Elmhurst Choral...On Facebook, one of the best is out of town--London Symphony.
YouTube is the best friend small and regional performing arts groups has. If your organization has good video (thanks to the City of Elmhurst and Comcast, we do), get a YouTube account. There's nothing like a sample!
Although a good part of our mailing list does not have (or doesn't frequently use) email, for those on our email list, a few emails per year take them to a "secret" page on our website with a mp3 concert excerpt to download...or just listen.
Whether or not using discount groups is a good idea depends on many factors, including an organization's structure and venue capacity.
But who am I to talk? Seems to me that the performing arts marketing books on my shelf have good examples by some guy named Hirsch. Think we can get his opinion?
Gail Mrozak
Elmhurst Choral Union
Social Media
Wed, 8/17/2011 - 2:33pm — Jim HirschHi Gail,
Thanks for the reference to some of my past transgressions. Your points about YouTube and other channels are spot on. I'll definitely check out the London Symphony Facebook page. Please share with us any other results the Elmhurst Choral Union sees using new media. I think its really important to find examples as my sense is that we are still all trying to figure out how best to approach out brave new digital world.
Jim
Different sets of clothing
Fri, 7/20/2012 - 9:47pm — AnonymousDifferent sets of clothing can explain the different identities of the people. Actor subject to the restrictions and disposable clothing, subconsciously play the various postures and movements, the dancer is also true. For example, wear ballet skirts, tight-fitting T-shirt will make people think ballerina length. This feeling will help prevent the illusion of a ballerinas waist fragile, the actress for wearing a short skirt legs completely exposed and adds a charming, knees and feet is naturally naturally taut. The dress, the lines of the actress wearing heave naturally become more scene, waist can be twist, but also more knee action. Give rise to the use of the attitude of the dress perfect flowing elegant feel. Thus, the costumes, intentionally or unintentionally does affect the appearance and movement of the dancers. Knee no wrinkles, starched pants make your legs in a dignified, upright feeling; knitting good quality, beautiful tight-fitting short tunic, high-necked long-sleeved leotard or shirt will make dancers look seems to have been dressed set properly, and ready to dance. Clothes collar shape and even make the neck seem to shorten or lengthen. For example, the collar of the polo shirt will make those shoulders high, or wide extraordinarily ugly, will wear this shirt to feel restless and engaged in amateur dance activities. Cut circular skirt for fullness of the hips is disastrous clothing, the poor quality of the hem should be condemned. The ideal situation is nothing to undermine the lines adidas climacool ride of the body of the dancer, neither chose the wrong color did not put on the hypertrophy of the sleeve or skirt. It should be remembered that even the belt bundle too tight will also make the diaphragm around the waist side, hips waist and lower part of the protruding to the detriment of the slender sense of the original shape of the trunk; Remember, too, training or rehearsals, not to bring watches, bracelets, earrings and other trinkets, because these things can only play a hamper and will give rise to the unpleasant feeling. I do not advocate that as long as the appearance like a dancer, all problems can be solved, but merely to illustrate the costumes of the actors they appeared to give rise to brilliant and impressive, not messing around unconventional "feeling something that is not an advantage. Some dancers in advance ready to encounter many difficulties and troubles, but With the emotions of not passed. Some really negative student injury or inevitably negative point of minor injuries, wearing a wool short-system socks on their ankles, arms and waist tightly sleeve with sportswear, short on their ankles wearing wool socks, arms waist tightly sleeve with sportswear, sore throat around the scarf. The results of the truth drew a sketch diagram of a hodgepodge of knitwear huddle together. From the mental state of these students is morbid self-pity, or to take such an attitude is more like: you should be feeling sorry for me, because I am on this lesson, extreme pain of body, but due to my physical strong top down. Really hurt should get treatment and bandaging (bandaged ankle, for example, the dressing method have the correct and incorrect). Training, the body of course should be kept warm, but should never be in a show off strength or efficiency of the state of the poor. Sometimes inappropriate wear entirely due to lazinesss sake, resulting in students the appearance Wowonangnang class, seems to be wearing old clothes from the auction to buy a pro. Students if you feel sharp, can not see them dressed up as what a funny image, the best way to stop them so dress may be teachers in their childhood during the training, adhere to the students clothing uniform, strict implementation of clothing neat regulations. To do so, may prevent and limit the development of the students character, the best way, of course, is early for them to instill some of the aesthetic, before we can allow students to choose the color and style of dress, and hope that they will not abandon previously cultivated taste. Tight-fitting trousers: I personally, I am strongly opposed to a tight black shirt and trousers, because to put it, will make the shadow of the legs, loss of stereoscopic, and teachers from this three-dimensional in order to better observe the students muscle activity. Many actresses wearing tight black trousers causes the body to look slim, which can convince me. Even if this is the case, the tight trousers of female students or actress wearing the colors in the classroom, a large mirror or dance on stage for nike heels their own shape, because the body is untrue can not derive much benefit. In my opinion, the best is the fitness of their anti - trained in the classroom every day, not because of the decorative lost three-dimensional sense to ensure that the shape of real theatrical. Wool tights or leggings stockings, elastic nylon tight-fitting trousers outside, dancers will not really feel warm. Carried out to help the practice can be put on the these things, and a brief rest in the rehearsal stay to wear, but always think too many body wool and the like. Too dependent on external things to obtain comfort mistaken these things are heating a necessity nike dunk heels to the neglect of the muscle itself when doing preview the fever. In general, the cooling of the skin surface, the blood in the whole body circulation is relatively fast and natural, normal way of conveying nutrition to the muscles, and dancer himself on this point the most judgment. Done to help take off before the middle of practice after practice started doing Leggings Stockings, if his legs suddenly chills and fatigue, then they know they are doing to help the practice equal in vain, in other words, equal to that nor practiced Gong. Easy to sweat in order to lose weight and put on a thick layer of tight-fitting trousers, you must be careful not to over-use of this reliable method. Rubber or nylon underwear particularly hazardous, because wearing the underwear, the skin is difficult to breathable, sweat a lot but the muscle but does not produce heat, there the danger of this jeremy scott panda situation not only increase the dancers were injured, but also actor body decay of the physical to be serious devastation. Sweating was natural, normal physiological phenomenon, equal to the actor who painted a layer of oil, so that their performance is faster, but over-rely on a lot of sweat to make the body slim method is effective is very slow, because after a fierce practice after drinking a glass of water, just excreted liquid back to the internal body. I do not advocate the wearing of track and field apparel, not only because of my practice in these mast loose legs under all kinds of sloppy habits of action will mysteriously slipped quietly go, but also because the pants do not like to wear pants suits stickers, clothing always hinder hinder hand. Regardless of their size much, and regardless of this cloth is more than enough flexibility to do the knee movement, the knee will be under pressure, kick thigh muscles will be under pressure. Only in this sportswear in the rest of the rehearsal intermittent wear, but do not wear wet Lulus sportswear. The high-necked long-sleeved leotard: actress according to their interests choose to wear the tights. The light color is the most touching, the most suitable for dance professionals. Dance performances, of course, need to wear pink tights, and light-colored, clean T-shirt. Perform in front of the black curtain, clothing to wear this color is especially important. If wearing black, the audience would be difficult to identify her. By the same token actor should also avoid wearing black or dark-colored practice clothes, and around them must have a clean white vest, shirt and short-system socks so that frequent replacement of the practice of the day. The vast majority of actresses not wear tight trousers underneath something else, because they want to reveal the physical, high-necked tights the bottom, tight body, then the bottom, will damage the leg line wear panties under tights United States; upper body only in the chest need to be set off when put on a bra. Actresss chest is quite flat, which is born high because their chest, so I always try to let the tall chest; or because they have done a lot of jumps caused contraction of the chest? The actor needs to wear weave a very good lower body Body, from the training should specifically sell dance supplies store to buy this kind of thing. Some actresses wear elastic lower body Body (sometimes referred to as a cummerbund). The habit of wearing lower body Body Although gradually disappeared, but I personally do very strenuous lifts, generally refers to the pas de deux, The Body is a supportive structures of the lower abdomen, it is recommended. The initial beam with cummerbund women actors so I often will have suppressed the feeling this is because they are not correctly applied the sake of the pelvic strength. Therefore, wearing a light weight, elasticity and lower body Body, from the point of view of performance skills is good. The other rules are: never with a pin and patch tools do the clothes, because a pin from the top of the outside done stabbed partner; not allowed to can abrasions others for the belt or buttons; actress can not beam flexible in belt from the waist, it will slide into the ribs, the actor will not be able to find the clean and jerk she can hold her place; to wash Liangong Fu, and to ensure personal hygiene, jordan high heels do not carry the fragmentary, the tip-shaped decorations. So that the above section, everything went smoothly. Hair treatment: the actress class or rehearsal, combing their hair with different hairstyles differ, this treatment is correct. Hair beautiful and in ideologically to keep up with the changes taking place outside this small world of ballet, martial arts is important. The only constant rule is hair no matter to Shucheng what style, we must ensure that does not loose. A request for a hair clips, hair pins, must be firmly fixed to live, guaranteed not to get rid of, if thrown into the eyes of its partner. Beam live the hoop or a handkerchief of the hair to be tied on safely. Is now rarely use the Portal, because most of the actresses have long hair, hair network to tie a knot at the back. Todays mens hair to stay too long, he sought to tie her hair apparatus in order to avoid rotation or jumping, the hair will not cover the face, many of todays actors usually use a strip of tape along the eyebrows and tied to prevent hair scattered , looks very much like the beautiful statues of Mount Olympus. Before the dancers to participate in dance companies should learn how according to the needs of the stage their own hair into a pony a variety of different hair style. In the large opera house equipped with a hairdresser, but not always the case, in the tour, of course there will be no barber followed. The actress will not be alone to deal with their own hair, wigs or head can not be regarded as an expert in the world of dance. Almost all adidas wings shoes experienced actress insert hair pins, others go to their hair is useless, because they do toe action for the first time legislation, no clamping of the hairpin will not only fall, but the head will lost and originally thought that the plug is very tight hairpin very solid contact feeling. People dancing does not wear a hat or wear a wig, and so the barrette should become an integral part of the head. Soft shoes: dancers who wear the most important than the shoes, because shoes if not perfectly suited to his feet, wear uncomfortable, then the performance would suffer. Soft-soled shoes must be appropriate like a second skin. In order to achieve the purpose of fully mastering power, the best soft-soled shoes should be good quality, soft leather, the leather jeremy scott bones than the actor in performance that often wear too soft deerskin more durable. Actor to wear soft-soled shoes made of canvas, light and pleasant and easy to bend very, but in Western countries, this soft-soled shoes are no longer widely produced. Adequacy of the number of shoes is very important, because the wear number is too large shoes to appear Wowonangnang, accident-prone; shoes too small will be rolled sore. Toe shoes: Each actress had to try to wear some toe shoes until you find the most suitable. It again. The shoes must be completely adequate, and not allow the gap into the cotton or rubber. It must be sturdy enough to withstand the pressure of the toes and big toe joint, without toe flexion. Experienced dancers feet will not blister, new actors and actresses only wear too much toe shoes will blister. Shoes too large, toes and shoes, continuing the sake of the upper and lower friction (that is, stand toe toe red standing on the top of the shoes and feet flat station, the heel is back posted in the heel). Nylon tights can also cause human discomfort, causing pain in some parts of the body, in particular, can cause pain in the feet sweat easily. Precautions should be taken to avoid foaming, prevention is better than cure is much more effective. Shoes texture too hard will damage people, because the shoes will hinder feet to do the soft action. I advocate the feeling when you wear toe shoes and put on gloves when feeling done freely, but must have sufficient hardness to prevent toe deformation. It is difficult to look forward to stiff to put on a bad bend the toe shoe feet do the accurate, sensitive action. Things are far from this point, to hear the creak sound when the audience sees the actors across the stage play Shenqingruyan image, because she was wearing a hard toe shoes, like the other bands playing, the overall image to completely destroyed. Flexible things on the seam of the heel to prevent heel off is dangerous, because doing so would limit the heel tendon normal function. If the heel jordan heels requires special security, available resin adhesive. The end of the forging with the shoes than the shoes, the outer end of forging with seam slightly ahead of some longer to make it easier to tie a knot in the exact position. Results can not be directly hit the position of the ankle behind the knot in this place will scratch the Achilles tendon, the statement should be playing in the recess between the tendon and ankle bone. It should also tuck down the bone groove knot has been tuck to other forging with the bottom, totally less than so far. Forging with Xu never crumpled, should keep the flat ground around the ankle. The method is to keep forging with ironing forging taut band around the top nike jordan heels of the bright light bulb. See the lines of tape damage to the feet and legs would be so boring, is no longer selected forging with shiny firm texture and the color of the dancers tights, nylon is not easy man to perceive the belt. It is desirable to sew something at the top of the shoe. Easy, practical method of circular blocks of felt sewn up and use thick cotton yarn sewn. To be sewn full cotton yarn, and finally coated with a layer of glue to the felt block surface wear on the felt block. In addition to protect the uppers, to prevent the split from the toes at the exclusion bound on volume, dancers should take the time to become familiar with her shoes, keep shoes. This good habit has been popular in Europe, to the 1950s, a very small number of actors and students are willing to spend so much time on the shoes. Fastidious nature of the masters of shoes, of course, will not be weakened, ill-fitting shoes causes pain issue complain the sound has not been reduced, in fact, the fate of toe shoes just as clothes bought just to wear today, every little will no lingering to throw away. A main actor in a on performance in three acts, ballets wear out three pairs of toe shoes are not unusual. Todays manufacturing toe shoes not to wear; many actors have forgotten as long as the to dress slightly Beware point and alternately wear, shoes, life can be extended. Toe shoes will soon be a little wet feet sweat to confused weak, can be used old newspapers to go into, to maintain the kind of the same shoes, and after a few days later will be able to once again have the adidas jerey scott wings support foot. All the actors are the possession of a few pairs of shoes (old and new) so that rehearsals can replace the use of The following cases seem to have an important sense: the period from 1939 to 1946, the toe shoe is extremely difficult to buy, was of ballet training and ballet professional with incredible fat feet. Because no new toe shoes complement the old toe shoes because of the use of weak deformation, which of course means that the muscles of the foot deformity to highly developed support without toe shoes can deal with body weight. In most cases, this phenomenon is a disadvantage. Of course, can be used in every way possible to make toe shoes harden, such as with shellac or "hat dye. Regardless of whether it hardens, we used the toes shoes hardened in fact they always worn toe dancing, while the exposed toes. Interesting in that era is this: the actress with fat feet, their toes go faster than todays Ballet actress toes, jump. From the requirements of the classical ballet, the foot of the actresses of that era is not America, of course, there will be exceptions, not all have fat feet. One thing is certain: both the instep is beautiful and the intensity of the long, slim legs, if not put on a good way of supporting leg "toe shoes" will not be able to use foot power. Therefore, the environment is also a fashion to nike heels determine the different types of each generation has grown up dancer.
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