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Volume Two
Issue Four
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This month's featured arts marketer is in fact a group of marketers working together to promote several cultural organizations in Pittsburgh. In this issue, the Director and Assistant Director of Pittsburgh's Shared Services discuss the operation and approach of this unique venture. Read on...
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Featured Arts Marketers: Pittsburgh's Shared Services
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As a department of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, the office of "Shared Services" has created a novel approach to marketing the arts in Pittsburgh.
In the Q & A that follows, Director Mitch Swain and Assistant Director Marian Zalenka shed some light on the collaborative project that has six of the city's major arts organizations working together to promote its cultural scene.
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Q & A with Mitch Swain and Marian Zalenka
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WHAT IS YOUR MISSION AT SHARED SERVICES?
The mission of Shared Services is to improve the financial condition of the participating organizations through collaborative sourcing of commodities and services and joint marketing efforts that lead to increased ticket sales. Our department covers three distinct areas of operation: sourcing, marketing, and ticketing.
CAN YOU TELL US WHO MAKES UP SHARED SERVICES? HOW DO YOU OPERATE TO PROMOTE PITTSBURGH'S CULTURAL DISTRICT?
Shared Services, a department of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, collaborates with six participating arts organizations in the Pittsburgh Cultural District including:
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Pittsburgh CLO, The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Pittsburgh Opera, Pittsburgh Public Theater, and Pittsburgh Symphony
Each month Shared Services meets with the executive, finance and marketing leadership of each group in separate meetings to plan collaborative projects.
In just over three years, we have established formal sourcing, marketing, and ticketing programs that benefit the entire group. In addition to the formal programs, the participants have shared a great deal informally and have learned from one another as District partners with common issues and goals.
WHAT KINDS OF THINGS HAVE YOU DONE IN THE PAST AT SHARED SERVICES WITH E-MAIL AND WHAT KINDS OF RESULTS HAVE YOU ACHEIVED?
With Patron Technology, we initially and very purposely elected to compliment the marketing of all six arts groups by focusing on general news of the Cultural District. This was a good place to start since the groups' common goal is to promote the District as a destination for locals as well as visitors. We made a conscious effort not to interfere or compete with what the groups were doing with their individual e-mail efforts. Feature stories were about new restaurants, shops, galleries, and other events or openings in the District. Using Patron Mail's e-postcard format, we routinely include a list of upcoming performances for all six groups. That list is linked to the groups' websites to provide more detail on the event and to allow the patron to purchase tickets.
Very recently, we began featuring performances as the headlining story. With the marketing representatives' cooperation, we will share the spotlight among the six and agree as a group to a rotating schedule for the feature event.
We have not only helped to brand the District as a wonderful place to visit but have also helped promote all of the participating groups events together. We have added to our list of patrons each month and we have proven to the participants, stakeholders, and ourselves that collaborative competition does work.
AS AN UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION, HOW HAVE YOU FOUND THE RESPONSE FROM YOUR AUDIENCE? ARE YOU ABLE TO REALLY HELP THE INDIVIDUAL ORGANIZATIONS AND IF SO, CAN YOU QUALIFY?
Our marketing efforts focus on promoting the six organizations and the Cultural District in general as a destination. Shared Services is truly behind the scenes. We have been able to help the organizations save over $500,000 annually through joint purchasing programs. We have enhanced the groups' marketing efforts through extensive research and the creation of a customer database that comprehends ticket purchasing behaviors and models best prospects for more effective and efficient direct mail and telemarketing campaigns. The database and other collaborative marketing projects help us all to sell more tickets to performances in the Cultural District. More importantly, we have helped to facilitate working relationships among the six groups.
DO YOU THINK OTHER COMMUNITIES COULD BENEFIT FROM YOUR APPROACH? WHAT ARE THE KEYS TO SUCCESS?
Other communities could benefit from the Shared Services model we have in Pittsburgh. In fact, we have shared information about our model with nearly a dozen communities across the United States. We will be discussing the model in a special session at the upcoming National Performing Arts Convention to be held in Pittsburgh June 8-13, 2004.
The keys to success include gathering input from all participants, transparent processes, fair practices, and patience. None of this is effective, unless there is a strong willingness by all parties to work together. We are fortunate to have leaders in the arts in Pittsburgh who are willing to embrace new ideas and are working together for the greater good.
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Visit the Pittsburgh Cultural District's Web Site
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Register for the National Arts Marketing Conference to win a free ticket on American Airlines
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When you register early for the conference and book your flight through American Airlines you will automatically be entered in AA's Sweepstakes to win a free AA ticket! Sweepstakes winner will be announced at the Conference.
Visit the Arts Marketing Web site for discount and sweepstakes details.
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Click to visit www.artsmarketingconference.org
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If you have interesting and creative initiatives that you would like to have featured or know of an arts marketer that you would like to recommend for one of our upcoming editions, please contact info@patrontechnology.com.
Please watch for the next edition of our Arts Marketer of the Month, coming May 12, 2004.
Note: The CAN-SPAM act mandates that we provide our mailing address which is: 850 Seventh Avenue, Suite 704, New York, NY 10019
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