Advertising a New Recieving Venue

[Bainesey]

Cheers paul that is a massive help, thank you

Phil

 

Ok, I'll do it! You need to determine if you are booking acts direct, or are you using an agent. Many small theatres don't have dedicated people for this kind of thing, so work with a local or simply reliable agent who looks for the right stuff for you. My experience is that they usually look for the right stuff for them. Many of the available programming don't use third party agents, so as they are not going to get commission, they don't book them. Put into this position, the best thing to to is to research venues of similar capacity and size and see who is on their programme. Log into their on-line box office and check how their sales are doing for each show. Obviously, you need to consider how long before the show date it is to get comparisons. Avoid the low bookers, list the popular stuff. Next thing is to find out who represent these shows and then provide them with available dates that you can see (by research) might fit into their tour. Don't be afraid to phone up the agents or even the acts themselves if you can find contacts.

 

Read the stage reviews each week, if you find certain things you think could be useful, then again look for reviews - all this stuff will help you form opinion, and then you need to consider if a deal is possible. Some may want too much. If you can fill the venue at a good ticket price, then you will know if 20% as a split is enough. If you can't take less than 30%, then some may be swingable - others will just say no, they don't want to come.

 

Is that any use for a start?

Paul

[paulears]

If you can find one anywhere - get a copy of Francis Reid's book Theatre Administration. He wrote it when he took over the Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds, and discovered after all his lighting experience - as the boss, he had to start from the ground up. It's a really excellent non-lighting book, and a real shame the publishers aren't interested in a reprint. I have to admit I learnt an awful lot from it. We all read the lighting books, but there's even more useful info in the Admin book, because I guess it's a subject that most people have to pick up on the job. It's a tiny path of the education system. For anybody who did BTEC, the business unit that everyone considered DULL covered very similar lines to those discussed in Francis's book. I wonder why!

[WiLL]

Immoderately dressed young ladies have always played a pivotal part of the advertisers arsenal.

 

 

<- my tuppence worth.

 

 

Failing that get an unemployed person to stand on the corner holding a massive sign saying 'free ipads!' directing people to the theatre whereupon they will indeed receive a free ipad on the condition that they also book a 6 week run of a touring successful sell-out show at the venue. Money paid up front of course.

 

 

There is probably a reason why I never went into marketing as a career though. Is there a marketing technicians forum?

[Damian Jay]

Just a quick addition to Paulears post "If you can find one anywhere - get a copy of Francis Reid's book Theatre Administration."

I just typed into Amazon uk Theatre Administration and they have about 8 pre-owned copies in. Condition ranges from Very Good to acceptable :-)

 

Damian

[Jivemaster]

Get a calendar and put blocks in for fixed items. Get another sheet for what you can find that's touring at the moment through theatres of your scale, List what fits your calendar from those touring and locate their bookers. Sort out soem seasonally fixed items (eg Panto) Offer some slots to Amdram. Get some standard lists of available kit at your place so that potential bookers can sere clearly what is available. Get rider friendly kit where possible.