Plugging the Holes before Filling the Barrel – part 3 – “Real Identity Cards”

In about 45 minutes, we can connect with each of our audience members on a personal level.  These programs have had a big impact, not just on the audience members, but on the musicians also….

First a quick story.  In April 2004 I was a a candidate to be the Music Director of the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra.  My concert with them was the last concert in their 21st anniversary season.  They’re an extraordinary group of musicians.  Since they were celebrating a milestone, after intermission I asked those in the orchestra who had been there since the beginning to stand.  I then asked those in the audience who had been there all 21 seasons to stand also.  There was a warm and extended applause for these pioneers.  At the reception afterward, I asked some of the charter members of the orchestra if they’d had any interaction with the original audience members.  To my surprise those who I asked had not met any of them!  21 years and they had never met?  I don’t think it is their fault in as much it’s a fault that the personal connection seems to be a low priority in our business.  I have read in more than one place that we are there to serve the composer!  I am of the belief that we are not in the music business, we are in the people business!  I resolved along time ago that I want myself and the orchestra to have a personal connection with as many in the audience as possible.  I want the audience to be a group of friends, not a group of patrons.

In Mastercard terms here is what we do in Springfield:

• Number of  households that subscribe:  around 800 households
• Number of musicians  in the orchestra for our holiday concert: 70
• Number of holiday cards written by each musician: 11 or 12
• Time it takes to write a holiday card and seal the envelope: about 2 minutes
• Total time it takes each musician: about 20-25 minutes
• Goodwill it brings us from every household that receives a card: Priceless!!!!

We’ve been doing this for four seasons now and it’s simple to organize and implement:

• The office prints off all the labels and sticks them on the envelopes with the blank card inside.
• They are divided up and handed out at a rehearsal and every musician simply writes the card to the person(s) on the label.
• They are collected up and then sent by the office.

There are many musicians who now take the cards home because they are wanting to write longer messages, and they bring their completed cards to the next rehearsal.  It’s becoming more personal!

I find in my mail at holiday time many cards from businesses or insurance companies that are just printed cards, or that have obviously just been passed around a table to sign without even a greeting at the top.  We wanted it to be much more personal for both the musicians and the recipients, and every year I hear from many people just how much the cards are appreciated.  Each year the recipient is likely to get a different musician writing to them because they are handed out randomly, although there are a couple of musicians who now request names!

I know I wrote we need 45 minutes and this takes around 20 -25 minutes.  For the other 20 minutes we lifted the idea of  fan appreciation day at the ball park by placing musicians at the entrance doors to the auditorium for the last performance of the season.  With two musicians at every entrance, there is ample opportunity for audience members to stop and chat, or just to greet.  Smiles all around and the musicians had their instruments with them, so that those who met them could identify them more easily in the orchestra during the performance.   We are going to do this every year.

The key to these kinds programs is sincerity.  There’s no talk of renewal, donations or support, just a genuine “hey thanks, we appreciate you” from us to them which is almost always reciprocated.  We don’t tell the musicians what to write on their cards, it’s up to them.  I think of an audience member who renews their subscription as someone who wants to continue their friendship with us.  The point is that a personal connection can only bring you closer to your audience, so that they become your friends, and your friends for life!

In case you missed it in a previous post, our renewal rate was 97% for this season and for part 4 of this series I will write about the 3% that didn’t come back and how most of them are still really with us!