Ken Davenport - Opinions from a Broadway Producer

The next advancement in scenery . . . none.

A friend of mine who stays up on the latest in all sorts of technology sent me a link the other day for a projection-like company called ViXen, which is marketing a "visual performance system".  Check it out here.

My favorite part of their non-fancy website for such a fancy tech company is this quote:  "We invite any requests or ideas and we will work with our extended community of colleagues to source and/or develop a solution that can accomplish almost any design."

In other words . . . "tell us what you want to do and we're pretty confident we can deliver it."

My early adopter friend suggested to me that there might be theatrical applications for their technology.  "Sure," I said.  There aren't many new shows that open up without a "Projection Designer" on the title page of the Playbill these days. (And we wonder why costs are escalating, we keep coming up with new types of professionals needed on shows, but we're not getting rid of any in the process!)

Remember last year's Tony Awards?  There weren't many sets.  Most shows used a sort of projection/LED combo on a light wall to get their bright-lite-like point across.  And it worked, looking great and saving lots of bucks (not to mention lumber) in the process.

Do you think that we could be on our way to sets being entirely replaced by electronic representations?  In 20 years will it all be projections?  Will every theater come with screens, for you to light up as you wish?

And, will this make it possible for many, many, many shows to share the same space?

Oooooh, now there's the most compelling reason for the adoption of this type of tech in some theaters.  With the flip of a drive, you could have an entirely different "set" of projections for a 2nd or 3rd show that split the rent.

While I don't think sets will ever disappear (nor should they), in the same way that I don't think orchestras will ever disappear (nor should they) no matter how much technology we come up with that simulates the same experience, I do think we'll see a bunch of shows that rely solely on projections in the next 10-20 years.

Seeing a set might be rare.  

But if that's what it takes to keep people seeing shows, I'm fine with it.

 

 

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I spy a new . . . Telecharge.com!

It's been talked about for years, and it looks like the new Telecharge.com is almost here!  And it features 3-D seat maps, video content, and a whole bunch more.

It's in Beta now, so it's not done yet, but the Ticketing Gods over at Telecharge are allowing the public to poke around the new system to see what they think . . . and to get feedback (which I'm counting on all of you to provide in the comments below - I'll then pass it on to them in an effort to make the great work they've already done even better).

Ticketing and accessibility were talked about a great deal at last week's TEDxBroadway, so the t-t-timing of this launch couldn't be better.

Ready to see it?  Are you ready?  

Visit Beta.Telecharge.com.

Then come back and comment on what you think.

Oh, and while you're there . . . buy a ticket to something.  

 

(Got a comment? I love 'em, so comment below! Email subscribers, click here, then scroll down, to say what's on your mind!)

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Got a question about Broadway? Then call the Hotline: 1-855-SEE-BWAY

I talk to lots of theatergoers: in focus groups, at the TKTS booth, in the lobby at Godspell, on the subway, on vacation, and everywhere in between.

It's become somewhat of a hobby.

What amazes me every time I talk to them is how much they don't know.  They're not "dumb", by any means.  It's just that there are a lot of myths, urban legends and just plain bad info about Broadway out there.  And since our industry doesn't have megabucks to spend on public service announcements (or rather, the people with the megabucks won't spend it on public service announcements), a lot of this bad information gets spread instead of getting stomped out.

What also amazes me is how fascinated theatergoers are with talking to someone like me who does know what shows are running, who is starring in what show, how to get the best tickets, what time the TKTS booth actually opens, if Hugh Jackman is as good looking as he is on TV,  and so on.  

After disseminating whatever info I have, I also usually direct them to a website or two.

And here's where it really gets interesting (but not that surprising).

That's when they usually complain about the websites, and the lack of easy-to-find info, the navigation, the ads, etc., etc., and they usually say something like, "Sometimes I just want to talk to a person."

You know the feeling, right?  Ever have a problem with a computer?  An airline ticket?  Something outside of your everyday world . . . and all that you want to do is get a person on the phone who can give you the answer to your question, or steer you in the right direction?

Wouldn't that make your whole process more positive?  Maybe it would even make you want to do more of it?

Well, that's exactly what I thought . . . so then I wondered . . . why doesn't Broadway have a hotline?  Why doesn't it have a toll free number that people can just call to find out stuff?  Ivory Soap has one.  Coke has one.

And now Broadway has one too!

Introducing 1-855-SEE-BWAY, the first ever free Broadway hotline.  

Yep, we created 1-855-SEE-BWAY (733-2929) to help answer your questions about Broadway.

It's staffed by a bunch of the nicest Broadway theater lovers you could ever imagine (they also happen to be my staff, in a very Zappos-inspired "we all answer the phone including the boss" structure), and we guarantee we'll get you the answer to whatever question you have about Broadway theatergoing.  

Need to know what's playing?  Need to know at what times?  Price of tickets?  Suitability for kids?  Location?  Parking?  Restaurants nearby?  Sure, we got that.  And if we don't, we'll get it for you.  Promise on our autographed original cast recording of Company.  

Oh, and before you ask . . . no, we're not selling anything.  This isn't about us trying to make any money.  This is about a service that should exist.  And needs to exist if we're going to grow our audience (just like Zappos increased theirs).  

So starting today, the Broadway Hotline is open for biz.  Call it yourself, or give it to your friends, or write it on a bathroom wall for all I care.

Everyone on my team loves talking theater, so we're just taking turns trying to help theatergoers see more theater.

And when people see more theater, everyone wins.

1-855-SEE-BWAY.

 

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The best selling iPhone apps and what they mean to us.

It's easy to forget that our audiences have lives outside our shows.  They read books.  They go on vacations.  And they download iPhone apps.

And those books, vacations, and yes, even iPhone apps, can tell us a lot about societal trends, and what people are looking for in their spare time.

Today, I decided to look at the Top 10 Selling iPhone Apps of 2011 to see if there was something I could learn from what peeps were downloading.  (And BTW, the sales data of my own app has informed me that more theatergoers have iPhones over the other platforms out there.)

Here are those apps.  How many do you have?

1. Angry Birds
2. Fruit Ninja
3. Angry Birds Seasons
4. Cut the Rope
5. Tiny Wings
6. Angry Birds Rio
7. Words With Friends
8. Camera+
9. Doodle Jump
10. Plants vs. Zombies

So what do 9 of 10 of these apps have in common?

Yep, they're games.  And one camera.  They are not "to-do" lists or alarm clocks or even melon meters (that's a real app, by the way - you bang the phone against a melon in a grocery store and the app detects if the melon is ripe or not by the sound it makes).

They are games.  Designed for fun. 

And if you don't think that tells you a lot about what today's consumers are looking for, well, I've got a melon detector app I can sell you.

But that's not all I get from this list.  There's a marketing lesson in it as well.

Games are going to play a key part in the promotion of products in the next decade, as explained in books like this.  Want to get your people engaging more with your project?  Learn from foursquare, Groupon, and even old school attempts like Publishers Clearing House and . . . game it up.  

Our audiences give us clues as to what they want in their entertainment . . . we just may have to look in other places to find them.  

 

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7 Simple Secrets to Successfully Email Marketing Your Show.

Remember when people thought Text Message Marketing was going to put Email out of business?  "People change their email addresses, but no one will change their phone number," was one of the arguments for the future of SMSing.

And remember when people thought Social Networking was the next sales machine?  Facebook and twitter have their place, but they're nothing compared to a good ol' fashioned email in your inbox.

Email marketing is still the best electronic way to get your message across to previous and potential customers.

But now that more and more organizations, institutions and even individuals have jumped on the email marketing bandwagon, you've got to work extra hard to get your brand to stand out.

How?  

Well, I could write an entire blog dedicated to best practices about email marketing for arts organizations, but I thought I'd start with 7 Simple Tips for you to start with.  Sound good?  

Here we go.

1.  If you build it they will come.

I don't care how you do it (as long as you don't violate any CAN-SPAM laws), but find ways to collect email address of people who want to hear from you.  Fishbowls, in-person solicitations, etc.  You're creative.  You'll find ways to get them to opt in.  But do not just rely on people visiting your website and signing up.

2.  If you keep building it, they will keep coming . . . in greater amounts.

Make it your goal to double the size of your email list every week/month/year (depending on the size of your list).  Email marketing is about volume, thanks to the fascist spam filters that shut out messages that some of your subscribers may actually want to get.  So you've got to get a list of at least 10-20x the number of people that you actually want to respond when you have an offer or info.  Point of clarification:  increasing the size of the list doesn't mean decreasing the quality.  You always want to build with quality people who are interested in what you've got.  For example, getting a vegan to sign up for a meat-lover's site increases your list count, but that subscriber will never be anything but a number.  

3.  Don't manage it yourself.

You're a pro.  Treat yourself like one.  Get a service like Patron Technology, Constant Contact, Benchmark, to manage your list, send your emails, and monitor your statistics.  At DTE, we use and recommend MailChimp (they have this super cool app that allows me to check open rates from my iPhone - yep, I can see how many of this blog's email subscribers open this blog with a click of an app).  

4.  Set a schedule and stick to it.  

Imagine your email marketing is like a publication.  Are you a daily newspaper?  A weekly?  Monthly?  Whatever you are, pick it and stick with it.  People like schedules, so make a pact with yourself and with them on when they will get your content.  This doesn't mean that you can't have "BREAKING NEWS" every once in awhile (In fact, a regular schedule makes a BREAKING NEWS off-schedule email seem even that much more important).  And if you're not sure how often your subscribers want to hear from you?  Well, ask them.  

5.  People send emails, not computers

News flash:  people like to hear from . . . people.  Personalize your emails.  Make them come from you, or your Artistic Director, or your lead actor, or your customer service rep, or your intern.  Whoever you think your customers want to hear from (remember, it's about what they want, not about what you want).  But establish a voice, a personality, and sign those emails from that individual.  It is possible to establish a relationship over email. And then, watch what happens when one of your subscribers meets that individual at an event at your space.  When done correctly, it's an Oprah like reunion.

6.  Check Stats.  Rinse.  Repeat.

Advertising has always been about testing, even the days before technology ruled the media waves.  You try something, you see if it worked, and then you adjust depending on the results.  With email marketing, it has never been more important and never been easier.  Test different subject lines, test sending emails on different days of the week, test different designs, test . . . everything.  What gets a better open rate?  What gets a better click through rate?  What gets a better conversion rate?  It's amazing what you can learn, that you couldn't just a decade ago.  Simply put . . . testing can make you or your org more money. 

7.  Re-Read #2

I can't say it enough.  Never ever stop building your list.  If you only pick one of these tips, make it #2.

 

No matter what the latest communication fad may be, I guarantee that email marketing isn't going anywhere.  Make it a 2012 mission of yours to master it.

SIDE NOTE:  If you're looking to learn more tricks and tips about email marketing, check out this seminar, taught by my Director of Online Marketing, Steven Tartick.   Every time I think I know something about email marketing, Steven teaches me something new.  And his insights have without question added to our shows' bottom line here at DTE.  Click here to learn more.

 

(Got a comment?  I love 'em, so comment below!  Email subscribers, click here, then scroll down, to say what's on your mind!) 

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Sure you know what a QR code is. But do our buyers?

Recognize that squiggly little square to the right, which has sometimes been referred to as "robot vomit"?  Its technical name is QR code, or "Quick Response" code.  It's a fancy, densely filled bar code, capable of holding more info that older scannable symbols.

And they are all the rage.

Ok, well, that's not exactly true.  They are more the rage in other countries, actually, and are slowly coming to life in this country (which reminds me of SMS marketing, which was also more of a marketing phenomenon and never took hold here).  

But they are everywhere.

The question is . . . should they be?  

We went into Times Square and polled 100 Theatergoers at the TKTS booth and asked them three questions:

1. Do you know what a QR code is?
2. Have you ever used one?
3. Have you ever used one for a show or anything theater-related?

The answers?

80% of those polled did not know what a QR code was.

Of the 20% that did know what a QR code was, only 35% had actually used one.

And . . .

Drum roll, please . . .

ZERO of the theatergoers polled had ever used one for a show or anything theater-related.

Probably not that shocking if you thought about it for a moment.

So does this mean you shouldn't have QR codes on your advertising materials?  Not necessarily, because I do think it's important to keep pace with other industries.  It does mean, however, that you shouldn't put a lot of time and resources behind coming up with the fanciest of all e-destinations for your QR users (of which there will be most likely zero) to land.  

In fact, our use of the QR code on Godspell wasn't ever designed for the user of the code.  It was designed as a visual marketing tool for the show.  By incorporating "cutting-edge" image of robot-vomit technology on our display ads, we're able to subtly imply that our classic revival that was written 40 years ago is up-to-date, and cutting-edge on its own.  

Believe me, I'm the biggest advocate of new technology I know . . . but because of that I have to be even more careful about falling in love with the coolest new tech toy on the block and you should too.

Just because you love it, doesn't mean your customers do. 

In fact, you are all tech guys/dolls, right?  Let's take a poll right here.  How many of you have used a QR code?

 

(Got a comment?  I love 'em, so comment below!  Email subscribers, click here, then scroll down, to say what's on your mind!) 

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The era of impatience is upon us.

I walked into a Chipotle yesterday, saw a line about 10 deep, mumbled an expletive that would've miffed my mom, and walked out.

I'm an impatient person.  Always have been and always will be.

But as I turned the corned on my way to McDonalds, I couldn't help but think . . . am I more impatient than I was a decade ago?  Or two decades ago?

The answer is a burrito-sized yes.

Sure, I'm busier than I was a decade ago, and two decades ago I wasn't living in the city, and we all know that New York injects you with impatience upon arrival.

But still . . . and I don't think it's only me.

I think we're living in The Impatience Era.

The last twenty years have given us so much technology that so many things are available instantly . . . and at our fingertips.  News, television shows, and yes, even burritos, all seem to be "on demand."  

So, when things aren't available instantly, the modern-day consumer, like a spoiled brat, gets frustrated . . . and may choose to go elsewhere . . . like McDonalds.

This is going to ripple through the theater very shortly, so we better start taking precautions.

What can we do to reduce the lines at the TKTS booth in Times Square?  What about the lines for ticket pick-up at the box office (when oh when will we just get ATM-style pick-up and purchase kiosks)?  How about how long it takes to buy a ticket online?  (Amazon.com answers their customer's impatience with "1-Click Ordering" - can't we do the same?)

Of course, the best way to get a customer to not care about how long it takes to get your product is to create such an in-demand burrito show, that they'll literally wait a year to experience it (Phantom, in its hey-day, or BOM, today).  

But those shows are rare . . .  and for the rest of the market, it's important that we come up with an impatience antidote, because while our audience won't go to McDonalds instead of seeing a show . . . they could just stay home and watch another type of show on their TV, computer, Netflix, Xbox, iPad, iPhone . . . and whatever will be invented tomorrow. 

What about you?  Are you more impatient today than you were?  

 

(Got a comment?  I love 'em, so comment below!  Email subscribers, click here, then scroll down, to say what's on your mind!) 

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How to market your show with social media: The Seminar

Social media marketing can be a fantastic way to market a show . . . especially one with limited or no budget.  

That's why I added a new seminar to our roster for all of you out there looking to learn more and master the art of marketing through Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Google+ and more.  

I thought about teaching this one myself, but this time, I'm handing over the social media reins to my Director of Online Marketing (and former Apple employee), Steven Tartick.  Steven is the man behind the curtain of all of the social media campaigns that we run here at Davenport Theatrical, including all of the stuff on Godspell, Miss Abigail's and more.  When I come up with a crazy internet idea, Steven makes it happen.

Here's Steven's description of the class.

The Show Must Go Online: Connecting with Future Audiences via Social Media

Social media isn't the future of theatrical marketing - it's the NOW. In this two hour workshop, you will learn how to effectively manage your show's presence on Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, and other burgeoning online communities. Topics covered include:

• How to setup social media accounts for your show.

• What is Twitter, and why does it matter?

• Location-Based Marketing ("Check-ins" and mobile online marketing).

• Finding your online voice.

• Turning online buzz into ticket sales.

• Creating cross-platform marketing campaigns.

• Turning past patrons into promoters using Facebook.

By the end of the workshop, you will have all of the technical know-how to promote your show on social media, and have a clear understanding of the best practices and strategy for success.

The first class is on Thursday, November 17, 6pm - 8pm.  To register for the course, click here.  It's $99, and as with all of our seminars, Steven and I will guarantee that you get your moneys worth, or we'll hand it right back to you at the end of the class.  

Register today.  Space is limited and we expect to sell out fast.  

And don't forget about our other classes this Fall, including:

- Tune Up Your Marketing Materials -  10/29
- Get Your Show Off The Ground - 11/19
- Broadway Investing 101 - 12/10

 

(Got a comment?  I love 'em, so comment below!  Email subscribers, click here, then scroll down, to say what's on your mind!) 

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What we can learn from the life of Steve Jobs.

I don't know if Steve Jobs ever even went to a Broadway show, but I do think he was one of the greatest Producers who ever lived.  

He built things the world didn't even know it needed.  And he did it in a showman style that would have made even David Merrick proud.

He had a few hits early in his career and then a few flops.  But that didn't keep him from doing what he loved day in and day out . . . which led him to even bigger hits later on.

I never got to meet him (he has always been the person I would choose to have dinner with if I could pick anyone in the world).  But I was told that he had to personally approved my iPhone commercial, and man, when I heard that, I thought it was the coolest thing ever.  I didn't even care if the thing ever aired.  I just remember thinking, "I hope I did him proud."  (If you ever run into me, ask me to tell you the story of how he apparently didn't like how I held my iPhone . . .  so duh, I changed my grip.)  

Visionary, genius, innovator, etc.  These are all worlds that are tossed around when describing him, but none of them do him justice.

I think we should just retire the name Steve, and instead use it as a synonym for all those words combined.

He made the world a better place.  

And more importantly . . . he inspired people to want to make the world an even better place.

He was just so . . . Steve.

Rest peacefully in 'the cloud', Mr. Jobs.  

 

(Got a comment?  I love 'em, so comment below!  Email subscribers, click here, then scroll down, to say what's on your mind!) 

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I'm speaking at the Apple Store. You coming?

I've had a long history with Apple products.

And it goes back a long way before the iPhone commercial.

I was coming-of-age at the same time as the personal computer, and thankfully I had parents that fed my dream of being Matthew Broderick in WarGames (minus the global thermonuclear war part).  I worked on Radio Shack TRS-80 Terminals, had a Texas Instruments TI-99, and peeked and poked on the Commodore 64.  But my favorite home computers were the pre-Macintosh Apple II and IIe.  I can't tell you how many nights I stayed up way past my bedtime playing Zork (insert end-of-an-80s-movie chants of "Nerd" here).

And now, it's not uncommon to see me typing on my MacBook Air, with the iPad right next to me, as I talk on my iPhone.

So, you can imagine how much fun doing that iPhone commercial was for me.

The only thing cooler would be speaking at the flagship Apple Store.

And now that's happening!

Next Monday, April 25th at 7:00 PM, I'll be speaking at the 5th Ave store here in Manhattan.  The subject?  My favorite:  Broadway Plugged-In.

Hope you can make it!  Maybe they'll set up Zork on an IIe for us!  

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