What next?

Swine Flu, please, I understand Joe Biden told everybody to stay home this morning. Thanks Joe. Certainly I don’t want anybody getting swine flu, but really the economy, sub zero temperatures for days on end and now this. Inevitably someone is going to call me and ask what effect the Swine Flu is having on Chicago Theatre. Get ready for a survey. That’s it for the rant.

In a couple of weeks we are going to have the results of our Online Ticketing Market Research Survey. We surveyed patrons in theatres and the Hot Tix buyers list. Some of the preliminary findings are very interesting and not what we think. The survey was completed by Slover-Linnet and funded by The Chicago Community Trust. More to come soon.

Deb

Minimize the Risk

The League has embarked on an On-Line Ticketing Market Research Survey. Try to say it (try to remember it). Anyway, Slover-Linnet, an audience research firm is doing the research for us and we recently completed some focus groups and I thought the preliminary findings were fascinating. The essence of it is this: ticket buyers are looking TO MINIMIZE THE RISK when they are buying tickets. We have talked a lot in the past about breaking down barriers to theatre attendance, but this is a concept I hadn’t heard before. Patrons consider going to the theatre risky…for most people it is a big deal, not something they do on the spur of the moment. Will the show be good? Will the seats be good? Where is the theatre? Where is the restaurant? Will the food be good? Will people be nice to me? Where will I park? Will it be expensive? The interviewers were astonished by the degree to which some ticket buyers will go to get information, including actual reconnaissance of the theatre to check it out before they attend. There is much more to come and in fact some of you will be asked to have your patrons participate in surveys, but I thought this was an especially interesting piece of information to share.

A happy and safe Thanksgiving to all of you and yours.

Deb