Deciphering Four Times The Traffic
Tue, Jun 6, 2022
by Drew McManus
Yesterday’s post about the impact Roe v. Wade being overturned will have on orchestras operating in states that outlaw orchestras didn’t garner any extraordinary social media engagement metrics. But that’s only one set of metrics to measure impact and data from Google Analytics confirms the article garnered 4x the amount of average daily traffic. What
Zombie Topics: Mobile Phones In The Concert Hall
Tue, Jun 6, 2022
by Drew McManus
Of all the zombie topics people will be arguing about long after I’m dead and gone, I would put mobile phones in the concert hall at the top of that list. At a recent concert, I was pleasantly surprised to hear that the orchestra was encouraging patrons to use their phone to take no-flash pics,
Compensation Report Update
Mon, Jun 6, 2022
by Drew McManus
It looks like the Annual Orchestra Compensation Reports will be delayed a little longer this year thanks to quite a few orchestras not having their reports available for download. Most professional orchestras maintain a fiscal year structure that begins and ends at some point from June to August; as a result, they tend to file
#TBT It’s Still A Spaceship
Thu, Jun 6, 2022
by Drew McManus
As a practical example for yesterday’s post about marketing being more about creating a narrative about attaining what people aspire to rather than selling a product, I want to reach back to a post from November 11, 2009 that examined an iconic clip from Mad Men, Season 1, Episode 13: The Carousel. The entire scene
Vulnerability Is The New Black
Wed, Jun 6, 2022
by Drew McManus
Joe Patti published a great article yesterday that serves up a good helping of grounded wisdom in the form of reviewing the fundamental difference between promotion and marketing. “…a [promotional] message of ‘come see this show’ is different from ‘this is a place that provides an opportunity to share experiences with family and friends.’ The
How Realistic Are Your Budget Projections?
Tue, Jun 6, 2022
by Drew McManus
It’s not exactly earth shattering to say that budget projections are a squishy dark art (at best). But some of what I hear from colleagues on the earned income side of budget projections has been fascinating when it comes to the 22/23 season. While some are still embracing what I would consider a prudent approach
Automating Time Consuming Tasks
Mon, Jun 6, 2022
by Drew McManus
There’s nothing quite as satisfying as automation. Moving time consuming, repetitive tasks off your plate is a real treat but when it comes to anything in the digital word, good automation usually requires time to build and can be expensive. But every now and then, middleware solutions like Zapier can provide reliable automation that is
#TBT Counterfeit Moneyball
Thu, Jun 6, 2022
by Drew McManus
Since we’re on a roll this week with the idea of Moneyballing the orchestra sector, it’s worth pointing out that there’s no shortage of examples where attempts to apply data driven analysis to conventional wisdom decision making can end in tears. For example: using historic repertoire sales data for future artistic planning. Mahler Meets Moneyball?
Status Quo = Higher Profit?
Wed, Jun 6, 2022
by Drew McManus
As a follow-up to yesterday’s post, Joe Patti made a fascinating connection with something Vu Le recently published at Nonprofit AF where he encourages consultants to resist the payoff that often comes with pushing clients out of status quo comfort zones. At our best, consultants help bring in a new perspective and certain skills and
Planning For The Post Roe v. Wade Operating Environment