Archive for 6 July, 2010
The New Curtain Raiser: Online Ticketing
An interesting article by Eugene Carr and Michelle Paul of Patron Technology in the June E-marketing E-ssentials Newsletter. A discussion of the ticket buying process, and in particular, the online ticket purchase path.
They start with an important premise founded in Relationship Marketing:
“When does a cultural event begin, and when does it end? For the traditionalists, the answer may be simple. When the curtain goes up, it starts, and when the curtain comes down, it’s over.“
“But here’s another way of looking at it: the cultural event starts the moment a potential patron decides to attend. Once her decision is made, she takes action by making a call or a visit to the box office, or going to your website.“
“If you accept this definition, then the website visit is part of the arts experience. The ticket purchase becomes the first (and most interactive) contact that your patron is likely to have with your organization …“
They then detail six valuable guidelines for a good buying experience:
- Clarity
- Transparency
- Streamlining
- Certainty
- Maintain the Brand Experience
- Offer Every Kind of Transaction Online
A finishing comment that is increasingly coming very true!
“The days of ticketing companies controlling your relationships with your patrons are coming to an end. We are in an era when building a relationship with your patrons is vitally important, and your vendor should be working for you in service of that objective. If they are not, make a change. Your patrons are yours, not theirs.“
6 July, 2010 at 4:16 pm Tim Roberts ARTS Australia Leave a comment
