eso aud & res dev plan

7/28/2019 ESO Aud & Res Dev Plan

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EDMONTONSYMPHONYORCHESTRA

Signature Magazine Audience & Resource Development Plan

AGAD 232

Prepared for:

Eleanor FingerAssociate Director, Patron Development

P. 780.401.2578

E. [email protected]

April 17, 2013

Prepared by:

Natalie Shykoluk

Sue Gobherdan

Sarah FarnsworthCatherine Kuzik


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SITUATION ANALYSIS

Organizational Overview & History

The Edmonton Symphony Orchestras mission is to bring the highest quality oflive orchestral performance to the broadest possible spectrum of audiences.Over the past 60 years, the ESO has become one of Canada's foremostorchestral ensembles and has a wide-ranging repertoire. The ESO attractstalented musicians from all over the world and the diversity of its orchestracomplements the diversity of the ESOs performances. For example, a season ofESO performances ranges from classical masterworks to pops and childrensconcerts. The Symphony Under the Sky festival held at Hawrelak Park is one ofthe ESOs most popular performance series and is eagerly anticipated and well-attended by Edmontonians each summer. The ESO is also heavily invested inmusic education programming for people of all ages, but especially in relation to

school-aged children.

The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra publishes its in-house concert program,Signature magazine, eight times per year. Currently, the magazine features shortto mid-length articles that are both informative and appeal to a wide range ofreaders. Signature magazine is also used by the ESO as a positioning tool,which makes the magazine a valuable asset to the organization. Because themagazine is published free of charge by Alberta Venture solely throughadvertising revenue, readers can only access Signature at the Winspear andthrough the ESOs RSS feed on its website.

Strategic Need

The ESO has recognized that its magazine readership may have valuablefeedback that could improve Signature magazine, which would in turn strengthenthe relationship between the ESO and its audience. As part of its ongoingaudience development activities, the ESO retained a marketing research groupto develop a survey which solicited feedback with respect to what readers thinkofSignature and what, if anything could be done to improve the magazine. Thesurvey was designed to elicit information from respondents such as how they feelabout the magazine in general, what they would change, and content they would

like to add. The ESO would then use this valuable feedback to improve Signatureso that its content reflected the needs of its audience, stakeholders, andreadership.


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SWOT Analysis

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

attractive advertisements

background information aboutperformances and artists iswell-received by readers

advertisements appeal toaudience interests

people like magazines layout,colour, texture, size

keeps patrons informed regular publication schedule helps to solidify ESOs brand personalizes ESOs connection

with patrons excellent quality of written work excellent photography appeals to a specific audience

hard copy only available in-

house advertisements s can

sometimes distract from text hard to locate digital version people dont know its published

for free by Alberta Venture doesnt clearly show ESOs

involvement in the community people want to know

lack of interactive content people dont like magazine

inserts social media is not used to

promote magazine/articles caters to specific demographic

OPPORTUNITIES THREATS

people are concerned aboutenvironmental friendliness

reform and layout showcase more artists and

talent include more diverse stories increase amount of background

info people want background info on

ESO musicians promote digital version have more in-depth or exclusive

content available in the onlineversion to entice people to readthe digital version of themagazine

clearly indicate AlbertaVentures involvement with theproduction of the magazine andprinting costs

o for donors & sponsors

increased demand for digitalmedia

Alberta Venture somehow goesout of business

other publications are alreadybeing mailed out/available in-house from other organizationsto patrons

o Signature is onlyavailable online

Alberta Venture could go out ofbusiness and ESO would losetheir free publishing

Alberta Venture has a lot ofcontrol over types andplacement of advertisements


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o for audience, patrons, &subscribers

illustrate ESOs level ofcommunity involvement

bring back trivia, quizzes, etc.

(make it interactive) send emails about RSS

magazine code

GOAL

To increase audience engagement with Signature Magazine in a way that makesthe magazine accessible to all demographics for the purpose of strengthening

the bond between the ESO and its patrons.

OBJECTIVES

1. Increase readership of the hard copy Signature magazine by the ESOspatrons and subscribers by 25 percent over the next six months.

2. Attract 30 percent of current Signature readers to the online magazineformat from September 2013 to August 2014.

3. Increase the number of individual donations to the ESO by 15 percentover the next 12 months.

AUDIENCES/STAKEHOLDERS

Season subscribers Single ticket buyers ESO staff Board of Directors Volunteers Government funding agencies Alberta Venture Publishing

Donors Sponsors Advertisers Musicians/Performers Community organizations &

partners Contractors/Vendors


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KEY MESSAGES

The ESO is the one of Canada's foremost orchestral ensembles, has awide-ranging repertoire, and is beloved by Edmontonians

Signature magazine is the ESOs innovative in-house concert program

and contains exciting articles and attractive advertisements Signature magazine communicates the ESO brand through key

messaging, production and print quality, and strategic alignment with theESOs mission and vision

Advertising opportunities in Signature magazine offer a unique opportunityfor businesses to garner the attention of key target markets(i.e., demographics related to affluence, age, and interests)

Signature creates a dynamic platform to elicit support from ESO patronsand stakeholders through donations and sponsorship

STRATEGIC APPROACH

We recommend the following three strategies be used: (1) Incorporate Signaturemagazine to the ESOs strong online presence, (2) Interact with patrons aroundcontent development, and (3) Use Signature magazine to communicate the ESObrand.

(1)INCORPORATESIGNATUREMAGAZINEINTOTHEESOSSTRONGONLINEPRESENCE

Signature Magazine is an incredibly sophisticated, informative publication that

contains information which aligns with the interests of ESO patrons. Our researchhas concluded that 30 percent of Signature readers prefer to read their otherpublications online. Therefore, incorporating the magazine into the ESOs onlinepresence would definitely be an asset and potentially increase readership. Themagazine is already available on the ESOs website but, as evidenced by ourresearch, none of the patrons we surveyed were aware that they could accessSignature online. Therefore, our recommendation is that the ESO make themagazine more easily accessible online simply because there are so manypatrons who prefer to access publications like Signature online as opposed to ahard-copy only available in-house. This will also help meet the ESOs desire tohave their patrons see Signature as a before concert experience that they can

read at home to feel more informed about the performances they will be seeing.

(2) INTERACT WITH PATRONS AROUND SIGNATUREMAGAZINE CONTENTDEVELOPMENT

Research has presented several themes regarding additional or expandedcontent the audience would like to see in Signature. By using this information and


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encouraging ongoing dialogue with the audience regarding content development,the ESO can make Signature a more personal experience for the patron.

(3) USE SIGNATUREMAGAZINE TO COMMUNICATE THE ESO BRAND

The ESO has indicated that they would like to use Signature magazine tocommunicate their brand to audiences and stakeholders. Our market researchhas shown that this the ESO can solidify its image and brand by incorporatingarticles that relate the symphony to the patron, featuring advertisements thatalign with the ESOs mission and vision, and developing content around specificESO initiatives and activities. In developing Signature into a stronger aspect ofthe before show and after show experience, the ESO can integrate the conceptof live classical music as an integral experience for all patrons.

TACTICS

Incorporate Signature magazine to the ESOs already strong onlinepresence

(1) WEBSITE

The ESO website is a place where patrons have easy access to all thingspertaining to the ESO. That being said, the website is a tool we can use to makeonline access to Signature magazine easier and more attractive to patrons. Ourmarket research survey showed that patrons did not know they could access themagazine online through the ESOs RSS feed because it was so hard to find.

Additionally, using the ESO website as a means of signing up to receive the RSScode could increase readership by potential patrons (i.e., the public) who may becasually visiting the ESO site.

(2) SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media is an excellent way to keep up with the public demand for up-to-the-minute information. It is also an efficient way to provide readers with exclusivecontent only available online. Even though daily maintenance is required, thesetools will ultimately help to keep ESO patrons aware and involved in the goings-on at the Winspear and in all things related to the ESO.

Facebook fan pages are beneficial for keeping people constantly equipped withnew links to the ESO website, Signature Magazine, and any other onlineresources ESO patrons may be interested in. A large proportion of the targetaudience is likely already on Facebook, so it would be wise to create and updatea fan page that could potentially become a hub for the information the ESOwants to communicate to the audience. When a new digital issue of SIgnaturemagazine is released, this could be posted on Facebook.


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Twitter is a great way to connect with patrons, and have patrons connect withthe ESO, in an efficient and concise way. Twitter could primarily be a means oftweeting links to exclusive online content and interesting stories to readers. Itcould also be used to remind readers to read about performances before actually

attending, so as to increase readership of the magazine as a before the concertexperience.

(3) QR CODE

QR codes are especially useful for giving people a look at exclusive content in aneasy, accessible way. If there was a QR code on the back or front of a hard copy,it could give the reader access to exclusive articles and the online calendar thatwould contain information on upcoming events, contest opportunities, and more.

(4) ESO APP

A specialized ESO App would be an asset for keeping patrons in the loop aboutupcoming performances, events, fundraisers, magazine issues, and contests. Itwould be a good idea to create a smartphone and/or tablet App that wouldcontain links to Signature Magazine and the online performance and eventcalendar, as well as information about performances, individual performers, andorchestra members. To create the App, the ESO could either contract it out to aweb design company or solicit a sponsorship from a development company whowould cover the cost of creating and maintaining the App.

Interact with patrons around content development

(1) 360 SURVEY

The ESO is currently developing a comprehensive 3 - 6 month online survey thatwill be send to all its stakeholders (e.g., patrons, sponsors, donors, government)in order to improve all aspects of ESO operations. After consultation with theESO, we recommend that the 360 survey include questions related to whatstakeholders think and/or know about Signature magazine, similar to the originalmarket research study our group completed. However, the 360 survey will reachmore people and produce additional data that can be used to improve theSignature experience for readers and those who have a financial stake in themagazines content, such as donors, sponsors, and advertisers.

(2) MAGAZINE INSERTS

Magazine inserts, combined with a case for support, are an excellent way ofpresenting a tangible platform for donation support. Signature magazine itselfcommunicates all the amazing things the ESO does and can encourage readersto donate to the ESO. The takeaway format of an insert allows the reader to


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leave the magazine behind at the Winspear, but still puts the opportunity fordonate directly in the readers hands for after the performance. Periodic insertscan could also be used to administer a short survey designed to connect withpatrons and gain insight into what content they want to, or dont want to, see inSignature magazine. This method of surveying the readership could reach

different demographic groups compared to using a solely online method ofsurveying.

Use Signature magazine to communicate the ESO brand

(1) CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

Signature magazine could be an incredible tool with which to communicate theESO brand to various stakeholder groups. In order to improve the ESOs imagewith stakeholders, readers must be informed that the publication of Signature isfully financed through advertising. Readers are not aware that Alberta Venture

publishes Signature without cost to the ESO. This could be detrimental to theESOs brand and image because potential donors and sponsors may decide notto support the ESO financially if they think their money is going towardspublishing a fancy magazine. Therefore, each issue should contain (in aprominent place) an acknowledgment describing how the magazine is published.

The ESO prides itself on its community involvement initiatives. However, surveyrespondents indicated that they wanted to know more about how the ESOpartners with community organizations and what it does to support local artists.Some ways in which these important elements related to the ESOs image couldbe communicated to stakeholders within Signature are: a community eventlisting, feature articles on emerging Alberta artists, short profiles on talentedstudent musicians in the education program, and ways in which the ESOsupports community organizations.

(2) ADVERTISING

The ESO could recommend that Alberta Venture Publishing solicitadvertisements that tell a story or engage the reader in unique ways. Marketresearch respondents enjoyed these types of advertisements, such as thosefrom Sherbrooke Liquor Store, and wanted to see more of them. This is anopportunity for the ESO to continue to align itself with advertisers who share thesame demographics as the ESO.


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TACTICS,TIMELINE,&BUDGET

Activity Timeline Estimated Budget

INCORPORATE SIGNATUREMAGAZINE TO THE ESOS STRONG ONLINE PRESENCE

Website Make RSS feed more

prominent on ESO website andinclude magazine description

Create a sign-up form toreceive RSS feed link toSignature

May July 2013 $750

Social Media

Create Facebook fan page Create Twitter feed

Post reminders on Facebookand Twitter before eachperformance with links tomagazine articles

May 2013 April

2014

Ongoing

$350

$4,800 ($50/hr x 2hrs/week x 12 mo.)

QR Code Develop QR code (contractor)

Ongoing maintenance/troubleshooting

June July 2013

Ongoing

$500

TBD

ESO App Create ESO App for

smartphone and tablet

App maintenance/troubleshooting

June August2013

Ongoing

ESO will look for asponsor to cover thecosts of Appdevelopment

TBD

INTERACT WITH PATRONS AROUND CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

360 Survey Create survey

Implement survey

Analyze survey data

Compile report

June 2013 February 2014

$15,000 (this includesstaff salaries, surveyresources, & printing)


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Magazine Inserts Develop insert content

Analyze effectiveness of insertsas related to donation revenue

Compile feedback regarding

content

April 2013 March 2014

Printing costs coveredby Alberta Venture (staffsalary costs TBD)

USE SIGNATUREMAGAZINE TO COMMUNICATE THE ESO BRAND

Content Development Create acknowledgment

describing how the magazine ispublished

Develop additional content (asdiscussed on page 8)

Follow up online survey toreaders

March June 2014 (after360 Survey)

Fall 2014

$5,000 (staff salarycosts)

Free (Grant MacEwanAGAD 232 students)

Advertising Identify vendors who are

interested and able to createunique storytellingadvertisements

Work with Alberta Venture toalign advertisements with 360

Survey results

May 2013

March July 2014

$2,000 (staff salarycosts for both activities)

GRAND TOTAL $28,400

EVALUATION

We will evaluate the success of the audience and resource development planbased on the following criteria:

Track the number of email subscriptions to the online version ofSignaturemagazine

Number of Facebook likes and Twitter followers

Twitter and Facebook comments by followers (in relation to ESO postsand spontaneous follower posts)

Number of new advertisers

Number of new donors


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New sponsorships generated by 360 Survey and by promoting Signatureusing social media and online tools

Nature of 360 survey feedback

Number of inserts returned with donations

Number of inserts discarded at Winspear (not used by readers)

Feedback about new magazine content Number of times ESO App is downloaded

Number of times QR codes scanned

eso aud & res dev plan

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