No, no. Not too old-fashioned at all. These were in fact originally conceived quite specifically to target conceirges, bartenders, and waiters at tier one, then other social "nexus" points that talk to lots of people: media, hairdressers, realtors, whatever.
A fair number did get into the hands of some conceirges when the first batch was being distributed many moons ago. We should definitely hit that up again. And while we gave some a few extra to actually give to bored travellers, a traveller who breezes through and doesn't pay and then leaves town doesn't generate revenue. We were hoping the conceirges (and waiters and bartenders) themselves would come see shows and then remember and recommend them to paying patrons for having seen it.
Are you a conceirge? If so, you should get those distributed because I'm sure you'd have better connections than us. I heard there was a monthly conceirge meeting/luncheon in town, but I could never track it down.
As for the Physics thing, it is just an experiment. New and returning students, anxious to do something, free ticket found in an unusual way and place with a personal note written on it, who knows. It's why I only did 10. And hopefully anyone not wanting to use it will either leave it be or give it to a friend who will. Besides, if they don't use the ticket, but do check out the website before they lose it, that's something, too.
An abyssmal number came back from the first batch in my opinion and that was half free-for-all and half very targeted (I gave out well over 400 myself to downtown restuarants, hotels, and businesses, including radio stations). So I'm trying some different tactics this time around. I have a wad strictly for media I'll begin sending out tomorrow. DJs, reporters, etc.
I like your DANA idea, too. Go for it!
How do we give away all these free tickets?
Anything about the AIC itself.
Moderators: arclight, happywaffle
Ah ok. I remain a newbie and I guess I didn't go far enough back in reading old posts after joining the forums.
I am not a concierge, but it shouldn't be too too hard to plug in there. There is a hospitality organization that meets regularly - that may be the rumored meeting you heard of. The Austin Convention and Visitor's bureau is also on sixth and I wouldn't be at all surprised if a good portion of the audience at Esther's Follies or the comedy clubs comes from just such sources as those. I can't imagine it's just locals that go there.
Anyway, It sounds like you've thought of all that before, though. The goal, as you mention, is to eventually get people in without the free tickets. Can you and I meet sometime to talk about what's been tried in the past? I hate the thought of being redundant.
Also...coming back to the topic at hand, concierges don't just exist at hotels - but also many of the new residences coming in. I can think of ten apartment buildings off the top of my head with just such a service and probably 5 more under construction. These people wouldn't be just blowing through.
One existing residence building is the plaza lofts at 5th and Guadalupe which presents yet another marketing opportunity: They have a deal in the works to project a giant billboard on their back wall about six stories tall. A guy that used to work for Alamo Draft House started a company called Wall Space Media which will present community based advertising Sunday through Wednesday in order to present rotating paid ads during the weekend. Anyway, while not yet set up... it'll be open to non-profits and arts organizations (and we are both) to advertise during the week. In theory, we could also encourage them or make necessary introductions to set up a projector to advertise on the north side of the Hideout's block where there is currently a blank wall. It'd be closer to home at least.
I don't know - I don't have the silver bullet but I am nagged by the thought that, as much as things may have improved in the past year and as much effort as folks put in, we could still be promoting ourselves much better than we are.
I am not a concierge, but it shouldn't be too too hard to plug in there. There is a hospitality organization that meets regularly - that may be the rumored meeting you heard of. The Austin Convention and Visitor's bureau is also on sixth and I wouldn't be at all surprised if a good portion of the audience at Esther's Follies or the comedy clubs comes from just such sources as those. I can't imagine it's just locals that go there.
Anyway, It sounds like you've thought of all that before, though. The goal, as you mention, is to eventually get people in without the free tickets. Can you and I meet sometime to talk about what's been tried in the past? I hate the thought of being redundant.
Also...coming back to the topic at hand, concierges don't just exist at hotels - but also many of the new residences coming in. I can think of ten apartment buildings off the top of my head with just such a service and probably 5 more under construction. These people wouldn't be just blowing through.
One existing residence building is the plaza lofts at 5th and Guadalupe which presents yet another marketing opportunity: They have a deal in the works to project a giant billboard on their back wall about six stories tall. A guy that used to work for Alamo Draft House started a company called Wall Space Media which will present community based advertising Sunday through Wednesday in order to present rotating paid ads during the weekend. Anyway, while not yet set up... it'll be open to non-profits and arts organizations (and we are both) to advertise during the week. In theory, we could also encourage them or make necessary introductions to set up a projector to advertise on the north side of the Hideout's block where there is currently a blank wall. It'd be closer to home at least.
I don't know - I don't have the silver bullet but I am nagged by the thought that, as much as things may have improved in the past year and as much effort as folks put in, we could still be promoting ourselves much better than we are.
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- phlounderphil Offline
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- Location: Austin
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It sounds like you've thought of all that before, though.
Some of it, yes, but not all. Keep spitting out ideas. Never thought of apartment conceirges, for example. Didn't even know they existed.
set up a projector to advertise on the north side of the Hideout's block where there is currently a blank wall.
Someone was doing that last weekend. I was walking to the Hideout and there was a giant ad for Gnarles Barkley on he side of the building.
I gave them 4 free tickets just for "helping out"
Restuarant managers LOVED the tickets. We gave a lot out to managers to use for sales promotions (whoever sells the most appetizers this shift gets two free tickets). The manager at McCormick and Schmitt's was so happy he offered me a $20 credit in turn, though I felt too guilty to ever take him up on it.
Some of it, yes, but not all. Keep spitting out ideas. Never thought of apartment conceirges, for example. Didn't even know they existed.
set up a projector to advertise on the north side of the Hideout's block where there is currently a blank wall.
Someone was doing that last weekend. I was walking to the Hideout and there was a giant ad for Gnarles Barkley on he side of the building.
I gave them 4 free tickets just for "helping out"
Restuarant managers LOVED the tickets. We gave a lot out to managers to use for sales promotions (whoever sells the most appetizers this shift gets two free tickets). The manager at McCormick and Schmitt's was so happy he offered me a $20 credit in turn, though I felt too guilty to ever take him up on it.
I just donated some to Women and Their Work for the silent auction they're holding tonight. Donating to non-profits is a great way to get people in (If it was a prize, they will value it more and be more likely to use it). It also builds good relationships with other organizations which come in handy when we're holding fundraisers or benefits of our own.
Parallelogramophonographpargonohpomargolellarap: It's a palindrome!
I also attach value to the tickets in some cases. For example, last time I gave some to a restaurant manager I didn't say "Here's 10 tickets," I said "Here's $100 worth of tickets for you to give to employees." The value elicited a much more serious and thoughtful response.
It also insinuates that what we do has monetary worth. (See "Is Improv a Profession?")
It also insinuates that what we do has monetary worth. (See "Is Improv a Profession?")