Austin Improv

Well, we had a very active Advertsing meeting Tuesday (January 10th). Here's a quick run-down of what we discussed and the Improv Action Items™ that were assigned.

1. Roy's updates to the Audience Surveys (ROY - DONE)
Roy did an excellent job updating the audience surveys. The price question was removed, the "general comments" section was changed to "How can we improve your experience" (so as to avoid general comments like "cheese smells funny" and "horses have four hooves"), a disclaimer about e-mail address use was added, and a 2-for-1 coupon for the 8:00 shows was added at the bottom for people that fill these out.
I've made a few hundred copies for the initial weekend. I'll bring a few "masters" to the Hideout and the community will need to get future copies made.
Also, hosts should consider coming out before the shows and pushing the surveys. While people are sitting in the house, just jump on stage, hold one up, and quickly explain that we truely want their honest feedback so that we can make this a better experience for them.

2. Discussed the Campus Schitt initiative (ALL - Ongoing; help wanted!!)
We will need A LOT of help with this. We need people who are available during the day (what days) or who could take a day off. We also need someone to get us table space, and possibly microphones, for the West Mall. Someone affiliated with a campus organization can do this. We will need performers and flyers galore.
We would like ot try to pull this off by the end of the month, but realistically it looks like it will be early February.
Separately, we need to flyer campus pinboards and announcement areas with our new schedule.
ANY VOLUNTEERS TO HEAD THIS UP?

3. Discuss press release status (ERIKA - On hold)
Erika (and crew?) sent out a number of releases and they looked great. A process is being developed to make press releases easier for anyone to do in the future. We will come back to this next meeting.

4. Discussed event list status (WES - Ongoing)
I passed out the tentative event list status with events listed not only for Austin, but also Dallas, San Antonio, Houston, and Wimberly (3 full pages currently). I will add events in Waco, College Station, Kerrville, Fredericksburg, and a number of other towns within a short drive. Then I'll figure out a way to present the information in a logical, easy to navigate way. We obviously won't hit every event, but the goal is to be able to look at it on the first of the month and hit the big ones. Individual troupes will be able to hit events they want as well.
I'll post a link to the tentative list this evening. Additions are welcome.

5. Discussed generic flyers status (WES - Ongoing)
I was waiting for the new schedule and prices to get settled before beginning this, so I'll try to get on it in the next few weeks.

6. Discuss outside Austin advertising / Discuss getting brochures to hotels and convention center businesses (ALL/ANDY - Ongoing)
We need to plan a little more on this. As attested to in the other forum, there are several ideas with concierges and bartenders and free tickets. I may call a special meeting on just this topic in the next week if people could attend. Maybe Tuesday at 6:15 before the jam? We can talk about what we need different in a tourist and a local brochure. Tourists aren't going to take classes, but they might want a map, for example.

7. Discussed logo status (Valerie/ALL - Ongoing)
Wow, what a conversation. Please see these other posts for more ongoing information and a passionate, fiery debate: Logo Final Stretch and Iconography. Also, see the original post for most of the currently proposed ideas: Logo!

8. Discussed "Guest Star" initiative (ALL - Ongoing)
Ongoing, we didn't really get a lot done on this front, though Jay said he knows someone in Kinky's campaign. Possible guest suggestions were Kinky Friendman, the Rollergirls (hell they have their own TV show, maybe we could get a mention), Marc Katz, and Amy from Amy's Ice Cream, Alex Jones.

9. Discussed Advertising Plan of Action (ERIKA - On hold)
On hold for now, the plan is to come up with a clear and defined plan of action for advertising short-term (next 6 months) and long-term (next 2 years).

10. Discussed ticket prices (ANDY - DONE)
Tickets will soon start coming in 3 colors (1 for each show) and prices will be $7-$10 for all shows. Discounts for improvisers were briefly discussed, but remained an unsettled question.

11. Rose Bowl Flyer handout (ALL)
We can use the current schedule flyers. See the Rose Bowl Celebration thread for more info

Not discussed in the advertising committee, but in the experience committee, was the concept of a monthly newsletter or playbill. Bob and I will work on designing a prototype. We'll present it at the January 29th meeting. If it is clean enough, we'll try to premier it in February. If not, we'll get them up and running by March. The concept is a foldover sheet of paper. On the inside will be the month's schedule. The outside will contain various troupe information, a volunteer of the month highlight, etc. These can be given out with tickets at the start of every show. They can also be "stuffed" with things like the audience surveys and troupe advertising. One good use of these may be for self-advertising (as discussed in this thread). If troupes made up their own flyers with upcoming show dates, they could stuff them in these playbills on the nights of their shows. People could then, if they liked what they saw, easily know when that specific troupe is playing again. I think it would go a long way toward building individual troupe fanbases.


As always, I'll send out a call for the next meeting time soon. If you want to take part, PLEASE reply with availability so that I can schedule the best, non-conflictng time. All committee announcements will be via this board, though I am also building an e-mail list for people interested in advertsing functions (see me). Currently I'm thinking of having the meeting on either Tuesday Feb. 7th before the jam (no 14th because of the Girls show and Valentine's Day), or Wednesday Feb. 15th.

i'm down with before the jam; however, i'm in discussions right now that might make me ridiculously busy for a few months, but never-the-less as of right now, i will be there.

re: next meeting - i can do the 7th. the 15th is less doable for me, as i may be traveling (again) for work.

re: press release process. andy and i worked out the following process (please pardon the segue...i am quickly pasting this from a word doc andy and i shared back in late dec):

Austin Improv
12/28/2005 2:48 PM
From: Erika May & Andy Crouch - Marketing & PR
To: Advertising Committee

Part I: Proposed Process

Due to the need to send out calendar listing up dates 9 days in advance of publication updates hitting the newstands, we proposed originating press releases 17 days in advance of print dates to allow for distribution to a small (2-3 people in addition to erika and andy) review panel before they are passed on to the appropriate publications. The volunteer panel will need to be available to review and send back feedback or approval one day after receiving the release to ensure that it is ready to send by the required insertion date.

Part II: Proposed Schedule

Day 1 (Monday) - Andy and Erika originate release, tweak between us
Day 2 (Tuesday) - Erika & Andy distribute to volunteer review crew
Day 3 (Wenesday) - Review panel send in edits
Day 4 (Thursday) - Release revised
Day 5 (Friday) - Revised release sent to Panel for approval
Day 6 (Saturday) - Panel approves
Day 7 & 8 (Sunday & Monday) - Releases are distributed to contact list
Day 11 &12 (Thursday & Friday) - Follow up with press contacts to ensure delivery of release, answer any questions
Day 18 - Releases/calendar listings on newsstand

Proposed Frequency

I propose we send out releases for the start of every new schedule or when a major scheduling change occurs.

Ideally, we should send out calendar updates with the new team for each new publication, which would be weekly - I can personally not commit to this frequency due to work and other project obligations.

additional note:

i have been sending out weekly updates as to which teams will be performing to the Texan, the Statesman and the Chronicle since Dec 26th. this is in follow up to the release i sent out (which has a kill date of mar. 1) at the end of december.

additionally, i have spoken with brenner (at the chronicle via email) and thanked him (on behalf of all of us) for the awesome listings. he was very gracious and will continue to do as much as each issue allows for our weekly listings (sometimes they are limited on space, etc.).

e

Here's a link to the flyers. Two to a page, just print and cut anyone who can...
http://www.nekomouser.com/improv/Flyer5_bw_combo.jpg

(Here it is in color if anyone wants to drop the big bucks and get some made:
http://www.nekomouser.com/improv/Flyer5_color_combo.jpg)


And here's a link to the current Events list (which I'll hopefully be updating this weekend):
http://www.nekomouser.com/improv/Improv ... isting.doc (Word doc)

erikamay wrote: re: press release process. andy and i worked out the following process (please pardon the segue...i am quickly pasting this from a word doc andy and i shared back in late dec):

I've wikified the process at http://wiki.austinimprov.com/index.php/AIC::Committee::Advertising::PressReleaseProcess

FWIW, I'm trying to find all the important semi-permanent documents and posts on the boards and post them to the wiki so they're easier to find and update. Carry on.

can we get the list of annual events at which to advertise in the wiki?

i'd assume wes has an electronic copy.

The electronic copy is linked two posts up, but will be changing radically over the next few weeks, so we may want to wait until that process is settled before wikifying it. It is much easier and faster for me to edit, manipulate, and reuse a Word doc than a wiki site. Especially, since this is only a tentative listing that I'll then put in some other format for ease-of-use purposes. I'll also, hopefully if I have the time, be adding two line descriptors of each event, though that may be when a wiki would be most handy, so that everyone could help.

(Do many people have excel? I was thinking of putting this in a spreadsheet so that it could be sorted and manipulated in a number of ways. Or, even better, anyone good at making realtively simple databases run off a spreadsheet, so that someone could enter the month and location and generate a list on the fly?)

Further notes, comments, and smaller items that came up in discussion during the Advertising meeting:

1. Pass flyers out on campus as students leave class. Station around popular buildings, especially buildings with newer and younger students who might not be able to go out to clubs yet.

2. Contact Improv Lite on campus and have representatives there every month.

3. Throw tailgate parties for upcoming sporting events, such as baseball season, basketball games, and football in the fall.

4. Work on sandwich boards (Roy) and A-frame (Andy) and get them out and visible ASAP.

5. Research/develop a relationship with a consistent printer(s) for flyers, posters, T-shirts, etc so that we can get fast turn arounds and good prices. RoyalTeeUSA.com was suggested.

6. Ticket Prices - I think we are keeping the $2 or free ticket price for the Improv Lab/Audience participation slot, so the $7-10 only goes for the other 6 shows.

7. Get flyers and announcements up, especially for classes, in Winship (sp.?), the Theater building on campus and aim to convince the acting students to come to classes. Also, do the same in ACC and St. Edwards theater buildings.

I am interested in joining the Marketing Committee.

I wanna join because I want to support what's going on at AIC and also because at the Girls retreat on Monday, we decided we as a group wanted to be more involved in the AIC goings-on. So now one of my GGG troupe jobs is AIC liason. Which also means I can help rally the Girls for specific AIC initiatives/events.

I have some experience in marketing Improv in Austin that can hopefully help the committe. I also have some bitterness/skepticism/general grumpiness that I will try to keep at a minimum. My goal with the committee would be to help us get the most marketing power for the least amount of effort/most amount of fun. For example, doing a fun, big improv PR event/stunt as opposed to handing out flyers at other people's events.

As far as my availability for meetings, I teach Mon-Wed nights starting at 7pm, needing to be ther at 6:30pm. So anything before that is good. Thursdays are great. But of course I'm new, so I'll go along with whatever.

Thanks, every hand helps.

The grand goal is to split the committee into traditional (flyers, ads, radio, etc) and non-traditional (special performances, special events) sub-groups at some point, but until we've started building consistent crowds and with the changing schedule, we've remained focused on the basics (flyering and press releases) and public awareness/education that we exist. But you've picked a good time, we hope to start doing more creative stuff soon, including such things as performances. I'd love to hear your ideas.

Primarily, we've been meeting on Tuesdays at 6:00, before the jam. I'm thinking of calling the next meeting for Feb 7th. Weekend attendance wasn't as good and Tuesday has been the best for people due to schedules and the fact that a lot of people are already going to the Hideout for the jam, anyway. But, we're always open to try a different time.

Keep an eye out for more, I should start scheduling the next meeting this weekend.

Thanks in advance for your help!

two items i want to follow up on re:advertising and press releases:

1. andy and i need a panel of people willing to review the press releases before they go out. according to my calendar, we will be kicking off the next one (to start mar 1, since our kill date is such for the one we are currently using) in the first week of february.

we need 2-3 people that will review for accuracy, correct spelling and approve. or, we can skip this step. just want to make sure voices are heard...maybe you can review shana?

2. i REALLY THINK we need to address PAID ADVERTISING. business need to be supported through advertising, and right now we've got a bitchin flyer program, some press and a big zero on the ad front.

-i'd like to get banners running on the Chronicle web site.
-we need to get a small ad with a calendar of monthly shows in the chronicle
-late night radio spots are supposed to be wicked cheap and have a high reach per dollar. jenn and i are looking into radio for Whirled News Tonight.

can we address what portion of the budget we can spare for advertising each month? this is a chicken and egg thing.