Building & EmpoweringBuilding & EmpoweringBuzz Groups forBuzz Groups for

Boston Lyric Opera’sBoston Lyric Opera’sFamily PerformancesFamily Performances

• The challenge: Build audiences for BLO’s Family Performances in

new suburban venues

• The idea: Recruit parents in Metro Boston to spread the word

• The goal: Increase attendance by 25% per year over 5 year grant period

● ● Created the “Barber Buzz Group” concept Created the “Barber Buzz Group” concept

● ● Staff Staff reached out to personal connectionsreached out to personal connections

● ● Board member hosted coffee for interested parentsBoard member hosted coffee for interested parents

● ● Supplied buzz kits of posters and flyers (left) to 13 Supplied buzz kits of posters and flyers (left) to 13 moms and dads moms and dads

● ● Recruited parents to advise BLO on future Recruited parents to advise BLO on future programming based on responses to post-programming based on responses to post-performance audience research (via Zoomerang):performance audience research (via Zoomerang):

““Finally, Boston Lyric Opera may seek more in Finally, Boston Lyric Opera may seek more in depth feedback about the audience experience at depth feedback about the audience experience at The Barber of SevilleThe Barber of Seville to help us plan for future  to help us plan for future productions and education programs. If you productions and education programs. If you would be willing to be contacted by someone would be willing to be contacted by someone from the Company for this purpose, please from the Company for this purpose, please provide your name, phone number and email provide your name, phone number and email here.”here.”

(28 responders)(28 responders)

Year 1: Rossini’s The Barber of SevilleSpring 2007

● ● Created Created ““Hansel and Gretel Grapevine”Hansel and Gretel Grapevine”● ● Invited Barber Buzz Group members andInvited Barber Buzz Group members and research respondents to helpresearch respondents to help

● ● Supplied Grapevine kits to 21 Supplied Grapevine kits to 21 “Grapeviners”“Grapeviners”

● ● Recruited parents to advise BLO on Recruited parents to advise BLO on future programming based on future programming based on responses to post-performance responses to post-performance audience researchaudience research

(35 responders)(35 responders)

Year 2: Humperdinck’s Hansel and GretelSpring 2008

● ● Created Created ““Magic Flute Fans”Magic Flute Fans”

● ● Invited past participants and Board membersInvited past participants and Board members

● ● Supplied kits to 12 “Fans”Supplied kits to 12 “Fans”

● ● Sent super-sized kit to Director of Fine Arts in Sent super-sized kit to Director of Fine Arts in Melrose school system with materials for Melrose school system with materials for students to distribute to Melrose businessesstudents to distribute to Melrose businesses

● ● Recruited parents to advise BLO on future Recruited parents to advise BLO on future programming based on responses to post-programming based on responses to post-performance audience researchperformance audience research

(43 responders)(43 responders)

Year 3: Mozart’s The Magic FluteSpring 2009

Year 4: Rossini’s Year 4: Rossini’s The Barber of SevilleThe Barber of SevilleSpring 2010Spring 2010

• Invited past participants and Invited past participants and Board membersBoard members

• Supplied kits to 12 “Buzz Group” Supplied kits to 12 “Buzz Group” volunteersvolunteers

• Added contacts for other Added contacts for other performance venues in Weston performance venues in Weston and Dorchester as well as Melroseand Dorchester as well as Melrose

• Recruited parents to advise BLO Recruited parents to advise BLO on future programming based on on future programming based on responses to post-performance responses to post-performance audience research (64 responses)audience research (64 responses)

Introductory materials in each Introductory materials in each Word of Mouth packetWord of Mouth packet

● ● Grew audience 420% between 2007 Grew audience 420% between 2007 and 2009and 2009

● ● 18% of survey respondents cited 18% of survey respondents cited Word of Mouth as how they “first Word of Mouth as how they “first learned” about Family Performances learned” about Family Performances in 2009in 2009

• 59% 59% 65% of respondents reported 65% of respondents reported being “extremely likely to being “extremely likely to recommend BLO to friends, relatives recommend BLO to friends, relatives & co-workers”& co-workers”

Buzz Group Results

In first 4 years of the effort

High quality productionsHigh quality productions

Pre- and post-production audience participationPre- and post-production audience participation

Personal connections Personal connections

Highly engaged parentsHighly engaged parents

Excellent web content easily forwarded by parentsExcellent web content easily forwarded by parents

“Buzz Group” Success Factors

Personal touch is time-consumingPersonal touch is time-consuming

Is not an effective tactic for Is not an effective tactic for diversifying audiences; better for diversifying audiences; better for broadening audiencesbroadening audiences

“Buzz Group” Challenges