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The Making of a Donor Ready Patron

PRESENTED BY JILL ROBINSON, PRESIDENT, TRG ARTS

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Vancouver Recital Society

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What We DoPatron Results

1. Consulting Capacity building for sustainable growth

2. Data Services Aggregation, analysis, direct response counsel

3. Community Data Networks 35 million households

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What makes a patron “donor-ready”?

You do.

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LOYALTY

A Love Story

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Why Patron Loyalty?Increased Investment

1. Strong relationships = lasting revenue Increasing RFM (recency, frequency, $$$) 2. How? Upgrade Ask the patron to take the right next step

3. First: Data

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WHAT’S AN UPGRADE?

Action Next Step

Buy a ticket

Buy a small subscription or membership

Renewing subscriber or

member

Buy another ticket

Buy a full series subscription or

larger membership

Add on donation or events

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Donors and consummate

loyalists

The magic of “and”

From 1st time to second or last time

to NOW

VIP access & pricing

Better access, Incentives for

upgrades, adds

Least attractive access, incentives

to upgrade

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4 out of 5 Tryers NEVER come back

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TRYER UPGRADEA second date

Largest numbersLong-lapsed patronsNew-to-file patrons• Second, multiple attendance• Same season• More retention + lower attrition = GROWTH• Must have: patron contact information

LOVE OR

LOSE THEM

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Next Step: Reactivate Message: “Welcome back”How? Treat them like a first timer and a valued patron.

Next Step: Come backMessage: “Welcome—thanks for joining us” How? Make the first time the best possible.

Next Step: Come back againMessage: “Thanks, and might you wish to _____?” How? Foster further engagement by making the ask

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Two critical turning points

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• Year 1 Offer: same-season single ticket offer ONLY- Nothing else.

• Year 2 Offer: 3 plays for $99- 5 times per year

• Year 3 Offer: Subscribe!- 6 times per year

• Year 4 Offer: Renew!- First time renewal

rate: 81%

CASE STUDY: SEATTLE REPERTORY THEATRE

First Timer Cultivation Group: Four-Year Study

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Two critical turning points

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GET ENGAGEDUpgrades to grow loyalty

Focus: Harness the power of “AND”Include: All organizational assets• Multiple attendance AND• A range of activities, including donation• The more they buy, the more they buy• Engaged patrons stick

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Add a donation

Renew Flex to Full

Renew & Upgrade

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LOYALTY TRENDSFrom Integrated Data

1. See patterns

2. Develop segmentation

3. Cultivate meaningfully

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Single Ticket Buyers

New Subscribers

Renewing Subscribers

Renewing Subscriber-

Donors

Per Patron Yield $53.84 $156.05 $341.51 $550.42

Cost of Sale 20% 25% 3% 3%

Renewal Rates 23% 46% 69% 88%

How valuable is loyalty?A performing arts example

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More on this case at www.trgarts.com

453 Super Subscribers Gave $51,100 in Four Months

65% first timers, subscribers of 5 or fewer years, or patrons

returning after lapsing.

70% no giving history.

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IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT DONORSEvery patron’s next step

Make a plan for every patron typeBiggest opportunities first (donor-ready patrons)• Consider the whole picture• Choose efforts you can do best• Collaboration gets the best results• Learn to up-sell

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LOYALPATRONS

Marketing

BoxOffice

Development

UP-SELLINGEveryone’s job

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The Making of a Donor Ready Patron

PRESENTED BY JILL ROBINSON, PRESIDENT, TRG ARTS