[Organizers] Dance pricing, communicating about pricing and more

[Don Veino via Organizers]

Here's what we've done with our dance. It was a calculated risk/leap of
faith. We gave notice verbally by announcements at the dance for a few
weeks before it started, plus email and Facebook notices. Facebook comments
were very positive and several folks said this would make the dance
available to them once more.

http://mondaycontras.com/pages/you-pick-admission.php

Attendance is up so far vs. prior periods and pay for performers is up
significantly, on average. Limited sample to date - we began just this
calendar year. Anecdotally approximately 60% pay the suggested amount, 30%
pay the higher figure and 10% or fewer lower. We don't turn away people at
any amount (anything over cost is gravy). Some people are also giving us
donations when they have it - with the knowledge it is all going to the
talent. We're a unique dance - running 45-90 people weekly - a sort of
weekly-community dance hybrid, where folks value the connection and are
invested in keeping it going.

This approach makes the door sitter job pretty easy/finite and we're
getting better statistics than before (I'll share a later post on how
that's been achieved - once I find some time to write it up).

-Don


On Sun, Feb 5, 2017 at 3:42 PM, Emily Addison via Organizers <
organizers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

> Hi fellow organizers,
>
> Following up from some discussion in December about low attendance, here
> in Ottawa we're working on 'recovering' from a surprising attendance drop
> this year.   We're having a major strategy session later in the month which
> includes talking publicity, programming, finances etc.
>
> I'd love to hear about any ****innovative ideas you have for door
> pricing****
>
> Our current system:
> $12 regular, $10 members and students, 16 and under free
> Membership is $30 start of year, $20 in January.  People who want to be
> generous and buy a sustaining membership can pay $50.
>
> Possible options currently on the table:
> The easiest solution which would be the default is to raise the price for
> all by $2 which some feel is a fair price compared to a movie.  However,
> others think paying $12-$14 every two weeks will be not only hard on those
> with low incomes but also a psychological be a turn off for others.
>
> Ideas I'm wondering about:
>
>    - $10/12 base, adding sliding scale up to $15... hopeful that people
>    would contribute more.
>    -  Also communicating effectively (we don't do this at all now) on the
>    cost of running a dance.  This would mean exposing what the average cost of
>    talent and sound but I think if people knew where money was going and how
>    little talent actually get paid for their efforts, they'd be more generous.
>
> Your ideas??????
> Any thoughts on the ideas above and in particular, anyone doing a great
> job of communicating costs to their dancers?
> Any other brilliant thoughts?  Maybe different donor levels? Donation jars
> (but how to do well)?
> Other?
>
> With much thanks!
> Emily Addison in Ottawa
>
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