New subject: Fw: Dance pricing, communicating about pricing and more

5 Feb 2017

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