Re: [Organizers] Dance pricing, communicating about pricing and more - Organizers

5 Feb 2017

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(a)lists.sharedweight.net&gt; 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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