Know-How Exchange : Advertising/PR

Catchy and cute works for my audience (it's live theatre - plays and musicals). As mentioned above, theatre terms (Encore, etc) are great. The theatre name will be on the card but not the focus of the name (it doesn't lend itself to an attractive name).

Thanks for your response!

What can you tell us about your target audience? Where do they live? Are there some common interests (other than the theater)? Why might they want the customer appreciation card? What's in it for them? Is it just a meaningless piece of paper/plastic, or does it actually have benefits attached to it?

Naming something (like a customer appreciation card) is more about the target audience and what you're trying to communicate to them than it is about what you do or what you want them to do.

Can you help us (a) understand your target audience better, and (b) understand why the target audience might have some value for your audience appreciation card?

We can help you with naming, but first we need some additional information. Otherwise we're limited to cute and catchy words that mean nothing. What's the purpose for your card? How will you know if it's been successful?

Our theatre audience is affluent, age 40 plus, economically sound, and enjoy leisure/entertainment. While they are affluent, they do respond to things as simple as 10% off a dining bill. We are in a large metropolitan city area which serves over 500,000 residents with lots of surrounding "suburbs." They are conservative.

Our season subscribers are a major income source for us and I want to create something that is exclusive to just them (hoping to increase season subscriptions).

As mentioned, I would love to hear of tracking methods. I have mentioned one above. Any other suggestions are more than welcome! Thanks

Dear good.guy.sf

If the name of your theatre is so heinous, why not change it to something a little more appealing?

However, your assertion that "catchy and clever is always great"
is a little misguided. Regardless of who your audience is, they are not idiots so please, I'm asking you nicely, resist the temptation to subject them to catchy cuteness.

Might patrons who feel they're being patronized by a fluffy, cute, catchy name be tempted not to return, thereby counteracting the purpose of your program?

I don't doubt for one second that you know about theatre. But please, the responses here that urge you to avoid a catchy name do so because the voices offering those opinions know about marketing and are trying to help you.

So please, adhere to the notion of Catchy is Not a Selling Strategy™ and you'll be fine.

NAMES:

Curtain Call
Footlights Review
Exit, Stage Left
Break a leg

As for tracking, the receipt idea might be tricky to track and it's one extra thing for patrons to do. Might it be better to stamp a card with a rubber stamp?

I hope this helps.

Gary Bloomer
Wilmington, DE, USA

Low tech tracking is very difficult. However, a really nice guest book adds a ton of class and is easy for someone to farm.

Michael