Marketing Plan
by Karin Willet
Table of Contents
Executive Summary………………………………………………………….…..………………. 3
Mission…………………………………………………………………..………………………. 4
Objectives…………………………………………………………………………..……………. 4
Service Description………………………………………………………………...……………. 5
Marketplace Gap……………………………………………….…………………..……………. 6
Situation Analysis…………………………………………….…………………………………. 7
Competitor Analysis…………………………………………………….………………………. 9
Competitor Comparison………………………………………………………………………….16
Competitor Comparison Table…………………………….……………………………………. 18
Brand Matrix……………………………………………………………………………………. 24
Online Analysis…………………………………………………………………………………. 26
Recommendations………………………………………………………………………………. 28
Marketing Strategy…………………………………………………...…………………………. 31
Marketing Mix…………………………………………………………….……………………. 44
Primary Research…………………………………………………….…………………………. 48
Implementation/Action Plan……………………………………………………………………. 52
Evaluation & Control…………………………………………...………………………………. 54
Appendix……………………………………………….………………….……………………. 57
References ……………………………………………………………...………………………. 72
Executive Summary
Piedmont Blues Preservation Society non-profit organization works to cultivate and preserve the tradition of blues music. Their mission is to help our community discover the wonder and joy of music by raising awareness and providing music education to our community and schools. They strive to support quality blues events, including our Annual Carolina Blues Festival, concerts, competitions, workshops, and educational programs to the Triad.
After meeting with Board Member Joseph Erba, we were able to create a list of objectives for PBPS, with the main focus being exposure and expansion in the Triad Area. The target market is ages 18-23, 30-40 and maintaining our audience of 55+.
Our recommendations for Piedmont Blues Preservation Society is to update the website, assign a Social Media Intern or Trustee, increase opportunities for reviews, begin to work with universities and college students, and create partnerships with other non-profits.
We encourage implementation of our social media recommendations immediately to increase virtual image. Over the next six months, focus strongly on venues and musicians. Finding more venues for artists to perform in will bring more exposure to the artists. Lastly, after a year, we recommend concentrating on your partnerships and sponsors. By doing this, we hope to strengthen the events that Piedmont Blues Preservation Society has to offer.
Mission
To sustain the blues music genre by keeping it current and applicable throughout the Piedmont area. The Piedmont Blues Preservation Society (PBPS) achieves this by supporting local musicians and connecting music-lovers of all ages through a variety of outreach and events.
· Engage younger audience (ages 18-23 & 30-40) while maintaining current 55+ generation.
· Increase membership quantity by 10% annually.
· Aim to lower debt by $5,000 each year.
· Update, streamline, and declutter website before end of second yearly quarter.
· Cultivate a larger social media presence by posting at least once a week on either Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
· Increase internet traffic to the website by fifteen click-throughs a month by making it more exciting and accessible.
· Gain 50 new followers quarterly for all social media platforms.
· Create a YouTube channel to showcase highlights from past events.
· Sign on a new corporate sponsor every quarter.
The Piedmont Blues Preservation Society seeks to preserve and promote blues music in older and younger generations. They hold four large festivals mainly in the spring/summer and smaller local events utilizing a variety of artists and locations throughout the year. These events drive interest in the organization and gain funding. The PBPS also works directly with over 70 blues artists to promote their music while drawing attention to PBPS. There is an average of 15 venues they utilize that could reach the population of approximately 1.5 million in the Piedmont area. These events ensure the furthering of their mission by connecting music-lovers of all ages. Piedmont Blues also gains funding through yearly memberships. They currently seek to target younger audiences (35 and under) through social media outreach and strive to gain their interest in the blues music genre. The live events that are held throughout the year are fairly well-attended, and have received overall good reviews and comments on social media.
Marketplace Gap
The current market for this music genre is primarily age 55+, but this market is aging out, leaving a smaller base to target every year. PBPS would like to reach a younger demographic in order to generate continued interest in the blues. This group age 35 and under enjoy live entertainment, the nightlife, entertainment, and would likely attend future events and festivals and possibly even purchase a membership with the organization. This age group also shows lasting interest in music, rather than treating it as a fad. Other genres such as hip hop, pop, and country are currently more popular than the blues, but all genres have roots in the blues, so it is possible to connect with a portion of these audiences. Music lovers aren’t always aware of societies such as the PBPS that work hard to host festivals and events. The current gap is missing out on these experiences. Our goal is to provide an effective plan to reach this younger generation and create interest and members for PBPS.
Strengths
· Well-known organization in the genre.
· Loyal fan base of blues music.
· Meets the requirements to be a 501 c 3.
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Weaknesses
· Current blues fans are aging out.
· Cash flow is negative.
· Musicians do not feel appreciated.
· Website is cluttered and difficult to navigate.
· Not well known outside blues community.
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Opportunities
· Exposure to new fans.
· Exposure for new sponsors/donors via events.
· Gaining and maintaining younger generation’s interest.
· Increase usage of website and social media.
· Large number of students in area to reach.
· New microbreweries and potential venues are opening up.
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Threats
· Gained $45,000 in debt last year.
· Hosting events is costly.
. Other forms of entertainment are more popular.
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Strengths:The Piedmont Blues Preservation Society is a music group in the Piedmont and surrounding areas that focuses solely on supporting blues music. This is a faithfully-followed genre with loyal listeners. It is well-known in the blues community and has successfully met all of the requirements to be a 501 c 3 non-profit organization. There are many venues who enjoy partnering with musicians through PBPS.
Weaknesses:It is difficult to engage the younger generation in the enjoyment of blues music. The most loyal community is age 55+. The number of new members are not meeting the requirement, resulting in less of a cash flow. Last year’s total income did not meet the total debt, creating a negative cash flow. As a non-profit, it is sometimes difficult to receive the necessary donations to fulfill all the needs of the organization. PBPS’s website is not geared towards the younger crowd and requires an update. Also, musicians do not always feel appreciated when working with PBPS.
Opportunities: Piedmont Blues should prove to the younger generations that they would, in fact, enjoy the blues genre. It is surprisingly easy to form a connection in all music to the blues, as most of today’s genres are actually derived from it. With more companies searching for tax write-offs and advertising, it is relatively easy to obtain a donor to sponsor an event (See Appendix 1 for list of current sponsors). We have created a sample sponsorship letter you can send out to sponsors you would like to partner with in Appendix 2. Discovering new ways to make their musicians feel appreciated is another opportunity.
Threats: The current blues community is aging out, and PBPS has not been able to find a younger community willing to provide interest. Cash flow is also a large threat, as the debt-to-income ratio was negative last year. They acquired $45,000 in debt and only received $37,000 in income. This is evidence of financial troubles. Without enough income, it is possible that some of the services and events currently offered will not be able to continue. Also, the PBPS does not have a presence among other music genres.
B2B Comparisons
ArtsGreensboro
· Has an annual budget of approximately $3.5 million, is a catalyst for innovation to build recognition and support for the arts
· Is driving the health and vitality of our community by supporting arts education, celebrating the diversity of Greensboro, and driving economic impact through excellence in arts programming
· Financially supports more than 50 arts organizations and projects each year, connects the public to arts and entertainment, and financially supports the area arts scene through grants, marketing support and other important initiatives and services
Natty Greene’s
· Here at Natty Greene's, we believe in taking the time to do and enjoy the things we love. For us, it's brewing sessionable style ales for people who like to drink beer, more than one. In the South there's nothing better than some elbow room, front porch drinking, great friends, and the time to enjoy it all.
Grove Winery
· A short drive from anywhere in the Triad or Triangle, our tasting room is located at the winery and is open daily year-round for tastings, shopping, picnics, special events or simply a glass of wine on our patio overlooking Lake Cabernet
Yes! Weekly
· YES! Weekly is the largest circulated and best read weekly in the market and has been recognized with more state, regional and national press awards for design and editorial than all the other weekly papers in the market combined
· Our mission was to bring hard and fair news, insightful commentary and comprehensive cultural writing to Greensboro
B2C comparisons
Boxcar Bar + Arcade
·A very casual, welcoming environment, along with affordable prices, an extensive lineup of your favorite classic and modern arcade games, a full bar (including 24 rotating craft drafts and carefully crafted cocktails), covered outdoor seating and a dog-friendly environment.
·Serves fresh, free popcorn daily, and you can find some of your favorite local food trucks right outside our doors.
Red Cinemas
·An upscale movie theater in Greensboro, NC.
·Features items such as espresso, wine, craft beer, gourmet snacks, fresh popcorn, and indie films.
Greene Street Nightclub
·The East Coast's hottest DJ's, latest artist or even yourself in the spotlight on Open Mic Night.
· A unique experience in nightlife throughout the Carolina's and beyond.
Pig Pounder Brewery
·Objective is to produce world class beer. That's why we spend energy sourcing the best ingredients.
· Pig Pounder Pavilion is located next door to the taproom - a brand new space where you can hang out, play a variety of games (like ping pong, foosball, corn hole, darts + more), lounge in hammocks, and drink Pig Pounder beer!
The Blind Tiger
·A local neighborhood bar, transformed itself rather quickly into one of the best live music venues in NC.
· Dedicated to bringing the best in local, regional and national music.
Competitor Comparison
The Competitor Comparison table shows how we compared Piedmont Blues to their competition. There is a B2B comparison table for other non-profit music organizations in the area. We also have a B2C comparison table for competitors who offer entertainment but are not non-profit organizations. Before the tables, there is an outline that shows what in particular we were looking for when comparing each company and organization to Piedmont Blues Preservation Society. The comparisons also highlight the areas of improvements given by Piedmont Blues.
B2B Comparison
· Benefits
o Gain clients
o Exposure
o Tax Reductions
o Opportunities for advancement
· Experience/Events
o Professionalism
o Execution of events
· Loyalty/Partnership
· Community Engagement
o Donation, partnership
· Social Media Outreach
o Exposure
o Increase in followings
o Reviews
B2C Comparison
· Benefits
o Discounts
o Opportunities for advancement/employment
· Experience
o Concerts/live events
o Mingling with artists
· Interests
o Music, genres
o Atmosphere of event
o Travel
· Community Engagement
o Volunteering/internship
· Social Media Outreach
o Exposure
o Updates on new events
o Connecting with other followers/enthusiasts
Competitor Comparison Table
B2B Table
Competitor Comparisons
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Piedmont Blues
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ArtsGreensboro
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Rock 92 (WKRR)
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Benefits
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· Project Support Grants: single-year investments in projects proposed by arts organizations that do not receive Mission Support funding. Projects must engage and impact the community.
· Opportunities for Corporate Sponsorship
· Opportunities for blues artists to receive sponsorship
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Experience/Events
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Loyalty/Partnership
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· Some mention of partners on website
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Community Engagement
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Social Media Outreach
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B2C Table
Competitor Comparisons
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Piedmont Blues
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Boxcar Bar + Arcade
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Red Cinemas
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Benefits
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· Discounts on tickets for members
· Membership fees are tax deductible
· Bluesletter: up to date information about local artists, events, dining at local venues
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· Employment Opportunities: Bartenders, barbacks, floor staff, security, event coordinators, technicians
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· Weekly newsletter of upcoming events
· No opportunities for employment on website
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Experience
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· Music Festivals
· Concerts at local venues
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· Tournaments: skeeball, air hockey, Rockband
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· Luxury experience provided at theater
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Interests
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· Blues music
· Events in triad area
· Food trucks
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· Multiple genres of music
· Craft beer & cocktails
· 100 arcade games
· Food trucks
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· Movies (blockbuster, independent, foreign films)
· Craft beer, wine, Espresso drinks
· Frozen Custard from local restaurant
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Community Engagement
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· Membership yearly: Individual- $15
Family- $25
Blue Blood- $125
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· Membership: free, special birthday offers and discounts
· Opportunities to book events
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· No official membership
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Social Media Outreach
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· Facebook: 4,198 likes, 4,065 followers
· Twitter: 125 likes, 260 followers
· Contact page on website
· Link to RSS page down
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· Facebook:17,235 likes, 17,088 followers, 4.8 out of 5 stars, 540 reviews
· Twitter: 782 likes, 831 followers
· Instagram:3,517 followers
· Google+: 731 reviews, 4.6 out of 5 stars
· Yelp: 4.5 out 5 stars, 50 reviews
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· Facebook:7,286 likes, 7,240 followers, 4.3 out of 5 stars, 299 reviews
· Twitter: 164 likes, 411 followers
· LinkedIn: 29 followers
· YouTube: 4 followers
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Competitor Comparisons Cont’d
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The Blind Tiger
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Pig Pounder Brewery
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Greene Street Nightclub
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Benefits
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· Access to reserved parking
· VIP tables
· Opportunities to book events; access to Blind Tiger amenities (sound, lighting, staff)
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· Subscription of mailing list
· No information on employment opportunities
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· No information on employment opportunities
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Experience
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· List of upcoming events
· Live concerts, performances
· In/outdoor events
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· Weekly events- yoga and trivia
· Events calendar listed
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· VIP experience: list of packages (ex. Platinum $500, 2 bottles of premium liquor & 1 bottle of champagne
· Weekly open mic night
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Interests
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· Nightlife
· Food trucks/restaurants in walking distance
· No information on alcoholic beverages
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· Beer
· Nightlife
· Games (cornhole, board games, darts, etc.)
· Pets are welcome
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· Nightlife
· College nights
· DJs of different genres of music
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Community Engagement
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· No information on volunteering/internship/employment on website
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· Opportunities to serve PPB at your establishment
· No opportunities for volunteering/ employment
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· No information on volunteering/ employment on website
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Social Media Outreach
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· Facebook: 22,524 likes, 22,244 followers, 4.3 out of 5 stars, 861 reviews
· Twitter: 26 likes, 1,451 followers
· Instagram: 2,819 followers, 575 posts
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· Facebook:18,616 likes, 18,290 followers, 4.6 out of 5 stars, 161 reviews
· Twitter: 528 likes, 3,187 followers
· Instagram:1,701 followers
· Yelp: 4 out of 5 stars, 30 reviews
· Trip Advisor: 4.5 out 5 stars, 26 reviews
· Beer Advocate: 3.7 out of 5 stars, 114 ratings
· Untappd: 3.6 out 5 stars, 10,921 ratings
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· Facebook:19,080 likes, 18,649 followers, 3.9 out of 5 stars, 63 reviews
· Instagram:609 followers
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Brand Matrix
Companies compared:
The Music Academy of North Carolina
Music For a Great Space
Music Maker Relief Foundation
Piedmont Blues Preservation Society
All of these organizations perform well in both community engagement and Facebook activity. Piedmont Blues is falling behind however, as they are less involved in community engagement than their competitors. It is possible PBPS is as involved, but there is not much evidence online. The other organizations make a point to show their community engagement on their Facebook page, along with promoting their upcoming shows. Potential donators/sponsors and attendees at events enjoy supporting an organization that has a strong community engagement.
Online Analysis
Piedmont Blues Preservation Society
Piedmont Blues Preservation Society
Website
Pros
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Cons
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· Logo and contact information clearly displayed at the top of webpages
· List of upcoming gigs for artists to see
· Display of sponsors and logos
· Consistent color scheme and theme throughout website and tabs
· Multiple opportunities to donate on different tabs
· Updated calendar and list of events under calendar tab
· Social media posted on each tab
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· Website appears outdated
· There are too many tabs options (10 tabs, 3 sub-tabs)
· Each tab is filled with a lot of information, very wordy
· Not many videos or pictures of events, projects, artists
· Outdated list of sponsors
· Video archives page is not working
· RSS social media page is not working
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Social Media
Pros
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Cons
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· Has Facebook and Twitter accounts
· Facebook posts consistent (at least 1 post a day)
· Events page on Facebook includes updated list of events, availability to purchase tickets, opportunity to donate
· Over 300 photos on Facebook, 300 photos posted by followers
· 18 video posts on Facebook (20,125 views)
· Email sign-up page with an opportunity to donate
· Amazon donates tab: shop on Amazon they offer 5% of purchase to PBPS
· 93 photos and videos on Twitter
· Updated list of 2018 Sponsors on Twitter
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· No reviews page on Facebook
· No mention of Amazon Donates on website
· Facebook views on some videos are much higher than others
· Tweets are not very consistent (1 tweet every week or 2)
· Not much activity on Twitter
· No opportunities to donate on Twitter page
· Has an Instagram handle but no mention of this on the website, or other social media networks
· Instagram posts are outdated: last post Nov. 2017
· Not much information about Piedmont Blues in the Bio section on Instagram
· Piedmont Blues does not have a Snapchat or YouTube
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Recommendations
Based on our goals for Piedmont Blues Preservation Society and the information gathered from their website and social media accounts, we have created this list of recommendations. We feel that these recommendations will help to increase the knowledge of PBPS in the Piedmont area and increase the following and participation of millennials. Lastly, these recommendations will strengthen the relationship between featured performers and sponsors.
1. Update Website
The PBPS’s website is functional, but very simple and outdated. We recommend working with a website designer or graphic designer to bring the website to life. A minimum cost for hiring a website designer is between $250-$500. Since we do already have a website and plenty of content to work with already, this should not become too costly. Wordpress offers Premium packages for creating a website, which only costs $300 a year ($25/month). The Wordpress Premium package includes unlimited premium and business theme templates, Google Analytics support, unlimited storage, and the ability to remove WordPress.com branding. Adding more graphics, photos, videos of past performances, artist information, ongoing project news, reviews of past festivals, hashtag utilization – all of these things will improve the website’s appearance. Also, condensing the amount of information that’s on the website will enable visitors to view what PBPS is doing in the community first-hand. The membership section needs to include more information such as what’s included in each option. It would also be helpful if customers could purchase tickets for shows straight from the calendar by a direct link.
2. Assigning a Trustee as Social Media Chair or hiring a Social Media Intern
In order to be truly effective on social networks, there needs to be consistency. We recommend hiring an unpaid Social Media intern from the local universities. The intern will be allowed full access to events for free and allowed to network with partners and sponsors. Assigning someone to update the social media accounts will allow for more outreach to our audience. The community will constantly be informed and offered multiple opportunities to participate with Piedmont Blues events.
3. Offering opportunities for reviews
There are not many opportunities for the blues community to offer feedback. A standard survey could be sent out to guests and members after an event or festival regarding their experience. Google Forms is a free app offered by Google where you can create a survey. They also can take the information from your Google Form and analyze the data. The day after performances or events, this survey can be emailed to members or people who have purchased tickets offline. Also you can post it on your Facebook and Twitter page. A Reviews tab needs to be available on Facebook and the website. Opening up this opportunity to comment allows our community to become involved and also allows the company to improve themselves.
4. Begin to work with universities and colleges in the area
College students are always looking for something exciting on the weekends. Hosting smaller events on campus brings awareness of what the Piedmont Blues does to millennials. This can also be an opportunity to again hire more student interns to be Brand Ambassadors. They will be on campus with a PBPS t-shirt talking about the non-profit and also telling students how to get involved. Free cups can also be given out and have opportunities to offer “Student Discount Tickets.” Also, it will create an opportunity to network and increase the social media following among those millennials. Based on our target market of 18-24 year olds with income under $20K, we feel that being involved with college campuses will be very beneficial.
5. Partner with other music non-profit organizations.
Throughout our research for competitors we were able to find several non-profit organizations also involved in music. We feel that by working with these organizations, you are able to expand your following from all music genres. Since we have a target market with about 19,000 people, it will be impossible to get each one involved with our cause in particular. By partnering with another organization you will be able to gain recognition on social media and at live events. We have also analyzed these potential partners and included them (Appendix 3).
Marketing Strategy
Segmentation - B2C
Demographic
The PBPS is appropriate for male & female gender. We are segmenting a variety of age groups:
·18-24 year-olds who are in college or recently graduated, living on campus or in an apartment with income under $20K. This group is looking for fun, inexpensive nights out with their friends. Your events are a great way to ease the stress of exams and a safer alternative to bar-hopping.
·30-40 year-olds who are married, own a home, have children, with an income between $20-50K. This group is looking an easy, inexpensive date night with their spouse, away from kids and the stress of work.
·50-65 year-olds who are married, retiring or retired, own a home, have grown children, with an income of $50-75K. This group has a true passion for the blues music and is looking for fun, appealing events to attend as a group.
Geographic
·Aiming 15 miles within Greensboro zip 27403
· Aiming 15 miles within Winston Salem zip 27101
Psychological
Attitudes
Aiming for those with an attitude of admiration and love for the blues genre, those who appreciate any music and enjoy going to events with others, those with an attitude of adventure.
Knowledge & awareness
The generation of 55+ may already be aware that the blues genre is losing steam. Their involvement is evidence that the blues genre is still alive.
Hobbies
Looking at those with an interest in all types of music, blues specifically, along with live events, date nights, social activities, events with friends, and support of music.
Brand attributes sought
If vendors, sponsors and venues who are more well-known are utilized, that may appeal to the public.
Segmentation - B2B
Demographic
·Smaller companies, preferably bars or concert venues, with less than 100 employees earning under $500K yearly. This size would fit well with the musicians we are highlighting and allow us the opportunity to work with new vendors. Will reach via social media, mailers, and cold calls.
·Larger companies with over 1,000 employees such as The Fresh Market and YMCA earning over 1M yearly. These companies don’t have to be related to music - just willing to partner with us and sponsor us for events. Three levels of sponsorship will be offered. Will reach via social media, mailers, and cold calls.
Geographic
·Aiming 15 miles within Greensboro zip 27403
· Aiming 15 miles within Winston Salem zip 27101
Targeting
Greensboro
The average population as of 2017 is 282,177 (TownCharts). We are targeting the 3 income levels listed. 
We are specifically targeting the age groups depicted below.
·42% of the population are married and 58% are single.
·Most single men & women are age 18-24.
·50% of population own homes and 50% rent. Population spends 19% of their income on rent/mortgage. This means they will want relatively cheap date nights and fun outing experiences.
The charts below show the busiest times that commuters leave for work and how long they remain in their vehicles. This would be the prime time to broadcast radio advertisements.
Based on each target market in the geographic location chosen, we have the following prospects:
·18-24 year olds with income under $20K =
282,177 (population) x 31% (age) x 8% (under 20K) = 6,998 prospects.
·30-40 year olds married, have kids, live in a home, income of $20-50K =
282,177 (population) x 24% (age) x 37% (income) x 50% (own home) x 58% (have kids) = 7,266 prospects.
·50-65 year olds married, own homes, income of $50-75K =
282,177 (population) x 22% (age) x 50% (own home) x 15% (income) = 4,656 prospects
Total 18,920
Mail route including all of those demographics = 10,805 prospects.
Winston Salem
The average population as of 2017 in Winston Salem is 242,200 (TownCharts). We are targeting the 3 income levels listed.
We are specifically targeting the age groups depicted below.
·43% of the population are married and 57% are single.
·Most single men & women are age 18-24.
·54% of population own homes and 46% rent. Population spends 21% of their income on rent/mortgage. This means they will want relatively cheap date nights and fun outing experiences.
The charts below show the busiest times that commuters leave for work and how long they remain in their vehicles. This would be the prime time to broadcast radio advertisements.
Using the demographics of ages 18-64, income of $15-75K, and presence of children and no children, we searched a location within a 15 mile radius of Winston-Salem zip code 27101. Using Every Door Direct Mail, we discovered 5565 possible homes and businesses that could be reached.
Based on each target market in the geographic location chosen, we have the following prospects:
·18-24 year olds with income under $20K =
242,200 (population) x 29% (age) x 9% (under 20K) = 6,321 prospects.
·30-40 year olds married, have kids, live in a home, income of $20-50K =
242,200 (population) x 24% (age) x 33% (income) x 54% (own home) x 59% (have kids) = 6,111 prospects.
·50-65 year olds married, own homes, income of $50-75K =
242,200 (population) x 24% (age) x 54% (own home) x 16% (income) = 5,022 prospects.
Total 17,454
Mail route including all of those demographics = 5,565 prospects.
We discovered that Facebook and Instagram are the most highly used social media sites (Target Internet). We recommend utilizing these platforms the most to reach potential clients. YouTube is doing fairly well, but posting YouTube videos on Facebook and Instagram could increase views.
Twenty percent of hardcore music lovers attend 5-6 festivals per year. The average segment of concert-goers is aged 32, earn more than $75K a year, and love alternative rock (Music Festival)
We also discovered via Simply Analytics that the majority of the Greensboro population will spend around $20,000 a year on entertainment.
However, only about $4,000 of that will be spent on concerts and music-related outings.
Positioning
·To lovers of excitement, 18-24, wanting a lively, affordable evening out with friends, the Piedmont Blues Preservation Society unites music-lovers and the exhilaration of the night life/festivals by hosting live blues music at local venues in the Piedmont area for over 30 years.
·To couples, 30-40, wanting an affordable time-out from the kids, the Piedmont Blues Preservation Society unites music-lovers with the stimulation of concerts/festivals by hosting live blues music at local venues in the Piedmont area for over 30 years.
·To businesses, 0-100 employees, wanting to draw attention to your venue, the Piedmont Blues Preservation Society unites talented blues musicians and the exhilaration of your stage by organizing live blues music shows/festivals at local venues in the Piedmont area for over 30 years.
Marketing Mix
Product
The Piedmont Blues Preservation Society is a service-based company that is keeping the blues music alive. They are well-known in the community and have been active since 1985. Their logo has a blue background with a white guitar which seems fitting, but the font is quite difficult to read and the colors are a bit too similar. Utilizing different shades of blue could be more appealing to the eye. Their brand is “Keepin’ the Blues Alive since 1985” which we feel is very catchy. They seek to preserve and promote blues music in older and younger generations. They do this by hosting several live music experiences and festivals throughout the year. These festivals feature more than 70 artists attending over 2 days. These events help fund the PBPS, drive interest in the organization, and preserve the blues music. There is an average of 15 venues they utilize that could reach the population of approximately 1.5 million in the Piedmont area. These events ensure the furthering of their mission by connecting music-lovers of all ages. Always innovating new ideas and products is important with marketing, so PBPS needs to continue to work with up-and-coming modern artists as well as the regular artists they love. Surveys would be very helpful to utilize and get more hard data on what the public thinks of these events.
Price
We believe attendees receive a good value experience out of the events hosted. They’re usually held in fun venues with food trucks and drinks available. It’s been difficult for PBPS to break even in costs, though. Since they are a non-profit, there are no paid employees – everyone is a volunteer. Therefore, their fixed costs are minimal. The main costs come from the events hosted. A good amount of the events actually have free entries.
$21 entry fee for May festival
$10 for The Blind Tiger shows
Yearly memberships:
Include regularly published Bluesletter which contains up to date information about local artists and events, discounts on event tickets, dining at local venues, and more!
Individual - $15
Family - $25
Blue Blood - $125
• A Blueblood membership designates the individual contributor to free admission to all Society sponsored events.
• A Blueblood membership designates the individual contributor to free admission to all Society sponsored events.
Place
The main form of exchange between customers and PBPS is via the website or at the actual event. If customers order their memberships and/or tickets online, this is done through the website. They can also get tickets at the venues themselves. Quite a few of the events are free as well. The main experiences will happen at the place of the events which are in various areas: pubs, concert venues, campgrounds, and parks. Four live events are located in the triad area, with one specifically in LeBauer Park in downtown Greensboro from May 19-20.
Promotion
·The PBPS will utilize algorithms on social media platforms to target potential attendees with ads detailing clearly the time, location and price of each event.
·They will also utilize radio stations to broadcast advertisements to likely audience bases such as those who listen to rock and country. Frequency of these visual and audio promotions should be tied to the size of the event they are promoting. For large events, ads online should appear 3 months ahead of time; audio on radio should appear 1 month ahead of time; with frequency more often as the event grows closer. For smaller events, ads should start a month ahead of the event, and audio on radio should start a week ahead of time.
· Place posters around town on major thoroughfares and at local venues (especially where their artists are playing) to maximize awareness of the event details (Appendix 4). These can be hung on bulletin boards, in bathrooms, and at bars of the venues. Using a site such as Uprinting, the cost would be approximately $30 to print 50 posters.
· Label discounts and benefits that come with memberships as well as specific rewards to encourage people to check out Piedmont Blues.
· Promote the PBPS at the events it hosts - ensure attendees are aware it is the PBPS that made the event possible and they may want a membership to stay up to date and get benefits on future events.
·Regular Facebook posts should continue once a day as they are now highlighting events. (Appendix 5).
·When it’s festival season, each week Facebook needs to highlight a new sponsor and tag them so they are getting seen as well.
· Instagram needs to be utilized once a week, encouraging interaction with the public. This will most likely reach the 18-23 and 30-40 year olds. (Appendix 6).
· Twitter can be used to create polls asking the public’s opinions on what bands they’d like to see next and at what venue/location. This will respond well with the 18-23 year-olds. (Appendix 7).
· YouTube could be a huge success by keeping a running channel of past events. These videos should show not only the musicians playing, but also highlight the fun the crowd is having.
·Emails should be sent out once a month with a list of all the events upcoming, fun facts and information about the history and future of the blues, and highlighting one particular band each newsletter (Appendix 8).
People
The PBPS should be the source for people to find local blues artist’s shows that they want to attend. PBPS needs to be more careful in their Facebook posts – they have recently had the wrong time or no time/date listed on their posts. Whenever someone comments on any social media (be it Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) someone from the PBPS needs to respond with 24 hours, whether it’s a good comment or bad. If it’s good, people like knowing they’ve been heard and will feel a connection. If it’s bad, they will appreciate you took the time to address the issue. Currently, sometimes they are responding to posts and sometimes not. PBPS is all about caring for the blues music and that needs to be done by caring for the people. Buying tickets online should be easy and not cause frustration for the public. Emails and messages should be responded to within 24 hours. The interactions should be friendly, helpful and direct. The PBPS is different from its competitors because it goal is not just to gain wealth, but rather to help local artists grow and spread the love of blues music to audiences.
Primary Research
Primary research can be the most valuable information an organization will receive. This is often over looked. In the past, it does not appear research of this kind has been performed on The PBPS. This is one of the easiest measures a company can take to truly see their patron’s opinions about the company. Surveys are free to create on Qualtrics.com. We created a basic survey to obtain answers regarding Blues music in the opinions of random people. The questions asked range from demographics to music preference. A copy of the survey is below.
The Survey link is: https://qtrial2018q1az1.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_b4a4IM5jpM9kFhP
There were a total of 31 responses, however one was excluded because it was incomplete.
·Out of the thirty responses, nine said that they have heard of the Piedmont Blues while 21 said that have not heard of it.
· When asked if they were interested in blues music, two said yes, six said somewhat, 11 said neutral, ten said not really, and two said definitely not.
· When asked what type of music they prefer, two said blues, 12 said country, eight said rock, four said jazz, 5 said other. That leaves blues with only 6.9% of those surveyed.
· When asked if they were aware that almost all music is derived from blues music, 12 said yes, eight said no, and ten said they have never thought about it.
· When asked if they were aware that the Piedmont Blues puts on multiple events each year, four said yes, 12 said no, 14 said they did not know the Piedmont Blues existed.
· When asked if they have ever attended a Piedmont Blues event, three said yes, 22 said no, and five said they were not sure.
· When asked how much would they be willing to spend to attend a full day Piedmont Blues festival, 13 said $10, eight said $20, six said $30, two said $40, and one said $100.
· When asked which even they would rather attend (blues music festival, water park, movie theater, or a Greensboro Swarm basketball game), seven said blues festival, nine said water park, six said movie theater, and seven said Greensboro Swarm basketball game.
· When asked if they would be willing to join the Piedmont Blues for an annual fee, one said strongly yes, two said probably, seven said neutral, nine said probably not, and ten said no.
· When asked if they would be willing to join for no annual fee, five said strongly yes, eight said probably, five said neutral, ten said probably not, and three said no.
· When asked where they look for upcoming events, 20 said online, five said TV, and four said radio.
· When asked if they would donate to the Piedmont Blues for a tax write off, one said yes, eight said no, nine said neutral, seven said probably not, and seven said no.
· When asked if they would donate knowing that they Piedmont Blues helps struggling artists, 12 said yes, two said no, 17 said they were not familiar with the Piedmont Blues.
· When asked if they were male or female, 12 said male, and 19 said female.
· When asked about age, two were between 10 and 20, 13 were between 21 and 30, six were between 31 and 40, and four were between 51 and 60.
· When asked if they live in the Piedmont area, 26 said yes, four said no, and one said they were not sure.
Please see Appendix 9 for the cross tabulation.
Putting all of this data together shows that only 30% of those surveyed have heard of the Piedmont Blues - this definitely needs improvement! However, the most damaging result is that only .06666% said they were interested in blues music, which is a major setback. Since the majority of the respondents were ages 21-30, this is evidence that the younger generation are not that interested in this music genre. This also helps us see which ages to target more aggressively. This data is extremely valuable especially because out of the 30 surveyed, 26 of them live in the Piedmont area.
Implementation/Action Plan
Immediately
The main items to start immediately are regarding social media.
·Update the Instagram bio section to include information on the PBPS (Appendix 10).
· Start posting on Instagram once a week highlighting upcoming artists.
· Continue posting on Facebook 2-5 times a week highlighting artists, sponsors, vendors. (Appendix 11).
· Create a YouTube channel and upload any past videos saved.
· Streamline the website by removing clutter, highlight and explain the membership perks, re-vamp the logo.
· Start an email newsletter by adding email addresses already acquired and asking new members/sponsors to join.
·Create a LinkedIn page for yourself.
The majority of these actions will be free to do. Updating the website, if chosen to proceed with a different domain such as WordPress, will be an average of $7-15 a month, which includes templates. Websites such as Hootsuite allow you to schedule multiple social media posts as far out as you like. The marketing intern could spend one day and have an entire month scheduled to be posted.
6 months
At the six month time period, the focus should be on the musicians and venues. Social media has become more constant at this point.
· Follow local artist’s social media pages and share their content on your own social media.
· Post on social media asking for the public’s recommendations on future bands to showcase.
· Host a get-together for all past PBPS artists as a time for them to get together and relax and feel appreciated. This does not have to be an expensive gathering – just a catered meal.
· Find five new venues not yet utilized. Cold call and visit them and ask to have your artists play there.
· Start producing and hanging fliers showcasing your artist and venue choices.
These items are also not terribly expensive. A catered meal can be pricey, but if held at a park and offering a catered picnic, the musicians will feel appreciated and enjoy spending time together at a reasonable cost to the PBPS. This could be a yearly event. The cost of producing fliers in bulk is approximately 30 cents per flier. We recommend printing about 50 fliers per each small event to distribute around town and in the venues.
A year
Within a year’s time, we recommend focusing strongly on sponsors and partners.
· Compile a list of the top 10 companies you want to work with within the next year.
· Have a phone or face-to-face meeting explaining to the possible sponsors what the benefits would be by partnering with you.
· At the large yearly festival put on in May, have a table for each sponsor so the public can see who they are and do giveaways to draw attention to themselves.
Evaluation & Control
Engage younger audience while maintaining current 55+ generation.
We will track the effectiveness of our plan to attract younger audiences by observing the attendees of events and also tracking the ages of new paying members in the organization. We will also target any Facebook ads and posts to specifically reach the target ages and those analytics will tell us how many people we’re reaching. Using SEO we can determine how many people and what age/gender are visiting your website as well.
Increase membership quantity by 10% annually.
Using an effective marketing campaign, we can see whether people develop a meaningful interest in the PBPS by purchasing a membership. Given that the current membership is around 100 members, the goal would be to get 10 new members this year, 11 next year, and so forth. By making your name more well known, this will get people more interested in the company. By marketing your company at events you sponsor, we can tell attendees that by joining, they will receive discounts on future events. We also recommend promoting membership discounts on social media.
Lower debt by $5,000 per year.
This can be achieved by either cutting costs and keeping revenue constant, holding cost the same and increasing revenue, or cutting cost and increasing revenue. Debt may be lowered by profit from memberships and ticket sales increasing. Costs may be cut by decreasing the amount of events hosted annually. Also working out deals and partnerships with venues and musicians could save on costs.
Update, streamline, and declutter website.
Reconstruct and update the website to be more modern and hold people’s attention long enough for them to find an event they are interested in. A successful reconstruction may be seen in increased attendance at events featured on the website, in the form of web traffic on the site, or possibly by memberships purchased through the website.
Cultivate a larger social media presence by posting on an outlet once a week.
Success of this objective can be determined by how many people follow the PBPS on social media at any time, how many actively engage with the posts (sharing, liking, etc.), or by how much the PBPS grows on a monthly basis.
Increase internet traffic to the website by fifteen click-throughs a month.
This can be achieved by implementing an effective marketing campaign through social media and real-world events that drive interested people toward the website. By posting CTAs on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc that will drive people back to the site. Adding an option to buy tickets from the website will also encourage visitors. Highlighting bands on the site may encourage fans to come to the site and check them out.
Gain fifty new followers quarterly across all social media platforms.
If the social media campaign is effective, more people will begin to follow the PBPS on different social media sites.
Timing:
·Videos- tracked monthly, but posted at least biweekly on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.
· Mail piece- send out two weeks prior to major events. Can include food venue vouchers..
· Social Media Campaign- check social media posts two days after they are posted to see how many people have shown interest through likes, comments, shares, etc. (This time frame is chosen because the post will likely be far enough back in someone’s feed after two days that they will never see it, meaning new engagement will be scarce).
· Email blast- send out monthly for members and before major events to those who have signed up.
· Promotion- should be consistent; people who follow the PBPS should know when to expect info, etc to be posted.
Appendix 1
List of current sponsors
Appendix 2
2018 Piedmont Blues Sponsors
The Piedmont Blues Preservation Society is currently looking for sponsors to join our team for the 2018 year. By being a sponsor you are welcome to attend all of our events at no charge. The biggest benefit to you is that 100%of your sponsorship will be tax deductible.
Some of our previous sponsors include:
-Edward Jones
-CBC Bank
-YES! WEEKLY
-Weaver Foundation
Join our 2018-sponsorship team now by emailing us at:
Appendix 3
Partnership Analysis
The Music Academy of North Carolina
·Mission is to enable students of all ages, interests, abilities, and backgrounds to discover, develop, realize, and express their inherent talents.
·They offer a comprehensive, culturally diverse curriculum that include lessons in: classical, jazz, folk/bluegrass, gospel piano, rock, Latino, and early childhood music.
·Four-lesson package is $135. Recitals and festivals are extra.
Spoonful of Music Foundation
·Mission is to offer children battling chronic diseases the unique gift of music therapy.
·Through instructed and participatory therapy, children will enjoy an immersive, creative experience allowing them to momentarily forget their illness while expressing themselves through music.
·A non-profit organization.
Music for a Great Space
·Mission is to open doors to the diverse cultural interests of the Piedmont community by presenting a series of inspiring musical performances and educational offerings.
·Is a concert series bringing the finest musicians to the Piedmont Triad. Their focus is on classical chamber music, including: piano, jazz, organ, vocal, and instrumental ensembles.
·A non-profit musical arts organization. Tickets for events run $5-30.
Music Maker Relief Foundation
· Founded to preserve the musical traditions of the South by directly supporting the musicians who make it, ensuring their voices will not be silenced by poverty and time.
·Gives future generations access to their heritage through documentation and performance programs that build knowledge and appreciation of America’s musical traditions.
·A 501c3 non-profit organization.
Carolina Music Ways
·Mission is to educate children in North Carolina about the state's diverse musical heritage and inspire them to participate in its rich music traditions.
·Benefits school children asclassroom lessons bring history to life through music, inspire passion for a variety of music, and celebrate North Carolina's multicultural music heritage.
·A 501 (c)3, tax-exempt, non-profit arts-in-education organization.
Partnership Analysis Table
Partnership
|
Piedmont Blues
|
The Music Academy of North Carolina
|
Spoonful of Music Foundation
| |||
Benefits
|
· List of sponsors (logos displayed on website)
· Provides tax deductions
|
· No specific list of sponsors
· Some logos posted on the website
· Provides tax deductions
|
· List of partners on website
(logos displayed)
· Provides tax deductions
| |||
Experience/Events
|
· Outdated list of competitors
· List of upcoming gigs on website
|
· Dedicated tab for different events
· Ways to save on tickets
|
· No event information on website or social media
| |||
Loyalty/Partnership
|
· Need to strengthen relationships with partners
|
· No specific list of sponsors
|
· Specific tab of partners
| |||
Community Engagement
|
· Opportunities for donations
· Extended partnerships
|
· Relies on financial support from corps/foundations to maintain affordable tuition
|
· Dedicated stories tab about patients they have helped
| |||
Social Media Outreach
|
· Facebook: 4,198 page likes; 4,065 followers
· Twitter: 125 likes, 260 followers
· Contact page on website
· Link to RSS page not working
|
· Facebook:
901 likes, 872 followers, 5 out of 5 stars, 29 reviews
· Twitter: 49 likes 189 followers,
· Pinterest: 18 followers, 8 boards
· YouTube: 6 followers
· Google Maps: Lacking information on location, reviews, followers
|
· Facebook:383 likes, 374 followers, 5 out of 5 stars, 2 reviews
· Instagram:16 followers, 0 posts
· Vimeo: 0 followers
| |||
Partnership Cont’d
|
Music for a Great Space
|
Music Maker Relief Foundation
|
Carolina Music Ways
| |||
Benefits
|
· List of sponsors on front page of website
· Provides tax reductions
|
· List of partners and government agencies
· Provides tax reductions
|
· Some logos on website
· Provides tax reductions
| |||
Experience/Events
|
· Updated list of events, mention partners
|
· List of upcoming events with partners
|
· List of events on website
| |||
Loyalty/Partnership
|
· Videos of partnerships with performers
|
· Special thank you to partners
|
· No list of partnerships posted
| |||
Community Engagement
|
· Opportunities for locations to receive exposure
|
· Opportunities for partners to receive exposure
|
· School shows, events for exposure
| |||
Social Media Outreach
|
· Facebook:
589 likes, 586 followers, 5 out of 5 stars, 3 reviews
· Twitter: 91 followers
· LinkedIn: 8 followers
· Instagram:175 followers
|
· Facebook:11,966 likes, 11,767 followers, 4.9 out of 5 stars, 79 reviews
· Twitter: 3,998 followers, 2,770 likes
· Instagram:1,192 followers
· Pinterest: 209 followers, 9 boards
· YouTube: 6,877 subscribers, 3,578,724 channel views
|
· Facebook:
330 likes, 296 followers
· YouTube: 17 subscribers, 6,697 channel views
| |||
Appendix 4
A poster Ticketfly made for an event that is catchy, has all the info, and appeals to younger crowd (Ticketfly).
Appendix 5
Sample Facebook post for ages 55+. Can have people on your board comment on post to draw more attention to it on Facebook.
Sample Facebook post for ages 30 and under. Show people having fun!
Sample Facebook post:
(Event time/date) is approaching! Come see (performer(s)) at the (location of concert). Come for fun, food, and a memorable evening.
Post design: Photo of location of the event with the second sentence centered in the middle of the photo; Text should be at least 1/3 larger than the rest of the text on the page (should be first thing they see).
Appendix 6
Sample Instagram post for ages 30-40. Tag any sponsors/venues/bands. Always encourage interaction.
Sample Instagram post
(Performer(s)) coming soon, (location of event), (time of event/date)
Photo of the performer should be used without text on the photo
Hashtags: blues, PBPS, anything related to that specific event
Appendix 7
Sample Twitter poll for ages 18-24 to involve the public.
Sample Twitter post
(Performer(s) are/is in town, head down to (location of event) at (time/date of event) for a rocking evening!
Photo of the Performer(s). Text on the photo is optional
Hashtags: blues, any other relevant hashtags
Appendix 8
Sample email blast
Hello (name of individual)!
The (event) you’ve been waiting for is approaching soon, featuring (band/performers) and (drinks, food, amenities)! For a fantastic (day/night) come to (location of event or name of the shop hosting) on the (date of event) at (time of event) for an unforgettable experience.
Details: Photo of event location should be behind the entire text and a photo of the band.
Appendix 9
Survey Cross-tabulation
By looking at the cross tabulation, we can conclude that people of all ages and gender participated in the survey. It was helpful that most of the respondents were from the Piedmont area since this is where the Piedmont Blues gains most of its audience. Unfortunately, the majority of those respondents had not heard of the Piedmont Blues. This is the largest obstacle that will have to be overcome. Piedmont Blues needs to receive more recognition from the area and a good way to do so is by advertising, which may be difficult with your low budget. According to the survey, most people were unaware that a majority of music is derived from blues music. If people can connect the blues to what they enjoy listening to now, they will be more prone to attend Piedmont Blues events. Most people were not interested in donating money to the Society. People are more likely to donate if they receive something in return. Some people will also donate simply to get a tax write off.
Appendix 10
Current Instagram home screen
Add a bio of:Keepin’ the Blues Alive Since 1985! Our focus is to promote local businesses, the arts, education, tourism and to make Guilford County a great place to live.piedmontblues.org/
Appendix 11
Tag the sponsors in any social media posts. This will show up on their page as well, bringing attention to you! Facebook post example.
References
Music Festival Demographics: Who Are The Most Hardcore Fans?Eventbrite. 9-November 2016. Web accessed 23-Mar-18. https://www.eventbrite.com/blog/music-festival-demographics-ds00/
Target Internet, How Different Age Groups Are Using Social Media,Web, Accessed 22-Mar-18
Ticketfly, Live & Local Wednesday, Accessed 23-Mar-18, https://www.ticketfly.com/event/1611061-live-local-wednesday-greensboro/
TownCharts, Greensboro North Carolina Population Charts,Dec. 2017, Web, Accessed 22-Mar-18
TownCharts, Winston-Salem North Carolina Population Charts,Dec. 2017, Web, Accessed 22-Mar-18
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