how and when you will get tickets and receipts to them

MAKE

  payment details (credit card or cheque)

IT 

  where to return the form to

EASY

  when they need to respond by; offer is for a limited time only.

A freepost number or self addressed envelope with freepost number enclosed in your mail 

With direct mail, make it

out will lower a barrier to responding. Freepost numbers can be obtained from New Zealand

easy on yourself. Create

Post and unlike pre paid envelopes, you will only be charged for those that are used. 

personalised letters and

mail address labels using

Don't erect too many barriers by putting limitations on the offer (e.g. offer applies only

the mail merge feature on

on Mondays and Thursdays).

your word processor; use

pre paid, easy seal

Note that your offer doesn't cut into your prime income audience   your supporters   by

envelopes; and use a rubber

offering them discounted seats. They will pay anyway. In effect, the offer is turning them

stamp for your return

into ambassadors for you by getting them to introduce a new person to your work.

address on the back.

Layout is important because people scan pages. Put your free offer in a boxed section so

that it stands out. Words like  free  and  you  are words that gain immediate attention.

Incentives

our message

Incentives should be attractive to your public without undercutting your sales. Incentives

ng y

encourage people interested in your work to purchase in a manner that you want them

to. But they won't make a buyer out of someone who isn't interested in your event.

icati

How do you want people to book? In advance? In groups? On quiet nights? 

Don't just post out a passive letter or flyer. Provide a clear, easy (one step) response

mechanism: e.g.  Call 0800 223 344 by 10 October to receive $5 off your second ticket. 

E mail is another effective way of providing a response mechanism because people can

Commun

reply outside box office hours. 

Adding benefits may provide a more effective incentive than discounting. Discounting

(e.g. for group tickets or for specific nights) can be effective but beware of devaluing your

product or alienating your public. For example, you may choose to drop the price if

4

ticket sales are not going well. In fact, this is rewarding latecomers and will antagonise

your loyal supporters who have pre booked. You also appear desperate and make people

wonder why no one wants your product.

If you are going to offer discounts for specific nights direct the discount promotion to a

specific target group. For example, offer a two for one night for students of the local

drama school for a quiet night or early on in the season to get word of mouth going.

Also, keep in mind that discounting will affect your expected average ticket price and

therefore your income.

Competition draws (e.g. buy a ticket and go into a draw to win a dinner for two) don't

tend to generate as many ticket sales as you might expect although if you have an entry

deadline, it does encourage people to book earlier if they were already planning to book.

Draws can also provide an opportunity to build up your contacts database (with the

permission of the individuals concerned, of course). Before offering a competition draw,

check with the Department of Internal Affairs (www.dia.govt.nz) that you comply with

the legal requirements. 

Incentives can also create more work for your box office. Tell them about your plans in

advance and check that they can manage the workload.

47

Smart arts

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