("Corabeth")Quote QuoteI overheard the PBS rep say that they would be talking about how they fell down on promotion, because in her words, "there is no reason those seats should have been empty." And it sounded like the station is taking responsibility for the failure to adequately promote. They played the special many times, but beyond that I don't know what else they did to sell this fabulous eveningI'm glad they saw it that way. They have to realize that there are only so many people who will buy expensive PBS pledge tickets and they have to reach out to non PBS watchers to fill the rest of the seats. It makes the concert more profitable and they could also end up getting more PBS supporters after the fact.Actually, about three weeks ago I got a message from the pledge director at my station, asking me to give the Miami station a call and see what I could do to help their PR people with ideas for selling out this concert. (Clay must have made quite an impression during the brief time he was here, because this was the first time I'd ever been approached about anything like this. It seems they really wanted to help make it/him a success. I must say I was touched.)Anyway, I called and found myself on a conference call with three very nice ladies from Miami PBS who said very nice things about Clay -- I told them I could put something out on the fan message boards, but that frankly any online fans who were even marginally paying attention already knew about the tour, and most who were planning to go to this show had bought their tickets weeks ago. If any were still on the fence, I said, they were probably waiting on the weather. (As I said this, about six inches of snow had fallen outside my office window, and they seemed not to understand -- "Weather? Why would that be a problem?" Must be nice, seldom having to take winter and its vicissitudes into consideration. *g*)So I advised them to focus on the NJU crowd and they assured me that they were -- they ran through a bunch of things they were doing to get the word out. (I think one of the ladies on this call was in that video that included a segment on Clay.) From my experience and what they told me, I do think they were doing what they could with the resources they had. At one point, they suggested offering a M&G, and I said I thought they already were, plus there were OFC and VIP M&Gs, so there was going to be a limit on what Clay could do in that regard, timewise. No idea what became of that suggestion.You have to understand that PBS stations rarely have marketing budgets any more. I haven't had one in years, not even for a wire release -- I have to beg, borrow and steal just to get a flyer designed and printed. If you see a print ad, a billboard, radio or TV spots advertising a local PBS show (except on the station's own air), it's almost certainly because they either did a barter or received a restricted grant. And trust me, the very LAST thing stations want to spend money on is promotion. It is the lowest priority...until, of course, they wonder why their ratings are low or nobody is in the seats.Just wanted to stand up for these folks -- I know very well what they were facing, and I hope they weren't too disappointed with the end result. Sounds like it was a great show, so they must have been happy with that, at least.
QuoteI overheard the PBS rep say that they would be talking about how they fell down on promotion, because in her words, "there is no reason those seats should have been empty." And it sounded like the station is taking responsibility for the failure to adequately promote. They played the special many times, but beyond that I don't know what else they did to sell this fabulous eveningI'm glad they saw it that way. They have to realize that there are only so many people who will buy expensive PBS pledge tickets and they have to reach out to non PBS watchers to fill the rest of the seats. It makes the concert more profitable and they could also end up getting more PBS supporters after the fact.
I overheard the PBS rep say that they would be talking about how they fell down on promotion, because in her words, "there is no reason those seats should have been empty." And it sounded like the station is taking responsibility for the failure to adequately promote. They played the special many times, but beyond that I don't know what else they did to sell this fabulous evening
Thanks Marilyn and Tiffany for all the information about the first concert; pictures, too.I am going to the Houston Concert on Valentine's Day. JoAnn, her mom, Jennie, Frankie, and my husband, Skip, are going, too. The four of us (not Skip) have a M&G with Clay from the Houston PBS station. Is he not signing anything for the PBS folks?? From one of the posts, I got that impression. We will also go to the concert in Grand Prairie on March 8. Again, PBS tickets and M&G passes!!
