AEN congres, Audiences insight/out

Date: Wednesday 30 may 2012, Rotterdam


Introduction
At the start of the congress we posed three main questions to our visitors. We asked them to keep these questions in mind during the congress so we could discuss them in the closing session. Here you find a summary of the final debate and also some points noted during the congress in response to these questions.

1. Why should we care about the audience and segmentation? (Motivation)

Summary: one can say that there is a majority who feel almost an intrinsic need to create a dialogue with its audience, who want to get to know them better in order to be able to facilitate them better. But to be fair  it is also economically motivated: they want to use their (limited) resources in a smart way so they can reach the right audiences/target groups and/or  thereby generate more income.

Some noted quotes/statements:

• If you want to know your audience you have to make an effort as an organisation.
  It’s all about creating a conversation between people.
• Engaging with your audience gives your organisation creativity / health.
• The purpose of segmentation can be driven by the need/wish to get more audiences coming in/ attend, or can be driven by society reasons.
• Your audience is the lifeblood for your work, without audiences you do not exist. That’s why you need a dialogue.
• If you care about your audiences and spend time to know them your money will be better spend.
• It makes your company / organisation more innovative when you care about your audience.
• If you want to know your audience you have to listen to your audience.
• An important question is: what are the needs of the costumers and what’s the most efficient way to reach that.
• Everybody has different motivations and interests, you have to make sense of the mess of audiences. Understanding the diversity of audiences and change/adapt your products for the different target groups.
• For example: young people are most of the time less interested in cultural activities, they need another approach than regular visitors because they have other motivations to visit you. Change your products and/or communications to that.
• It’s a political duty. If you want to survive as an cultural institution you have to be relevant for your public / people and for a bigger population of people. People have to feel positive about what you are doing.
• The audience also needs to know that we are interested in knowing them. We have to tell them that we are interested in knowing them.

2. What is the best approach of using audience segmentation in your organisation? The Do’s

Summary: There is a common sense that we all want to know more about the motivations, needs and wishes of our audience/ different target groups. We want to know if we make/present the right product to the right audience. Of the ‘how’ we are not sure yet. Starting small, by asking your front desk operators, talk with them after performances, or an online survey are examples of the most easy and pragmatic way to start. Making use of different kind of models seems good  (not only demographics but also lifestyle and social graphics), or at least inform yourself about different models and choose the one which fits your organization the best.

Some noted quotes/statements:

• I want to find out if I make my programs for the right persons.
• Try to get in the head (and the heart) of the audience. Not only use demographic or age segmentation, that’s the past.
• The more you work in a targeted way, the less costs you will have: prioritize your resources. This goes beyond marketing. It also applies for product innovation.
• Using models that get in the head of the intenders, why are they going? You should use a combination of models.
• An option is as well to talk to your frontdesk employees, they have good contact with the visitors
• Use online tools to make online surveys.
• Use social tools like the Facebook app.
  
  

3. What is the biggest threat or obstacle for segmentation? The Don’ts

Summary: Money and quality of data are named as the biggest obstacles and threats, as well as that the whole of the organization should be involved.

Some noted quotes/statements:

• It’s difficult to gather some high quality data but it is the core of segmentation and a success factor
• Are we asking the right questions? How do we define the questions? How do we define the target groups?
• Good quality data are essential: a sloppy way of collecting data is a threat.
• Segmentation is expensive, but luckily technology is making it cheaper and easier
• Lack of time / no interest in the organisation.
• Commitment of your organisation.
• Important to reach the right people (select the audience for research, not just ask your whole database) and ask the right questions.

Solutions to overcome the obstacles:

• Experience and collaborate among your peer groups
• Design a survey that provides you in all your needs
• Don’t be to obsessed by finding new audience. You have to be interested in your existing public as well as the non-participants.

Conclusion of the congress:
Don’t believe everything the experts tell you. Be pragmatic about it, use your brains. When you combine models its brings different perspectives together.