Marketing Plan for The Verona Studio
I.
Introduction and Overview of Plan
History
The Verona Studio is a young 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to bringing
through provoking theatre to Salem, OR. They currently are a 60-seat black box
theater located in the historic Reed Opera House in the heart of downtown Salem.
The focus is on productions of the best scripts contemporary theater has to offer,
and on innovative staging of the classics. They strive to offer a performing arts
experience that challenges our audiences and that showcases local and regional
talent, regardless of gender, race and sexual preference. During the year, they stage
four full-length productions, and are planning to expand the offerings to include two
"special projects" each season. The Verona Studio also offers acting classes
throughout the year in addition to the productions. The current lobby of the theatre
is also a gallery that allows local artists to showcase their artwork. In the future, The
Verona Studio would like to offer gallery events.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Verona Studio is to offer a performing arts experience that is bold
and challenging to our audiences, that presents the best in the contemporary and
classical repertoire, that will showcase local and regional talent, and that will
provide an opportunity to explore the diversity of human experience; to offer
educational opportunities to individuals who wish to explore the performing arts
and to develop their skills in all areas of performance and production; and to foster
performing arts endeavors in the Salem community.
Goal Summery
The primary goal for the marketing plan for The Verona Studio is to increase
awareness and visibility for the studio. The secondary goal is to increase overall
revenue for the studio. By increasing the public’s awareness of the studio, ticket
sales for events and classes will increase resulting in a revenue increase.
Marketing Strategies
The three proposed marketing strategies for The Verona Studio to implement in
order to increase awareness, visibility, and revenue are Guerilla Marketing,
Membership Marketing and Price Bundle Marketing. The basic definitions of each
plan are as follows:
Guerilla Marketing- An advertising strategy in which low-cost unconventional
means (graffiti, sticker bombing, flash mobs) are used, often in a localized
fashion or large network of individual cells, to convey or promote a product or
an idea.
Membership Marketing-The process of acquiring, engaging, upgrading, and
renewing "members" for an association or relationship driven organization.
(http://www.yourdictionary.com/membership-marketing)
Price Bundle Marketing- Combining several products or services into a single
comprehensive package for an all-inclusive reduced price. Despite the fact that
the items are sold for discounted prices, it can increase profits because it
promotes the purchase of more than one item.
(http://www.priceintelligently.com/price-bundling).
Outcomes
Guerilla Marketing will act as the main visibility component for The Verona Studio.
The Membership and Price Bundle Marketing will act as incentives for patrons,
increasing awareness and revenue. Theoretically, locals will be intrigued by the
Guerilla Marketing and check out The Verona Studio’s website. This will lead to
views of the Price Bundling and the Memberships offered and patrons purchasing
multiple tickets and memberships, increasing revenue for The Verona Studio.
II. Situational Analysis
Environmental Scan
When it comes to the economics of the company, it is safe to say that it is a simple
model. Most of the funding is through ticket sales, however there are some small
donation and grant money contributions. The Verona Studio is a new venue, but
there is a bright future, as most production days tend to be sold out or close to a full
house. The staff is very small and most are volunteers. Actors and Directors are paid,
but the sum is very small.
Demographic Scan
The Verona Studio strives to reach the Salem community of the ages 18 and older;
however most audience members are Anglo’s 25 to 80. I notice I am visibly the
“minority” when at productions. Only one staff member in the past has been of nonAnglo ethnicity. The productions begin later in the evening at 7 or later, so most
business are closed, therefore targeting a larger audience. Seth, the founder, has
expressed that he would like to open the studio to other types of productions, such
as readings, lectures and other performances. This would open another door for
younger audience members.
Cultural scan
Everyone on the staff gets along and there are rarely tiff of any nature. There is a lot
of support amongst the staff, during production, during off season, and outside of
the venue.
Audience
The audience of The Verona Studio is all the local people from Salem, Oregon and
the surrounding area. They strive to attract anyone and everyone that is interested
in theatre and the contemporary arts. The current audience, however, tends to be
the middle class 40’s and up non-ethnic persons. The Verona Studio would like to
change this and have more ethnic peoples and younger peoples included in their
audience.
SWOC
Cultural Produt(s)
Strength
Weakness
Opportunity
Challenges
Through
Not well know
More productions
Small staff
provoking
plays
a year
Name isn’t well
Contemporary
Only two auditions Offering acting
a production
known yet
lessons
Minimalistic
Other types of
productions
Pricing
Cheapest in town
Purchasing at the
Discounts on early
Obtaining a square
door is cash only
ticket sales
or other
credit/debit
Credit and debit
device
accessible
Place (Access)
In the heart of
Parking is two
downtown
blocks from
volunteers for
theatre, or on the
valet
Accessible for
Offer valet
Need more
street is difficult
students
Free parking
Promotional
Website
Word of mouth
Social media
Efforts
Small staff and
little time
Posters at some
No social media
Posters at schools
business
Ads in paper
III. Scheme
Marketing Strategies
The marketing strategies to be implemented to increase the overall
awareness and visibility of The Verona Studio are: Guerilla Marketing,
Membership Marketing and Price Bundling.
Guerilla Marketing will be used to attract the local population. Items, such as
coasters and fake graffiti posters with the logo, website, and Facebook page
will be place at strategic locations around Salem, OR. These locations will
primarily be cafés and bars, but are not limited to these hubs. Community
centers, local business’ and third place spaces are also an avenue to work
with. This will incentivize locals to visit the website and/or Facebook page to
see what The Verona Studio has to offer. Once there, they will be able to see
what events are happening and will be able to purchase tickets by following a
link.
Membership Marketing will be featured at both the website and at events.
Patrons will be able to purchase memberships that will give them a discount
on current and future events, classes, merchandise and the use of the studio
as a venue. There will be three types of memberships: VIP Members, Patron
Members, and Student Members.
VIP
Patron
Student
Annual Fee
$100
$75
$25 with Student ID
Event Discount
35%
15%
25%
Venue
Discount
30%
10%
20%
Merchandise
Discount
50%
30%
40%
BOGO Ticket
4 per year
3 per year
4 per year
Price Bundle Marketing will also be featured on the website and at events for
those who may not want to become members, but may want to participate in
multiple things. These patrons will be able to receive discounted prices on
multiple event and class tickets for a discounted bundle as well as
event/membership bundles. The rubric is as follows:

Two Events at 10% off

Two Classes at 10% off

One Event and One Class at 10%

One Event or Class and a Membership at 10% off

Three Events at 20% off

Three Classes at 20% off

Two Events and One Class at 20% off

Two Classes and One Event at 20% off

Two Events or Classes and a Membership 20% off
The bundles will stop at 20% off as 30% is close to the Membership discount.
Goal and Objectives
The overall goal of these marketing strategies is to in crease awareness and
visibility for The Verona Studio. The secondary goal is to increase the yearly
revenue for The Verona Studio through sales so that the studio no longer has to rely
on volunteers. The Verona Studio currently relies on donations to purchase basic
theatre needs and beverages for patrons during productions. Currently, there are
only two permanent volunteer positions, one is the owner and founder and the
other is the stage manager. The studio would like to increase revenue so that both
current permanent volunteers can be paid part-time and that all persons involved in
productions and events may be compensated.
IV. Implementation
Dates
The date for implementation of all the Guerilla Marketing Strategy will be as soon as
possible. Since there are multiple productions and events through the years, Guerilla
advertisement in cafes, bars, community centers, and local business can be done at
anytime through the year. Both Membership and Price Bundling should be offered
one month prior to the next available production.
Resources and Budget
The Verona Studio runs off of volunteers and so the implementation steps do not
have a budget. All costs of productions will have to be by donation.
For the Guerilla Marketing Advertisement, one or two people can be elected to
design coasters and graffiti posters. The design of both the coasters and the posters
can be made on adobe software. There may be a volunteer that has this software or
there free trial it may be downloaded. Once the designs are done, most printing
places will be able to print coasters and posters. Only one person would be needed
to distribute product, as Salem is a small town.
For the Membership and Price Bundling, the broad members and founders would
have to agree on the terms of the discounts. Once the discounts have been agreed
on, then the web designer would be able to put the information on the website and
Facebook. Both plans could also have posters made to be put up at productions, but
this is not an immediate concern.
V. Evaluation Plan
Quantitative Results and Effectiveness
Initially, any membership and bundling purchase will show that the marketing plan
for both the Membership Marketing and the Price Bundle Marketing are working. As
for the Guerilla Marketing, and increase of Facebook followers, taggers and ticket
sales will show positive results.
During the first quarter of implementation, all productions and classes would ask
patrons to fill out a survey to see how they found out about The Verona Studio and if
they had any comments or suggestions for the staff. This will allow the studio to
take a tally of those effected by the Guerilla Marketing. After the first quarter of
implementation, The Verona Studio should continue the surveys and strive for an
increase of 20% or more patrons effected by Guerilla Marketing.
After the first quarter of implementation of the Membership and Price Bundle
Marketing, the goal will be to have an increase of 20-25% or more purchases on all
events and productions. This will also show and annual increase in all ticket sales
and general revenue.
Future Recommendations
After the first fiscal year, The Verona Studio should strive to increase annual
revenue by 30%, and an additional 5% each year after. The Membership and Price
Bundle Marketing would stay present but continue to evolve. Once revenue is stable,
Guerilla Marketing could be done away with and other marketing avenues, such as
media and mobile marketing could be reached.