At-The-Event Resource Roundup

This is the future of mobile technology in the arts: creating an enhanced event experience for your audience.  At-The-Event gives you the tools for sharing event-specific content, increasing social activity, and encouraging ongoing attendance.

As we approach the start of the 2015-16 season, lets revisit At-The-Event:  what it is, how to set one up, and how to get people's eyes on it. 

Introduction:

• Blog:  Take Your App to the Next Level with "At The Event"
• Slideshow:  At The Event Detailed Walk-through
• Video: Becoming Familiar with At The Event

At-The-Event Setup:

• Video: Adding At The Event Content to a Performance
• Video: Editing At The Event Content for a Performance
• Blog: Enhance Your App's Events with Things To Know
• Blog: Encouraging Your App Subscribers to Get Social
• Blog: Using Your App's Offers Tab to Drive Revenue, Encourage Participation, and More
• Blog: Get URL - A Tool for Enhancing Navigation (useful for adding Custom Actions)

Promotion:

• Blog: Smart App Download URL
• Blog: Tips for Promoting Your Mobile App, Part 1: Encouraging Downloads When Patrons Are Off-Site
• Blog: Tips for Promoting Your Mobile App, Part 2: Encouraging Downloads When Patrons Attend Events

Spotlight from the Field:

• Blog: Partner Spotlight: Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

Additional Resource:

• Engaging At the Event: Audience Expectations for Live Performance in the Mobile Age - This white paper charts the rise of the mobile audience and their shifting expectations for live performances. It also reveals the results for our At The Event pilot program featuring eight performing arts organizations. The paper concludes with five steps for arts organizations to meet audience expectations head on.

At The Event - Partner Spotlight: Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

Since 1896, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra has been enriching the lives of audiences with world-class music.  Now at the start of their 120th season, PSO expands this tradition by utilizing their mobile app's At-The-Event feature to enhance the concert experience for the 21st Century.  Their audiences now have easy access to a variety of event-specific content, social interactions with artists and patrons, and special offers.

At-The-Event Recap

The At-The-Event Checklist highlights
available content items and provides
one-click access for easy editing.

When setting up At-The-Event,  it is important to provide as many content options as possible.  You don't want to advertise exclusive or event-specific content to your audience without providing them with an experience that lives up to its promise.

At-The-Event has three main content areas:

• The Info screen contains features such as: 
• Check in (This feature doesn't require any setup, it just works!)
• Things to Know
• Program Notes
• Artist Bios
• Custom actions - links to other content tabs or websites.  
• The Social feed aggregates posts from Twitter or Instagram with a defined #hashtag and adds posts made using the In-App form.  
• The Offers area lets you showcase specific deals, promotions, and partnerships to your patrons.

Now, lets take a look at how Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra used each of these areas for their recent concert event - FUSE@PSO: Brahms + Radiohead.

Using Your App's Offers Tab to Drive Revenue, Encourage Participation, and More

At-The-Event's Offers tab is a powerful tool help drive revenue in creative ways.  From discounts to merchandise to upgrades, the Offers tab can present deals to your audience which are specifically relevant to that day's event.

Lets look at a few general categories of Offers:

Discounts

Discounts are perhaps the most straight forward Offer you can provide.  These include a percentage-based or fixed amount reduction on ticket sales, gift shop merchandise, concession items, etc.  You might even explore partnering with a local restaurant to provide discounts on meals to help drive customers to both businesses.

Alabama Dance Festival: 15% off Tickets

Detroit Symphony: 10% off Food & 10% off Gifts

Berkeley Rep: Free cookie with drink purchase

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra: Dinner and a Show

Merchandise

Let your audience know about new recordings, apparel, or other fun souvenirs that they can purchase.

Bach Collegium San Diego: New CD Release

SFJAZZ: 'A Love Supreme' 50th Anniversary Shirts

Activities

You can also use the Offers tab to make your audience aware of fun activities such as parties, receptions, or artist signings.

UMKC: Pre-concert reception

SFJAZZ: 'A Love Supreme: The Story of John Coltrane's Signature Album' Book signing

Special Access

The Offers tab can be used in creative ways such as giving your audience access to special opportunities exclusively through the app.  Making tickets available for pre-sale, upgrading your seat, turning a single ticket into a season subscription, and music downloads are just a few of the endless possibilities.

Dallas Summer Musicals: Pre-sale Tickets & Seat Upgrades

Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra: Turn your Ticket into a Subscription

CYSO: Music Download

Enter to Win!

Use the Offers area to promote competitions,  raffles, or other sweepstakes that audience members can enter by posting in the Social tab or filling out a form linked as a custom action in the Info tab.

The School of Theatre at Florida State University: Win Free Tickets