Classical music fails to exploit audience potential
At this year's German Orchestra Day, cultural managers expressed their confidence in the future of classical music. The market potential is enormous: almost 90 percent of Germans describe themselves as having an affinity for classical music, but only a fraction of them attend concerts.
New marketing channels, especially online, are playing an increasingly important role, write those responsible. Quality is crucial, but marketing and sales tools from the commercial sector must also be applied to classical concerts. The successful marketing strategy of the Konzerthaus Dortmund and its artistic director Benedikt Stampa was presented as an example. According to him, the 3 percent of all households that actively participate in concert life in Germany could be doubled through appropriate changes.
Dieter Haselbach, professor at the Center for Cultural Research in Berlin and co-author of the book "Der Kulturinfarkt", questioned the claimed doubling of the market. The pop generation is being lost to concert halls, he said, and this loss cannot be compensated for by appropriate marketing measures and emotionalization strategies. He called for the orchestra's decline to be planned accordingly.
As a practical example of new marketing channels with regard to optimal customer loyalty management, experts in software solutions provided in-depth insights into their sales systems: Lutz Rosteck from the Hamburg-based company eventim.Inhouse, European market leader in ticket sales, places a particular focus on successful visitor loyalty. Sebastian Preuss reported on the sales system of ROC GmbH, which already reaches 90 percent of its audience via online sales.
More info: www.deutscher-orchestertag.de
