Ask Me Anything Question
“We’ve been playing around with our pricing this past year. Ticket sales have been good but I can’t help but wonder if we’re really hitting the ‘sweet’ spot of pricing. How can we tell if what we’re charging is the right price for our audience?”
Brian Franko's Answer
“What is the right price for this?” is one of the most common questions JCA Arts Marketing gets asked. The answer is easy—there isn’t one.
In the performing arts, it’s difficult to find the perfect price because the value of the experience is perceived; it’s not real. A person can’t hold a symphonic performance in their hand like they can a cup of coffee. And that perceived value is different for every person on every occasion. A show with mediocre reviews on a regular weekday evening probably won’t have the same value appeal as a hit production for a special anniversary. That value is also different each time someone attends. For example, Hamilton may be worth $500 for someone’s first visit, but is it on the second or third visit?