The New Wolsey Theatre is an innovative regional theatre based in Ipswich, UK. Faced with a climate of economic recession, the theatre management team requested market research to be conducted on their audiences by the consultancy TRG Arts. A careful analysis of data was a key factor in restructuring their business model. Consequently, it has led the organisation to become a benchmark of audience relationship optimisation through employing technology, by transforming data into valuable information for the decision-making process.

1. Using Data To
Build
Resilience
New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich, UK
Joseph Valentine

2. Key Metrics
• New Audience Churn
Rate
• Per Capita Revenue
• Active Patron
Participation
• What did the data tell
us?
• What did we do?
• And the results.

5. Customer
surveys
Conversations
Board and
Senior Staff
Our own
assumptions
and opinions
What worked?
What didn’t?

6. Transactional Data
Doesn’t lie!

7. New Audience Churn Rate

8. 1 in 12
Came back within the same season

9. The Invitation
Patrons are invited to return
the same season with a 50%
discount.
No additional asks, just a
second date.

10. Return
for 50%
off
See 4 for
£40
See 4 for £60
Season
Ticket
Renew
Part of a wider journey

11. 1 in 6
Came back within the same season

12. Per Capita Revenue
A.K.A Average Ticket Price or Per Ticket Yield

13. Rock ‘n’ Roll Panto
2013
£15.01
2014
£15.81
2015
£17.20
• Per cap was already high
• Price resistance was low
• The demand was there – sold to 99% capacity

14. What we did
• High demand
o Careful management of comps and discounts
• Demand based pricing
o Standardise on-sale prices
o Increment prices based on demand

15. £20.41
Panto 2017
36%
Increase
= £300k
increased revenue

16. Buy early for the best prices
• Last minute high prices re-enforces the message to
buy early
• We saw a spike in membership sales to access our
lowest price seats early
• Memberships are the start of loyal patron
relationships

17. Active Patron Participation
The power of ‘AND’

18. 2015-16 2014-15
Active Patrons 33,915 34,497
Multibuyers 6,359 6,277
Subscribers 407 68
Members 175 67
Donors 2,501 3,026
Active Patron
Participation
28% 27%
What did the data tell us?
Percentage of patrons who buy
tickets and…

19. Loyalty Pack
A toolset used by every
customer facing team
member
“The right customer, the
right time, the right ask”

20. Personal Touches
Personised welcome notes
left on seats
One-on-one ‘consultant’
relationships

21. 2016-17 YOY Increase
Active Patrons 39,782 17.3%
Multibuyers 7,917 24.5%
Subscribers 485 19.1%
Members 348 119.4%
Donors 3,102 24%
Active Patron
Participation
30% 2%
The Results…

22. Just the
beginning…

23. Thank You!
jvalentine@wolseytheatre.co.uk