Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Lansing Symphony Orchestra Day

The Lansing mayor declared today to be "Lansing Symphony Orchestra" Day. There was a dedication at City Hall in the morning and ensembles performed throughout the city during the lunch hour.

The LSO is another one of those organizations that really seems to be thriving. They have patrons who are genuinely excited about their performances. In fact, they're more than just patrons, they're advocates.

I've been working on a guest service chapter for a freelance book that has to be done by the end of the year. Two of the resource books for that have been Shaun Smith and Joe Wheeler's Managing the Customer Experience: Turning Customers into Advocates and Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore's The Experience Economy: Work is Theatre and Every Business a Stage. Reading both those books, I found myself frequently thinking about the local arts scene and why different organizations manage to thrive regardless of how they advertise.

The LSO is one of those organizations who have figured out how to create a memorable experience for their patrons and how to turn those patrons into advocates who will defend them and be passionate about their importance. They're also good about getting their message out.

There is a concert this Saturday night. It sounds like it is going to be a beautiful, moving concert with an incredible guest cellist.

Personally, I'm going to make it a priority this year to make it out to hear them.

No comments: