I was having dinner with some friends recently when the topic of tickets and attending games came up when one of my friends mentioned her last trip to see the Yankees at Yankees Stadium in the Bronx.
“I felt abused. Like I was just an ATM.”
I’m not sure if it was just a bad day or what…but that’s not the way you want your fans to feel when they leave your venue.
But the thing is, is this reaction unusual today?
I’ve been chatting with a lot of people about their experiences attending live entertainment lately and on the whole, this reaction has come back to me in some form over and over.
Which, once is interesting.
Twice, is curious.
Three times, that’s a trend.
The thing is that we’ve reached a point in the world of consumption in the US that things that had seemed bulletproof are on the ropes.
No matter what city you are in, there is more competition for discretionary dollars than ever before.
Which means that we all need to step up our games more than ever.
This means that the old well of selling and marketing tickets isn’t working so we have to do better.
This means that just opening the door and letting people in, under the guise that they are lucky to be there…that’s over.
It means not having a narrative and a relationship with your audience is something you do at your own risk.
And, you have to be cognizant of what you are doing to your fans, how you are treating them, and what they are saying.
Because it you aren’t treating people the right way, they will talk about you.
And, what they say will stick.
Just ask United Airlines. Just look at the Unhappy Sharks Season Ticket Holders group. Just visit any number of review sites.
Consumer feedback is everywhere and if you aren’t creating a great environment and experience for your fans, you are going to lose.
Don’t be a loser!