Metroplex Symphony Orchestra: Fiddlin’ Around

ABSTRACT
Non-profit organizations are usually organizations that provide and help the community. These organizations are formed in order to increase the culture and values of the people of society. This paper discusses the different marketing strategies that a non-profit organization, an orchestra, can apply in its life duration. This marketing strategies would be used as a means to increase the funds and support the existence of the non-profit organization.
Purpose of the Project

According to Orchestra.com, an orchestra can be defined as a music ensemble that is used most often in classical music. The purpose of this report is to provide sufficient information to the Metroplex Symphony Orchestra (MSO) on the marketing strategies that the group could apply. Since MSO is a non-profit organization, it is important that the group establish an identity not only in the stage but also in the community to increase the number of listeners.
I.                   Summary
The Sales manager of the Metroplex Symphony Orchestra, Martha T. Hall had resigned.  Advertisements and other promotional ideas haven never been used by the organization because the marketing side of the organization had been kept and hidden. As a result, the executive director of the MSO Ms. Dona E. Mobile, had looked for managers that can handle the sales of the group. Ms. Mobile had assigned the new marketing manager to provide marketing ideas and strategies that could be implemented.
II.                Background
The Metroplex Symphony Orchestra is considered as a non-profit organization that aims to provide its patrons their favourite tunes and classical music. The Orchestra is divided into two parts the MSO and the M-P or the Metro-Pops orchestra. The MSO specializes in the presentation of classical music on the other hand, M-P specializes on lighter music. The organization was established in 1962. The orchestra consists 78 to 96 players and the Metro-Pops is consisted of 78 musicians from the symphony.
The MSO and M-P performs in the 2,000-seat symphony Hall. There are three pricing groups in the symphony Hall. These are the Main Floor, Dress Circle, and Second balcony.
III.             SWOT Analysis
Being able to determine the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats of  the orchestra is necessary in order to determine the areas where the company should improve on, maintain the good qualities and opportunities of the organization.
A.     Strengths
The MSO has been providing classical good quality music. The production of the Metro Pops  had enabled the MSO to provide popular songs to the songs that the MSO can play. It had also created a new batch of listeners. MSO had already established its name since 1962. This only shows that the Organization even though non-profit has provided society benefits.
B.     Weaknesses
Based on case facts, MSO had the following weaknesses. The organization has a weak advertising campaign. Guest Performers have never been invited for a concert because of the organization’s low funds. Musicians and Conductor are all contractual employees. Contractual positions could endager the quality of the musicians that the orchestra hires. The Organization does not also have a development and fund raising program to increase funds of the project. Financials show losses of $13,600 in its actual sales. Ticket prices had never changed ever since the year 2002.
C.     Opportunities
Opportunities that the MSO have are the following. The organization have the opportunity to advertise concerts and ads in the local newspapers. Other funds of the organization came from gifts, individuals, corporate sponsors and government grants. A grant of 15% discount to season subscription tickets is a good opportunity to increase the sales of the tickets.
D.    Threats
All musicians are member of the Musicians Union. The union had been hampering for an 11% increase in compensation. Other music genre that kids listen nowadays do not include classical music and instrumental pop.
IV.             Objectives
1.      To be able to increase its funds through planning and strategies
2.      To be able to determine what type of strategies must the organization apply in order to increase funds
V.                Strategies
1.      Increase Ticket Prices
The prices of the ticket ever since 2002 had never been increased. In order to increase funds, the management could increase the ticket prices. However, disadvantages of such a strategy is that the customers might be able to decline buying tickets because of the increase in prices
2.      Look for a Guest Performer who is willing to give charity for the sake of the organization
A guest performer can be able to help increase the number of people watching the concert. It is the responsibility of the marketing department to persuade guest performers to perform in the fund raising of the organization.
3.      Provide a free training of instruments and a concert for the benefit of the children who had trained in the program of the MSO
As per the article from the website symphony.org, it had been stated that there are children who perform in the orchestra. The MSO could choose to provide free training of instruments to the children in weekends. After which, when the children are already knowledgeable, the MSO can hold a concert that involves the children in the community who had trained under MSO. Parents would have to watch their children perform. This way, the organization had helped develop the music inclination of the child and at the same time increase funds of the company because of the concert.
4.      Using other genre of music and converting it to classical with the help of the original performers of the song
Using popular culture, the organization can do a conversion of music genre by combining classical music and rock or classical music and hip-hop. This could just be a trial to increase the number of people who attends in the concerts. By being able to combine the popular genre of music, people who are not that inclined in classical music could watch the concert out of curiosity as to how the combination would come out. The introduction of such could generate funds from the curious people who would like to watch the concert.

VI.             Conclusions and Recommendations
Non-profit organizations can be a drag down for the owner of the organization. In order to maintain a standing that would not be harmful for the owner, non-profit organizations must at least break even. Metropolitian Symphony Orchestra must concentrate its efforts that would promote their music to the community and at the same time think about not dragging down the owner of the organization. Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra represents the music classical music before the genre of pop and rock had been established. Based on the article of symphony.org, Orchestras can be used as a means to provide or strengthen relationships of children to schools, summer camps and other programs that could prove to be helpful in the learning and knowledge of the children.
REFERENCES
American Symphony Orchestra League, (2007). Quick Orchestra Facts..Retrieved ast September 25, 2007 from National Conference. Website: http://www.symphony.org/govaff/what/pdf/orchestra_facts.pdf
American Symphony Orchestra League, (2007) Education and Community Engagement Retrieved last September 25, 2007 from American Symphony Orchestra League. Website: http://www.symphony.org/edu/index.shtml