[Theforum] Re: sponsorships

[aardvark]

> From: "Miriam Frost" <miriam at members.evolt.org>
>
> -1!!!
> Many (most!) theatre[1] companies rely on donations for funding; the
> "thank you" lists in the back of the program is a very important part
> of not only recognizing donors but also <em>pulling in new money</em>.
>  Believe it or not, people DO read those. The people that read them
> are either the movers & shakers in a community who want to see who
> else is in (because they are there), or are up & comers who are
> looking to see if they should be in that crowd. Those recognition
> pages are a suprisingly powerful tool.  For example, there are two
> theatre companies in Green Bay, WI. Ron & Edie Wolf[2] are listed as
> "Thrones"[3] donors in one company's program, and do not donate to the
> other company. Which theatre company do you think will draw more
> monied and powerful audience, and with it, greater donations & and
> name recognition?

i'll grant you that, but then we need to put in place a system that
doesn't smell of favoritism in any way...

when the person gathering the donations for the group relays
disappointment for those who *aren't* donating, holding up one
stellar case of a donation can certainly be viewed as a form of
preferential treatment... you may not agree, but i've had experience
with this...

also, if we recognize *everyone* who donates, then it's also more
fair, as opposed to only highlighting the one with the most
donations... experience also says that only serves to cause those
at lower donation levels to not bother, and that's usually 90% of the
donations right there (at least according to a local theatre company
i've had experience with)...

this really isn't me talking out my ass, folks, i've been here...

--
Read the evolt.org case study
Usability: The Site Speaks for Itself
http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1904151035/
ISBN: 1904151035