We commissioned a research firm in order to understand the potential audience of The Smith Center for the Performing Arts before it opened its doors. The money spent was well worth it, because we were able to reach out to people who became season ticket holders, regular attenders, donors, and friends of The Smith Center.
They also shared with us their preferences and what they hoped to find in our new venue. This was very useful as we programmed our three venues. We also learned about the types of people who are likely to attend various performances. This was valuable information for when we started selling tickets for our shows.
The initial survey, along with the hard work of Suzanne Chabre and her marketing team, helped put The Smith Center on its path to success, which continues today.
We commissioned a report confirming that Las Vegas was evolving and we were on the right track. As we prepared to collect a third set of data, a pandemic hit, forcing us to pause the project.
We waited a few more years and were ready to do it again. We commissioned the same firm to conduct a second set of surveys earlier this year in order to determine what we were doing well, and where we could improve. The firm contacted 1,893 Clark County Residents, including 824 people who had not previously attended shows at The Smith Center.
We received some great news. When asked by a group of 824 Las Vegas locals, “What are your favorite places to go for live entertainment in Clark County?” without being given any prompting, The Smith Center came third, despite fierce competition.
Among the nearly 200 venues that respondents mentioned, only T-Mobile Arena, MGM Grand, and The Smith Center were more recognizable. The Smith Center also ranked ahead of other notable locations such as the recently-opened and highly acclaimed Sphere.
The latest survey also confirmed the perception of Las Vegas residents about The Smith Center, that is that it was built for the people who live in Las Vegas. The survey respondents recognized that we strive to keep ticket prices low and that ticket sales only cover 70% of our costs. We raise the remaining 30% through donations.
It is also great to see that the respondents believe that The Smith Center has been a valuable community asset, doing wonderful things for Southern Nevada. This creates a sense of civic pride.
I am an adjunct professor at UNLV and believe in the power data. Suzanne and her team are very serious about this research and realize that it will help us understand our current customers and Las Vegans, who have said they would like to visit The Smith Center. This research allows us to keep and attract new customers, while also satisfying our existing ones.
The marketer within me understands how valuable this information was for us. I also know that other businesses can benefit from a research company’s work. It has been a great help to The Smith Center, as it allows us to better understand the people who visit our doors for entertainment and inspiration.
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