The right message to the right person – the all-in-one solution makes everyday life easier for Göteborgs Symfoniker.
80,000 customer contacts, 100 concerts, and several genres. Yes, the large number of guests in the audience brought challenges for Göteborgs Symfoniker, which involved expensive systems and vulnerable working methods, making it almost impossible to communicate relevant information to the visitors. So, how did you manage to turn the situation around? Take a look at the customer story below, where Teresa, Digital Marketing Manager, shares how Göteborgs Symfoniker went from messy to smooth, with a focus on relationship building.
Göteborgs Symfoniker AB is owned by the Västra Götaland region and has around 160 employees, with 109 of them being musicians. The company's name is often associated with classical music, but it also hosts world music concerts, jazz, yoga concerts, children's and youth activities, and the digital service GSOplay. As one of the region's leading music institutions, with Gothenburg's Concert Hall at their disposal, they bear the primary responsibility for strengthening the importance of classical music among the region's residents.
– Many see the venue as their interest club, a social network where they meet other people who are passionate about music. It's also a bit of a generational thing – you bring your children and grandchildren, says Teresa Vikstedt, Digital Marketing Manager at Göteborgs Symfoniker.
There are three main target groups here – Göteborgs Symfoniker's customers, GSOplay's viewers, and Konserthuset's guests – with most visitors aged 35 and over. As the ambition is to attract a younger audience, they work extensively with schools.
– We are constantly aiming to build a relationship with the next generation through sports holiday orchestras, family concerts, and music camps. It is challenging to reach young people, although this year we have seen record-breaking interest, says Teresa.
Number of contacts: About 100,000 currently.
Number of concerts per year: Approximately 100.
Main target groups: Göteborgs Symfoniker, GSOplay and Konserthuset.
Offers: Classical music, world music, jazz, yoga concerts and children's and youth activities.
Ticket system: Tixly.
As a traditional business facing challenges in a fast-moving and digital world, there are many questions. What attracts young people today? How should mailings be designed to spark interest and encourage visits to the magical world of classical music? And how can the dialogue with millions of international viewers on GSOplay be strengthened while maintaining relationships with the most loyal guests? Putting the whole puzzle together is no easy task. When information needs to be communicated to different target groups, CSV lists must be manually transferred between systems, and email templates hard-coded – it’s enough to make anyone sigh. But when Teresa got in touch with MarketHype in 2021, she realized how much easier life was going to be. She explains:
– Previously, we needed to export and import contact lists for all concerts. It was costly, vulnerable, and cumbersome – digital should be easy and quick! With MarketHype, it’s simple, and we don’t have to deal with exports, imports, or static lists. It’s clear that MarketHype has developed a product tailored for the event and experience industry.
With the marketing tool provided by MarketHype, Göteborgs Symfoniker receives customer data, ticket purchase history, and information on customer behaviour. Through significant insights, different segments are easily created, with ‘subscribers’, ‘classical customers’, ‘world music’, ‘pop’, and ‘Christmas concert’ being five of approximately 15 tags used in the segmentation. In addition to analytics and segments, targeted newsletters and other mailings are easily set up directly in the MarketHype app. Everything is accessible in one tool – simple and efficient!
– The app’s connection to Tixly and its ability to consolidate many functions in one makes everyday life much easier! The dynamic segments, the possibility to talk about genres, the editing tool... At Göteborgs Symfoniker, we always strive to maintain world-class standards in everything we do. Now that we have a more efficient ecosystem and flow, getting there will be easier. Cooperation with the ticket office has also improved, as they now truly understand the value of tagging events, says Teresa.
Number of people in the department: 7 people – communicators, graphic designers, audience developers, editors and PR managers.
Teresa Vikstedt: Digital Marketing Manager. Began at the Gothenburg Symphony in 2015.
Teresa's areas of responsibility: Digital campaigns, newsletters, CRM, customer data & analysis, optimization of digital customer journey.
Could there be a feature that makes Teresa's heart beat faster? There is! One of her personal favorites is the filtering option, which allows for more direct and relevant communication with visitors – both young and old.
– With this function, I can filter out, for example, everyone who has visited at least once in the past year, is of a certain age, and lives in Gothenburg and the surrounding area. I can also exclude those who have already received a specific email, which is really helpful! I can then use the segment for targeted direct mail and personal communication, as well as export it into Facebook Ads Manager to create lookalike audiences, says Teresa.
Another function widely used by Göteborgs Symfoniker is automation. These automations save time, drive sales, and build stronger relationships, with around 15 automations currently running at Göteborgs Symfoniker. Before the visit, the automations provide information about opening hours, availability, and food sales, while after the visit, they thank the guests for coming. Teresa believes the automatic mailings are a win-win for both visitors and employees – they’re easy for visitors to understand and simple for the marketing department to manage.
Filtering and automation thus enhance and simplify relationship-building. But there are more aspects that make working with MarketHype personal. When asked if the collaboration has brought anything unexpected to Göteborgs Symfoniker, Teresa answers:
– The support! MarketHype is truly responsive to our development needs, which is invaluable. I haven't experienced that anywhere else – it’s a huge plus that you are so personal and customer-oriented.
Let’s look back to 2020, when Göteborgs Symfoniker had 80,000 contacts, 100 concerts, several genres, and a heavy-handed way of working. Did it work out? No, it didn’t. But with a new marketing tool and approach, it works today. Moreover, the number of contacts has increased from 80,000 to 100,000.
– Previously, the same guest could receive up to five identical emails because they were included in several different static lists, and we had no way of knowing who was on which list. Now, there’s no risk of that happening, Teresa explains.
All customer data from Göteborgs Symfoniker’s ticket system is now automatically entered into the MarketHype app. Data is kept up to date, customer insights are provided, and segments are created. With the ability to include and exclude tags, marketing activities, and opt-ins, Teresa, the box office, and the marketing department create relevant newsletters, campaigns, and automations. The right message simply reaches the right person – whether they’re a school, a regular customer, or a jazz fan.
– With personalized support and a system tailored for the industry, you can’t go wrong. The tool is highly flexible and greatly simplifies everyday tasks. If MarketHype were to end, we would have to revert to our old way of working, which would be a big loss, concludes Teresa.
Wanna check out Göteborgs Symfoniker's homepage? You find it here.