Sure, You’re Talking, But What Are You Saying?

Originally recorded November 16, 2023

Orchestras large and small have to communicate with different constituents around performances, fundraising, educational initiatives, and community opportunities. These communications often contain disparate messages penned and promulgated across an organization. The result? Organizations under-present themselves or, worse, confuse both constituents and staff.

In this 60-minute webinar, you will learn how to develop authentic differentiated messaging that will advance the meaning, value, and mission of your organization, help you connect to key constituents, and bolster both earned and contributed income.

Combining theory and practice, Roger Sametz of Sametz Blackstone Associates and Vince Ford of Curtis Institute of Music will walk you through:

Researching and developing a sound foundation for messaging
Creating a multilevel messaging framework
Putting that messaging to work across communications
Building organizational engagement through documentation and workshops
Creating a comfortable, fluent corps of ambassadors at both staff and board levels

The presentation includes a case study from the Curtis Institute of Music on the process, development, and implementation of a new messaging framework for a complex mix of internal and external stakeholders: audiences, donors, staff, faculty, students, parents, presenters.

Participants leave with worksheets they can use to develop their own messaging frameworks.

Speakers: Vince Ford, SVP Digital Strategy & Innovation, Curtis Institute of Music and Roger Sametz, Chief Executive Officer, Sametz Blackstone Associates

Who Should Watch?

Marketing directors and staff, public relations staff, executive directors, board members, volunteers, and anyone interested in developing messaging frameworks.

Cost

$20 for members
$35 for non-members

About the Speakers

Vince Ford (he/him)
SVP Digital Strategy & Innovation, Curtis Institute of Music

Vince Ford is SVP Digital Strategy & Innovation at Curtis Institute of Music. In his role, Vince leads stakeholder engagement and innovation for the conservatory. Vince also serves as Executive Director of the Performance Innovation Lab, which explores the use of technology in performance, and as the Field-McFadden Chair in Digital Studies where he teaches a course in digital engagement for musicians. Prior to Curtis, Vince served as VP of Digital Strategy & Customer Experience for the New York Philharmonic. During his time at the Philharmonic, the organization became a model for the field through its use of technology, social media, and content to build robust digital communities. Prior to his tenure at the New York Philharmonic, Vince led digital media for Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and worked in various marketing and digital capacities in technology. Through his work, Vince has developed extensive expertise in digital strategy, design thinking, user research, online commerce, and all aspects of audience engagement. Sametz Blackstone Associates In _W`a, Vince completed his Doctorate in Business at Temple University. His research explores the transformative effect of digital engagement on arts organizations. Vince has an MBA from Emory’s Goizueta Business School and a Bachelor of Music from the University of Georgia.

Photo courtesy of the speaker

Roger Sametz (he/him)
Chief Executive Officer, Sametz Blackstone Associates

Roger Sametz is Chief Executive Officer at Sametz Blackstone Associates, a Boston-based brand-focused strategy, content, visual design, and web consultancy. For more than 40 years Roger has worked with cultural organizations to define, articulate, and implement branding, marketing, and fundraising strategies to help them increase awareness and engagement, connect with new audiences and deepen relationships with existing ones, bolster both earned and contributed income, and help all to better navigate change. Sametz cultural client collaborations include the Boston Symphony Orchestra / Tanglewood, New Jersey Symphony, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Emmanuel Music, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Sun Valley Music Festival, Newport Classical, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Clark Art Institute, and Curtis Institute of Music. Roger received both his BA and MFA from Yale University. He writes and speaks widely on branding, marketing, and fundraising for nonprofits and has presented at five League conferences.

Questions?

Please contact Member Services at member@americanorchestras.org.

The content of this webinar was developed by Sametz Blackstone Associates.

This webinar is made possible by generous grants from the Howard Gilman Foundation and National Endowment for the Arts, as well as, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.