When one of our clients noticed that ticket sales were looking a bit thin for their 2025 pantomime, they came to Sharp Cat for some support. Because they had cleaned their data in the spring, their season brochure was posted to fewer addresses than usual. It was a challenge that Adam, from our Tech Team, really sank his claws into.
Using their current customer database, Adam created a heatmap to identify “hot spots” where households were most likely to book tickets.
The Strategy: Precision Targeting
The client had a budget for 1,370 properties. To ensure the mailing wasn’t just a shot in the dark, Adam narrowed the field with a tailored approach:
- Drivetime: Identified postcodes within a 30-minute radius of the theatre.
- Distribution: Sorted postcodes alphabetically and selected every other one to ensure an even spread across the region.
- Property Type: Prioritized detached properties, followed by semi-detached and terraced homes.
The results? The client was highly satisfied with the response rate and is already looking to use similar methods for future mailings.
“That’s great, thank you. I am really pleased with that result for a first go. We are looking at the possibility of doing something similar with the next wave of brochures.”
Round Two: Pouncing on New Opportunities
That same client soon returned to us with a similar challenge for another one of their theatres. To make sure they didn’t miss a whisker of an opportunity, Adam suggested a few ways to sharpen their targeting:
- Lookalike Areas: Identifying “neighbourhoods of interest” where current ticket buyers live, as their neighbours are likely to have similar interests.
- Win-Back Data: Targeting households that have purchased tickets in the past but haven’t booked yet this year.
- Automated Reminders: Sending leaflet mailers to “Panto Regulars” who hadn’t booked yet to save the client the manual labour of tracking them down.
The client loved the idea of reaching out to those “missing” regulars. We mailed 2,239 identified customers, and the client was once again feline great about the results!
Is your mailing list looking a bit thin?
Don’t just scratch the surface of your data. Get in touch with Sharp Cat today to see how we can help you top up your mailing lists and find your next “purr-fect” customer.
