# SMPAC RE-BRAND - Discovery Questions - Response Backup **Exported:** May 17, 2026 **Client:** Allie Young - SMPAC **Project:** SMPAC RE-BRAND **Questionnaire:** SMPAC RE-BRAND - Discovery Questions **Status:** Completed **Share Token:** 9c6081d906f1c387e14460b6d0ebb1c0 **Total Responses:** 20 --- ## Questions and Responses ### 1. Audience & Users **When someone decides to buy a ticket to SMPAC, what's typically the deciding factor - the artist, the venue experience, ticket price, a combination thereof or something else?** > I think it is really dependent on the patron. Some people favor the venue while others only attend for a show they want. Ticket price seems less of a hurdle. Talcott Festival Goers are their own cohort. This is something we need to surface. Currenly, SMPAC doesn't fully know the answer yet. From what they can tell, the typical/current decising factor is Talcott Mountain Music Festival heavy. HSO influence is large and SMPAC needs to own that while coming out as their own independent, strong, appealing brand. *Recorded by: Admin Panel | Last updated: Jan 16, 2026* --- ### 2. Audience & Users **Are there geographic or demographic patterns in your audience we should consider for messaging?** > Simsbury-centric, Farmington valley patterns. Not currently getting people over the mountain (West Hartford on). It's older, whiter, more affluent at times. They should be able to serve this community while branching out to a wider, more diverse audience in every sense of the word. *Recorded by: Admin Panel | Last updated: Jan 16, 2026* --- ### 3. Audience & Users **Are there ideal cohorts you would like to see coming to SMPAC that aren't currently showing up (or at least not showing up in numbers you would like?)** > West Hartford/Hartford residents, a more culturally diverse audience. Currently White, upper-class dominant. Simsbury Performing Arts Center isn't just for this demo, it's for anybody who wants to enjoy an outdoor space/performance. We need to break the stigma that "it's not for them." *Recorded by: Admin Panel | Last updated: Jan 16, 2026* --- ### 4. Competition & Inspiration **Besides Ridgefield Playhouse, what other venue websites (music, theater, or even non-arts) have features you admire?** > See above. Allie to get references if any outside of this vertical. *Recorded by: Admin Panel | Last updated: Jan 16, 2026* --- ### 5. Mission & Story **When someone who's never heard of SMPAC visits your site, what's the one thing you want them to understand about who you are within 5 seconds?** > SMPAC is a premier performing arts organization, putting on quality shows. The one takeaway should be that this is the place where I go to see REALLY GOOD shows. In a way, it's an elevation of the current offering, product, programming, experience and shows that will make it undeniable for a visitor to understand right away the quality of our venue. *Recorded by: Admin Panel | Last updated: Jan 14, 2026* --- ### 6. Mission & Story **Thinking through a mission/vision lens, what is the story you would like to tell your prospective ticket buyers? ** > While we still need to spend time unearthing a deeper mission and vision for SMPAC, they do understand their value in the practical sense: SMPAC is unique to the area, providing an outdoor performing arts experience that you need to drive to Massachusetts to get otherwise. You don't need to go far to get this experience. They still want people to come from all over, but ideally you don't need to go to Tanglewood (festival in Mass) to get this experience. Overall value for the price is a key takeaway. The community that has developed and that gets compounded in real-time after each show - that is a key takeaway. It's more than just a show. *Recorded by: Admin Panel | Last updated: Jan 16, 2026* --- ### 7. Mission & Story **Jeff mentioned there's a 'certain vibe' where audiences start dancing by the second song - how do we capture that magical feeling without relying on photos from performances?** > People are so moved that they get up and dance/move--there is a feeling of community. When you're at SMPAC, everyone is together and you are building community while you are here. Connections are being built through music and experience and that moves people, quite literally, to their feet. *Recorded by: Admin Panel | Last updated: Jan 16, 2026* --- ### 8. Mission & Story **As you transition from primarily being a rental venue to producing your own shows, how should that evolution be reflected in your website messaging?** > It's really the programming (with exception of Talcott Mountain Music Festival - their premiere event each year that hosts the Hartford Symphony Orchestra for a concert series) that stands at the forefront with a link/portal or refernce to the rental aspect of the organization somewhere else deprioritized. The shows are the premiere. "Home of the Hartford Symphony" is powerful, but it's not theirs. SMPAC is HSO's summer home--SMPAC is NOT the Hartford Symphony and they are not the Heublein Tower, which is in their logo or the Talcott Mountain Collective, a nearby venue that operates as a restaurant and bar with outdoor space and music. This confusion likely leads to attrition, lack of brand connection, etc. We need to solve for this even if there is some humility, humor, transparency in the fact that they are self-aware of it. *Recorded by: Admin Panel | Last updated: Jan 16, 2026* --- ### 9. Programs & Initiatives **You're building a volunteer program 'from scratch' - what specific volunteer opportunities do you want to promote, and how do you want people to sign up?** > It's less about opportunities and more about how they will feel fulfilled for volunteering. Giving back to the community, free tickets, being part of something exciting... SMPAC needs new volunteers; fresh faces, more representative of the new vision of programming. Some opportunities of involvement are: Working in the parking lot, greeting guests, working in the bar, etc. The WHY: Why is this worth it and fun? Volunteers are giving back to the community, they get to be a part of it and you get perks. It's not just about what they are doing, what are they getting back and giving to the larger community. Bring a friend, make it an event/experience. Focus on the WHY. Not a chore. Maybe gamify the process? *Recorded by: Admin Panel | Last updated: Jan 16, 2026* --- ### 10. Programs & Initiatives **What exactly needs to carry over into the redesign from the Next Act Campaign content on the current site?** > Photos, construction updates are fine to keep. List of donors doesn't belong here. Annual Report is fine as a clickthrough, not as a design feature. $52k left to fundraise, so a "give-now" option should have presence, but the focus is on updates and the programming fund. What is the programming fund? It helps us put new acts on the stage, etc. Focus on the "why" and the "What" - make a gift, contact Allie, etc. *Recorded by: Admin Panel | Last updated: Jan 16, 2026* --- ### 11. Success Metrics & Goals **How do you currently measure website success, and what specific metrics would need to improve for you to consider this redesign worthwhile?** > How many visits per (day/week/month). Fewer questions coming to the organization (website answering questions proactively). Ticket sales? TBD. The real KPI's should come out of conversions. How many people are coming and buying. Period. At least for now. *Recorded by: Admin Panel | Last updated: Jan 16, 2026* --- ### 12. Success Metrics & Goals **By your 2027 season planning, what role do you want the website to play in helping you choose programming that matches your audience?** > Diverse programming. There needs to be at least one show that one person would want to go to. Also, shows that reach across demographics. *Recorded by: Admin Panel | Last updated: Jan 16, 2026* --- ### 13. Website Technical & UX **How are events and ticket links created today? Do you use Eventbrite, Etix, Tessitura, a box office system, or something custom? Where does the authoritative event data live right now?** > On the Stage (OTS) is the ticketing software. They were using Eventbrite. Right now, the data mainly lives in Bloomerang and MailChimp. Data is in bloomerang and mailchimp, but not well integrated or complete. Kris and Lynne (board members) are currently handling the data. New hire: Engagement and Operations Associate will help lead this when hired. Might be an integration between Bloomerang and Mailchimp. Will need to do a deep dive on the tech stack. they want to use bloomerang for all communication. Or Constant Contact. Eventual need for donor data cleanup, refreshed/unified tech stack. Unification of tech stack needed. *Recorded by: Admin Panel | Last updated: Jan 16, 2026* --- ### 14. Website Technical & UX **How are email lists and donors currently stored? Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Bloomerang, Little Green Light, a spreadsheet, or something else?** > Bloomerang/Mailchimp *Recorded by: Admin Panel | Last updated: Jan 16, 2026* --- ### 15. Website Technical & UX **Do you have domain and DNS access, or is it controlled by a third party? Who owns simsburymeadows.org and who can create subdomains?** > Allie finding out, but likely have access through Squarespace. *Recorded by: Admin Panel | Last updated: Jan 16, 2026* --- ### 16. Website Technical & UX **Are there any tools that must remain unchanged for now? Ticketing, donor system, CRM, email platform, or reporting?** > Everything stays for now. Probable audit needed. *Recorded by: Admin Panel | Last updated: Jan 16, 2026* --- ### 17. Website Technical & UX **Beyond the calendar issues you mentioned, what are the top 3 most frustrating user journeys on your current site that we need to fix?** > The landing page on its own in full. Need to make it aesthetically pleasing. There are too many clicks to get to a CTA or information touchpoint. Volunteer opportunity needs to be prominent or at least in nav. Events and CTA top of fold. *Recorded by: Admin Panel | Last updated: Jan 16, 2026* --- ### 18. Website Technical & UX **When you integrate with OTS ticketing, what does the ideal ticket buying flow look like from homepage to purchase confirmation?** > Look at OTS current client list for user journey. Theater Guild of Simsbury uses them, but no tickets on sale right now. Look into this. Ridgefield example for now. Make it a 1-3 click experience. *Recorded by: Admin Panel | Last updated: Jan 16, 2026* --- ### 19. Website Technical & UX **For accessibility - beyond readable fonts and calendar fixes, what specific accommodations do you need to highlight for your aging audience?** > Use standard accessibility standards. *Recorded by: Admin Panel | Last updated: Jan 16, 2026* --- ### 20. Website Technical & UX **For your sponsor recognition, beyond the scrolling logos, do you need different sponsor benefits like dedicated pages, program listings, or special event promotion?** > Yes. There are season venue sponsors and show specific sponsors. Sometimes a business can be both. EX: Liberty Bank is a venue sponsor, but might sponsor the Warped Tour. They will show up in different ways. Some sponsors are just venue sponsors. Warped Tour may have specific sponsors. Standard sponsor scroll with additional placement for higher tiers likely the best route forward. > > Allie to provide examples and direction: > > https://www.stgpresents.org/stg-venues/paramount-theatre/ > > https://www.huntingtontheatre.org/ > > Huntington Theatre Company, Paramount Theatre (Seattle) *Recorded by: Admin Panel | Last updated: Jan 16, 2026* --- ## Metadata - **Questionnaire ID:** cmkdev54f002b0vnuv1wd3ene - **Project ID:** cmkcy7k0s00010v9p1th3rgsl - **Client ID:** cmkcy7k0s00000v9p07lf3qtw - **Created:** January 14, 2026 - **Duration:** 45 minutes + 15 min Q&A buffer --- *This document serves as a backup of the discovery session responses. The live questionnaire is available at: https://discovery.nesolagus.com/respond/9c6081d906f1c387e14460b6d0ebb1c0*