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Touring organisations have a particular need for friends, says Caroline Anderson, as it's hard to ensure a good turn out when you visit a place once a year or less.
Beyond this, friends schemes have another equally important function: they bring cash directly into the organisation. But inevitably they find that the time and effort trying to service and maintain them is out of all proportion to the cash return. The problem is that you have to give something in return and this is particularly difficult for touring companies. How do you keep a friendship going when you rarely meet and can never throw a decent party because your friends are scattered around the country? The Opera and Music Theatre Forum is the national body representing the interests of the sector. The majority of its members are small and medium-scale touring companies with Friends schemes administered in-house. Many companies are bought in by promoters for a fee with no box office control so offering the obvious rewards of ticket discounts and advance bookings is difficult, if not completely impractical, to arrange. Despite suspicions to the contrary, few companies ever report clashes between promoters' Friends schemes and touring company schemes, probably because the rewards are different and complement each other. Venues provide community and social benefits, whereas companies can offer the cachet of inside information on the company and its product. Companies can mount some events on tour such as a pre-performance talk or drink, or a Friends desk in the local venue foyer where people can drop in, perhaps collect a free programme and chat with company staff. Some companies manage to run annual Friends events as self-financing affairs, in a geographically convenient location and with a chance to meet performers and see them perform their party pieces. But touring company Friends are inevitably pen friends for most of the year. Surprisingly this is often enough. It makes sense when you examine the reasons why people join up. For many there are significant psychological rewards such as the profile of being a supporter, donating to a worthwhile charity, indulging a passion for the artform, interest in the company, or belief in the work being done. And when it 's time for the reality check on benefits to the company, it 's worth remembering that Friends can often provide help in kind. The trick is to make them feel welcome and special. Acknowledge their contributions, consult them, give them opportunities to be involved, provide treats and flood them with inside information about productions and performers via newsletters, magazines, email or private pages on websites. But there remains the mystery of those who will join a free mailing list, come to all the shows and take the time to write to you afterwards, but won't become friends. If we knew the key to tapping their loyalty, our Friends might grow overnight.

Caroline Anderson is Manager of the Opera and Music Theatre Forum t 020 8516 6313 e:c.f.anderson@cwcom.net