Why Series Programming

Series Programming

As much as we would all like to think that we are independent routine is what we enjoy in our life and helps us plan our lives.  Series programming has a number of benefits that seem to be lost sometimes as the word series brings up images of the same old, and boring, and repetitive, etc.  This of course is as far from reality as it can be if your series programs are done with intention.

A movie, coffeehouse, comedy, or performing arts series are all wonderful ways to build an audience.  One of the quotes I am always using is with quality comes quantity.  Meaning when you do a quality event your reputation builds and thus your audience grows too.  This is just one of the ways series programming can be used to help establish an office, committee, board, etc that maybe hosting these events.  Series work can establish creative long-range publicity methods.  Set up a tradition on campus.  Provide a method of progressive training for members and executives who are producing the events.  Create an atmosphere of school spirit.  Give a face-lift to an overused facility or event.

An idea for a comedy series is to label it Comedy Central Comes To (your campus name).  Then book several comedians over several months (the second Tuesday of each month for example) who have performed on Comedy Central, for those of us who are in the know that is almost every comedian that is on the college circuit.  You have added pop culture reference to your series that is familiar and appreciated by your audience.  Then run with it and do the creative inspirational programming that we all are capable of facilitating.

I could go on and on about series programming but we all learn best from each other.  Let’s share some examples of series programming that has worked in the past for you or maybe ideas you have for series programming for one reason or another you are unable to implement on your campus.  This type of programming is why television, movies, authors, music companies, etc are so successful and make money.  They build reputation, they build audience, they create expectations, and they build pride and competence.

Comments

[Brian]

Some of the most successful programming efforts I've seen on the colleges I've worked for were series programs. In fact, I pushed to have the first-ever Friday Night movie series (using movies through Swank) on my undergrad campus. The student turnout was amazing!

I've seen Wednesday Night Workshops, Emerging Leaders development Series, monthly Cultural dinners (each month, a different culture), Coffeehouse music series, Weekly open mic nights, etc.

People love knowing that each week or each month, they can look forward to the next in a series-long list of activities. I would highly recommend series programming.

The one drawback that results in series programming - unless your series does not fall on the same time and day of the week - is that the same people will miss out on that particular program week after week if they are busy at that time.