MISSION:
The 398Group is a business-side advisory within the Live Music industry offering startup and turnaround services to three key constituencies:
- Music Festivals
- Music Series
- Music Venues
(whether in the private, public, gov't or nonprofit sectors)
Strategy - Design - Ex*****on
"Hand us the keys" or rely on us for select functions.
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Case Studies (samples):
* LOCAL GOV'T / ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
1. THE NEED: A summer destination resort region desired to extend its visitor numbers into the autumn "shoulder" season. THE SOLUTION: 398 designed and delivered a major two-day music festival as the grand opening of a new recreational park that attracted thousands of attendees. The overwhelming success of the event resulted in all parties committing to making it a permanent annual event as well in convincing a host of third-party events being booked into the facility.
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2. THE NEED: A regional economic development group sought a creative means of uniting the area's various business communities in a constituency-building manner. THE SOLUTION: 398 produced a two-part, one-day event that included a large trade conference followed by a public rock concert with touring musical act.
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3. THE NEED: a downtown merchants group sought a means of attracting visitors and enhance $ activity there
THE SOLUTION: 398 conceptualized, designed and execute a weekly after-work music series
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4. THE NEED: A large city, in conjunction with a major foundation, sought a substantial annual funding means to enhance its award pool, which made donations to dozens of community-building and health-focused organizations in the area. THE SOLUTION: 398 produced a major community outdoor one-day festival, with a full lineup of regional and national touring musical acts and non-music attractions (a brew and food fest) .While the music portion was free-to-attend, substantial revenues were generated from sponsorships and from the food/beer fest admissions.
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5. THE NEED: A social club was in need of funds for the restoration of its historic building. The City in which it resides asked for our help
THE SOLUTION: 398 produced a public concert featuring a nationally acclaimed jazz artist. Revenue was generated from both ticket sales and sponsorships.
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6. THE NEED: After a 20+ year run, a northeast city was suddenly left without its high profile, massive annual downtown year-end community festival. THE SOLUTION: 398 developed a Plan to "revive and reinvent" the spectacle, but under new ownership, a new name and a re-structured format. Working with local tourism and municipal interests, the multi-day, multi-venue, multi-attraction event launched in Dec 2023. The result = a grand success, with two acclaimed editions now under our belt, each drawing thousands of people from near and far.
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* VENUE SERVICES
1. THE NEED: a restaurant was considering converting part of their facility into a live music room and asked us to help in the business feasibility exercise
THE SOLUTION: We created capital and operating budgets and pro-formas and gave ownership a general education and insight into the live music business. The final decision was to not undertake the original concept.
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2. THE NEED: A large live music venue lost its in-house talent buyer and was in need of a replacement
THE SOLUTION: We filled that role for six months, in parallel with our training of a new person that took over at the end of our term.
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3. THE NEED: A live music venue sought a means of improving its financial performance after two consecutive years of losses. THE SOLUTION: We added 35% more event dates, varied the mix of what those events were and put the enterprise into double-digit percentage profitability.
