Request for Proposals: Dance-Along Nutcracker Marketing Strategy Support
The San Francisco Pride Band (the Band), a 501(c)3 non-profit, is the first openly gay musical organization in the world and the Official Band of San Francisco. Since 1985, the Band has produced a holiday show called the Dance-Along Nutcracker®. Each year features an original production that’s part symphonic band concert, part musical theater parody, and part dance-it-yourself ballet.
The Band seeks a qualified marketing expert to consult with and advise members of the Band’s Dance-Along Nutcracker marketing and production team on strategies and approaches to improve the marketing of the show with the ultimate goal of increasing the audience size for both 2025 and beyond. The Band has a strong volunteer base with experience in graphic design and video editing; marketing for the show has typically been done in-house and is expected to continue this way. However, while the show receives strong reviews from surveyed audience members, audience sizes have been declining somewhat and the Band thinks there is more that can be done to market the show in today’s saturated, digital market.
Responses are due by 5PM on 8/12/2025. Submission requirements and more details can be found by downloading the RFP here.
DELIVERABLES
The successful bidding marketing expert will prepare a Dance-Along Nutcracker marketing strategy writeup that addresses how the Band can increase audience size through marketing with recommendations in the following areas:
- Audiences to target
- Types of media markets to focus on, especially digital
- Appropriate budget goals for each media market
- Messaging about the show
- Direction of graphic identity
- Strategies for communicating ticket prices and discounts/giveaways
- Tracking and metrics
The Band envisions holding the following virtual meetings with the marketing expert:
- One to two sessions to share materials, discuss the show and past marketing efforts, and discuss project goals.
- One to two sessions to talk through interim ideas during strategy development.
- One to two sessions to talk through the recommendations once the writeup is complete.
Note that this project does not include development or implementation of marketing materials. The project does include advice and planning to inform marketing strategy and approach.
More details can be found by downloading the RFP here.