Marketing/Public Relations Request for Proposals
The Winston-Salem Symphony (“the Symphony”) is seeking proposals for marketing and/or public relations services. Each agency responding to this RFP is expected to:
• Fully inform themselves on all aspects of the work to be performed;
• Submit its proposal that addresses all proposal components; and
• Submit its proposal to Tim Storhoff (VP, Chief Revenue and Patron Relations Officer) as outlined.
By submitting a proposal, the agency agrees to comply with the process as outlined and understands that acceptance of a proposal will occur only when a contract is executed.
RFP Schedule
| Event | Dates |
|---|---|
| Request for Proposal issued | 3/15/2023 |
| Questions due | 3/22/2023 |
| Questions answered | 3/31/2023 |
| Proposal deadline | 4/14/2023 at 5pm EDT |
| Follow-up questions sent to responding agencies; interviews scheduled | 4/17/2023 — 4/28/2023 |
| Applicants not invited for interviews notified of status | 5/2/2023 |
| Verification of qualification for finalists | 5/2/2023 — 5/9/2023 |
| Selected agency notified | 5/15/2023 |
| Projected project start | 6/1/2023 |
Organization Mission and Background
The Mission of the Winston-Salem Symphony is to bring music to life. Believing that music has the power to inspire, the Winston-Salem Symphony fulfills this mission by enriching the community with live music. The Symphony aims to bring performances, educational programs, and community engagement initiatives to where people live and desires for audiences to experience music in a way that is relevant and meaningful to their own lives. Through music, the Winston-Salem Symphony aspires to create shared experiences and connections that improve the quality of life for area residents. The Winston-Salem Symphony envisions a community where live music connects people from all walks of life to inspire a more vibrant and creative region.
Established in 1946, the Symphony is one of the region’s oldest and most respected arts organizations. Originally named the “Winston Civic Orchestra,” it premiered to a full house in March 1947. Within five years, it was incorporated as a nonprofit organization and began to transform from a civic to professional orchestra in the 1960s.
The Symphony has performed a wide range of repertoires, including orchestral masterworks, pieces by living composers, popular music, choral works, opera, oratorio, and ballet. In 1971, local choirs merged with the Symphony to form what is now the Winston-Salem Symphony Chorus, a 70-member auditioned choir of volunteer singers. In the 1980s, the Symphony began serving as the pit orchestra for Piedmont Opera and local ballet productions and continues to be the musical engine for performing arts in the community. The Symphony actively works to reach new and diverse audiences by diversifying its repertoire, engaging guest artists from numerous genres, offering free concerts, and exploring new and welcoming concert formats with its Symphony Unbound series.
As an artistic leader in our community, the Winston-Salem Symphony has long been committed to educational initiatives for youth. The Symphony’s education programs began in 1956 with a Youth Orchestra workshop. Today, the Symphony’s education programs reach thousands of students yearly through in-school and after-school programs, youth orchestras, and the P.L.A.Y. Music program, which offers free string music instruction at Title 1 elementary schools.
The Symphony is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors composed of 38 elected directors and 3 ex-officio directors. The artistic arm of the Symphony includes 78 contracted professional orchestra musicians, and a 70 member auditioned volunteer chorus. Thirteen administrative staff members support them. The Symphony is a funded member of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Arts Council and receives funding from the North Carolina Arts Council.
Goals and Objectives
The appointed agency will work with the Winston-Salem Symphony’s Patron Engagement Team to:
- Meet single ticket and subscription sales goals
- Raise awareness of the Winston-Salem Symphony and its programs
- Support annual fundraising efforts
- Generate excitement in the community around the Symphony’s new Music Director, who is expected to be announced in June 2023
Scope of Services and Deliverables
Marketing
- Develop ongoing marketing strategy
- Develop and implement advertising campaigns (print, digital, broadcast, outdoor, grassroots)
- Graphically design collateral, including key artwork for posters, billboards, fundraising collateral, and advertisements
- Assist with advertising placement
- Design and manage the production of the Fall and Spring Fanfare printed playbills
- Average 72 pages with cover; a typical issue contains approximately 36 full-page, 8 half-page, and 8 quarter-page ads, the remaining content is generated and provided to agency for layout
- Assist with marketing budget planning
- Provide occasional copywriting assistance with promotional materials
- Participate in quarterly meetings with staff
Public Relations
- Write and distribute press releases to existing media contacts
- Assist with targeted media pitches, including securing media interviews
- Secure public and media engagements for the Music Director and other Symphony representatives
- Manage rapid response and/or crisis communications as necessary
- Monitor and analyze media mentions
Note: Respondents may submit proposals for marketing services alone, public relations services
alone, or a full-service proposal that combines marketing and public relations services.
Proposal Guidelines, Requirements and Evaluation
a. Proposal Guidelines
- Amendment to the Request for Proposal: If it becomes necessary to amend the RFP, the
amendment will be provided to all agencies that receive the original RFP. Each agency’s
response must include an acknowledgment of all addenda. - Requests for Clarification or Inquiries and Submission of Final Proposals: Agencies with
questions concerning this RFP may submit their questions via email to Tim Storhoff at
tstorhoff@wssymphony.org by March 22. Final proposals shall be electronically submitted
to Tim Storhoff at tstorhoff@wssymphony.org by April 14 at 5pm ET. - The proposal shall include the agency’s name, mailing address, name of contact person,
telephone number, e-mail address, and date of submission.
b. Proposal Requirements
- Provide the following information:
• Name of agency
• Complete address
• Contact person (with telephone number and e-mail address)
• Website address
• Any minority-owned, woman-owned, or veteran-owned certifications - The agency, through its proposal, should describe its philosophy and approach to marketing
and public relations and to delivering the services. The agency should demonstrate an
understanding of the Symphony’s context, mission and vision, and the key issues and
stakeholders related to achieving the goals and objectives of the engagement. The agency
should provide an appropriate methodology and work plan for completing the project within
the specified timeframe. In addition, the agency should provide evidence of the ability to
undertake the activities outlined in this request for proposals, including:
a. evidence of breadth and depth of knowledge of contemporary marketing and public relations philosophies, approaches, and practices as they relate to non-profit organizations;
b. experience working on engagements of similar size, scale, and/or scope and
c. proven analytical skills, qualitative and quantitative research skills, facilitation skills, exceptional written and verbal communication skills, and any other specialized knowledge necessary for completing the project successfully. - Compensation
a. Please provide information on your proposed compensation for all required services. - Deadline: All proposals must be received by email on or before April 14, 2023. The accepted proposal will be selected no later than May 15, 2023.
c. Evaluation
The Symphony will evaluate all proposals based on the following criteria. To ensure
consideration for your proposal, it should be complete and address the following:
- Suitability: proposed solutions must meet the scope and needs of this project and be presented
in a clear and organized manner. - Organization credentials and experience: bidders will be evaluated on their experience as it is
related to this project. - Value and cost: bidders will be evaluated on the cost of their solution(s) for this project.
Budget and Length of Contract; Terms and Conditions
Annual budget not to exceed $42,000 for a full-service agency (marketing and public relations). This sum does not include media buys, which are budgeted separately per concert/event. We are looking for proposals that can deliver the scope of work in a cost-effective way without compromising quality. All proposals should include a proposed budget and timeline, costed out for each phase of the proposed work.
The selected agency will be awarded a 12-month contract for services beginning in June 2023, with two optional 1-year renewals, for a total duration not to exceed three years.
Contact Info
Please submit proposals and questions to:
Tim Storhoff
Vice President, Chief Revenue and Patron Relations Officer
Winston-Salem Symphony
301 N. Main Street, Suite 1901
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
tstorhoff@wssymphony.org
(336) 725-1035, ext. 225
