ABSTRACT
Introduction The fourth element of the marketing mix – ‘Place’ – also known as ‘distribution’, is concerned with making an organization’s offering available to the customer when and where it is required. Much of the marketing literature dealing with distribution is about products – moving them about, storing them, displaying them. Yet thinking about ways of improving distribution has much to offer service industries, and arts organizations in particular. The performing arts, for example, use a variety of means to open up the experience on offer to as many consumers as possible. Opera and dance companies take their work on the road, touring it to audiences nationally and internationally. Ticket agents make buying tickets easier for people living at a distance from a theatre, yet still requiring personal service. Amateur companies select certain venues over others because of the access they give to established audiences. These are all distribution decisions and they are a crucial element in marketing success.
