Roundtable Notes: How are You Turning Tech Resistance Into Delight?
Talk from the Table
Getting audiences to change long-held habits takes empathy, timing, and smart communication. At our October 22 Executive Roundtable, Nicole Wetzell (NEW Marketing Solutions), Nancy Trigg (Instant Encore), and arts leaders from across the U.S. shared how they’re helping patrons embrace digital tickets, mobile apps, and program books with less resistance and more delight. Here are the highlights and takeaways from the discussion:
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Behavioral Reality:
People don’t resist change because they’re lazy — they resist because habits save brainpower. Once patrons get used to calling a box office rep or receiving mailed tickets, that behavior becomes automatic. For older adults, emotional meaning and ritual outweigh convenience. To encourage adoption, frame tech as enhancing connection and ease — not replacing tradition.State the Why:
Clarity builds comfort. When audiences understand why a change is happening — sustainability, cost savings, anti-scalping, or convenience — resistance drops sharply. Frequent, transparent communication (“Thanks for helping us reduce waste” or “This helps keep your tickets secure”) earns goodwill and cooperation.In-Venue Support Works:
Face-to-face guidance helps audiences make the leap. Roundtable attendees shared tactics like help tables, “Ask me how” buttons for staff, quick instruction cards, and pre-event demonstrations. Turning moments of friction into friendly support built trust and delight — and turned skeptics into advocates.Smart Nudges:
Identity cues and subtle incentives work better than pressure. “Green Member” programs, small mail/Will Call fees, and statements like “Most of our subscribers use mobile tickets” activate people’s sense of belonging and social proof. Limited printed keepsakes (like bookmarks with QR codes) let traditionalists feel included without slowing progress.Content & Timing:
App adoption grows when instructions show up at the right moment — in confirmation emails, reminder texts, or short how-to videos. Organizations saw better results from pre-show emails sent a few hours before curtain rather than days earlier. Clear, repeat messaging — paired with dark-mode digital programs and low-clutter hybrid print options — reduces confusion and resentment. -
Nicole outlined the psychology behind tech resistance. The human brain automates routine actions through the basal ganglia, conserving energy but making new habits hard to form. The sunk-cost effect also plays a role — longtime subscribers feel emotionally invested in familiar rituals. For older adults, meaningful experiences (enjoyment, connection, satisfaction) motivate more than novelty or speed.
Takeaway: Position digital tools as ways to deepen the experience — “connect with your grandchild over the digital program” — instead of simply “save time online.” -
Nancy emphasized that technology adoption succeeds when organizations communicate the why behind the change. This includes both internal alignment (staff and board understanding the benefits) and external storytelling (patrons hearing how it improves their experience).
Examples included:Sharing sustainability and cost-saving goals with audiences.
Framing app adoption as “making your visit smoother” rather than “moving online.”
Thanking patrons for being early adopters.
When patrons feel part of a shared mission, resistance turns into pride.
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Participants shared how they’ve made digital transitions successful:
TPAC (Tennessee Performing Arts Center): Transitioned 16,000 season ticket holders to digital-only delivery. Used Playbill ads (“Do More, Paper Less”), instructional videos, and app links in order confirmations. Result: 85,000 app installs and strong positive feedback.
Toronto Symphony Orchestra: Phased rollout with clear communication and printed handouts for on-site help; gave subscribers the option to choose digital first, but kept a mail fallback.
Minnesota Zoo: Created a “Green Member” identity program promoting digital as eco-conscious. Staffed lobby tables with QR codes and giveaways to drive downloads.
These campaigns paired education with emotion — “you’re part of the future” rather than “you have to change.” -
Item description
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Training staff and volunteers to act as coaches helped smooth the transition.
Minnesota Zoo’s “Ask Me How” buttons sparked helpful conversations.
Toronto Symphony added extra staff during the first concerts of each season to guide guests and hand out printed step-by-step cards.
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Item descriptionThe conversation expanded beyond tickets to digital program books. Nancy shared examples like Eastern Music Festival’s full digital shift, supported by in-person help tables that patrons described as “positive and personal.”
Organizations are experimenting with hybrid solutions:Design: Use dark backgrounds to reduce phone glare in dark venues.
Content: Add multimedia elements — artist videos, bios, or conductor messages — that audiences can explore before or after the show.
Print alternatives: Offer reduced “pocket programs” or keepsake bookmarks with QR codes.
This approach balances accessibility, sustainability, and the emotional pull of physical mementos.
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Even the best systems fail if people don’t read the emails. Attendees discussed communication frequency, language clarity, and timing:
Repeat key messages more often than feels natural — people need to see them 4–6 times.
Use plain, friendly language instead of internal jargon.
Place critical reminders inside the purchase pathway, so audiences can’t miss them.
Test timing — an hour-before-show reminder often works better than a week-out note.
Behavioral nudges like social proof (“4 out of 5 subscribers use mobile tickets”) and gentle friction (mail fees, Will Call fees) help steer behavior without creating resentment.
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Post from NEW: Behind the Buy: Why It’s Hard to Change & Adopt New Tech (and What Helps Your Audience Do It)
Podcast: Freakonomics Radio, All You Need is Nudge
Podcast: Nudge, “The Psychology of Persuasion” (with Robert Cialdini)
Article: “Don’t Be a Tsser: How to Reduce Littering with Effective Signage.”This study explains what type of messaging drives change (and what doesn’t) that you can easily apply to your own messaging.
Book: Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happinessby Richard Thaler
Book: Switch: How to Change When Change Is Hard by Chip Heath
Up Next
What’s Your Game Plan for Smarter Ticket Prices?
Wednesday, December 10, 2025 | 12 PM | Zoom
Join this Roundtable to explore pricing strategy and price psychology. You’ll gain insight on what makes that show feel worth it, how small changes influence buying behavior, and how arts leaders balance access with sustainability.
