Luhrs Center Doubles Engagement and Revenue Visibility

A Theatre That Connects with Every Audience

The H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center, based at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania, is a regional hub for live entertainment. Its 1,500-seat venue hosts everything from Broadway tours and concerts to family shows and community events.

With audiences ranging from parents attending CoComelon Live! to fans of Ashley McBryde, the marketing team needed a smarter way to tailor communication and track performance across very different event types.

Too Many Tools, Not Enough Insight

Despite a strong programming lineup, the Luhrs Center struggled with limited visibility into sales and campaign performance.

Key challenges included:

• No real-time data: Teams couldn’t quickly respond to slow-selling shows.
• Generic audience outreach: Broad messaging failed to connect with specific audience groups.
• Unclear ROI: Traditional and digital marketing performance couldn’t be easily compared, leading to wasted budget and slower growth.

Turning Data into Action

By partnering with Encore Pro and accesso ShoWare, the Luhrs Center built an integrated marketing ecosystem centered around ticketing and audience data. This allowed them to align promoters, marketers, and leadership with one shared view of performance.

Key steps included:

• Real-time dashboards to track ticket sales, audience trends, and campaign impact.
• Permission-based data sharing with promoters and artists for transparent collaboration.
• Audience segmentation by genre, location, attendance frequency, and buyer type.
• Targeted, twice-monthly email campaigns focused on announcements, offers, and relevant updates.
• Integrated measurement tying digital and traditional advertising directly to ticket sales.

The Results: A Smarter, More Profitable Marketing Operation

The impact was immediate and measurable:

• +96% email subscriber growth in three years (from 30K to nearly 60K).
• 3x website traffic, driven by more relevant and timely campaigns.
• Higher engagement rates thanks to segmentation and personalization.
• Full marketing visibility, empowering teams to make confident, revenue-driven decisions.

A Data-Driven Future for Performing Arts

The Luhrs Center’s story is proof that data and creativity can work hand in hand. By connecting ticketing, marketing, and audience insights, they’ve built a foundation for smarter campaigns, stronger partnerships, and continued growth.

Learn more about Encore Pro’s Connected Marketing platform and how we partner with accesso Showare venues.