Liberate Dance Company - A Case Study

Liberate Dance Company was founded by Leah Biddle, Kate Wilcock and Rachel Ackers, dance graduates of Liverpool John Moore’s University. In their first year at university, the dancers took part in an exclusive dance company (JMUP Start). Following its success, they were encouraged to continue and thus founded their own company, Liberate – facilitating dance workshops in schools and also performing for the public. They were originally a foursome, but had to face the loss of one member.

The UK Government supports small businesses and the arts, and due to Liverpool’s current status of ‘European Capital of Culture 2008’, Liberate Dance Company were fortunate to receive funding. They secured funding of £6000 from their university, with a potential £3000 payable upon completion of a successful business plan. In addition to this, they attended a Graduate Development Programme to enhance their business skills and acumen. All three dancers also have part time jobs to cover living costs and make business purchases.

Liberate have secured the pro-bono services of a graphics student to design their logo, which they may consider copyrighting, solicitors and a business advisor from ‘Ripples on the Mersey’. They are currently using an Application Service Provider (ASP) to create a website for them. January 2007 saw them hire a renowned choreographer and produce their debut performance at the Sudley Theatre, where they were able to use the free studio space. Using the internet, the dancers found a photographer to enhance their visual image for marketing purposes, which was then used on the social networking site ‘MySpace’. Furthermore their university are opening an office space for them to use, including discounted printing facilities and other business services.

Liberate is still in the stages of establishment and initial growth. However, they have certainly considered and acted upon some very important marketing activities. They have made a large impact on the dance world at a low financial cost, through the innovative use of social networks – regularly enlisting family members to seek out pro-bono support services and investments. Furthermore they have a good awareness of their target market, although have collected little customer data to date. They have started to keep a record of existing customer details in order to create a database and profiling system. However it is not a priority for the company at this time. The knowledge they have of their market is almost exclusively qualitative. Leah’s experience in dance teaching throughout Liverpool and the North-West has shown her that the market certainly does exist and that it is of substantial size! She has also learnt that there are almost no large competitors in their business area, suggesting that the market is far from saturated.

The unique selling points of Liberate are youth, enthusiasm and passion. They feel this not only creates a certain element of ‘buzz’ around them, but it enables the children they work with to relate and admire them. Their age in particular is a rarity in the market. Quality is of immense importance to the dancers, often spending many hours honing their performances and preparing for classes – creating a high return on customer satisfaction and subsequent retention and repeat business. However, they should consider heightening their quality on an internal level by improving their administrative organisation, providing them with a clearer idea of how to take the company forward.

Discussion Questions

• How important was the Liverpool 08 funding to the company?
  Consider: - How the dancers would have begun their business without the funding. What other routes could they have considered?
• How important was the use of ‘networking’ for the company?
  Consider: How important local networking in the Liverpool area was for the company’s development. Also consider the importance of social networking on the internet (MySpace etc).
  Consider: - The role of networking, its importance and other possible outcomes.
• How important is market research to a dance company?
  Consider: - Why should the founders be considerate of their customer’s needs? What are the resultant effects on the company?
• Consider you are a business consultant employed by the company. What recommendations would you make for developing their administrative activities, gaining further clients, retaining the clients they already serve and expansion to provide country-wide services.
  Consider: - What further information must be gleaned before successfully suggesting an action plan encapsulating all of the above questions?