The Perfect Chorus Management Tool

Back in November, I found myself sitting across from Craig Coogan, Executive Director of the Boston Gay Men's Chorus. Though BGMC was Chorus Connection's first customer, after more than a year of phone calls, this was the first time we'd actually met.

I love my conversations with Craig. He's smart, insightful, and has a knack for pushing the limits of my creativity. For me, as a newly minted entrepreneur, that sort of input has been invaluable.

That brisk November afternoon, we were seated in his office, having one of our product brainstorming conversations. The discussion got side-tracked as Craig went on a tangent, discussing a feature in BGMC's ticketing and donor database.

He wove the tangent back into our conversation about Chorus Connection, and then uttered what, at first, I thought was an offhand comment. "You know, it would be so wonderful to be able to manage all of this in one place."

I stared blankly back at him, more than a little perplexed. The whole point of Chorus Connection, and one of the things that Craig often raves about, is that the software already does allow BGMC to manage everything in one place. What the heck was he talking about?

As I sat there, confused, I noticed a twinkle in his eye. He was teasing me, prompting me. And all of a sudden, the meaning and intent behind his comment became clear.

Now, I should back up and explain something. I sometimes refer to Chorus Connection as "chorus management software," but that's a bit of a misnomer. It's really a membership management tool - a place where all information, files, and communications can be managed and made accessible to members.

Craig was hinting at something much bigger. Not just a membership management tool, but a platform on which you could run an entire organization - manage and communicate with members, sell tickets, and track donors. A true chorus management solution...

And he wanted Chorus Connection to build it.

I've thought a lot in the subsequent months about all the crazy and exciting things that would be possible with such a system. Here's a quick sample:

1. You could run a comprehensive, 360-degree report that includes an individual's full history of seasons sung, concert tickets purchased, and donations.
2. Money from membership dues, concert tickets, and donations could all be accepted online, automatically deposited in your bank account, and logged immediately in Quickbooks without any manual effort.
3. You could run competitions to see which members sell the most tickets to your concerts and fundraisers, and offer prizes to the winner(s).

Suffice to say, my inner choir geek is freaking out about all the possibilities! I'm so excited!

But enough about me. What capabilities would you like to see in the Perfect Chorus Management Tool?