Current Issues in Arts Marketing
Arts managers in my seminars in various cities and countries repeatedly describe the same concerns:
- Arts audiences are aging. How can we attract more young people to attend our programs and build their interest in our offerings?
- The subscriber base is eroding and the tried and true methods for implementing subscription campaigns are no longer as effective as they once were. What can we do to attract and retain more subscribers? To maintain and build our audiences?
- How can we best create value for the customer in our pricing strategies, in our communications, and in the benefits we offer?
- As our costs continue to rise, so do our ticket prices. How can we manage our ticket pricing structure so that we do not lose current patrons or create barriers for potential patrons?
- Dynamic pricing (changing prices in real time according to demand) and deeply discounted ticket offers have become popular in the performing arts industry. What is the best way to approach these pricing strategies?
- How can we leverage new technology in a cost and labor efficient manner in order to build interest in our organization, provide timely information about our offerings, educate our consumers, and increase ticket sales?
- How can we develop a distinctive image and brand identity for our organization and its offerings that will be compelling to our current and prospective patrons and supporters?
- How can we provide great customer service, especially given that our ticket sales may be managed externally and box office personnel may be out of our control, and that we have limited and overworked staff?
- How can we meet the needs and preferences of current and potential audiences without compromising our artistic vision?
- With minimal media coverage for the arts and the high cost of paid advertising, how can we most effectively and efficiently get the word out about our programs?
- How can we create a valued and memorable total experience for the customer—an experience that begins when a patron first hears about the organization and its programs and ends, hopefully, long after the curtain has gone down.
For responses to these and other issues in arts marketing:
Read a brief overview in Onsite Insights
Read Standing Room Only: second edition
Contact Joanne Bernstein for personalized and up-to-date advice
