5 Proven Strategies to Reach New Audiences Where They Are

Finding new patrons for your theatre can be tough, but reaching new audiences is key to your theatre’s success.?

You may be wondering: How can I entice new patrons into my halls? It’s simpler than you may think. On The Stage provides several proven strategies to help you reach and retain new patrons.

Determining Your Goals Related to Audiences

Determining your goals is the first order of business when attempting to reach new patrons. That means answering a simple question: Who are you trying to reach? Your priority should be understanding your target demographic and creating marketing efforts that appeal to them. You should also consider patron segmentation if you want to reach more than one target demographic.?

Why segment your audience further? After consulting your data and doing your research about your demographics, you’ll be able to curate more personalized messaging – which will make your audience members feel seen, leading to stronger connections and greater brand loyalty. Additionally, you’ll be able to discover new leads on potential patrons and identify what your audience members (and potential new patrons) care about.?

A few ways to segment your potential patrons include separating them by:

• Purchasing behaviors?
• Industries?
• Interests?
• General demographics?

Once you’ve sorted your audience members into these groups, you can focus on creating targeted messaging that feels both personal and well-researched.?

5 Proven Strategies to Reach New Audiences

Create Incentives for New Customers

People are far more likely to purchase something for the first time if they receive a discount. After all, most eCommerce businesses offer some sort of promo code when a patron tries out their products for the first time. It’s a low-risk, high-reward option that incentivizes patronage more regularly.?

That said, ensure you create introductory offers that reward a patron for trying out your theatre. A few incentives to consider are:

• One-time discounts on tickets for first-time buyers
• Free merchandise with the first purchase of a ticket or other product?
• VIP access to exclusive products and services after a first purchase?
• Unique promo codes only for first-time buyers?
• Discounts or special product access for signing up for a digital newsletter?

Partner Up with Community Businesses?

Another way to tap into a variety of different demographics and get your theatre’s work out into the community is by partnering up with businesses and other creatives in your area.

By teaming up with a local business, you are presented with a brand-new customer base and can offer discounts to them specifically. The key here is to team up with a business with a similar customer base but not a direct competitor. That way, you’re marketing your offerings to people who will likely be interested in the world of theatre but haven’t heard of you yet and don’t have to abandon another business to patronize yours. (You catch more flies with honey and all that…)?

Remember that community and business partnerships should be a two-way street – it should be beneficial for the business that is helping you as well as beneficial to you. Consider offering the business ad space in your show program or digital ad space on your show website. Additionally, encourage your established patrons to visit that business. You are helping the fabric of your community’s economy and creating a strong bond between yourself and another business that can help you exponentially down the line.?

Sharpen Your Social Media Presence?

In the digital age, there is no excuse for having a weak social media presence. In fact, social media is the easiest and least expensive way to draw new patrons into your theatre.

A few tips on sharpening your social media presence include:

• Create sponsored posts that reach specific demographics you’re trying to engage with.
• Always respond to comments, questions, and direct messages from followers and curious community members.
• Post content that appeals to the generations you want to try out your theatre. This means short-form, quick, and trendy content for Gen Z or longer-form video content and podcasts for Millennials.?
• Ensure all your social media channels have consistent branding and are well advertised on your show site, show programs, and other printable marketing materials.?
• Tighten up your theatre’s website with compelling visuals, pertinent information, and an easily accessible ticketing widget for smooth purchases.?

Encourage Referrals and Online Reviews?

Word-of-mouth marketing is an incredibly organic and useful way to get more patrons into your theatre. This type of marketing can range from patron referrals to online reviews.

For referrals, encourage your established patrons to talk up your theatre and its offerings to the community. This could mean inviting a new patron to a show, tagging people in your social media content, or encouraging people to come to one of your theatre’s fundraisers. The best way to get more referrals? Offering a referral discount for both the established patron and the first-time patron. When you give people a reason to talk up your theatre, there will be greater motivation to act on that request. The referral process should also be simple – make sure you implement a system for actively soliciting referrals from your customers. Other referral ideas include a “buy one get one” promo deal for existing patrons or a “bring a friend” day for specific shows or events within your theatre.

Another word-of-mouth marketing strategy is padding up your online review database. Think about it – how often do you head to Google to scope out a business’s reputation via reviews before visiting? Make sure you’re encouraging your loyal patrons to leave glowing reviews – both in person and in your digital marketing efforts. After all, reviews:

• Establish credibility
• Boost your community reputation
• Provide social proof of your offerings?
• Differentiate your business from competitors
• Build customer loyalty
• Help you get important feedback?
• Increase sales and revenue

If you get a bad review – which will probably happen – make sure to respond directly to that patron and rectify the issue swiftly. After all, we all make mistakes, and it will help your reputation to handle the problem publicly instead of ignoring it. Social proof, after all, is a powerful tool in lending credibility to your theatre.?

Present Streaming Options for Audiences

Digital streaming options for your theatre open up (literally) an entire world of new patrons. By offering streaming performances, you can:

• Sell unlimited tickets – Indeed, if you have a strong server and the technical components to allow streaming anywhere, you will outsell a theatre’s capacity tenfold with streaming options.?
• Offer better value to families – You will help families save money while still offering them a night to remember.?
• Protect the safety of vulnerable patrons – We may be out of the thick of the pandemic, but there are still patrons who are immunocompromised or have difficulties with mobility. You are creating greater accessibility by offering streaming channels.?
• Allow people to attend from anywhere – You are no longer bound to your town, city, or state. With streaming, people from across the country – and the globe – can access your content.?

How On The Stage Can Help

Whether you need help reaching patrons, selling more tickets, fundraising, managing your box office, or something else entirely related to your theatre, On The Stage can help. Discover the all-in-one ticketing software built for performing arts and theatre management that empowers thousands of organizations with ticketing, box office, marketing, fundraising, and reporting tools in one robust platform – for free.

On The Stage (OTS) combines a fully integrated suite of tools and resources for theatre and the performing arts with everything needed to control your own operational and financial management, letting you focus on making great art.

Our all-in-one theatre software platform empowers directors, producers, box office managers, and patrons across educational theatre, community theatre, dance and professional arts programs of all sizes, performing arts centers, immersive experiences, and everything in between. Book a personalized demo today if you’re ready to elevate your theatre, find more patrons, and create beautiful art.?