I'm a big fan of taking all the big and little issues that cross my desk back to the fundamental marketing basics. "Do you think this design works?" "Well you tell me? What audience are you after and what is the key selling point of your design and copy?". That sort of thing. But there is one marketing fundamental that arts marketers constantly seem to get wrong, and that's "What are we?".
Time after time I see 'The Arts' being marketed like it's a product - and not just any product like electrical whitegoods! Marketers publish a list of product features (IE: cast details and plot synopsis) and we expect patrons to line up and say "Awesome, I'll take five tickets thanks!". Its not really even Problem>Solution-land its "Hey I've done a play about retired ninjas finding themselves, come and buy tickets!" which kind if an answer to a question no body thought to ask. (Actually I'd like to see a play about Ninjas, so if anyone writes one count me in)
To this day some marketers will argue that the arts IS a product, you pay your money and we give you a physical item - a ticket. Enjoy! Of course the ticket is merely a voucher for entry to the real paid-for experience. So in the interests of clarity lets break it down.
At a conference many years ago I was told that the definitive (British) legal definition of a ticket, was a short term lease of a piece of real estate (ie you purchase the ability to sit on a seat for a small period of time. Nothing more, nothing less.The show is no different to a harbour view or a flight path in a rental property, an element that affects how desirable that short term lease is.
If you accept that a show is nothing more than effectively leasing out a lot of small pieces of real estate for a small period of time it changes things fundamentally. For a start it makes you realise just how perishable our product is, like aeroplanes once the curtain goes up we can never sell that seat again, so inventory management becomes something we should study, dynamic pricing becomes important, as does efficient and courteous customer service and order fulfilment.
Reputation becomes really important. Think about hairdressers, how do you build a top drawer hair salon? You create a nice welcoming environment to come, you answer every phone call, convert every lead, train or recruit great talent, and you do everything you can to make sure that each chair is full most of the time. Branding becomes important, customer service too and every haircut leaves an impression that either makes people come back again and again or loses you for good. Haircuts are not price sensitive either, people will pay good money for a good haircut.
Except the performing arts is even more ethereal, at least hairdressers leave you with a good feeling AND a good haircut, we just have the good feeling.
Also haircuts are generally repeatable, each new play or dance performance is unique.So how do you get around the risk factor? Well you DO do something that the Arts Industry sometimes over-does, you really work on the brand of each individual show, you take your brainstorming seriously, you work the design and title treatment like you are re-branding facebook (on a budget!), even for a six week marketing campaign, and you latch onto to any residual goodwill, leverage the company brand, the name actor and establish credibility via awards and reviews.
All fairly line and length, but the question is if I'm coming to your theatre for two hours to experience a service that's completely different to the last time I came here why would I do that? What problem will this service solve? If all I am left afterwards is a warm glow, what colour will the glow be?
This then leads you to thinking about intrinsic impact, which I'm sure I'll be spruiking another time.
For now I'll leave you with this, think of your arts product as a service, as incredibly perishable, and watch how that changes your approach.
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