Chris McLeod
In the midst of an increasingly crowded digital and offline marketplace both small and large arts organizations are frantically trying to figure out how to better reach and engage audiences. They dress themselves up in their finest digs with pretty websites and sexy logos to get people to turn their eye and notice them. Sound familiar? This process is much like what can be found in any social setting of eligible bachelors and bachelorettes.
So the question is: Given the crowded space, how do you as an arts marketer (or any marketer for that matter) attract, engage, and stay relevant to communities and other audiences? The answer is treat them like you want to marry them. Crazy, right? Let’s take it from the guy’s perspective because, well, I’m a guy.
Business or Brand? First, you have to decide what you want. Are you looking for something non-committal, or do you want something meaningful? In other words do you just want to be a business trying to get people to buy tickets, or do you want to be a brand which represents a mission people can believe in, identify with, and champion?
Now when arts organizations hear the word “brand” they immediately think of their LOGO. But don’t think this is all about redesigning your insignia. That’s like saying everything about you as a person is in your style of clothes or eye color – what people see. While those visual cues initially attract people to each other, it gets old quickly (look at any aging heartthrob. Sorry Fabio). The truth is that people don’t define you solely based on what they see, but ultimately by what you do. When you first understand that then you begin to realize that the true definition of a brand is not your logo but it’s everything do that gives people an impression of you, from the function of your website to the smiles on the faces of your Box Office staff.
The Initial Meet. As a guy when we see a young lady we want to meet we usually take one of two avenues (based in part by the amount of liquid courage in our system). We either approach them directly with our best intro line, or we find someone who knows her to introduce us. We take the time to say the right things or use our best “cool” voice. The point is how you first meet someone (or how they first meet you) is important. As a brand it works the same way. You have to find that “in” that not only immediately grabs the attention of your communities, but also keeps them listening. If you approach your communities directly you have to pay attention to what you say and how you say it. But if you get introduced by someone else (Word-of-Mouth) then the battle is half-won, because you have a personal endorsement from the start.
Get to Know Them. After you meet a young lady the next thing you do is start getting to know her better. You ask questions about her likes, dislikes, what makes her tick, what weird stuff they like to do in her free time, etc. As a brand you should do the same. Learn about your communities. I mean really learn them. People change and evolve over time so always assume there will be more to learn. The more you know is the more you can remain relevant. And quirky facts about a person can also lead down a path to the most meaningful connections (e.g. among many other things that told me my wife was “The One” was when she told me her first job was at my favorite fast food spot… White Castle…yep…those little white boxes of gastrapocalypse mean the world to me. I proposed a month later. Coincidence? I think not.)
Meet The Parents. Ok, there is no clever analogy for this one, but it sounded cool. The main idea is that meeting someone’s parents signifies a progression of the relationship. It’s a deepening of the connection and qualifies someone as being worthy of a real future. Brands should aspire to develop relationships with their audiences to reach this type of level, where audiences really let you into the most hallowed places of their lives because they see you as part of their lives going forward.
Pop the Question. So what’s the point of all this? If you only think in the mindset of business and ticket sales, it’s a one-night stand (sorry for the reference, but we’re all adults here, right?). You do everything you can to “close the deal” and then you move on to the next one – maybe you see them again, maybe you don’t. But if you think as a brand seeking to build lasting relationships with communities, then the endgame should be to marry your audiences. Yep. Marry them and they’ll not only buy the tickets, they’ll help sell some too. Build such a close relationship that they love you with an “I’ll kiss you with morning breath” type of love (now that’s real). They’ll see your high moments and you won’t be afraid for them to see your low ones because they love you based on more than what they see… but who they know you really are.
Now go marry yourself a bunch of people. It’s ok. It’s legal in Marketing.
Check out my session at the National Arts Marketing Project Conference called Pathways To Engagement: A Model for Meaningful Engagement With Underserved Communities on Monday November 10th @ 10:00am.
The Arts Marketing Blog Salon is generously sponsored by Patron Technology.
