Marketing is NOT a Choice
If you know me then you know that I’d much rather spend all day every day helping you write your show than marketing myself. Marketing is not my favorite thing.
However, I have to remind myself that marketing shows is how we get audiences into seats (butts in seats). Likewise, marketing myself helps me meet more talented writers.
If we are going to engage in commerce at any level, then marketing is not a choice. It’s the basis of business – how you put yourself out in the world and what you do.
Here’s Where to Start
Every show should have the following:
- LOGO for the show
- Tagline
- Short Synopsis: Describe the journey of your show in 3-5 sentences (sometimes you will need a longer synopsis, but not often)
- Website
- Quality demos of your music (for musicals)
Who is your audience? Find a person that best represents your audience. Discover everything about that person. Build an “avatar” and speak to that person in every bit of copy you write about your show.
Ask yourself:
- What does my audience member value? What do they want?
- What type of job does my audience hold?
- Where does my audience live (for the most part). Search any demographic Information online that will tell you more.
- What challenges does my audience member have?
- What types of products does my audience member buy? Where do they shop, Whole Foods or McDonalds?
Find Your Audience Online
Hopefully you’ve been building an email list of people that have contacted you about your show or about other shows. This is an important list to cultivate, nurture and grow.
How? Get on Social Media. Begin to talk to people that are interested in your show, or who like theater. Facebook groups and LinkedIn groups are also helpful.
Planning a reading? Write a Press Release and send it to Broadway World to be published. Push the press release on social media, and put it on your website.
You Need a Website. That’s not a choice either.
More on that next week! Have any questions? Post below.