That Tall Blonde at the Callback — 10 Ways to Get Butts in Seats
So my blog has mostly been a blog about auditioning and participating in musical theatre from the actor’s perspective, but I’ll go a little off the beaten track today. Almost a year ago I did a blog about marketing (my day job) and how it can help boost your audition turnout, because I didn’t see much effort from local theatres to get the talent they need. Like I said with that blog — I don’t know much about running a theater from an operations perspective, because all my experience is as an actor. But I do know quite a bit about marketing, so I’m happy to share my advice. I’m noticing more and more that the marketing problem is widespread when it comes to marketing our productions. And I’m noticing that it falls more and more on the CAST to market the show ourselves.
In our community, both large and small theaters have a big problem getting butts in seats. There are a whole bunch of reasons why, such as the high cost of rights causing ticket costs to skyrocket, the death of local newspapers, the lack of theater reviewers at said newspapers, and the plethora of other competing entertainment options in the Bay Area. I get that. But musicals are having a moment again, we need our community to grow and thrive! There is SO MUCH we can do (at little or no cost). The days of walking around town and asking if you can hang a poster in the window and thinking you are done are dead.
So here it goes — 10 ways to get more butts in seats for your next show. It’s probably full of stuff you are already doing. And I’m sure there are more than 10 and you guys have oodles of other great ideas too.
1. Ownership: Assign a paid staff member to do publicity for every show. You need someone who has this as an explicit job, who has (at least) a spreadsheet of the things you want to do and who is going to do them. Marketing doesn’t just magically happen. Budget too tight? Find a volunteer if you can, but make someone accountable.
2. Social is king: Social is where people get all their info now. You need Facebook events for the show, ads if you can spring for them, and someone creative who can make them eye catching or funny. Backstage footage! Live stream of Sitzprobe! Instagram takeover by a cast member! I’ve seen all sorts of creative stuff recently. The theatre needs to organize and encourage this, and cast members will do a LOT of the lifting here. But don’t just expect your cast to do ALL these things for you.
3. Market the cast, not just the director/theatre/show: I can’t tell you how little marketing material EVER mentions even one cast member name. I know I’m a lot more likely to come to a show if I know the people in the show, or know of their talent. You want the cast to do more marketing? GREAT! Give each cast member an ad, with their picture, that they can share on social that says “Starring Jane Smith as Mama Rose” or “Featuring Susan Tonkin as Whore #1”! Putting our names/pictures on the promotional material makes it MUCH more likely we’ll share it. And please don’t use generic stock photos of someone else’s cast or feature someone who isn’t actually in the show. That almost guarantees your cast will NEVER share it.
4. Court the press: Today, most reviewers are independent. The newspaper guys are almost all gone, and the ones left mostly see professional work or high brow (non-musical) new work, not the 10th production of Mamma Mia this year. You need to court them to get them to your show. Personally invite them EARLY (not the weekend you open). Offer free tix of course. Build a long-term relationship with these people and your theatre. This includes TBA adjudicators as well.
5. Seek out listings: There are still local rags in most towns who list stuff in their entertainment sections. Someone just needs to find them and get the info to them. The smaller papers are actually great — and the online ones (Patch!) Make sure these listings say more than “we’re doing Oklahoma!” You have to say why THIS Oklahoma is the one to watch.
6. List in the social groups: Bay Area Theatre Folks, Bay Area Theater Bums (an email group), San Francisco & Bay Area Theatre Chat/Auditions & Show Info are all good to get the word out. You can just post, but something creative & funny is much more persuasive. Video is the most engaging if you can put together a quick promo. A ticket discount if you mention you saw it here is also persuasive.
7. Discounts: Lots of theatre people are starving artists and old people on a fixed income. Offer Goldstar tickets. Hold a “friends & family discount day”. Offer special deals opening weekend. You can create a sense of urgency with these by only offering a limited amount or for a limited time only. GET YOURS BEFORE THEY ARE GONE!
8. Program ad swaps: FREE!!!!! Build relationships with other theaters in your area. Swap ads in your programs because HEY that other patron bought a ticket so they are automatically in your target audience. This is probably way more effective than that expensive direct mail post card campaign you just did.
9. Pitch human interest stories: Find something with each show that you could pitch to the local media. Cast member overcame cancer to tread the boards again! Local dog-mom to perform with her pooch in upcoming musical! Talk again about what makes THIS production different and how it relates to social issues of today.
10. Find your audience: Who in your community do you want to court? Call the local retirement homes and find out how to get your shows on their social calendars (most have a social director!) Do the local schools in the area know about your production? (great place to find volunteers, too!) Perform a snippet at your local chamber of commerce meeting or Kiwani’s Club lunch. Have your cast sing the national anthem at a sporting event. Sing at your local piano bar and hand out flyers (Martuni’s anyone?) Research local groups that may have a special interest in the theme of your show and invite them (examples: internment survivors for Allegiance, vets groups for South Pacific, Lean In circles for 9 to 5). Hmmmm — who should we have tracked down for Company — family & marriage therapists? Calling all commitment phobes!!!
Last but not least, close the loop. Ask ticket buyers how they heard about you so you can TRACK what was most effective. If it shows your downtown posters are delivering the butts you need, then print more posters. But if it shows that everybody heard about this on Facebook, then put your money THERE.
Hope to see some butts in seats for Company this weekend! I heard there were only a handful of $15 Goldstar tickets left, so GET ’em before they are gone.
