I wasn't surprised to read recently that Barack Obama spends time studying and learning local colloquialisms before he speaks in front of any group across the country.
Here's what does surprise me:
I receive every Broadway and Off-Broadway email blast known to man: Telecharge, Theatermania, New York Times Ticketwatch, etc. I signed up to get them all so I can keep my finger on the pulse of what the other shows are doing in terms of their e-marketing, pricing, availability, etc. (and I strongly recommend you do the same).
What shocks me is how shows can send the exact same email offer with the exact same marketing message no matter who is getting the email.
Do we really think that the subscribers to the Broadway Box newsletter are the same as the subscribers to the New York Times Ticketwatch?
Do we really think that a group of farmers in Nebraska will respond to the same political speech as a group of doctors in New Hampshire?
Find out what's important to each of your audiences and tailor your messages accordingly.
When you speak their language you gain their trust.
And when someone trusts you . . . well, you could end up being The Producer of the United States.
This is so true. I hate it when marketers become formulaic and go the way they think it works for others...so it should work for us, right?
Getting to know your demographic and community is a key in creating the right ties at the right time. And theater is constant change...thank God for that!
Posted by: Antonio | October 15, 2008 at 12:46 PM
Davenport, like many of your blog topics this too has significant personal and professional relevance. I've just been in the process of restructuring my home office(my LITTLE Hell's Kitchen apartment has been great for the past ten years , but that's a lot of mail-circulars, flyers, theatre mags, season subscriptions, Bi-coastal romances, etc. But I digress. Point is- I happened upon a subscriber brochure from a few years back tucked away in some old file and some of the copy has changed little or not at all compared to the present stuff. I found that kind of insulting in a benign way. As Cole Porter would say "times have changed...." but in terms of my precious file space duplicates have to go! Your point about different subscribers receiving different angles is well put- but virtually the same stuff to the same target audience is bad advertising too right? or am I wrong? I think the ad people would argue this one- you know, the sell what works theory and stick to it thing.
Posted by: Matthew Coyle, actor | October 14, 2008 at 11:04 PM