101 Marketing and Public relations tips

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

IntroductionsBrian johnson

Executive director

Chad haightoperations director

Nate murphyMarketing / pr director

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Discussion topics

What workshop is / isn’t

Tactics vs. goals, objectives& strategies

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Advertising

Advertising

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Paid vs. In-kind Published rate / NPO discount Online / Social Offline (local media, billboards) Partner Advertising (arts orgs, local businesses) Venue / Selling

1) Negotiate an in-kind advertising donation for every dollar spent2) Never pay published rates3) Match spend with target demographics and monitor ROI (social boost)4) Keep in touch with local ad reps for special and last minute deals5) Swap tickets with other arts orgs, attractions, local restaurants6) Sell advertising in your venue and on your website

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

BRANDING

Branding

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Includes logo, colors, fonts, any graphical elements How are you unique? (differentiate) What are you offering? (value) Consistency Research Listen

7) Include small group of stakeholders / graphic designer8) What are your business cards saying? (start small)9) Get consensus on who you are, what you stand for and where you’re going10) Brand everything11) Signage (en route, exterior, interior)12) Listen to patrons / fans, act on trends

Communitygroups

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Community groups

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Ready made audiences looking to lend a hand Often times dealing with same challenges Sounding board Rubbing shoulders and scratching backs Funding sources Balance time / rotate schedule

13) Join local Chambers14) Visit Rotary, Lions, Soroptimist, Eagles15) Join local arts organizations (Arts & Attractions Council)16) Join local business organizations (Downtown Bremerton Association)17) Contribute to fundraisers, silent auctions and inquire about grants18) Spread visits between staff and groups (average hour or less per week)

Communicate

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Communicate

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Focus on building and maintaining relationships Understand not everyone has the same motivation Weather Channel / constant updates Channel not important Listen

19) Keep meetings impactful and short20) Use emails, calls, lunches, hand-written notes, texts, social messages21) Organize and prioritize tasks online22) Google Docs (spreadsheets, documents, multimedia, real-time collaboration)23) Cloud storage24) A little positivity goes a long way

Discounts

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Discounts

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Channel, frequency, percent, timing all important

25) Incentivize early purchase with pre-sale and package discounts26) Last minute deals can work if used sparingly, but trains patrons to wait27) Use group discounts to sell ticket blocks and build community partnerships28) Spread discounts between in-person, online, print and partnerships29) Try companion, limited time, holiday and special occasion discounts

Donations

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Donations

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Make it as easy as possible for people to give (online, in-person, Text2Give) Offer a wide variety of ways for people to give (estate planning, stock) Make it compelling – storytelling is key Get specific with how and when funds will be used Don’t forget volunteers and “friends of the venue” Ask regularly For artists, aligning with NPOs can help reach new audiences and increase sales

30) Include easy to find donate links on website and social channels31) Add ability to donate to ticket and concession purchases32) Include self addressed donation envelopes in all mailings33) Encourage small donations ($1, $5, $10)34) Try new donation sources (Text2Give, Crowdfunding – Kickstarter, Indiegogo)

Events

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Events

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Fundraisers (Opening Night, Gala) Plan early and often Keep branding consistent Countdown emails / task lists with assigned owners Involve local business and civic leaders (Special Guest Program) Details Matter (Gala – Ooh La La – Aerialist, Mime, Can Can Dancers)

35) Involve major donors in telling your story (Gala video and public TV partner)36) Understand how the media works and covers events (long / short lead)37) Make it easy for attendees to get the most out of the event (directions)38) Start a Special Guest Program39) Clean facility, friendly staff / volunteers, check visibility, sound, pace and fun!

grants

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

GranTS

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Involve marketing – storytelling is key Use your resources (Kitsap Community Foundation, United Way)

40) Tackle messaging and marketing materials first (next topic)41) Ensure consistent storytelling across all channels (elevator pitch / online)42) Take advantage of free research and writing seminars (United Way, KCF)43) Involve all staff and even volunteers in research (funding cycles, focus areas)44) Find ways to collaborate with local arts organizations to meet grant criteria

Marketingmaterials

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Marketing materials

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Keep it short and inexpensive Offer documents in a variety of formats, but keep multimedia standard Write for the audience Spelling and grammar (AP Style for press) No email attachments; use EPK Understand the purpose of an effective press kit

45) Keep press releases to 3-4 graphs max46) Include a one-page fact sheet with plenty of white space47) Include a one-page statistics sheet (venue / artist, genre, industry stats)48) Format multimedia for easy press use (jpg, mp4, pdf / eps)49) Less is truly more, avoid repetition (inverted pyramid)

Mediarelations101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Media relations

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

What is news? Elevator pitch (:30) Learn deadlines, editorial calendars Read Understand news industry and use this to your advantage

50) Do your homework on outlets and reporters (ask about deadlines)51) Prepare for :30 or less on phone; don’t cold call52) Use every avenue – many reporters are on social media53) Confused? Take a tour, ask questions and think relationships54) Be prepared and make it easy for reporters to tell your story

Merchandise

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Merchandise

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Walking billboard and conversation starter Inexpensive or free to produce Significant revenue opportunity People like stuff

55) Check out on demand merchandise options (CafePress)56) Keep it simple – often times, logo and web address are enough57) Adapt merchandise options to target demo, geography58) Start with one or a few items and grow from there59) Include merchandise giveaways in social media campaigns

Messaging

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Messaging

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Keep it short Refine as you go Steal Borrow from competitors, other artists and arts orgs

60) Use a messaging architecture exercise to get started61) Limit yourself to three relevant points max (rule of three)62) Write for your audience; avoid flowery language with press63) Include who you are, what you do and how you are different64) Practice out loud. If you can’t easily say it, don’t write it

Partnerships

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Partnerships

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Get tactical and start small Especially in smaller markets, one of the most effective marketing tools Inexpensive or free Easier than ever with social media

65) Trade advertising with other arts orgs (programs, posters, fliers)66) Initiate a ticket swap with other arts orgs and artists67) Share volunteer pools and other resources68) Gain valuable professional services and expertise without the cost69) Make sure it is reciprocated. Every business or artist can do something

Photography

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Photography

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Essential to modern storytelling and marketing Professional is best, but something is better than nothing Share widely and freely Stock photography can be inexpensive and is readily available online Avoid cliché posed shots

70) Approach local photographers and firms71) Avoid licensing fees when possible – for venues, ensure you own photos72) Post photos to social channels and website, share gallery links73) Encourage patrons and fans to take photos and tag you online74) Create a tiled logo photo backdrop

Socialmedia

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Social media

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Real-time engagement Variety of uses (awareness, fundraising, ticket sales, volunteer recruitment) Large potential audience Which sites? How much time? Advertise? Word of mouth marketing

75) Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vimeo / YouTube76) Reward fans with exclusive info, perks, discounts, swag, etc. for following77) Minimal spend can produce significant results78) Keep content short and easily digestible79) Learn promotional rules and regulations

Venue

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Venue

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Patrons want an experience, not a transaction Details Matter Identify your winning attributes and use them to your advantage Eliminate any patron pain points Patron satisfaction is job #1 Listen

80) Seek to improve patron experience from door to door81) Clean facility, friendly staff and volunteers, good visibility / sound, thank you!82) Strive for something memorable at each event (red carpet, search lights)83) Correct ticketing / seating errors immediately and comp often84) Track patron feedback, watch social channels, act as patron advocate

Video

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Video

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Short attention spans / headline news Easily digestible content is best (don’t make them work for it) Entertainment / YouTube Culture (make it fun) Inexpensive to Shoot / Edit Video

85) Beware of copyright infringement (Facebook, YouTube, consequences)86) Include a compelling story and clear call to action87) As a rule, keep it short unless captive audience or story warrants88) Consider your goals, and how and where it will be viewed (event vs. mobile)89) Secure branded video channel on YouTube or Vimeo90) Try producing online promos for website and social media (commercial,

monthly updates featuring local business and civic leaders)

Volunteers

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Volunteers

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Recruit year-round via website and social channels Ensure a mix of diverse people, backgrounds, availability Larger pool the better (USO Army of Gratitude) Cultivate relationships (treat them well) Establish a chain of command Listen

91) Attend recruitment events, college internship and job fairs92) Target local school / college art, drama, music, vocal & stage tech programs93) Interview volunteers to ensure they have right attitude and work ethic94) Set expectations and give everyone something to do and own95) Merge volunteer pools with other local arts organizations

websites

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Websites

101 Marketing and Public relations tips

Trends are fun, entertainment, full-screen photography and video, less text Cheaper than ever / how much should you spend? Platforms (WordPress, Drupal, CSS) SAAS vs. Custom Design Maintenance Storytelling and content is key

96) Check out SAAS models (Squarespace, Weebly, Wix)97) Budget can range from >$500 to <$30k+. Invest your time and save $$!98) Responsive Design (mobile responsive framework is key)99) Avoid complicated platforms with high learning curves and paid maintenance100) Include a blog and/or vlog for quick, frequent news updates101) Contact info and donate link should always only be a click away