Arts Marketing is a major part of the business of presenting classical music and opera to audiences. It is about reaching out to the public at arm’s length through advertising, social media, in-house and independent media publishers.

But promoting classical music is not easy, nor is writing about it for that matter. Finding what works is a little like aiming at a constantly moving target while wearing a blindfold. What worked in the past is not necessarily going to work now or in the future.

James Whittall is the former Director of Marketing and Communications, for the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, and Founder at Ignitus Marketing Arts. With over thirty years of arts marketing experience behind him, he’s come up with 15 new rules for the tenacious souls working in today’s rapidly changing performing arts sector.

15 New Rules for Arts Marketing

1: An arts marketer’s skill is inversely proportional to the number of exclamation marks he uses in his copy.

2: If you need more than 70 words to describe your event, don’t bother.

3: As a call to action, “Come join us” is most effective when never used.

4: Some patrons will always complain about the price, even if it’s free.

5: Single tickets are your most profitable products. The people who buy them are your most valuable customers.

6: Save your discounts for groups. Build value, not price breaks, into subscriptions.

7: Non-attenders think your art form is stuffy and uninteresting because that’s how you market it.

8: Everyone has an opinion about your work.

9: If the artistic director has a fabulous promotional idea, it probably isn’t.

10: Your worst brand ambassador is a longtime volunteer.

11: The difference between a sellout and a half-empty hall is the size of the room.

12: Board members who worry about the age of your audience don’t know what the hell they’re talking about.

13: Marketing can be part of the art form if you think of it that way.

14: Ticket sales rarely cover costs. The patron experience defines success.

15: If you don’t know how to do it, make way for someone who does.

Some contentious stuff here… Especially his thoughts on discounts, volunteers, and concerns by board members about the age of audiences. Do you agree? Share your comments below.

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