Strengthen your theatre's brand to fill more seats with new patrons.

1. Brand Strategy and Consulting
Get More Seats Filled
with New Patrons

2. Brand Strategy and Consulting
Best Image Building Campaign in Georgia as presented by the Georgia Downtown
Association and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs
Best of Show - Economic Development / Awareness Campaign presented by the Southern
Economic Development Council
31
Founded in 2004
7 2
3

3. Brand Strategy and Consulting
Brand Analysis

4. Brand Strategy and Consulting
AS A PRESENTER, you may be expected to
entertain
influence
inspire
educate
and make MONEY!

5. Brand Strategy and Consulting
Brand Analysis
● Audience remains consistent
● Good programming
● Your theatre is well known
● People have experienced your theatre
● The community knows what to expect
B
= BRAND

6. Brand Strategy and Consulting
Do you want to fill more seats?
Do you want new patrons?

7. Brand Strategy and Consulting
Patterns are GOOD.
Systems are GOOD.
Expected Results are GOOD.
HOWEVER, breaking repetition will yield
GREATER variety
Opportunity for GROWTH (a larger audience)
Ability to ADD new (different) patrons
STRONGER theatre

8. Brand Strategy and Consulting
HOW?
STEP 1: Brand Analysis
Look at your brand and who “you” are
Make adjustments • Update • Enhance • Progress • Grow
YOU set the intent

9. Brand Strategy and Consulting
WHAT YOU WERE
MAY NOT BE
WHAT YOU ARE
OR
WANT TO BE

10. Brand Strategy and Consulting
WHERE DO I COME FROM
The origins, history, and ‘anchorage’ of the brand.

11. Brand Strategy and Consulting
WHAT DO I DO
The brand’s field of competence? What does it make or do? What are its skills?
REMEMBER: This is what you want to be known for. If it is different than what you’ve done in
the past, your advertising, press releases and marketing will require special consideration
of how to tell this as a part of your brand story.
Best music venue?
Outstanding customer service and experienced Presenter?
Greatest variety of shows?
The place for college students to watch live music?
Offer diverse performing arts series at reasonable prices?
Offer a historic and beautiful environment to enjoy the arts?

12. Brand Strategy and Consulting
WHAT MAKES ME DIFFERENT?
Point of Differentiation

13. Brand Strategy and Consulting
WHO AM I FOR
How can we define the target user or need state that the brand addresses?
What do we know about them?
1. General and Secondary Targets
2. Profile these Targets
Educated?
Work?
Age Range?
Male / Female?
Married? Single?
What do they do for fun?
3. Define Overall Need Statement
Want to have fun?
Looking for something to do?
Busy?
Philanthropic?

14. Brand Strategy and Consulting
If the brand were a person it would be:
WHAT AM I LIKE AS A PERSON

15. Brand Strategy and Consulting
WHAT DO I FIGHT FOR
What is the brand’s unique, driving purpose in the world?
Should be a single statement that defines your top goal and purpose for presenting.

16. Brand Strategy and Consulting
List all the qualities and offerings, your vision, and purpose that describe what your theatre
values.
WHAT DO I VALUE
What does this brand stand for?

17. Brand Strategy and Consulting
MARS THEATRE CASE STUDY
What do I do? What are my skills? What makes me unique?
Accessible, Technology & Equipment, Offer an Intimate Experience, Diverse & Eclectic,
Convenience, Leadership
General Target & Overall Need Statement
Arts and music fans and people looking for fun, artistic individuals who are strong
supporters of community, passionate about the arts and appreciative of historic icons .
What is the brand’s unique, driving purpose in the world?
The Mars Theatre values quality and diversity in the performing arts to ensure a
culturally-rich, happy and vibrant community to support and enhance growth in the
community while continuing the legacy of the past.
Brand Vision Statement
The Mars Theatre will once again become a community destination, promoting musical
arts to residents in Effingham and surrounding counties in the Southeast through
engaging the community with educational and diverse programming in a fun, inspiring
and historic environment.

18. Brand Strategy and Consulting
STRATEGIC CONCEPT
Brand Vision Statement
Review your answers, notes, words and descriptions to describe your Brand Vision in a single
statement.
The answers and Statement should be reviewed often and each time you make a decision
about promoting your theatre.
Is the programming on target?
Are you describing the environment in the way you wish it to be known?
Are you placing the ads in the right publications to reach your target?
Does your message sound and feel like you described the personality of the theatre?
Using this Analysis in your decision making process will allow your theatre to obtain its goals
for attracting the audience you wish to have in your seats.

19. Brand Strategy and Consulting
Now What?
I have built it. Will they come?

20. Brand Strategy and Consulting
HOW?
STEP 2: Marketing
Now that you know…
WHO to market to – find them!
WHAT to say - tell them!

21. Brand Strategy and Consulting
Marketing
Strategic Alliances
Website
Social Media
Interactive
Print
Online
Press Releases
Posters / Flyers
Rack Cards
Radio / TV

22. Brand Strategy and Consulting
Marketing
Define Other Industries
What other industries, services, churches, universities, organizations, businesses
have the
same target audience?
What if you partnered with them?
Sold tickets / offered group rates?
Advertised at their office, advertised near their building or in their newsletter?
Get your message out to your desired audience. Outreach and form partnerships
Strategic Alliances

23. Brand Strategy and Consulting
Marketing
Technology & Equipment
Website
• Fun and inspiring
• Educational and
diverse programming
Appreciative of
historic icons

24. Brand Strategy and Consulting
Marketing
Social Media
ENGAGE with your audience.
If your theatre is all about the community, maybe highlight a Patron of the Week to grow
interaction on your page. The more people engage with your page, the more Facebook
will show your page to their friends as a recommendation to LIKE.
Promote what makes you UNIQUE and what you STAND for.
If your theatre is about music, start a series of “Music Monday” posts.
ATTRACT the right audience.
Reach them through targeted ads on Facebook. Choose zip codes, age brackets, interests
and more through Facebook ads for as low as $5 per campaign.

25. Brand Strategy and Consulting
Marketing
Social Media
POST relevant industry
content.
Inform your audience that
you are well-versed and
educated with what’s
happening in your industry
outside of your own theatre.
For fans of your page, they’ll
have something to connect
with the theatre on and feel
like they aren’t always being
sold a ticket.

26. Brand Strategy and Consulting
Marketing
Interactive
Would your target audience respond to contests?
Create one and promote on social media or your website.
Do they listen to Spotify or Pandora?
Place a ‘radio ad’ or a digital ad on a station’s screen browser. Inexpensive reach!
Are there particular restaurants in your community that specifically attract your
demographic? Consider offering a discount to your patrons when purchasing tickets at
the box office if they show their meal receipt. Work out a kick back / promotion with the
restaurant or offer the restaurant advertising in exchange. Advertise at this location’s
entrance or tabletop. Dinner and Movie. Theatre and Drinks promotion.
Use mobile device to browse your website? Consider advertising on a weekly paper’s
mobile site that promotes upcoming events and activities in your town.

27. Brand Strategy and Consulting
Every touch point of your business is your brand.

28. Brand Strategy and Consulting
SUMMARY
1. Identify and analyze needs and set goals for your brand.
2. Create a Positioning Statement
Build your Brand Roadmap – your strategy for outreach.
This Brand Strategy is the cornerstone to building a strong tagline, talking points and even
the creative direction of your marketing.

29. Brand Strategy and Consulting
Set intentions.
Seek out specific patron types.
Learn about them.
Market directly.