A paradigm shift for arts marketing

Here's a paradigm shift culled from the business world for arts organizations who are seeking to reverse decades of audience decline:

When you stop marketing your product, and instead start selling the transformation your product offers, your focus shifts from who your target audience “should” be, based on their demographics or previous consumer behavior—to who needs that particular transformation in their lives.

The result: Your product doesn't change, but your target audience expands dramatically beyond those who already know and love your product. That’s how you start turning your Outsiders into Insiders.

After combing through dozens of orchestra, opera, and ballet websites (189, to be exact) I found only one arts organization marketing the transformation over the product. The other 188 just listed their upcoming events on their homepage, or featured photos of their artists.

There are many more examples, though, in the for-profit sector. Notice that the website homepages in the examples below don’t mention a product, but rather aim to distill the very essence of the brand and the transformation it offers into a brief but inspirational headline. The hero images, as well, provide an overarching feeling—rather than a close-up look at the product.

Much of arts marketing is insular and egocentric. As we work to upgrade our approach, let’s not ignore what’s working in the wider world. Adam Schoenfeld, CEO of Keyplay.io, recently analyzed more than 2,000 B2B homepages.

Which ones made him stop scrolling and got added to his list of top notch examples?

The ones that included human messaging, user stories, and headlines that spoke to the needs of a real consumer.

What he found most powerful were the “headlines that feel more like social movements or communities than software.” How?

They spoke directly to the consumer, let happy customers tell the story, or focused on selling a movement or a belief rather than a product.

If you’re looking for a way to stand out from the crowd, the hero image and headline on your website is a great place to start. Resist the urge to list your upcoming events, or feature a photo of your team. Instead, lean in to how a night of experiencing your art together might help meet the real-world needs of your target audiences. Feature the words of happy customers. Invite your viewer to join a movement.

What are your Outsiders seeking? Not a particular product or service, but transformation. It’s your job to show them how your art can take them there.