Pssst…what is marketing?

Confidential! Thoughts from the Agent

So you are looking at this page because a) you’ve heard marketing’s good, want some and want to know more, or b) you’re testing me.

I’m aiming this at the (a) group.

Bit of a debate

Marketing is knowing what your customers need…and selling it to them.

It’s that simple.

Or is it?

Culture boundary-pushing organisations and particularly not-for-profit organisations don’t see themselves as giving customers what they know they want. That would be like selling cooked chips to kids. Or for creating a need which is more like a desire (‘I must have those new trainers.’)

Sometimes you have to be a step ahead of the game and know what customers need when they can’t describe what it is. Bit like selling apples rather than chips. We know that the new show by the next Jeremy Deller is going to be loved (or loved to be hated) by audiences but the customer won’t know that... yet.

Marketing in this sector is not about dictating what the next production/exhibition is going to be. Unless you want to be market-led and make some bucks.

Anyway, enough of the marketing philosophy. (The people who are testing me probably disagreed at line 1 anyway ­ please send your comments).

What it can do

Marketing is about knowing what customer/audience is out there for your product (for instance, Newbury loves comedy and Cirencester hates it) and giving some pointers about what could get your customers interested (trying to attract new 18 year old customers with a full length symphony may not work, themes and music relevant to young adults might).

Marketing can help:

  • a business plan work;
  • keep an organisation and its products/services effective, relevant and solvent;
  • articulate the mission of an organisation;
  • all employees sing from the same songsheet;
  • emphasise why it’s important to be nice to customers;
  • communicate the right message to the relevant people;
  • bring in new customers and keep old ones;
  • make a new product work and to decide which existing products to keep and which to chuck.

Did you think I was going to say: ‘advertising, pr, brochures, junk mail, posters?’

(Okay so smartypants (b) group didn’t.) That’s just part of marketing ­ the expensive, time consuming end bit which is often done first but can be so easily wrong if the marketing planning and research hasn’t happened, and evaluation doesn’t keep happening.

Get a marketer early

This is why it’s important to have a marketer on board right when you are choosing your next production/artist/venue, not at the stage when you’ve commissioned the artwork and need someone to turn them into posters. Bit like an OAP using moisturiser for the first time ­ if you aren’t blessed with beautiful skin then it’s too late to stop wrinkles.

Further reading

If you’ve found this riveting or want to see if it’s a load of old tosh, why not try the following handy publications:

If you’re so brilliant…How Come Your Marketing Plans Aren’t Working?
Malcolm McDonald

The Marketing Manual. Making sure the message gets across.
Heather Maitland

Thinking Big! A guide to strategic marketing planning for arts organisations.
Stephen Cashman

Go to SAM's books for these and more.

Plus Arts Council, England publication: Marketing and touring. A practical guide to marketing an event on tour.

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