1. Take the AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Challenge Merryn Carter, National Project Manager, ADVICE Australia Council for the Arts APACA Conference, 13 – 16 September 2010

2. Session 1: What is Audience Development? Session 1 What is Audience Development? Monday 13 th September 11:45 – 1:00 Malthouse Beckett Theatre OR 4:30 – 5:30 Malthouse Bagging Room

3. Is your audience at the heart of everything you do? Session 1: What is Audience Development?

4. Do you understand what makes your audience members come to an event for the first time? Session 1: What is Audience Development?

5. Do you understand what makes your audience members want to come back? Session 1: What is Audience Development?

6. What is Audience Development? It’s an approach to community engagement, programming and marketing and that is aimed at growing your audience over time It requires programmers and marketers to work closely together with each other, with producers, and with the community It’s a state of mind … Session 1: What is Audience Development?

7. A definition of Audience Development “The term Audience Development describes activity which is undertaken specifically to meet the needs of existing and potential audiences and to help arts [and cultural] organisations to develop on-going relationships with audiences. It can include aspects of marketing, commissioning, programming, education, customer care and distribution. Emphasis is also placed on the strong relationship audience development has with marketing, as audience development is also involved with building market share. It also focuses on finding audiences outside the mainstream –ie “new audiences” or “audiences from socially excluded groups”. Audience development also reflects the relationship with audiences that develops over time with a focus on the long term. Different types of Audience Development activity are suitable for different types of organisations, from the large scale concert hall to the small scale arts centre. As a process, audience development employs a range of marketing tools such as research, publicity, communication and customer relationship management. As an ethos, audience development places the audience at the heart of everything the organisation does.” … Arts Council England Session 1: What is Audience Development?

8. “audience development = community engagement + long term programming + good marketing”

9. Session 1: What is Audience Development? What is community engagement? 'engagement' can cover consultation, extension, communication, education, public participation, participative democracy or working in partnership for our purposes, 'engagement' is used as a generic, inclusive term to describe the broad range of interactions between people it can include a variety of approaches, such as one-way communication or information delivery, consultation, involvement and collaboration in decision-making, and empowered action in informal groups or formal partnerships from Vic gov’t Dept of Sustainability and Environment website http://bit.ly/b0SiUx

10. Session 1: What is Audience Development? Principles of community engagement handout on community engagement principles available Session 3 NOTE: leaders of community engagement efforts need to be clear about whether they (1)are seeking data, information, advice, and feedback to help them design programs; or (2)are interested in partnering and sharing control with the community. This second kind of partnership includes being willing to address the issues that the community identifies as important — even if those are not the ones originally anticipated. Which kind are you doing? from US gov’t health website http://www.cdc.gov/phppo/pce/part2.htm

11. Session 1: What is Audience Development? First 3 principles of community engagement 1.Be clear about the purposes or goals of the engagement effort, and the populations and/or communities you want to engage. 2.Become knowledgeable about the community in terms of its economic conditions, political structures, norms and values, demographic trends, history, and experience with engagement efforts. Learn about the community’s perceptions of those initiating the engagement activities (that’s you). 3.Go into the community, establish relationships, build trust, work with the formal and informal leadership, and seek commitment from community organizations and leaders to create processes for mobilizing the community.

12. Session 1: What is Audience Development? What is programming for AD? programming similar types of events consistently over the longer term, i.e. at least 3 to 5 years programming with community needs and interests in mind perhaps programming some opportunities for community or audience participation: workshops associated with performances; pro/am performances

13. Session 1: What is Audience Development? What is programming for AD? know your community: cultural background, socio- economic profiles, interests, needs, arts involvement program for that community, make the connections program ‘pathways’ in to new or challenging works or genres … ref. Alan Brown’s “Values and Impacts” study

14. Session 1: What is Audience Development? What is programming for AD? talk with producing organisations about your needs: how can they help meet them? consider commissioning to meet your needs if there’s no existing ‘product’ talk with other venues about joint commissioning possibilities

15. What is good marketing? “Marketing is anticipating, identifying, understanding and satisfying customer needs profitably.” adapted from the definition of the international Chartered Institute of Marketing Session 1: What is Audience Development?

16. What is good marketing? “Marketing is the process by which an organisation relates creatively, productively, and profitably to the marketplace, with the goal of creating and satisfying customers within the parameters of the organisation’s objectives.” from ‘Standing Room Only’ by Philip Kotler and Joanne Scheff Session 1: What is Audience Development?

17. What is good marketing? informed by a deep understanding of your audience a few clear ‘SMART’ marketing goals, aligned to your business plan goals, with KPIs attached S - specific, significant, stretching M - measurable, meaningful, motivational A - agreed upon, attainable, achievable, acceptable, action-oriented R - realistic, relevant, reasonable, rewarding, results-oriented T - time-based, timely, tangible, trackable Session 1: What is Audience Development?

18. What is good marketing? no more than (say) six major marketing strategies to achieve those goals (tailored to your budget) always consistent with your ‘brand’ direct marketing, targeted and personalised Session 1: What is Audience Development?

19. What is good marketing? communications that use customer language savvy use of digital delivery and social networking incentives for customers to ‘try something new’ ‘cost of sales’ analysis and results tracking in place Session 1: What is Audience Development?

20. So, what is Audience Development? community engagement – get to know your target groups, build their trust long term programming, informed by community needs/interests, includes pathways ‘in’ good marketing – from a deep understanding of your audience, SMART goals, a few good strategies, brand consistent, direct, targeted, personalised comms using customer language, incentives to ‘try’, digital delivery, cost of sales/response tracking Session 1: What is Audience Development?

21. .. and why do we need Audience Development? join us for Session 2 and find out Tuesday 14 th September 11:15 – 12:30 OR Wednesday 15 th September 2:00 – 3:00 Malthouse Bagging Room Session 1: What is Audience Development?

22. Session 2 Why do we need Audience Development? Tuesday 14 th September 11:15 – 12:30 OR Wednesday 15 th September 2:00 – 3:00 Malthouse Bagging Room Session 2: Why do we need Audience Development?

23. Why do you think we need Audience Development? Session 2: Why do we need Audience Development?

24. I think we need it because Audience Development… Session 2: Why do we need Audience Development? helps us meet the needs of existing and potential audiences helps us develop longer-term audience relationships helps us build market share

25. Because Audience Development… Session 2: Why do we need Audience Development? maximizes community access to our programs helps us target specific community segments expands our range of programming possibilities (by increasing what ‘works’ for our communities)

26. Because Audience Development… Session 2: Why do we need Audience Development? builds revenue stability improves marketing efficiency improves marketing effectiveness

27. Because Audience Development… Session 2: Why do we need Audience Development? builds community support for us and our programs provides strong advocacy back to local government, state government, federal government, and other investors

28. How do you think Audience Development helps us achieve these outcomes? Session 2: Why do we need Audience Development?

29. How does Audience Development Session 2: Why do we need Audience Development? help us meet the needs of existing and potential audiences? by encouraging programming with their needs in mind by encouraging us to base our marketing on a deep understanding of them and their needs

30. How does Audience Development Session 2: Why do we need Audience Development? help us develop longer-term audience relationships? by encouraging longer-term programming by encouraging the marketing of similar programs to audiences who have enjoyed them before by encouraging smart direct marketing techniques aimed at building audience frequency + loyalty

31. How does Audience Development Session 2: Why do we need Audience Development? help to build market share? by encouraging us to build audience loyalty by helping us to target new audience segments by encouraging us to program for our communities, thus attracting a wider range of audience segments by building longer-term audience growth

32. How does Audience Development Session 2: Why do we need Audience Development? maximize community access to our programs? by helping target new community segments by encouraging us to program for community needs by encouraging us to focus on community engagement and build trust relationships with community leaders

33. How does Audience Development Session 2: Why do we need Audience Development? help us target specific community segments? by encouraging us to get to know your community’s segments by encouraging us to program for their needs by encouraging + helping us to build new audiences by helping us target direct marketing to those segments - Wagga Sudanese community example

34. How does Audience Development Session 2: Why do we need Audience Development? expand our range of programming possibilities (by increasing what ‘works’ for our communities)? by building audiences for a broader range of work over time by building audiences for ‘new’ and ‘difficult’ repertoire - Victorian Opera programming discussions

35. How does Audience Development Session 2: Why do we need Audience Development? build revenue stability? by increasing audiences for a wider range of programs by increasing audience frequency and loyalty by helping increase our marketing effectiveness by building longer term audience relationships by increasing our ability to forecast revenue accurately

36. How does Audience Development Session 2: Why do we need Audience Development? improve marketing efficiency? by focusing on building community engagement by encouraging us to deepen our audience understanding by building audience frequency and loyalty by encouraging targeted direct marketing

37. How does Audience Development Session 2: Why do we need Audience Development? improve marketing effectiveness? through encouraging a deeper audience understanding through building community engagement through building audience frequency and loyalty through encouraging targeted direct marketing

38. How does Audience Development Session 2: Why do we need Audience Development? build community support for us and our programs? by engaging with a wider range of community segments by engaging more deeply with our audiences and our communities by building longer-term, loyal audience relationships by building a bigger audience

39. How does Audience Development Session 2: Why do we need Audience Development? provide strong advocacy for you back to local government and other investors? by delivering audience growth + increased revenue stability by helping to meet higher-order aims like community wellbeing, community access, social inclusion, community cohesion and tolerance, cultural tourism, and improved local quality of life, making your area a more attractive place to live and to visit - Baw Baw Shire arts: ‘vibrant communities, engagement’ - Frankston Arts Centre: youth, schools + community access

40. What else does Audience Development do for you? Session 2: Why do we need Audience Development?

41. How do we get started with Audience Development? If you’re enrolled for Session 3, we’ll help you get started … Thursday 16 th September 2.30 – 5.30 MRC Board Room Session 2: Why do we need Audience Development?

42. Session 3 How do we start with Audience Development? Thursday 16 th September 2.30 – 5.30 MRC Board Room Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development?

43. Schedule: How do we start with Audience Development? 2:30Business Plans, Marketing Plans, Audience Development process 3.20short break 3:30Community engagement + Marketing strategies 4:15short break 4:25Writing your Audience Development Plan: goals, KPIs and strategies 5:30a well-earned drink? Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development?

44. Do you have a Business Plan? Do you have a Marketing Plan? Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development?

45. … can you start on an Audience Development Plan without one or both of these plans in place? … yes, it’s easier to start with them, but here we go … Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development?

46. “audience development = community engagement + long term programming + good marketing”

47. Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development? We need an ‘audience development process’

48. YOUR PLAN STARTS HERE Who are your CUSTOMERS? What EVENTS do you program? What’s available? What’s your COMMUNITY interested in? What events do you WANT to program? Marketing + community engagement strategies Monitor & evaluate THE EVENT Audience research Review, revise, adjust Customer language Community connections Producers Playing Australia Long Paddock/Cyber Paddock Information about your community Professional development Peer network experiences AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS What customers do you WANT? © Merryn Carter 2010

49. is that complicated? (some of these questions will be answered by your business and marketing plans if you have them) ….. let’s start it, in steps (you can start to use your worksheets now if that will help your thinking..) Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development?

50. Step 1: Who are your customers? customer language audience research

51. Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development? Step 2: What events do you program? what’s available? producers? Playing Australia? Long/Cyber paddock?

52. Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development? Discussion: Long term programming how do you program? how far in advance? do you program for your local community? which groups in your community do you program for? how do you find the ‘product’ you want?

53. Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development? Discussion: Long term programming how can we improve long-term planning? how can we improve product availability? can we work with producers more? can we commission more? what else is needed?

54. Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development? Step 3: what’s your community interested in? info about your community community connections

55. Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development? Step 4: what do YOU want to program? what’s your community interested in? community connections what producers/ events are available?

56. Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development? Step 5: what customers do you WANT? info about your community community connections what customers do you currently have?

57. Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development? Step 6: community engagement + marketing strategies principles of community engagement community connections professional development use your peer network to compare experiences

58. Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development? Step 6: community engagement + marketing strategies we’ll come back to: principles of community engagement marketing strategies

59. Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development? Step 7: THE EVENT ‘the customer experience’ Step 8: monitor and evaluate: audience research response + cost of sales analysis database analysis

60. Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development? Step 9: review, revise, adjust what did you learn from …..? audience research results response + cost of sales analysis database analysis … next planning cycle (deep breath…)

61. Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development? 3:20pm let’s take a break…

62. Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development? Step 6: Community engagement and Marketing strategies

63. Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development? Step 6: Community engagement hand out: Principles of Community Engagement

64. Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development? Principles of Community engagement 1.Be clear about the purposes or goals of the engagement effort, and the populations and/or communities you want to engage. 2.Become knowledgeable about the community in terms of its economic conditions, political structures, norms and values, demographic trends, history, and experience with engagement efforts. Learn about the community’s perceptions of those initiating the engagement activities. 3.Go into the community, establish relationships, build trust, work with the formal and informal leadership, and seek commitment from community organizations and leaders to create processes for mobilizing the community.

65. Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development? Principles of Community engagement 4.Remember and accept that community self-determination is the responsibility and right of all people who comprise a community. No external entity should assume it can bestow on a community the power to act in its own self-interest. For engagement to succeed … 5.Partnering with the community is necessary to create change and improve involvement. 6.All aspects of community engagement must recognize and respect community diversity. Awareness of the various cultures of a community and other factors of diversity must be paramount in designing and implementing community engagement approaches.

66. Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development? Principles of Community engagement 7.Community engagement can only be sustained by identifying and mobilizing community assets, and by developing capacities and resources for community decisions and action. 8.An engaging organization or individual change agent must be prepared to release control of actions or interventions to the community, and be flexible enough to meet the changing needs of the community. 9.Community collaboration requires long-term commitment by the engaging organization and its partners.

67. Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development? Discussion: Community engagement which groups are you already engaged with? do you apply these principles? what type of community engagement do you choose? who are the target groups for further community engagement ?

68. Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development? Step 6: Marketing strategies “Marketing is anticipating, identifying, understanding and satisfying customer needs profitably.” adapted from the definition of the international Chartered Institute of Marketing “Marketing is the process by which an organisation relates creatively, productively, and profitably to the marketplace, with the goal of creating and satisfying customers within the parameters of the organisation’s objectives.” from ‘Standing Room Only’ by Philip Kotler and Joanne Scheff

69. Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development? good marketing strategies informed by a deep understanding of your audience a few clear ‘SMART’ marketing goals, aligned to your business plan goals, with KPIs attached (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely)

70. good marketing strategies no more than (say) six major marketing strategies to achieve those goals (tailored to your budget) always consistent with your ‘brand’ direct marketing, targeted and personalised Session 1: What is Audience Development?

71. good marketing strategies communications that use customer language savvy use of digital delivery and social networking incentives for customers to ‘try something new’ ‘cost of sales’ analysis and results tracking in place Session 1: What is Audience Development?

72. 4:15pm..let’s take a break Session 1: What is Audience Development?

73. Writing an Audience Development plan If you have a Business Plan, we’ll start with your goals …... what are your overall business goals?..what are your marketing goals? If you don’t have a Business Plan, can you answer these questions? Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development?

74. 1.Determine marketing objectives and specific marketing goals 2.Formulate core marketing strategy to achieve goals 3.Establish marketing programs and tactics Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development? Marketing Planning process from Standing Room Only by Philip Kotler and Joanne Scheff

75. Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development? Audience Development Goals and KPIs matrix Example KPIs Example GOALS KPI 201120122013 Increase first timer attendance Numbers of first timers Up by 10% on 2009 Up by 8 % on 2010 Up by 6 % on 2011 Increase indigenous attendance Indigenous audience members Up by 20% on 2009 Up by 10% on 2010 Up by 5% on 2011 Increase audience frequency % attending 3 or more times 25% attend 3 or more times 30% attend 3 or more times 35% attend 3 or more times

76. Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development? Audience Development Goals and Strategies matrix Example GOALS Example STRATEGIES Would these strategies work to achieve these goals? Increase first timer attendance Increase indigenous attendance Increase audience frequency Plan community engagement strategies YES maybe Introduce first-timer ‘welcome’ scheme YESmaybeYES Introduce first-timer ‘come again’ scheme YESmaybeYES Plan indigenous program content YES Who else would come to these events?

77. Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development? Business Plan Marketing Plan Audience Development Plan

78. Session 3: How do we start with Audience Development?