What playwright doesn’t want to open to a packed theater? Every one of us worth the ink in our pens has created attendance and ticket sales goals in the margins of our scripts. These dozen marketing tactics will help you meet those goals, fill every seat in the theater, and open to rave reviews.
Sell tickets in every possible way, including asking the cast and crew to invite family and friends to purchase tickets.
Sell tickets through high-traffic online channels like Eventbrite, Ticket Master, through geotargeted social media ads, and in online groups.
Use YouTube to create a video trailer. Similar to a movie trailer, it highlights the parts of your play that compel your target audience to purchase tickets.
Take advantage of Facebook Live and Periscope to host cast interviews and share behind the scenes action.
Put hyperlinks to your purchasing URL on everything – in your email signature, on your social media profiles, and in your ads.
Tag theater heavy hitters on social media and ask them to help promote your play in exchange for a free ticket and priority seating.
Run a press release in your neighborhood paper, in theatre magazines, and in publications that go directly into the hands of your target market.
Radio advertising is extremely affordable. In addition to ads on broadcast radio, set up interviews on internet radio stations and podcasts.
Create slick, colorful, attention-grabbing posters and post them everywhere you can. Try storefront windows, community bulletin boards, and right in front of the theater.
Create a digital poster and post in on websites and in email newsletters targeted to theater patrons.
For a few bucks, you can buy a custom domain name and hosting for a custom, attention-grabbing website for your play.
Leverage the power of social media to host contests with tickets to your play as the prize.
Here’s to the best opening night of your career – whether this is your first play or your twelfth. Want more tips for filling your seats, writing great plays, or choosing the right cast members? Check out the Page To Stage Course! https://www.creativewritersuniversity.com/page-to-stage-sales