Imagine for a moment, the perfect patron. What do they do or not do? How do they engage with your organization? When and where do they make purchases? How often do they come back? What sorts of feedback do they provide to you? Did any of your specific patrons come to mind? What if it were possible to replicate that patron, over and over within your organization? Imagine the positive impact of that on every facet of your work.

First, let's take a look at some of the customer habits you probably imagined, and with each, we will consider how to incentivize these behaviors.

1. Regular Attendance

First and foremost, you want your patrons to attend regularly. Exactly how regularly depends on where their relationship with your organization currently stands. Developing a tiered loyalty program can be effective. For new visitors, offer incentives for their next visit. For regulars, create a system that rewards frequent attendance, such as discounts on future tickets or exclusive access to special events. Tailoring communication based on the patron's attendance history can make your marketing more effective and personal.

To see a real example of the difference a membership scheme can make, see the results from our recent Case Study Featuring Theatre Royal Wakefield

2. Early Ticket Purchasing

Many organizations are not only struggling to get customers to buy early, but they are in fact incentivizing them to book late! If you are offering deep discounts right before a show to fill the house, you might be creating bad habits that will take more time to correct than they took to form. Implement dynamic pricing strategies where ticket prices increase as the event date approaches. Offer perks for early booking, such as preferred seating or a complimentary program. Communicate the benefits of early booking through your marketing channels, emphasizing the risk of missing out.

3. Social Sharing

It's always a good idea to encourage patrons to share their experiences on social media. This not only acts as free promotion but also helps in building a community around the venue. Designate 'Instagrammable' spots within your venue and encourage visitors to share their photos with a specific hashtag. You can incentivize tagging by running social media contests where patrons can win prizes for sharing their experiences. Share user-generated content on your own social media channels to engage with your audience even more.

4. Feedback and Participation

Motivating audiences to provide feedback and participate in surveys is not always easy, but this information is crucial for venues to improve and understand audience needs. Make giving feedback easy and rewarding. Provide digital feedback forms at the end of events or via email, and consider offering incentives like a discount on the next visit or a chance to win tickets for providing feedback.

If this is a focus area for you right now watch back: Deeper Dive: Net Promoter System (NPS)

5. Support Through Donations or Membership

The ultimate behavior you want to build within your audience is a habit of giving above and beyond mere transacting. Donors are you advocates supporting the organizational mission and their regular donations or membership sign-ups ensures a steady flow of funds necessary for the maintenance and growth of the venue. Know which audience segment is right for a donations ask and clearly communicate the benefits of donating or becoming a member, such as exclusive access to certain events, members-only newsletters, or recognition on the venue's website. Acknowledge the gifts from each donor and share stories with them of how these contributions have made a positive impact on your organization.

For a more in depth look at how to engage and encourage donors check out: It's How You Ask: 3 Effective Evolutions in Annual Fund Messaging

In the arts world, cultivating ideal patron behaviors is key to sustaining engagement and success. This involves strategic initiatives like implementing tiered loyalty programs to reward regular attendance, encouraging early ticket purchasing through dynamic pricing, promoting social sharing for organic marketing, soliciting feedback for continuous improvement, and nurturing support through donations and memberships. Each of these strategies is tailored to transform casual attendees into loyal patrons, ensuring a vibrant, interactive, and financially stable arts community. The art lies in incentivizing desirable behaviors while avoiding habits that could be detrimental in the long run.