In the arts, the moment a customer walks through your doors is a hard-earned win. But the real challenge is what happens next. Will they come back? And more importantly: what are you doing to ensure they do?
The Net Promoter Score (NPS) offers a deceptively simple starting point for answe
ring that question. But if you think NPS is just a number on a dashboard, you’re missing the real opportunity. When used well, NPS becomes a system, a culture shift, that helps arts organizations build loyalty, retain audiences, and deepen relationships that fuel both mission and revenue.
Let's explore how.
What is Net Promoter Score?
NPS is based on one question:
“How likely are you to recommend us to a friend?”
Respondents answer on a scale from 0 to 10:
- 9–10 = Promoters
- 7–8 = Passives
- 0–6 = Detractors
The score itself is calculated by subtracting the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters. But as Fred Reichheld (the creator of NPS) reminds us in his conversation with TRG CEO Jill Robinson, the score is not the point. In fact, the overemphasis on the score has become one of his chief concerns.
It’s a signal, not a destination.
"The Net Promoter System was created to shine a light on the economics of loyalty. But it became just a score. And that’s not the point. The point is love.” – Fred Reichheld
In other words: if you want audiences to return, you need to care more about their experience than your score.
From Transaction to Transformation
Too often, arts organizations treat attendance as a transaction: a ticket bought, an event attended, a night concluded. But retention — particularly of first-timers — isn’t a result of a single transaction. It’s the outcome of a relationship built over time.
This is where NPS becomes a system. NPS isn’t just about gathering feedback; it’s about creating a cultural framework across your organization:
“This is not the thing that lives in the marketing department. This is about developing a culture that loves its customers; and that customers love in return.”
That love shows up in little things: warm welcomes, intuitive wayfinding, timely follow-ups, and policies that empower front-of-house staff to put patrons first. When those things happen consistently, first-timers come back. And over time, they become loyal supporters.
Is NPS Right for First-Timers?
Not always - at least, not right away.
The classic NPS question, “Would you recommend us?”, assumes a relationship exists. But first-time attendees are only just beginning theirs. As Brad Carlin notes in our Deeper Dive webinar, asking for a loyalty rating too soon can result in false positives, or even alienate the person you’re trying to engage.
Instead, consider how your post-show follow-up can prioritize momentum, not measurement.
That might mean:
- A warm thank-you and simple “we’re glad you joined us”
- A tailored suggestion for what to see next
- A low-barrier invitation to come back again soon
If you ask for feedback, consider more open, reflective prompts:
- “What stood out about your visit?”
- “How satisfied were you with your experience today?”
These questions help you learn about what matters to new patrons, without forcing a verdict on loyalty too early. NPS is powerful when applied to the right people at the right time.
But for first-timers, a second visit is more valuable than a score.
Segmenting Your Feedback Is Essential
This is where segmentation becomes critical.
NPS works best when it’s matched to the right type of relationship. TRG’s analysis of hundreds of thousands of surveys across the US, UK, and Canada reveals clear trends:
- First-timers and single ticket buyers often give high scores, but their intent to return can’t be assumed.
- Subscribers tend to score lower, not due to dissatisfaction, but because expectations are higher in long-term relationships.
The point? Don’t treat all audiences the same.
Ask different questions based on different kinds of engagement.
Segment your NPS efforts by:
- Type of buyer (subscriber, member, single-ticket)
- Frequency of attendance
- Stage of the relationship (first visit vs. repeat)
And crucially: avoid over-surveying. You don’t need feedback from everyone about everything. You need meaningful feedback from the right people, at moments that matter.
What Does NPS Look Like in the Arts?
Here’s what we’ve learned from TRG’s work with hundreds of arts organizations in the US, UK, and Canada:
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Average NPS score post-performance? 65. That’s higher than most sectors. Arts organizations tend to benefit from the goodwill of people choosing to be there.
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Who gives the highest scores? Single ticket buyers. Particularly first-timers.
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Who gives lower scores? Subscribers. Not because they dislike the organization, but because expectations are higher. Long-term relationships demand more thoughtful engagement.
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Where does NPS have the most impact? When it’s paired with segmentation and personalization. When we ask different questions based on different types of engagement. When we don’t just listen, but act.
The Magic Is in the Follow-Up
As TRG's Brad Carlin points out in our Deeper Dive webinar on this topic, collecting scores is only one piece.
The real magic happens when you close the loop.
When you ask someone why they gave you a 6: and you call them back.
When someone says “I loved it”: and you ask, “How could we make it even better?” (That’s what Fred calls the Jenny Question, named after his daughter who introduced it to her own workplace.)
“If you’re getting a lot of 9s and 10s, that’s great. But you’re missing insight if you’re not also asking your most loyal patrons how to improve.”
Following up doesn’t mean overpromising or overcorrecting. It means showing your audience they’ve been heard, and that their experience matters.
Start With These Questions
If you’re ready to move from score to system, begin by asking:
- What is the experience I want my first-timers to walk away with?
- Are we listening to those experiences; at both the show level and relationship level?
- Do we follow up with individuals who score us low... or high?
- Is this work siloed, or shared across departments?
- Are we sending the right question, to the right person, at the right time?
- What are we learning, and are we doing anything with it?
Ten NPS Tactics From TRG's Work in the Sector
- Segment and target
- Close and track your feedback loops
- Distil and share feedback across the company
- Test anonymous vs opt-in contact info
- Track response rates (test and learn to improve)
- Email surveys close experience/engagement
- Test alternatives to email surveys
- Categorize verbatim feedback (explore text analysis tools)
- Build an NPS team that extends beyond marketing
- Track, report, and share referral data