The Best Way to Win Back Lapsed Audiences? Start with What They Already Loved

We’ve all been there. Receiving an irrelevant email that makes us question why we ever gave our details in the first place.

In the arts, that experience isn’t just annoying. It’s costly. Because for every generic message sent to a lapsed patron, there’s a risk of not just missing the mark, but damaging the relationship entirely.

“Asking my classical music buyer who’s lapsed to come to Panto at Christmas is probably not going to be the best invitation for that person... If anything, I’m eroding credibility.”

The Problem: We’re still inviting everyone to everything.

When campaign deadlines loom and revenue pressure rises, it’s tempting to go broad: send the same ask to the whole database and hope something sticks.

But it doesn’t, and we know it.

Most lapsed audiences ignore irrelevant asks. Some unsubscribe. Others disengage silently. Either way, every generic invitation weakens the trust we’re trying to rebuild.

“People don’t begin to change their behavior in what they engage with until frequency increases.”

This is the heart of the challenge: behavior change usually follows frequency, not the other way around. While there are always exceptions, most patrons returning after a break don’t suddenly start exploring new genres or trying something wildly different.

Familiarity builds comfort. Comfort builds confidence. And confidence is what leads to exploration.

So when we ask a lapsed classical fan to come to a holiday show, or a one-time attendee to make a gift, we’re often asking too much, too soon. Without frequency, those leaps rarely land.

The Solution: Segment by what people actually do, not what we wish they’d do.

Want to re-engage lapsed audiences? Don’t invite them to everything. Invite them to what they last loved. The genre they chose. The series they booked. The behavior they already showed you.

“The single most effective invitation back is what I last did.”

Even a basic segmentation by genre or series can make a measurable difference. It doesn’t need to be complicated. But it does need to be personal.

Try this now:

• Audit your last campaign to lapsed patrons. Did you invite them to something aligned with their past behavior?
• Group your lapsed audience by what they last attended. Genre, program type, even time of year; it all helps.
• Tailor your next message. Even one variable (what they last did) can dramatically improve engagement.

One Size Fits No One

As this episode of Leading the Way makes clear, different audience segments need different strategies:

• New attendees often need a second invitation, not a full subscription pitch.
• Multi-buyers may be ready for deeper commitment, but only if it aligns with their preferences.
• Frequent attendees may be signaling readiness for philanthropy; or just more access.
• Unresponsive contacts might be telling you something, too: stop asking

In every case, the key is the same: let behavior lead.

Segmentation isn’t extra work, it’s smarter work. It helps you talk to the right people, in the right way, at the right time.

Get Strategic About Segmentation

Schedule a free 30-minute session with a TRG expert to uncover the gaps, and opportunities, in your current campaign approach.

In this focused conversation, we’ll explore:

• Where your current re-engagement efforts might be falling short (and why)
• How past behavior can guide more effective invitations (and better results)
• What’s working for other organizations facing similar pressures

Thirty minutes to rethink what’s possible, even with fewer resources and rising expectations.