First impressions matter. But in the arts, what happens in the moments just before a first-time audience member walks out the door can matter even more.
For many arts organizations, the real work of retention begins too late. By the time a follow-up email hits their inbox, the moment has passed. The energy, emotion, and excitement of the evening have already started to fade.
Instead, what if we started earlier? What if our retention strategy began before the curtain falls?
Retention isn’t just about saying thank you. It begins even before your audience takes their seats. The journey to a second visit starts with how we set up the first: through the emails we send, the tone we strike, and the clarity of what comes next.
A full house doesn’t mean a full future, particularly when 75% of first-time attendees don't return. Every first-time attendee represents a door just barely opened; not just a ticket sold, but a relationship started. Whether or not that relationship continues depends on how we guide them, and when.
In Episode 2 of Leading the Way, the TRG team digs into this idea with real examples of "second date" strategies: actions that seed return visits before, during and after a new audience member enters your building.
And, why wait until after?
The path to retention begins long before the lights dim. A friendly welcome at the door, the tone or relevance of a 'Know Before You Go', the clarity of where to park or whether food will be available. All of these shape first impressions and future behaviors.
Retention is built on relevance. If someone doesn’t feel seen or supported the first time, why would they return?
Most organizations send out some kind of pre-attendance communication, but rarely are these emails segmented or written with different audience relationships in mind.
Use your CRM to identify new attendees and craft a message just for them; one that acknowledges it's their first visit, answers their specific questions, and sets a tone of excitement and reassurance.
The moment someone walks into your venue, they either feel welcomed, or they don’t:
“You come into a venue and there's a point where somebody welcomes you in, or not. And how weird does it feel if someone doesn't welcome you? You don't feel connected.”
That welcome matters more than we think. It’s not a script, it’s a signal of belonging.
One organization shared a powerful tactic: as audiences exited their performance, they were greeted with projections on the walls; an invitation to the next show. It turned a routine exit into a marketing moment. This is a chance to say not just “thank you,” but “see you again”.
For many customers, their journey with your organization starts at the point of purchase. Yet, many organizations unintentionally complicate this with overly complex sign-ups, too many fields, or unnecessary genre preferences - perhaps before a patron even knows what they like.
Make the process easy, intuitive, and minimal. Strip it down to what’s essential, and make sure the tone and language in those touchpoints already begin building a relationship.
Websites and digital systems often reinforce a one-size-fits-all approach. But there’s a real opportunity to differentiate the experience based on the patron's history.
Could your platform acknowledge if someone is a first-timer? Could it show relevant information or pop-up helpful nudges? The infrastructure often exists; it just needs intention.
Once the show ends, the work isn’t over. Ask yourself: what’s the next best step for a first-timer at our organization?
Think about that moment after a great first date. You don’t follow up the next morning with a dozen texts and a marriage proposal for next Friday. You send a note. You say, “I had a great time, let’s arrange a second date”.
Your first-time audiences deserve the same kind of thoughtful pacing.
This might look like:
What it shouldn’t feel like is a marriage proposal. Keep it light. Keep it relevant. Keep the momentum going.
Tip: Don’t wait. The first 48 hours after a show are your retention sweet spot. Use that window to send a time-limited return offer, tied to a thematically relevant or similarly engaging show. Make it feel personal, not promotional, but be sure to add a deadline to add urgency to their action.
If you’re serious about growing your audience, start by shifting when (and how) you think about retention.
It’s not just a post-show process. It’s a pre-show priority.
This conversation is just the beginning. In Episode 2 of Leading the Way, we go deeper into the why behind these tactics, share real-world examples, and unpack what it takes to flip the 75% drop-off rate for first-time attendees.