When Seattle Rep entered FY25, the organization was at a strategic crossroads. A successful acquisition year had brought a wave of new customers. A new Artistic Director had arrived and programmed his first season: one with a distinct vision.
The team recognized something important early: this wasn’t a season engineered for broad-based acquisition. It was a season designed to go deeper with the audiences already engaged.
Years earlier, Seattle Rep partnered with TRG for a Loyalty Sprint; a consulting engagement focused on building repeatable audience retention through timely, personalized, data-informed strategies. What’s remarkable is not just what they learned then, but how they’ve continued to implement those principles ever since.
This wasn’t a one-off tactic or seasonal experiment. It was the result of long-term strategic discipline, embedded into the culture of Seattle Rep.
Investing in the “Second Date”
Seattle Rep restructured its approach to the patron experience to align with their new season’s goals. A new, dedicated Patron Relations team was formed; a shift from traditional box office roles to a more proactive, audience-centered model.
Their mission? Make first-time attendees feel known, and wanted, right away.
Seattle Rep implemented a series of intentional, high-impact follow-ups for first-time ticket buyers:
- Handwritten welcome cards awaited first-time buyers at their seats, offering not just a warm greeting, but a reason to return: 30% off their next visit and a bar discount.
- Follow-up phone calls from the Patron Relations team were placed within days, not weeks. Not to sell, but to listen. “How was your experience?” was the only question that mattered.
- Thoughtful, timely thank-you emails reinforced the connection with a simple message and a short survey. Not another offer, just thoughtful follow-up.
Each touchpoint was designed with intent: make patrons feel seen, valued, and invited (again) – key components of TRG’s retention counsel. And they came quickly, while the memory of the show (and the decision to return) was still fresh.
Results That Reflect Behavior Change
The data shows the payoff of that consistent investment from the Seattle Rep team:
- Discounted invitations back for first-time buyers generated $17,027 in revenue and 380 ticket purchases, but the bigger win came from those who didn’t use the code.
- 1,270 multi-buyers emerged who had no season ticket history the year before: a powerful indicator of deepening loyalty. These weren’t subscribers… yet. But they were coming back. Often.
- In fact, Seattle Rep’s New-to-File (NTF) audience share came in lower than their target; not because acquisition had stalled, but because conversion had outperformed.
Discipline Over Time, Not Just Action in the Moment
Seattle Rep’s story exemplifies one of TRG’s core beliefs: success comes not just from ideas, but from disciplined, consistent implementation over time.
They didn’t just make their programming stickier. They made the follow-up feel personal, fast, and meaningful. And they didn’t wait until Monday to do it.
By continuing to apply retention strategies learned through their past engagement with TRG (and embedding them into their organizational mindset) Seattle Rep built something powerful: a system that doesn’t just welcome new audiences but actively invites them to stay.
As more arts organizations grapple with how to turn first-time ticket buyers into second, third, and lifelong attendees, Seattle Rep offers a clear and powerful reminder: loyalty doesn’t come from intention alone, it comes from disciplined, consistent follow-through.
When best practices aren’t just learned, but embedded in the culture, real behavior change follows. Discipline isn’t about doing something once; it’s about making it how things are done.
Setting the Stage for the Audience of Tomorrow
By committing to this disciplined approach and the resources required to make it successful, the Seattle Rep team was able to confidently craft a strategic plan that lays out measurable audience composition goals for the next five years.
Their plan outlines not only overall household growth, but the specific proportionality of new-to-file, returning, multi-buyer, and subscriber households in each year that will drive sustainable growth. This proportionality is grounded in data, and informed by the team’s confidence in their ability to steward patrons to deeper levels of engagement.
Seattle Rep has once again engaged TRG as a thought partner as they fine-tune their approach to audience building and retention.
Ready to build this kind of loyalty in your organization?
If you’re navigating similar challenges: growing audiences but struggling to keep them, investing in programming but unsure how to follow up, we’re here to help.
In 30 minutes, we’ll begin to unpack your current audience engagement strategy, surface opportunities for deeper loyalty, and identify practical next steps you can act on right away. Let’s take a focused look together, and start turning first-time buyers into long-term supporters.
Header Photo: The Cast of Come From Away / Credit - Seattle Rep