I have been on several grant panels, have been keeping an eye on the news, and have been witnessing more arts closures.  I see what is happening.  Old school arts management is not working anymore. What do I mean by “old school?”

The ’80s came along and everything was all about advertising.  In the ’90s, more mass marketing was added via email. In the 2000s social media came along, yet old school methods for using social media is becoming the norm.  Old school is massive!  It is the method of spreading the word via mass marketing methods without any real personalization.

Targeting only gets you a touch closer to a real person.  What would be better is to go “old, old school” and go back to when we had conversations with people, when we knew people and could invite them personally to events that they would enjoy.  All the data in the world is only useful if you can put a face to the numbers.

One of the statements in a “closure” article I read this morning was an audience member commenting that they had no idea the orchestra was in trouble.  No idea!  This means that the “behind closed doors” mentality shut the audience out.  The one way communications, old school methods, were part of the problem. There were not enough conversations and relationship building.  If they had done their audience development and built relationships with their audience members, the audiences could have helped them.  They probably would not have had to close since they would have been supported.

The thought that more organizations could fall into this demise since they are not doing their audience development work and instead are relying on old school methods hit me hard yesterday.  I have read some grants submitted by these types of organizations.  They list their funding by foundations and such with barely a number from individual donors and sponsors.  They list their advertising methods.  If their funding were to dry up, they wouldn’t have a leg to stand on.  Connections are the backbone of a healthy organization!

We are a society that is not only desperate for connections, but we will cease to function properly without these connections.  It is a human condition as well.  Psychology studies have proven that without connections, human beings do not become fully developed socially.  Have we ourselves stunted our arts business development by ignoring creating these vitally important connections?   If old school methods are being used, then I say yes.

In my next post, I will randomly suggest what can be done to form connections again.  There are small interactions that can be accomplished to ensure that you won’t fall prey to old school methods and instead you will create the connections for future success.

I know I am not the only one who suggests stepping away from old business methods.  Although, few are diving deeper as to why it is best to do so.  I do hope more arts businesses start listening to this advice and take the advice to manage in a new direction, the audience development way.

Cheers to happy and loyal audiences,
Shoshana

Shoshana Fanizza
Chief Audience Builder