It goes without saying, but we’ll say it anyway: your theatre is so much more than just the shows you put on. The people behind your company: your cast, crew, front-of-house managers, marketing team, sales team, and creative team are the heart and soul of who you are. So, when it comes time to strategize about your social media posts, why not consider showcasing that heart and soul – your team members – online?
After all, the perks are endless: Not only will your team feel seen and appreciated, but you’ll also build engagement with followers, create buzz for your newest production, and foster community connections in one fell swoop. Additionally, putting a face (or, in this case, faces) on your theatre’s branding humanizes your company, helping you build more meaningful relationships.
If you aren’t sure how to organically showcase your cast and crew on your social media pages, thus creating excitement for your next showcase, On The Stage can help.
Picture this: Your favorite musical is being adapted into a movie, and the production company just posted behind-the-scenes content of rehearsals for the first time. You’re gonna be watching that more than once, right? (Am I unsubtly referring to the new Wicked movie? Maybe!) Now, it’s time to harness that same energy when it comes to your next production.
Posting behind-the-scenes content for your show, from whichever angle you choose, offers myriad benefits.
Behind-the-scenes content can look like a lot of things, but here are just a few ideas to try:
In reality, all content before opening night is technically behind the scenes – so the sky’s the limit on what you can create.
When looking up a business online, you may find yourself heading to the ‘Staff’ section to get an idea of what a company’s employees look like – putting a face to a name, so to speak. It often humanizes a business and makes approaching it feel less intimidating.
The same can be said of theatres – don’t be afraid to spotlight your cast and crew, letting your patrons know their likes and dislikes, special interests, past performance history, favorite foods … whatever you want!
Cast and crew spotlights can look different depending on the type of media you want to produce and your general follower demographics. A few ideas for spotlights include:
Let’s say you’re in the throes of tech week or smack dab in the middle of rehearsals, but you still want to raise awareness for your show and continue getting the word out. Countdown teasers are an excellent way to increase engagement while showcasing your cast and crew.
Have an individual cast or crew member create a countdown video for different time frames, whether you’re down to the final days or still have weeks left until the showcase. The more creative the team member gets, the better. (Just remember – if you’re doing countdown teasers early in your marketing strategy, stagger the posters so your followers don’t get sick of the concept before opening night!)
Additionally, teasers can include ‘sneak peeks’ of certain scenes or moments in your production to raise the anticipation even higher. (More on that later!)
Perhaps one of the most popular forms of visual media these days are ‘vlogs’ or video blogs detailing a day in the life of an influencer, actor, or other media personality. This video medium is easy to create and edit, allowing your cast members and crew to showcase their personalities on social media channels.
Consider branding them as ‘rehearsal diaries,’ and have a cast member strap a GoPro to them to film their perspective during the day. Additionally, you can livestream a rehearsal from one actor’s POV so followers can truly understand what it’s like to prepare for a show.
On-set diaries and day-in-life vlogs work for a variety of reasons, including:
Unlike behind-the-scenes content, sneak peeks give your followers a look at the production itself as it is in process. Sneak peeks are yet another way to increase excitement for your show, while also showcasing just how hard your team members are working to get the production perfect for its loyal patrons.
Even more, posting sneak peeks on social media can allow your fans to interact, discuss what they’ve seen, hypothesize about the production, and make plans to buy tickets and see it together.
The beauty of a sneak peek is that you can pick and choose which elements you want to reveal to your audiences. Maybe you have a lighting fast quick change – why not film a rehearsal where patrons can see just how it’s done? Maybe there’s a highly anticipated scene or number in your show – posting a snippet during rehearsals or tech week will excite your patrons more than ever to come to your show. The key? Leave them wanting more!
Theatre marketing can be complicated and overwhelming – there’s no doubt about it. But with the right partner, marketing strategies can be enacted with ease, allowing you to focus on what matters: making great art. That’s why you should partner with On The Stage (OTS).
With OTS’ marketing suite, you can support all your marketing and promotional needs with one robust platform, all while driving community engagement and increasing ticket sales. Our best-in-class marketing and promotional tools span across social, digital, email, print, and traditional channels, and allow you to:
Our consolidated platform has everything you need to market your productions and generate more revenue successfully. If you’re ready to elevate your marketing game, book a personalized demo with On The Stage today.