5 Key Email Metrics Every Organization Should Track (And What They Mean)

In a world highly saturated with endless digital notifications and plenty of compelling online content, email marketing is still holding its own as an incredibly effective way to reach and engage audiences of all kinds. For theatre organizations like yours – whether you’re an educational program, a community theatre, or a professional non-equity company – email communications can help you sell tickets, share news, engage your patrons, and deepen relationships.

That said, sending those emails is only half the battle; you also need to be tracking how these email campaigns are performing. If you aren’t, it’s sort of like throwing a bunch of stuff at the wall and seeing what sticks! That’s where metrics come in. By tracking the right numbers and data, you’re better able to spot trends, tailor your messaging, and drive more conversions for your theatre.

There are plenty of metrics you may be interested in learning about, but some are a cut above the rest. On The Stage presents the five key email marketing metrics every theatre organization should track, and, more importantly, what they actually mean for your theatre’s success.

1. Open Rates

An open rate is exactly what it sounds like: the percentage of recipients who actually open your emails. It’s often the first thing marketers look at when evaluating the success of a marketing campaign.

Why it matters is fairly simple: If your patrons aren’t opening your emails, nothing you’ve created within that message really matters. A high open rate usually signifies that you’ve got a compelling subject line, or that your send times are well-chosen. Low open rates, then, signify the opposite: Your subject lines aren’t grabbing people, you’re sending your content at the wrong time, and your messaging is getting lost in a cluttered inbox … or even marked as spam. (The horror!)

If you’re gunning for certain benchmarks, industry-wide open rates aren’t as high as you’re expecting – around 20–30%. However, they tend to be higher in entertainment and performing arts because, well, people actually really care about the content you’re creating!

 If you’re looking to boost your open rates for your next email campaign, consider:

• Writing more compelling subject lines. Use curiosity, personalization, or urgency to get folks to open your emails.
• Segmenting your email lists. Your patron base demographics aren’t all interested in the same content. Make sure you’re segmenting your messaging to appeal to more folks from different backgrounds.
• Optimizing your send times. This one might include some trial and error, but send emails out at convenient times for your patrons. Try mid-morning or evening sends and test which times resonate best.
• Keeping it consistent. Don’t spam patrons the week before your show, but ignore them the rest of the year. Regular emails build trust, loyalty, and familiarity.

2. Click-Through Rates (CTR)

Click-Through Rates (CTR) measure how many people click on a link within your email compared to how many people just open it. This, then, measures whether your content – and your calls to action – are compelling enough to inspire actual action in your patrons.

CTR matters because while high open rates are good, clicks are better – and represent actual engagement with your theatre digitally. This engagement could look like buying tickets, watching a promotional video, visiting your show site, or donating to your theatre’s wish list.

CTRs are typically low for any type of business, but there are ways to improve those metrics. Consider:

• Using clear, simple calls-to-action (CTAs). Keep things specific and short, not vague and long-winded.
• Limiting distractions. Don’t put too many links or CTAs in one email – this will dilute your clicks. You should be directing readers towards one or two key actions.
• Optimizing for mobile. No matter how beautiful your email looks on a desktop, over half of emails are opened on phones. Your message should be easily accessed on smaller screens.
• Adding compelling visuals. Consider a show poster or a dynamic cast photo to drive curiosity and clicks.

3. Conversion Rates

Conversion rates track how many patrons not only clicked on your email but also completed the desired action you wanted them to complete – whether that’s buying tickets, donating, registering for a workshop, or just visiting your site.

This is a metric that directly ties your marketing efforts to your revenue and your overall impact. Conversions are your bread and butter – they prove whether your email campaigns hold any weight in the overall success of your theatre.

Conversion rate percentages vary depending on the organization and its goals, but even small percentages of conversion rates can generate significant revenue for your theatre. If you’re looking to increase your conversion rates, consider:

• Streamlining your landing pages. If the link the patron clicks leads to a clunky website – or one that’s not optimized for mobile – people will abandon the process before completing the conversion.
• Offering limited-time deals or promo codes. Consider early bird discounts, VIP packages, or other offerings that create a sense of urgency to “act fast.”
• Using a good story. Appeal to emotion and humanity – this will certainly boost conversion rates if patrons know how their money will help your theatre and its people.
• Tracking the full journey. You have to look past open rates and click-through rates to ensure patrons actually check out.

4. Bounce Rates

Bounce rates measure the percentage of emails that could not be delivered to a recipient’s inbox – or emails that bounced back. Typically, there are two types of bounced emails: hard and soft. Hard bounces happen when permanent issues arise – like invalid email addresses or blocked recipients. Soft bounces often include temporary issues like full inboxes or a server error.

You should be gunning for a very low bounce rate – under 2%. After all, a high bounce rate damages your sender reputation, meaning your emails are more likely to end up in spam folders. If your bounce rate is high, it also indicates that your email list may be outdated or poorly maintained. That said, ways to keep your bounce rates low include:

• Regularly maintain and update your list. Remove bounced emails immediately and attempt to replace them with active addresses.
• Using double opt-in. Confirm new subscribers with a verification email to ensure they aren’t dummy email accounts.
• Avoiding purchased lists. These are often filled with bad email addresses or addresses of people who aren’t actually interested in your content.

5. Unsubscribe Rates

Unsubscribe rates measure how many people are choosing to opt out of your emails altogether after receiving one. These rates, while unpleasant to study, can give you great insight into how your patrons perceive your content. Every business has an unsubscribe rate – we cannot appeal to everyone, after all – but if you’re seeing spikes after a certain campaign, it’s evidence that there’s a misalignment between your content and your audience’s interests.

If you’re seeing a rise in your unsubscribe rates, or just want to ensure they stay down, consider:

• Segmenting your messaging. Some people may want every single update you have, while others only want the important stuff like ticket links or show announcements. Some may be interested solely in musicals, while others just wanna see the classic plays. Make sure your audience segmentation is top-notch and reflects your demographics and their interests. 
• Being strategic about the number of emails you send. Nothing encourages someone to unsubscribe faster than getting spammed with messages. Keep it reasonable yet consistent.
• Workshopping your tone. Strive to stay authentic to your brand’s voice while also driving sales. If your patrons feel like you’re just fishing for sales or are trying too hard to be relatable, they will disengage.

How On The Stage Can Help

Email marketing can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re juggling rehearsals, production schedules, and fundraising efforts alongside sales, scheduling, and so much more. That’s where On The Stage comes in; our platform is, after all, designed to take the guesswork out of audience engagement.

We’ve got a variety of tools to support your theatre organization, no matter its size, including: 

• Integrated ticketing and marketing tools: Track conversions from email directly to ticket sales.
• Audience segmentation: Easily group patrons by behavior, past purchases, or preferences.
• Built-in analytics: Monitor open rates, CTR, and more from one consolidated, intuitive dashboard.
• Best practices and tips: Get expert guidance on subject lines, design, and scheduling through our knowledgeable staff and our comprehensive Resource Library.

If you’re looking for ways to ensure your email marketing strategies are measurable, trackable, and grow your audience and your revenue, book a personalized demo with On The Stage today to see how our marketing tools can work for your organization.