For many theatre organizations, whether they’re educational programs, community theatres, or professional non-equity companies, each new production can feel like starting over, with new marketing campaigns, new audiences, and new tickets to sell.
But growth for your theatre doesn’t – and shouldn’t – have to mean rebuilding from scratch every single time. Re-engaging past patrons is often far more effective and far less expensive than constantly chasing new ones. On The Stage explores how reconnecting with existing audiences can unlock meaningful, sustainable growth and increase your bandwidth in the meantime.
It’s easy to assume that attracting new audiences is the key to overall growth. After all, expanding your reach feels like the most obvious way to sell more tickets, so many marketing strategies prioritize first-time buyers through sponsored ads and promotions.
But new audience acquisition comes at a mighty cost. It requires more time, larger budgets, and the cherry on top? It often delivers less predictable results. You’re asking someone with no prior connection to take a chance on your organization, instead of relying on those who already know (and already like) your offerings.
Meanwhile, those past patrons are frequently overlooked and underappreciated. However, they represent one of the most accessible and valuable opportunities for growth. In short? New audiences actually don’t solve everything for your theatre.
If you aren’t exactly convinced that audience retention can be more powerful than audience acquisition in your theatre’s quest for growth, we offer a few differences in cost and energy breakdown.
Audience acquisition typically involves:
Retention and re-engagement offer:
Thus, across cost, effort, and reliability, retention consistently comes out ahead. While audience acquisition should absolutely still play a role in your audience engagement strategies, it shouldn’t be your only strategy.
Re-engagement works because it builds on an existing relationship rather than starting from square one. For example, a past attendee has already demonstrated interest in what you have to offer. Even better, they’re familiar with your venue, your productions, and the overall experience you provide to your guests. That familiarity reduces hesitation at the box office and increases the likelihood of a return visit.
And not to knock new patrons, but returning patrons are also more valuable over time, as they are more likely to:
You also gain the advantage of something all businesses need: data. Past attendance provides insight into preferences, whether those revolve around enjoyed genres, general pricing limits, or purchase timing, allowing you to tailor outreach in a way that isn’t possible with new audiences.
Most organizations already have a built-in growth engine, they just aren’t fully using it – and you may be one of them. Within your database are more than likely a bevy of patrons who haven’t attended your theatre in anywhere from six to 24 months. These individuals aren’t cold leads, however, as they’ve already engaged with your organization and may simply need a reminder … or the right opportunity to return.
Even modest reactivation rates can make a meaningful difference for your theatre, as re-engaging a small percentage of lapsed patrons can lead to:
To make re-engagement effective, it’s important to treat it as a core growth strategy, not a secondary, reactionary, or desperation tactic. A few ideas include:
Use your ticketing and CRM data to identify patrons who haven’t attended recently. Once you have a steady list to contact, it’s all downhill from there. Next, define what “lapsed” means for your organization, and segment your communications accordingly.
Reconnection works best when it feels personal and relevant to different audience segments. Try:
Make it easy to return to your theatre with clear calls to action, simple ticketing software, an intuitive box office set-up, and well-timed reminders.
Understanding the value of re-engagement is one thing, but executing it consistently can be trickier. That’s where On The Stage’s Re-Engage Lapsed Patrons Play comes in. This Play turns re-engagement into an automated, scalable system that continuously works in the background to reconnect with your audience.
With it, you can:
Remember: Re-engaging past patrons isn’t just easier than finding new ones, it’s also more efficient, more predictable, more cost-effective, and more impactful. With the right systems in place, you’ll be able to re-engage patrons in no time. If you’re looking for a bit of help, book a personalized demo with On The Stage today to see what OTS has to offer.