“Show-cial Media” – Digital Marketing Ideas for the Theatrical Producer

Social Media Grows

Social Media is becoming one of the fastest growing future uses of technology for small businesses, according to the Small Business Success Survey. It has become any easy cost effective way of increasing business awareness and promoting continued engagement with customers.

Businesses small and large across all markets are taking advantage of social media and it is no different for the theatrical producer.

Get Your Face Out There

The first step in building a social media presence for your theatre or theatrical production company is building a social network. Right now it is all about Facebook, the #1 social networking site with over 500 million customers.

·      Build a Fan Page

o   Use your company’s brand

o   Include a link to your website and blog

o   Update your status regularly

·      Upload Social Objects

o   Pictures

o   Videos

o   Audio Clips

o   Update, Update, Update

·      Build Connections

o   Join groups – other theatres and theatrical fan pages

o   Invite your staff and patrons

o   Keep adding friends and fans

Blog, Blog, Blog

Whether you are leveraging this platform  to speak about your upcoming season or a single show, blogging provides a voice for your theatre or production.

I suggest using Blogger, a free Google-hosted blog publishing service.

Blogging requires that you create content, but that doesn’t mean you have to hire someone to spend forty hours a week writing blog posts. Blog posts can be generated by anyone on your staff, in the cast or even by you.

Some blog post ideas:

·      Daily Rehearsal Blog written by a cast or crew member

o   This is an easy way to build anticipation about the show opening and it creates a personal connection for your audience giving them a behind the scenes look at the production.

·      Artistic Blog from the Director or Artistic Director

o   Here is an opportunity to provide some context and advanced artistic information about the production.

• Is there particular historical or social significance?
• Is there a unique production style being used?
• Is it a new work that has never been produced or is it based on existing source material that the audience may be familiar with.

·      Personal Feature

o   Highlight an artist or member of the staff in a featured post or have them write a post about their career or their approach to a specific production.

Regardless of the type of content you choose, ensure that it is updated often and consistently. This is your digital equivalent to a radio talk show or new broadcast and your readers will come to expect your regular posts.

For a great example, check out Theatrical Producer Ken Davenport. He hosts a blog about his productions and the business of Broadway.  As a matter of fact he launched an entire campaign for the first ever crowd-funded Broadway musical through social media.

Tweet, Tweet, Tweetle E Deet

Tweeting is a form of micro-blogging on the site Twitter and as the terms imply they are short blogs or posts of small pictures or links.

Tweets are instant messages, opinions or observations that users share with their followers. For the theatrical community this can act as an instant mini press release.

·      Link your Twitter account to your Facebook Fan Page and your blog page.

·      Build Your Network

o   Join groups

o   Promote your Twitter account

·      Tweet about milestones or interesting happenings in the production.

o   Announce casting

o   Links to the reviews

o   Progress in rehearsals

o   Blog updates

o   Announce when tickets go on sale or special promotions

By using these and other social networking channels and platforms you can build a successful integrated digital campaign and you will keep the curtain rising for seasons to come.

Helpful Links:

Twitter + Theatre = Tweatre?

Twittgroups - Theatre

Ten Steps to Start Internet Marketing Your Show

How to Get the Most Out of Facebook Fan Pages

5 Thoughts of Social Media and Theatre

So You Want to Be a Producer?

Currently I am the Producer for Disney Cruise Line Entertainment and following graduation from Full Sail University will a Masters of Science degree in Entertainment Business my career goals are to continue to develop and seek opportunities within the Disney organization.

The hiring process for Producers in theatre and other forms of live performance varies drastically throughout the industry from company to company and project to project. In many cases the Producer is the entrepreneur that is driving a project and they initiate the entire process, so in essence they hire themselves.

The process in a small or medium-sized production company may only involve an interview with the Executive Producer. In large corporations like The Walt Disney Company, the hiring process can be much more involved and formal. In the Disney Creative Entertainment line of business, the hiring process for most professional and administrative positions generally begins by completing an online profile, uploading a resume and responding to a job posting. This is true for both internal and external candidates. Additionally candidates participate in a panel interview for the role they are interested in acquiring, to access skills and eligibility, prior to an interview for a specific position.

Producers are rarely hired “off the street”. In cases where the Producer is actually being hired and is not independently producing the project, the person or entity that is hiring has a previously established relationship with the successful candidate and has knowledge of their body of work. Producers depend heavily on their ability to establish a diverse and strong network, both to get jobs for themselves and to find the right talent for their projects.

Here are three ways that a would be Producer can use digital media to help kick-start their career:

1.    Establish a personal brand

As a Producer you have to think of yourself as a business and all successful businesses have an identifiable brand. Today branding is crucial whether you are a Fortune 500 company or an independent producer or an individual attempting to differentiate yourself from the masses in your job search. Everyone has a chance to standout in a good way and a bad way. Consider what sets you apart from everyone else who wants to be a Producer and how much influence you have. By leveraging your differentiators and capitalizing on your influence, you can considerable strides in developing your personal brand.

2.    Establish a professional social network presence

Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and other similar sites provide an invaluable resource for connecting with people in your industry that you have worked with or that you would like to work with. They also provide a useful platform to showcase your professional accomplishments and what you represent. When carefully managed, they are perfect vehicles for conveying your philosophy through pictures, video, audio clips, and writings and they also give the reader a look at your network of contacts and associates. Be careful. Your social media presence can also do as much harm as good in establishing your career if they are not managed professionally.

3.    Search for people and not jobs

Once you have your professional social media presence established, don’t merely search for the jobs you want, begin searching for people in your industry and specifically for those that are employed by your desired companies. If they are on professional networking sites, they want to network. Take advantage of it. I can’t tell you how many times I have been asked, “who do you know that can do ___?” Having a strong network has been a huge benefit in situations like this. It has also helped me as I have developed my own career. A key piece to the success is to actually establish a personal relationship with the people in your network. Don’t merely rack up virtual friends. These are great tools for establishing and maintaining relationships, but if you intend on using your contacts for professional employment, develop the relationship further through actual email or phone contact.

Helpful links:

The Brand Called You

Using Social Media to Find a Job

7 Secrets to Getting Your Next Job Using Social Media