Presenting a stage play production can be difficult from beginning to end. What can be most difficult is promoting the hard work of actors, production crew and a playwright to an unaware public. In fact, launching a promotion campaign can be frustrating. With other forms of entertainment competing for your audience's time and money, you'll need a strategy that can boost your chances of attracting a large audience.
Instructions
Families and Friends
1. Provide the actors with an incentive plan to sell tickets to their families and friends. Local actors thrive on boosting their notoriety using as many resources as they can. So, encourage the group of artists to work in conjunction among themselves to bring in as many to the audience as possible.
2. Write personalized letters to the actors' contacts to increase the word of mouth publicity. These are the frontline people who are likely most willing to spread the word about the play locally because they have family or friends acting in the play. A letter cordially requesting their assistance is a solid reminder.
3. Create an initial email list from the family and friends. Ask the actors to gather the emails from family and friends who are willing to share their contact information. Send out information about the play to this email contact list and request that they forward this information to their personal contacts who might be interested. Also, request from the new email recipients a response agreeing to receive future emails on all other upcoming productions.
Print and Online Advertising
4. Post the event for free on websites that can reach your audiences. Many websites offer free postings of upcoming events. Travel-related websites can benefit the production by reaching visitors from outside your city. Also, posted events appeal to local people searching for weekend entertainment. While this method does not produce large numbers, use it to cover your ground.
5. Buy advertising spots in the entertainment section of local newspapers and magazines. Print advertising offers longevity. A newspaper or magazine is passed from person to person while also keeping the production details at hand. Because newspaper and some magazines reach the masses, there is no need to worry about this not reaching the target.
6. Pay some websites to post or advertise the event. When finding a website to pay for publicizing the event, choose with the target audience in mind. Consider the desired demographics before investing your money.
7. Blog about the subject of the play. Use the topic of the play to its production advantage. Without creating any spam, address the subject matter and make reference to the play. If the subject is a popular topic on search engines, there may be several hits on the blog, resulting in interest and word of mouth publicity of the play.
8. Target book clubs with the play manuscript. Many book clubs--especially the private ones and the ones on social networks--allow their members to flexibility because their structure is not as rigid as a larger organization. They also interact online. Therefore, send your play manuscript, or the book if it's been published, and request input from their members. There are pros and cons to requesting this type of review before the production of the play. Book club members can be very opinionated and critical.
Radio
9. Offer free production tickets to local radio stations that are willing to accept them as prizes for their listeners. Some radio stations will accept this offer while some will decline it. The reason this method reaches a large number of listeners is because it is likely to be free publicity just with the announcement of the free tickets available to a winning listener. Presenting the tickets as a prize suggests high value to all listeners and compels interest in the production.
10. Send news releases to radio stations. If the play addresses a stimulating subject, present it in your news release because it may be a discussion point. Interviews during morning and afternoon driving hours reach a broader audience.
11. Compare advertising rates among radio stations. Use a soundbite from the play if it is available and include it in a script. This will capture listeners' attention. Also, give brief information while highlighting contact sources for ticket sales. Repeat the contact information once or twice. Deeper voices provide the best voice over when recording a commercial script.
Tags: radio stations, family friends, about play, contact information, from family