www.walkercommunicationsgroup.com
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YOU
ARE CLEARLY VERY EXPERIENCED IN THE FIELD OF BUILDING
AUDIENCES. CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE SERVICES WALKER
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS GROUP PROVIDES?
Walker International Communications Group is a
marketing and educational consulting company that
provides strategies for reaching target markets.
We specialize in reaching ethnic communities and
young audiences and provide lectures, symposiums,
key note speeches, workshops and articles focusing
on audience development. As part of our work,
we prepare and execute audience surveys, marketing
plans and design and execute E-marketing campaigns.
Our clients include theater companies, dance companies
and museums as well as commercial productions
on Broadway. The roster includes Alvin Ailey American
Dance Theater, Bill T Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company,
Hairspray, The Public Theater, Harlem
School
of the Arts and WNYC Radio.
HOW HAS YOUR PAST EXPERIENCE AFFECTED
THE WORK YOU DO NOW?
My work at the Public Theater had a direct impact
on Walker International Communications Group.
At the Public, I had the freedom to develop relationships
with demographically different audiences and find
out what these audiences needed to see in order
to feel welcome to our theater. I incorporate
these same strategies at Walker International
and work with many of the same groups. It has
been a wonderful extension of my work in building
audiences. I apply the same strategies for both
commercial and non-profit institutions helping
them identify their target audiences and find
appropriate and effective means of reaching them
to promote productions and continue building the
relationships into the future.
HOW DO YOU USE E-MAIL?
We use e-mail extensively in our work because
it is an efficient means to reach many of our
audience members. We focus on younger multicultural
audiences and they prefer e-mail blasts to direct
mail flyers. We still do small mailings and many
of our clients will do direct mail, but our work
primarily involves sending out creative e-blasts
with discount offers. The value for group leaders
is that it provides them with a tool that they
can easily replicate to their constituents. One
e-blast has numerous lives.
Use of the internet also allows us to specifically
target a message to a particular market and develop
a customized campaign. For example, we are currently
promoting Pride Night at The Public Theater for
their current production of "Biro."
We developed a relationship with Black Pride NYC
and they agreed to cultivate their partner organizations
within the gay and lesbian community to do a fundraiser.
We provided the e-blast copy and they added on
relevant language to explain the purpose and how
to purchase tickets. This is a common method of
promotion.
WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU GIVE TO ARTS MARKETERS
FOR TODAY AND FOR THE FUTURE?
Arts marketers can expand their reach by tapping
into the e-mail savvy potential customers. The
challenge is building lists that are effective
and useful. At WICG, we spend a lot of time gathering
names and asking our cultural partners for names.
The biggest challenge today is financial resources
and staff. Everyone wants results immediately.
That's unrealistic in today's competitive market.
Arts Marketers need time to discover, build and
evaluate their efforts. That's how we will create
long lasting audiences of the future which will
culminate in audience members, donors and board
members. It's the investment in people that takes
us to the next level of effective marketing. |
