The Walking Theatre CompanyInnovative Theatre Anywhere

Marketing & Branding Your Event

Sadie Dixon-Spain and

Alana Mathers

TWTC: Branding and Marketing• Logo• Flyers • Brochures• Posters & templates for client use• TWTC uniform• Newsletter• Newsblasts• Online presence – website & social media• TWTC Business cards• Working and regularly revised Marketing Strategy

Traditional Marketing Methods

• Physical marketing – what can you give your customers that they can keep and refer back to?

• Visual marketing – what can you show your customers, and what will grab the attention of potential customers?

Online Marketing

• Website – where can the public find out immediate, specific information on who you are and what you do?

• Social Media – Where can the public engage with you, without having to try?

• Newsletter – Where can your customers learn about what you are doing, be reminded about events, and be told of opportunities you may have on offer.

• Newsblasts – Bulletin style newsletter, where you can send information to those signed up to your Newsletter: Ideal for promotion of event, and offering incentives to loyal customers.

Social Media - What the hashtag does all this mean ?!

• Twitter – I’m watching a performance by #TWTC• Facebook – I like TWTC!• LinkedIn – TWTC’s skills include producing innovative

theatre anywhere!• YouTube – Here you can see a video of TWTC in action.• FourSquare – This is where TWTC are performing right now.• Pinterest – Here’s what TWTC is interested in.• Instagram – Here’s a vintage-style photo of a TWTC

performance.• Flickr – An online photo album of a recent TWTC

performance.• WordPress – Read all about what TWTC has been up too!

Facebook

• Social media giant!• 1.06 billion monthly active users• 680 million mobile users• More than 42 million pages• 9 million apps• 1 page is all it takes to be a part of this global

phenomenon!

Facebook: Social Networking and Marketing all in one place!

• Create an event page on Facebook, share it on your Facebook page, and invite your audience!

• Engage with niche audiences• Share on pages of contributors, partners,

collaborators, fellow local companies• Update regularly – don’t just create an event,

click invite and forget all about it. • A live page is a successful page!

Twitter: #UnderstandingTheHashtag

# Twitter – lazy & productive, what more could you want!

#Who follows you – beware of spammers!#Who do you follow – vital networking & marketing

tool.# RT, #FF, #ScotlandHour, Trending Topics#Have your own hashtag – get your audience involved

in the run up to your event, on the day, and afterwards#What can you fit into 140 characters that will interest,

intrigue, and inform people about you.

What would 140 characters say about you?

Twitter Case Study: #FSTEmporium# Federation of Scottish Theatre Emporium 2013# Tuesday March 26th 2013, Caird Hall, Dundee# Delegates were encouraged to use the #FSTEmporium

hashtag on Twitter before the event, to connect with fellow delegates.

# During the event, companies tweeted using the hashtag# Afterwards, the hashtag is still in use.# Pros: New followers gained, promoted the event, work

collaborations and partnerships formed, made networking a little less daunting, immediate response from fellow delegates.

# Cons: Worth being sneaky about tweeting – you don’t want speakers to think you’re being rude!

#TheatreThursday

#TWTC’s own weekly hashtag#Encourages fans and followers to get involved

with our social networks#Weekly engagement#Included in our newsletter #What’s your favourite Shakespeare quote?#Where would you like to see TWTC perform?

Advice for a successful online campaign

• Beware of spammers – especially on Twitter, nonsense tweets and followers, check often delete & block!

• Beware of trolls – much like spammers, trolls post unnecessary comments, with the aim to damage the reputation of your company/event.

• Keep personal personal, and business business!• Group emails: CC groups who are happy to have their emails

shared, BCC customers/clients and those who don’t want their information shared.

• If customers complain on your social media, don’t ignore! Comment telling them how to get in contact with you to discuss further: This also shows others that you are happy to discuss any comments/complaints/enquires your customers may have concerning your event.

Marketing + Branding + Promotion = Success!

• Communicate with vendors get them to promote your work, use their logo, use their resources, and let them use yours.

• Identify your target audience: teenagers, families, over 60’s• Identify niche audiences within your target audience: sports fans,

music fans, artists, youth groups of a certain age• Promote promote promote! Get in touch with

people/organisations/groups who are in your niche audiences, and tell them about your event!

• Pick up the phone, send flyers, promote on social media: Make it happen!

• Create a catchy slogan for the event, and make it viral!• Create a logo for the event, and make sure it is everywhere!• Online, offline, on the day, and on your back – think branding, think

marketing!

Thanks for listening! The Walking Theatre Company

Sadie Dixon-Spain – Artistic DirectorE: sadie@thewalkingtheatrecompany.com

Alana Mathers – Company Development and Marketing OfficerE: alana@thewalkingtheatrecompany.com

Tel: 01369 820 115

Twitter: @twtcFacebook: www.facebook.com/TheWalkingTheatreCompany

TWTC Website: www.thewalkingtheatrecompany.com The Murder Mystery Co.: www.murdermysteryscotland.com