How I’m Building a Marketing Plan
Written by TMS CEO Monica Hammond
Getting your show on stage is a huge accomplishment. Getting people into the seats takes a whole other plan and is usually where I see TheaterMakers struggle the most.
My heart breaks to see all the hard work and passion that goes into mounting a production, just to have more actors on stage than audience members in seats.
Recently, we announced our collaboration with the Next Step Theater Festival as part of our Mentorship Festival Track program. And marketing is going to be a key component of our work together to help the 6 shows participating really shine.
As we prepare for the festival in May 2027, I’m building the marketing strategy that will support the festival and the shows within it.
I want to take you behind the scenes of that process, because marketing is something every TheaterMaker needs to understand. Here’s how I’m approaching it.
First, we need to know who we’re trying to reach
“Theater lovers” is a starting point, but it doesn’t give us enough direction to build an effective campaign.
Someone who loves discovering new work may respond to a different message than someone looking for a fun night out. An industry professional may need a different invitation than a friend of one of the writers.
I’m thinking about several audiences: theatergoers who enjoy new work, people who may connect with a particular show’s subject matter, our existing TheaterMakers Studio community, and industry professionals we want to invite.
There’s a festival story to tell, but each production also needs a compelling answer to the question: Why should someone come see this show?
That answer will help shape the messaging and content we use throughout the campaign.
We’re building interest before we ask people to buy
One of the biggest mistakes I see TheaterMakers make is waiting until their production is almost here to start building an audience.
At that point, every post and email carries the pressure of needing to sell a ticket immediately.
My plan is to use Meta advertising earlier in the process to generate leads—people who express interest in the festival and want to hear more.
That gives us time to introduce the festival, share the productions, and build familiarity before our main ticket-sales push.
For Festival Track participants, this means their shows will be part of a broader effort to attract interested audiences in advance. Their personal networks will still matter, but we’re creating additional ways for people to discover their work.
Then we’ll shift into a focused ticket-sales campaign
Starting two weeks before the festival, we’ll move into a more concentrated Meta sales campaign.
By then, we’ll have audiences we can reconnect with: people who have visited the website, watched our videos, joined our email list, or otherwise engaged with our marketing.
We’ll use retargeting where available to bring the festival back in front of those people with a clear next step: choose a performance and buy tickets.
The messaging will evolve, too. Earlier content will focus on discovery and interest. As performances approach, we’ll emphasize the dates, the shows, and making a plan to attend.
Paid ads are one part of the plan
Alongside Meta advertising, I’m building a mix of email, social media, and industry outreach.
We’ll be emailing the TheaterMakers Studio list, sharing festival and production content on social media, and sending invitations to industry professionals.
I’m also exploring industry newsletter sponsorships and paid email blasts through theater publications and sites such as TheaterMania or Playbill. Those opportunities will depend on availability, pricing, and audience fit.
The content needs to give people a reason to care
A calendar full of “buy tickets” posts isn’t much of a content strategy.
As I plan the campaign, I’m thinking about what will make someone curious. What’s the hook of each show? Who’s creating it? What makes this production exciting? What might someone see in a rehearsal clip that a show description can’t communicate?
Those questions will help guide the content we develop and when we share it.
For participants, this is also a chance to practice talking about their work in a way that connects with an audience. You can know your show inside and out and still need help finding the few sentences that make someone else want to see it.
What this means for Festival Track participants
Through the Mentorship Festival Track, participants will have their productions included in a coordinated festival marketing effort, with advertising, email, social media, and outreach working toward a shared goal.
They’ll still have an active role in promoting their own shows. Their relationships, invitations, and enthusiasm are valuable parts of the campaign.
But they’ll also have an opportunity to learn from the marketing happening around their production: how we define audiences, develop messaging, build interest, and shift toward ticket sales as opening approaches.
Marketing can’t guarantee a sold-out house or a particular industry connection. What we can do is build a thoughtful campaign, pay attention to the response, and keep refining our efforts.
That’s part of what I want this experience to offer: the opportunity to get your show on stage and a clearer understanding of how to bring an audience along with you.
Want to bring your show to the stage in New York City? Explore the TheaterMaker Mentorship Mastermind Festival Track to learn more about the production opportunity and the support included. We’re accepting applications through October 25th, 2026.
