Marketing Your Chorus
(Page 6)

The Promotion

Okay, now we've finally arrived at the last of the four P's – the one that most people equate with marketing. This is the public relations or publicity aspect of your chorus. Now that you know what you have to offer, what you're charging or asking for it, and where you'll sing or perform, it's time to "tell the world".

The main things to keep in mind when promoting your chorus is what mediums you're going to use to promote the chorus, who does the promoting, and what messages you use to promote the chorus. First, let's talk a little bit about mediums. There's an almost endless amount of tools or methods you can use to promote your chorus: word of mouth, ads, press releases, business cards, letters, postcards, brochures, fliers, letters, tapes, videos, and web sites to name a few.

(For more information on how to create or develop some of these promotional materials, see the handouts available from the region on creating Fliers/Advertisements, Brochures/Information Sheets, Press Releases, and Web Sites.)

Now let's get a little more specific and talk about which mediums, people, and messages are most effective or useful for our four main target audiences when promoting your chorus. No matter what the target audience, though, be as proactive as possible when promoting your chorus. You’ll never expand the scope of the target audience you’re trying to reach unless you actively seek that audience & try new or different ways to get their attention.

Show Patrons
For shows, publicizing your chorus in the mass media (newspaper, radio, TV) is important to broaden your potential audience base. Although purchasing an ad will guarantee coverage, you can also reach these groups through press releases, public service announcements, and/or media kits. Be sure to follow up with the media after you've submitted these things to make sure they received your information and to see if they have any questions. Another nice touch is to deliver your press release in person with a good-singing quartet that will help get their attention.

Fliers, postcards, word-of-mouth, and your web site are also great ways to promote your show directly to your show patrons. Make sure all promotional material includes the basics: the time & date of the show, location, ticket costs, featured performers & a name/number of someone to contact for more information or tickets. Emphasize the quality of the entertainment you'll be providing, and depending on your ticket prices, the value can also be a big selling point. If you'll be donating portions of your show proceeds to Young Singers Foundation or another charity, mention that as well.

Fundraising Donors/Sponsors
Letters, business cards, brochures, and your web site are probably the prime mediums to use in your chorus' fundraising activities. If you're selling chocolates or pizzas or cheesecakes or something on that order, keep it simple – post the order form & catalog in a visible place, and simply attach a chorus brochure or business card so that the donor knows who's benefiting from the fundraiser.

For show program ads, also stick to the facts. Include a cover letter briefly introducing the chorus and include a "rate card" for the ad sizes, prices, and how the ads need to be supplied. Attaching your chorus business card & enclosing one or two complimentary tickets to the show is also a nice touch. If you're soliciting by mail, be sure to follow up by calling. Whenever possible, present them with the information and ask for their ad in person.

And if you're looking for corporate sponsorship and/or a grant, then your "promotion" is likely to be in the form of a grant application and/or proposal. Include as many details on your chorus as you can to give the organization as clear a picture as possible of who you are, the good you're doing for the community, and how you would be using the funds you're asking for. Feel free to include your web site address in the information provided, and enclose a business card or brochure from the chorus, as well as any other documentation they require.

Performance Contacts
The mediums that you'll probably find most useful when it comes to looking for performances are your business card, chorus brochure, web site, and any tapes or video tapes the chorus has available. You'll want to make sure you project the most professional and positive image that you can. Provide them with the information that they need – your performance fee, availability, and the length of package(s) you have available. You'll of course also want to emphasize the quality of your singing, the fact that you sing without accompaniment, and the size of the group(s) you have available. Photos, good tapes of the chorus singing, and a video of a good chorus performance will also help convince these groups or individuals to hire you. Again, be sure to follow up any initial contacts with a phone call or e-mail in the next week to answer any questions or take care of any other details.

Potential Members
For potential members, the key is getting their attention and providing them with one-on-one contact. No matter what the medium, the message should be the same – we're looking for members, and we want YOU to be one of them. Being a Sweet Adeline allows you to sing, learn, make new friends, and most of all, HAVE FUN!

Feel free to tout the quality of your chorus and any awards you may have won. Emphasize the musical opportunities, but also the learning and social opportunities that Sweet Adelines provides. For many women, the most important thing may simply be that the chorus provides them one night out of the house per week for them to have fun without the pressures of work & family.

Use as many mediums as you can when recruiting new members for your chorus. Every member should have business cards and/or brochures for the chorus at their disposal so that when they meet people in their every-day lives, the member is prepared to provide information to those people about Sweet Adelines. Your chorus web site should also be a constant promotional tool for new members, providing rehearsal information, directions, and contact information for your membership chair.

When a chorus membership drive is coming up, that's a good time to put other means of promotion into place also – send press releases or place ads in the mass media saying that your chorus is having a guest night, membership drive, etc. You may also want to have fliers with information about the membership drive and/or your rehearsal that members can post or hand them out to potential prospects. Sending personal letters to past members & guests and any new prospects is also a good idea – or better yet, call those prospects personally & invite them to rehearsal!

Go to the next step - Putting it all together

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Site last updated on August 20, 2007