sustainable marketing – Sue Edworthy

Arts marketing isn’t hard because you’re bad at it

It’s harder because the product is emotional, subjective and time-bound There’s a special kind of exhaustion that comes from hearing, “Marketing is marketing. Just apply best practices.” This sentence is usually spoken by someone who has never tried to sell a contemporary dance piece on a Tuesday night in February. Yes, marketing principles are transferable. […]

You’re not selling a product. You’re selling a leap of faith

Good marketing lowers risk before the experience exists Why Arts Experiences Are Difficult To Market A thoughtful look at how arts organizations can reduce uncertainty and communicate value before the experience. Many arts experiences are what economists call experience or credence goods — where the value isn’t fully known until after the moment itself. Selling […]

You don’t need to be louder. You need to be clearer

Clarity beats volume every time Marketing your creativity doesn’t mean becoming louder, slicker, or more “brand-y.”It means being clear, human, and intentional. Here are five ways to do exactly that. 1. Start With What You’re Actually Making (Not the Platform) Before you worry about Instagram, newsletters, or whatever platform just launched yesterday, answer this: What […]

This isn’t a motivation problem. It’s a systems problem

Tiny budgets and big expectations create predictable burnout Marketing in arts and culture is not hard because cultural workers aren’t smart or creative.It’s hard because the system is… let’s say aspirational. Here are the top 10 challenges I see over and over again. 1. Tiny Budgets with Big Expectations You’re expected to deliver Broadway-level results […]

Artists don’t need more advice. They need different advice

Most marketing systems weren’t built for how art actually works I’ve watched artists try to force themselves into marketing systems that were never built for them. Artists don’t need more marketing advice.They need different marketing advice. Here’s why. 1. Artists Are Not Products (and Don’t Want to Be Treated Like One) You’re not selling soap.You’re […]

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