FANS

Q: How do theatre artists sustain themselves?

A: Develop raving fans.

Raving Fans: A Revolutionary Approach to Customer Service by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles (1993)

The premise of this ubiquitous business tome is that customers have been neglected and abused by companies for so long, they’ve developed very low expectations. And yet...they rarely complain. They usually even return to businesses they aren’t entirely satisfied with.

Blanchard and Bowles argue that “satisfied” customers aren’t enough. They must be converted to ”raving fans.” And to do this, a company must 1) decide what it wants to be for its customers, 2) discover its customer’s true needs, and 3) deliver consistently on its promises.
A theatre artist who seeks to enrich the lives of his audience cannot fail.

So.

What will enrich the lives of your audience? What can you offer them...within the context of a theatre event?

Ask them.