To be effective and sustainable, audience development and marketing should be woven into the fabric of every organisation and their programs.
Whether it’s in the boardroom, the front office or the foyer – a consideration of audience development and community should be part of the routine.
To do so, audience development must be part of the vision and strategy of an organisation. You need diversity in the people on your board, leadership and staff to better represent and serve your communities.
Organisational routines like evaluations, research, co-creation, and collaboration can foster engagement with new and more diverse audiences. If something is organised by people from the community for people from the community – then people from the community show up. Staff and curators bring personal connections to communities and their projects. Employing people with expertise in multicultural marketing, ethnic media relations and engagement is also something to keep in mind.
By placing audiences at the beginning and at the centre of what you do – and building community participation in your organisational routines – you’re in a better position to adapt to and serve a community’s needs.