Ideas

“Jennifer, can I give you some constructive criticism?”
“Sure”
“Try using your brain."

As a native Israeli and general tech enthusiast, I can’t help but feel proud when I hear of an Israeli start-up that gets acquired by some big company (some more famous acquisitions include Waze for ~$1 Billion, Viber for $900 Million, and Mobileye for $15 Billion). Many people wonder how it is possible that Israel – a country that is so small (about the size of NJ and a population less than NYC), that is so young, and whose economic roots are in agriculture – how can Israel be such a tech leader and start-up hub for the world?

I am thrilled to be keynoting Capacity Interactive’s Digital Marketing Boot Camp for the Arts this October. “Prepare to get your geek on.” That tagline is music to my geeky, data-loving ears.

As the Chief Market Engagement Officer at IMPACTS, my job involves translating big data concerning trends in audience behaviors and perspectives, and making it both accessible and actionable to the hard-working folks who run cultural institutions. I work with boards and executives at major institutions regarding data-informed best practices related to earned revenue, the visitor experience, creating access programs that actually work, and cultivating donors. My focus is on how audiences think and behave. After all, it is living and breathing human beings that arts organizations aim to educate and inspire.

It is easy to get distracted by shiny buzzwords and new channels offered in digital marketing. Sales reps call and email. Board members share articles about this or that new tactic or targeting technique. Don't take the bait!

Openness. Happiness. Growth Mindset. Sharing. Measurement. Partnership. Passion.

These values guide everything we do at CI, from how we hire to how we work with our clients. Our values are so important to us, they are painted on the wall of our office as a daily reminder to our team.

I love autumn in New York; the weather feels crisp, Central Park turns brilliant shades of bright orange, gold and red, and I can pull my favorite blazers out of mothballs. One of the things I love most of all is the fall dance season in the city. There is so much dance to see in October and November that I have to come to terms with the fact that I just won’t have the time and energy (I’m intensely introverted!) to attend everything that I want.

This year, I’m speaking at Digital Marketing Boot Camp for the Arts on how to get direct feedback from your customers about their experience on your website – by running your own user tests.

In addition to good old-fashioned surveys and Google Analytics, there’s another way arts marketers can solicit feedback – walking up and talking to patrons!

When Stephen Dubner interviewed Charles Duhigg, author of the book Smarter Faster Better in a Freakonomics podcast focused on productivity, Duhigg told a story about how electricity, when it was first popularized, was hailed as a game changer for productivity. There was a huge wave of factories that replaced their steam engines with electric engines. But what happened next is what economists called a “productivity paradox”- initially, productivity didn’t rise in the factories.

I hear these requests far too often from arts marketers. I don’t blame them for wanting something fast and inexpensive, but these timelines and budgets are incredibly unrealistic and create a domino effect that causes more work, lots of headaches, and ultimately leads to poor websites that keep our industry in the dark ages.

Regardless of the form we choose to support, I think it’s safe to say we all share a belief that art deserves a place of prominence in our culture. When we choose to market the arts, we take on the challenge to act as matchmakers between what we produce in our halls and on our stages, and a populace that is never sitting still – not to mention one that is constantly creating and disposing of its modes of connection and communication.

But you already knew that. You read this blog.