travel and couriers

  thank you letters

  website development, registration and maintenance.

Timelines

The importance of creating a timeline at the outset of your promotion cannot be over 

stressed. Once you know your seven Ps and the communication tools you will use, you

should create your timeline. This helps establish exactly what work lies ahead of you

and provides deadlines to work to.

A good way to create a timeline is to work backwards from the week the show opens.

Give yourself plenty of time to accomplish each task. Some tasks such as printing a

poster involve a number of steps. If any of these steps are held up and there's no extra

time allowance built into your timeline, it means the subsequent steps will also be

ng the event

squeezed for time. 

A lot of work happens early on in your timeline. This is often followed by a quiet period

omoti

where you are waiting for the results of your work   the designer to finish designs or the

media to react to information you've sent them. It's easy to panic and think that nothing

Pr

is happening. Relax. All the work you've done will pay off if you've done it thoroughly. 

Timing is important. You need to get information out in enough time for your public to

consider it and react, but not so early that it sits around and becomes wallpaper. 

2

Sample timeline

An eight week timeline is the minimum time you should allow to promote your show.

If possible, give yourself more time   especially if you wish to target magazines, which

often have a lead in time of three months. Although this timeline is aimed at

promoting a performing arts event many of the points are also relevant to promoting

an exhibition or literary festival.

Week 8

  meet group for brainstorm

  identify the seven Ps, conduct a SWOT analysis and develop a marketing strategy

  formulate a promotional strategy, including a media strategy 

  set the budget

  write a timeline

  brief graphic designer 

  collect biographies from actors, writer, director, designer.

Week 7

  book photographer

  get quotes for printing 

  draft media release and show to appropriate people

  identify direct mail opportunities and who you will mail out to

  meet with graphic designer and photographer to go over photo shoot details

  start a list of helpers to refer to when sending invitations to the opening, to

acknowledge in the programme and to send thank you letters.

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Smart arts

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