Keep the Momentum Going: Revenue Ideas for the Off-Season

No matter the type of theatre you’re running – an educational program, a community theatre, a professional non-equity entity – it’s a universal truth that there are seasonal highs and lows when it comes to patron engagement and, more importantly, general revenue.

Summertime for many performing arts organizations can feel slow and low-impact, almost like you’re twiddling your thumbs and awaiting the dynamic nature of the fall. However, there are easy, effective, and lucrative ways to keep your patron engagement and revenue flow up during the off-season, even if you don’t have a show to promote. Indeed, by eschewing the idea that theatre is just a seasonally profitable market, you’ll realize how year-round engagement can be a total game-changer for you. If you’re looking for revenue ideas to enact in the off-season, On The Stage has you covered.

Lucrative Revenue Ideas for the Off-Season

A Repackage of Existing Shows

You don’t have a sparkly new show to promote, merchandise to push, or tickets to sell. No problem! After all, you’ve got plenty of backlogged content that you can repackage and sell to your passionate patrons to give it a renewed life. A few ways you can ‘repackage’ what you’ve already created include:

• On-Demand Streaming: Offer a purchasable streaming option for one or all of your previous shows. Not only will this increase the shelf-life and longevity of your productions, it also gives you a second chance to gain tangible revenue from a show that’s already closed.
• Digital Bundles: Excited patrons who enjoyed that streamed performance may be looking for a little something extra. Why not offer a digital bundle with add-ons like behind-the-scenes footage, rehearsal content, talkbacks, or director’s notes?
• Monetized Archival Content: Pay-per-view options of older performances are another way to increase your revenue and allow patrons to tailor their viewing habits to their own desires and preferences, along with offering paid memberships to view all archived content. The sky’s the limit!

Programming Galore

If you can’t stand the lull of the summer months and need your theatre to be full of life once again, gather your employees and determine if you have the budget and bandwidth to host additional programming outside your normal scope. While this suggestion certainly comes with its fair share of elbow grease and hard work, you’ll see major gains in your revenue if you garner enough engagement and involvement from your community. A few programming ideas for the off-season include:

• Summer Camps: Parents everywhere are looking for fun, educational, and accessible childcare options for the summer months. Ease their burden – and earn some hefty capital – by offering summer camps at your theatre. These can be as elaborate or as simple as you wish, with end goals ranging from a full musical performance to a small talent show. You’ll also gain reputation points within your community, strengthening your brand image. Win-win.
• Masterclasses: Are members of your staff absolute pros in certain areas of the theatre industry? Why not tap their expertise and host masterclasses in your community to help interested residents learn more about the world of theatre or a specific subject within it?
• Workshops: Along the same vein, appeal to curious patrons and community members alike with dynamic and varied workshops over the summer months. Topics can range from improv techniques to lighting and sound mastery, costuming, or audition etiquette.
• Summer Stock: Less complicated, time-consuming, and expensive than regular showcases, summer stock productions can keep community members excited about your theatre, help you raise revenue, offer your community members a fun night out, and allow newcomers a chance to be a part of your productions. What more could you want?

Community Events & Fundraisers

If you prefer to take a step back from theatre- or performance-based programming in the summer months, we don’t blame you – but you can still host community events and fundraisers that will keep your company top-of-mind in the off-season ... and help you raise some money, too! If you aren’t sure where to start, a few community event ideas include:

• Movie Nights: Everyone enjoys a good movie on the lawn! Invite community members to classic movie screenings, and be sure to have a booth set up to sell merchandise, concessions, or even season ticket packages to get you ahead of the game for the fall season.
• Food-Centric Events: Whether it’s a barbecue, pie-eating contest, or ice cream social, enticing patrons with food always works. Tickets can be as accessible as need be to ensure you get lots of participants.
• Cabarets: A great way to raise money and scout out new talent, cabaret shows are wildly popular around the country. Charge admission, recruit creatives around the community, sell drinks and concessions, and celebrate the massive talent within your city or town without having to perform yourself!
• Simple Fundraisers: If you don’t have the capital or the bandwidth for a major gala this summer, consider small fundraisers that are easy to enact without much effort or cash. Ideas include car washes, pay-what-you-can events, trivia nights, prop sales, or talent shows.

Enticing Incentives & Deals

Everyone loves to feel like they’re getting a good deal. If you find that your revenue is waning during the summertime months and you need a cash infusion ASAP, consider enacting some enticing deals and incentivizing your patrons to spend money with your theatre right here, right now. Some ideas include:

• Early Ticket Access: Allow certain loyal patrons access to season tickets earlier than usual. Market this as a chance to snag tickets before they sell out in the general sale, and to get the best seats in the house with your built-in seating chart. By building urgency and making patrons feel valued all in one fell swoop, they’ll be more likely to buy early.
• Merchandise Discounts: Whether you need to get rid of some inventory or have new designs you want to test out, promote merch sales during the off-season, and offer reasonable discounts. This way, people are more likely to purchase items even if you don’t have a new show to promote.
• Flash Sales/Promo Codes: There’s nothing quite as satisfying as watching your purchase total lower with the use of a promo code. Whether you’re using promo codes for season ticket packages, merchandise, or tickets for fundraisers, they are always an excellent money-saving incentive.
• Rehearsal Access Pass: Offer donors and loyal patrons a chance to sit in on one closed rehearsal next season for a small fee –and make sure there aren’t many of these opportunities available. It’s an exclusive, insider peek that feels VIP.

Lucrative Marketing Strategies

Marketing can be the most powerful tool in your revenue-making arsenal if you let it. It all depends on how you deploy your strategies and the angles you take. If you aren’t sure how to make your marketing efforts profitable, we offer a few suggestions:

• Push Branded Merchandise: And make sure it’s not just stale T-shirts. Think mugs, stickers, bags, signed programs – the sky’s the limit.
• Consider Co-Branded Products: This is where having community partners and business sponsorships really come in handy. Start an online store with your partners and sell co-branded products for a win-win situation for everyone.
• Create a “Support the Stage” Campaign: Use emotional storytelling to appeal to your baseline audience, and be honest with them about clear financial goals you’ve set and need their assistance with. People love to help, especially with causes that are close to their hearts.
• Use Segmented Marketing: Segment your patron list by donation history, show attendance, or volunteer involvement to target exactly who you want, when you want. You can send personalized off-season updates, donation asks, or invites to VIP events. For donors, you can also include impact stories and photos, i.e., “here is how your donation has helped our theatre so far.”

How On The Stage Can Help

Finding, keeping, and increasing momentum for your theatre and its offerings is tough – especially in the off-season. And while small lulls are a normal part of any business, proactive approaches can help bridge those gaps and get you the revenue you need. Indeed, the off-season is where strategic momentum can make or break your upcoming season. By repackaging digital content, crafting targeted and emotionally compelling marketing campaigns, hosting creative community events, and offering smart incentives and discounts, your theatre can remain visible in the public eye and financially healthy, all without an upcoming production on the calendar.

But accomplishing this alone is a tall order. To make it happen efficiently, effectively, and with way less stress, consider partnering with On The Stage (OTS). Built specifically for theatres like yours, OTS offers robust marketing tools, fundraising capabilities, patron management, and digital content support all in one place.

So remember, the off-season isn’t a break –it’s a launch pad for a successful fall. Let OTS be your partner in the effort, keeping the spotlight shining on your theatre all year long. Book a personalized demo with On The Stage today to get started.