The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many industries, but if you’re a business or organization that deals with visitors such as a theater, a gallery, etc., your doors will have been predominantly closed for most of the last year.
As things begin to reopen, the arts, culture and tourism industries are itching to get back to normal, but a big push will be needed to bring visitors through the doors once more. While restrictions are easing, there is still a lot of nervousness from the public, and a lot of work that needs to be done to keep your location safe for visitors.
Are you ready to welcome the crowds back? Here are some tips for your marketing push to bring visitors back post-COVID.
Let visitors know you’re back in business
With all the uncertainty around the pandemic, it’s easy for people to forget what is and isn’t open. You should put a lot of energy into an engaging campaign that lets people know that you’re back and ready to open your doors once again. There are some digital marketing strategies that are essential in 2021, and these can help you navigate the new normal for your business.
While communicating your grand reopening, make sure you let visitors know what they can expect. Things might be different to how they used to be, and you can help your visitors prepare for their visit so that they have a much more enjoyable experience.
Provide incentives to encourage visits
While some people are eager to return to normality, there is understandable hesitation from a number of people. Finding ways to encourage people to visit will be a key challenge for the industry at this time. Reduced ticked prices could be one way of encouraging crowds back, as well as discounts on future visits.
Now could also be an excellent time to team up with some influencers to help spread the word and to provide an honest view of what people can expect when they visit.
Be prepared to change your visitor experiences
Health and safety remains a priority for businesses, and when you’re dealing with visitors, there are some things you’ll need to consider to be able to reopen your doors safely. Frederica Wald has outlined some of the challenges faced by the arts industry, including the need for no-touch, hands-free exhibits and online/contactless ticketing. These sorts of changes will require work to put in place, but they can help provide a safe experience for your visitors.
Many within the industry have been able to provide online experiences while doors have been closed, which is something that could easily continue once locations reopen. It’s worth exploring some of the online exhibitions that are out there to get an idea of trends and the types of things that engage well with visitors.
2021 will continue to be a difficult time for the industry, but with vaccine rollouts and improved case rates, things could soon return to some kind of normality. Get your venue ready for reopening with a marketing push that’s ready to bring the crowds through your doors once more.
