Grow your audience - tips for putting more bums on seats.

Most choirs spend considerable time worrying about ticket sales while giving surprisingly little thought to the information sitting quietly within their own organisation.

When attendance disappoints, the instinct is often to increase publicity. More posters are printed. More social media posts are published. More effort is invested in persuading strangers to attend concerts.

Yet many choirs overlook the most obvious audience available to them: the people already connected to the organisation.

Every choir possesses a network that extends far beyond its membership list. Each singer has family, friends, neighbours, former choir colleagues, work connections and social networks. Collectively, these relationships represent hundreds, and often thousands, of potential audience members. The challenge is not necessarily finding people who might attend. The challenge is identifying them and communicating effectively.

This is where data becomes important.

For some choir leaders, the word "data" conjures images of spreadsheets and corporate presentations. In reality, it simply means knowing who is interested in your choir and maintaining appropriate ways of communicating with them.

Many choirs know remarkably little about their audiences. They can tell you how many people attended the Christmas concert, but not how many attended for the first time. They know who bought tickets, but not whether those attendees have returned. They have social media followers but no meaningful way of converting online interest into future attendance.

Audience development begins with collecting information responsibly and systematically.

The goal is not to build the largest mailing list possible. The goal is to build the right mailing list. Every concert provides an opportunity to invite attendees to join a mailing list, subscribe to updates or register interest in future events. Over time, this creates a valuable audience database that belongs to the choir rather than to a social media platform's algorithm.

Of course, this must be done properly.

Under GDPR, individuals must actively consent to receiving marketing communications. Choirs cannot simply add people to mailing lists because they purchased a ticket, attended a concert or happen to know a committee member. Consent must be clear, informed and recorded. Equally important, people must be able to withdraw that consent easily.

The regulations are not designed to prevent communication. They are designed to ensure communication happens respectfully.

The most successful choirs understand that data alone is not enough. Information becomes valuable when combined with storytelling.

People rarely attend concerts because they are fascinated by rehearsal schedules or programme notes. They attend because they feel connected to a story. They want to support a local organisation, celebrate a milestone, hear a remarkable piece of music or share an experience with people they know.

Choirs often underestimate the emotional power of their own stories. The journey towards a competition, the preparation of a major work, a choir anniversary, a community partnership or the achievements of individual members all provide opportunities to engage audiences long before concert day arrives.

A choir that tells its story consistently creates familiarity. Familiarity creates trust. Trust encourages attendance.

For leaders seeking practical improvements, ten actions can make an immediate difference.

1. Build a GDPR-compliant audience mailing list.
2. Collect audience data at every event.
3. Record how people first heard about the choir.
4. Encourage singers to invite guests personally.
5. Create shareable content for members and families.
6. Tell stories, not just announce concerts.
7. Track repeat attendance where possible.
8. Thank audience members after events.
9. Use audience feedback to improve future concerts.
10. Treat every concert as an opportunity to grow the next audience.

Equally important are the mistakes to avoid.

1. Adding people to mailing lists without consent.
2. Purchasing third-party contact lists.
3. Relying entirely on social media.
4. Communicating only when tickets are on sale.
5. Collecting data without any plan for using it.

The strongest audiences are rarely built through advertising alone.

More often, they are built patiently through relationships. Choirs that understand who their audience is, communicate with them regularly and tell compelling stories about their work create a sustainable foundation for future growth.

The good news is that most choirs already possess the raw material required.

The audience is often there.