Case Studies

Barter Theatre, located in Southwest Virginia, needed to increase ticket sales.
Expanding Audience Reach for a Regional Theatre

Barter Theatre needed to increase ticket sales by attracting new audiences beyond its immediate geographic area. Through targeted media outreach and strategic storytelling, we successfully expanded Barter’s reach and boosted out-of-town ticket sales.

Media coverage for Barter Theatre, located in Southwest Virginia.

CHALLENGE

Barter Theatre, located in Southwest Virginia, needed to increase ticket sales by drawing audiences from beyond a 100-mile radius, tapping into broader regional and national markets.

GOAL

Expand Barter Theatre’s audience base and boost ticket sales by attracting new visitors from outside the local area.

STRATEGY

Leverage compelling stories and media outreach in target markets to position Barter Theatre as a must-visit cultural destination.

Main Exterior of The Barter Theater

Tactics

  • Media pitching: Targeted travel outlets and regional publications popular with the theatre’s primary demographics.
  • Cast profiles: Highlighted company member profiles in target media markets where cast members grew up or studied, discussing their careers at Barter and roles in upcoming productions.
  • National stories:  Identified stories of national interest and positioned Barter’s leaders as experts in the arts sector, securing coverage in prominent national outlets.

ResultS

  • Secured extensive media coverage, including:
    • Local stories in 9 surrounding states (print, online, TV, and radio)
    • Features in lifestyle and travel publications such as Southern Living and Garden & Gun
    • National coverage with PBS NewsHour and the Associated Press
  • Show tickets purchased by out-of-town audiences increased by 42% in the first two years.

LINKS

 Featured articles and coverage – Southern Living and Garden & Gun; and national stories with PBS NewsHour and Associated Press.

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