Setting Goals That Matter: Nonprofit Arts Marketing in 2025 (Part 1)

In 2024, a TikTok video went viral, breaking down the concept of marketing in a way so succinct and impactful that it lives rent-free in my mind. Unfortunately, the original creator remains unidentified due to countless reshares, but the wisdom goes like this:

"The Circus is coming to town and you put up a sign – that's advertising. If you put the sign on the back of an elephant and walk it into town – that's promotion. If the elephant walks through the mayor's flower bed and the local newspaper writes a story about it – that's publicity. If you get the mayor to laugh about it – that's public relations. If you tell people about the various entertainment booths, the fun they’ll have, and answer any questions about the experience you’re offering – that's sales. And if you planned the entire thing – that's MARKETING."

Brilliant, isn’t it?

It encapsulates all the key components of a robust marketing effort. But let’s be real: in the high-stakes, low-capacity world of small nonprofit arts organizations, marketing often gets reduced to just advertising, promotion, and sales.

If you’re fortunate enough to have more than one person in your marketing department—say, two or three—you might be able to stretch your efforts to include publicity and public relations. But how often do we truly feel like we’re doing all five components of marketing well? Rarely.

That’s why clearly defining your marketing goals for any upcoming campaign is critical. These goals will guide your decision-making, help allocate your limited resources, and allow you to evaluate what’s working and what isn’t.

Scenario: Planning Your Annual Festival for 2025

Let’s say you’re preparing for your annual festival, a series of performances curated throughout your city. You already know your budget (to learn how to build a budget for a festival, check out resources like TicketFairy.com for budgeting tips). But what’s next? Start by asking yourself these goal-setting questions:

Sales Goals:

• Which shows or events sold best last year?

• Which sales channels performed well? 

• What are your sales targets for this year? How much do you want to increase? Do you want to be aspirational or actual? 

• Which channels should you focus on or reduce time and money spent on?

Audience Goals:

• Are you targeting the same audience as last year, or do you want to diversify?

• What messaging resonated with them previously?

• Are you looking to engage more deeply with your current audience or grow your reach?

• Where does your desired audience spend time (social media, local events, newsletters)?

Answering these foundational questions is the first step in setting meaningful goals. But what about messaging and value? Next, we’ll dive into how to craft messaging goals that resonate with your audience and make them choose you over their other options.

What marketing goals are you setting for 2025? Please share your thoughts below, and let’s discuss how to refine your approach for maximum impact. Don’t forget to return for Part 2 of this conversation!

---

Tanesha Ford is a nonprofit marketing professional with nearly 15 years of experience helping arts organizations work smarter, not harder. As the founder of For de Arts, Tanesha specializes in empowering small but mighty arts nonprofits with tools and strategies that drive real impact.