
The Box Hill Community Arts Centre is a cultural hub that promotes and fosters the development of the arts and art based organisations.
I was invited to conduct a workshop on marketing and social media to assist these organisations in reaching new members, encouraging event participation and promoting their artistic works.
One of the key messages I conveyed during workshop was the need for consistency. No matter what marketing or communication tools you use, there is a need to be consistent in delivering your key messages.

The Marketing and Social Media Workshop delivered through the Box Hill Community Arts Centre
Consistency is particularly important on the Internet and when using social media, since there is a limited opportunity to connect and prompt action. If you are promoting an event, then ensure that the essential details are included; while if you want to gain members then highlight the benefits of membership.
Social media and an Internet presence, needs to be viewed as a marketing tool that can extend your reach and engage communities. There is little merit in developing a web presence, if it is not kept up-to-date and maintained, as this diminishes impact. Likewise, your organisation’s online presence needs to reflect the language, branding and identity that has been developed for brochures, leaflets and posters.
Policies are particularly important to ensure that you are able to identify authorised spokespeople and acceptable behaviour.
Identify your target markets and ensure that your messages resonate with the people you want to reach. Understanding key markets will help identify which social media tools may be useful for your organisation. Organisations should concentrate efforts on key social media tools, rather than being thinly spread across every platform.
Traditional media has always had feedback mechanisms, through letters to the editor and public commentary, social media amplifies this through immediacy and reach.
The right frameworks will ensure that your organisation can manage social media to achieve positive outcomes.
The arts community has the advantage of being able to share visual or audible works through the Internet and social media. The right strategies will enable organisations to extend their reach and foster new connections.