Audience Alchemy
Your roadmap to relevance and growth.
THE DATA GAP
You Know Your Patrons. You Don't Know What Drives Them.
Your CRM has their names, their ticket history, their demographics. But it doesn't tell you why they came—or why they'll come back.
That gap is costing you. New audiences aren't finding you. Existing patrons aren't deepening their engagement. Revenue is flat or declining.
The barrier isn't your art. It's the data you're working with.
When you understand what actually motivates people to engage, everything shifts. You stop guessing. You start attracting. Loyalty deepens. Revenue grows.
Audience Alchemy empowers you to see that driver—and act on it.
“HOLY MOLY! I just finished the second video and my mind is (again) blown. These are things I wondered about, thought about, dreamed about, but I’ve never heard them put together so clearly. This is SO HELPFUL!” —Course participant 2025
THE TRANSFORMATION
The New Growth Playbook
Audience Alchemy offers a new lens—a true paradigm shift that changes how you see, think, and act.
There's nothing inherently wrong with how arts organizations have approached segmentation for the past 20 years. It's just incomplete:
Demographics and transactions describe profiles and past behaviors. Need-based motivations predict.
“I’ve just had a major realization. The direction I’m currently exploring might actually go AGAINST the core principles of customer-centric communication.” —Course participant 2025
You’ll learn to:
➤ Understand what today’s consumers seek—and why the product itself is no longer enough.
➤ Segment by need—the approach that drives double digit revenue lift.
➤ Identify untapped markets—quantify the massive demand that already exists in your region.
➤ Craft a value proposition that resonates deeply—by shifting the focus from your product to your customer’s real priorities.
➤ Reimagine the marketing funnel—building pathways that meet people where they are.
➤ Track your true impact—inspiring new funders, new stakeholders, and your wider community.
THE EXPERIENCE
The Audience Alchemy Experience
Audience Alchemy is a cohort-based program for visionary arts leaders ready to ignite radical growth. Together, we’ll view the sector through a new lens and forge a bold new path forward.
Alchemy happens when visionaries gather.
The cohort model creates powerful momentum: you’ll build connections and exchange ideas in a private community of forward-thinking leaders across disciplines and time zones.
“OFF THE HOOK! This module is PACKED with so much good information—all usable and accessible. The downloads are great as well.” —Course participant 2025
When you join, you’ll get:
➤ Seven strategic modules—each packed with five mind-shifting videos you can watch (and rewatch) at your own pace.
➤ Quarterly check-ins for deeper learning and real-time connection.
➤ A private community—your space to collaborate, exchange feedback, and build lasting relationships.
➤ Customizable templates, worksheets, and tools—to turn every insight into immediate action.
➤ Guidance through the program — Weekly emails nudging you to watch the next module and engage with your peers in the private community.
Step Inside Audience Alchemy
Excerpt from Module 6: “Rebuild the Model, Reclaim the Mission”
Explore what you’ll learn in each module:
-
A Dramatically Changed World Requires Dramatic Change: Why legacy marketing no longer works (03:26)
The Problem Isn't the Price: Understanding demand vs. affordability (05:25)
Relevance is Earned: What drives audience motivation today (06:46)
Find the Sweet Spot: Aligning mission with real consumer demand (02:55)
Skip This, and Skip Relevance: The customer motivation framework that changes everything (02:51)
Case Study: Princeton University Concerts (Leading the Way Podcast)
Plus tools, templates, and downloadables
-
Audience Growth Starts OUTSIDE the Arts: Why untapped demand lies beyond traditional cultural segments (04:53)
Macro Trends That Unlock Growth: How national consumer trends signal new audience opportunities (09:39)
Redefine Your Market, Find Your Biggest Fans: Reframe your target audience based on outcomes, not demographics (06:47)
Not All Innovation Drives Growth: Why sustaining and efficiency innovations won't grow your audience (04:04)
Don't Ask About Repertoire or Price: The questions that reveal audience motivations—not surface preferences (07:55)
The Best Marketing Content Comes from Conversations: Conducting effective patron interviews for authentic insights (07:31)
Case Study: Georgia Rivers on Opera Australia's customer-centric growth
Plus tools, templates, and downloadables
-
Crunch the Numbers Before you Optimize: Using demand forecasting to guide positioning (01:59)
Only Seconds to Decide: Building a clear and compelling homepage pitch (04:01)
Your Recipe for Value: Structuring a high-impact value proposition (05:08)
Specificity is Irresistible: Crafting messages that resonate deeply (03:01)
A Real World VP: From product-focused to customer-first: A complete makeover (07:19)
Case Study: Andrew Recinos on Ballet Austin
Plus tools, templates, and downloadables
-
It's Not About You: Shifting from internal priorities to customer motivation (05:02)
The Path to Yes: Understanding phases of audience decision-making (06:00)
Build a Funnel that Converts: Practical tactics for each stage of the customer journey (06:35)
Explore: Map Your Customer-Centric Marketing Funnel (00:18)
Turn Emails Into Action: Writing emails aligned to the journey (05:01)
Case Study: How Intercom Designed a Funnel That Brought Radical Growth
Plus tools, templates, and downloadables
-
Threshold Fear - It’s Real (And Fixable): Removing friction for first-time attenders (07:19)
The Trouble With Tradition: Making legacy rituals more inclusive (07:32)
Don’t Abandon Your Guests: Designing intentional first-time experiences (02:35)
Everyone Belongs (By Design): Using Universal Design to grow welcome and access (07:37)
Hospitality Is a Team Sport: Creating organization-wide ownership of the customer experience (03:43)
From Spectators to Stakeholders: Building participatory engagement models (05:09)
Planning Backwards to Move Forward: Designing experiences around customer outcomes (03:58)
Measuring What Matters: Survey tools for measuring customer outcomes (05:02)
Case Study: Ballet Austin (CI to Eye podcast)
Case Study: Calgary Public Library
Plus tools, templates, and downloadables
-
Why Tweaks Aren't Enough: The case for business model reinvention (02:41)
Expansion Without Mission Drift: Growing strategically without losing your identity (02:04)
What Are You Built For?: Aligning infrastructure with customer outcomes (03:14)
Who's In Your Corner?: Redesigning your ecosystem for resilience (02:23)
Your New Model Starts Here: Outcome-based planning and revenue structures (02:16)
Real World Reinvention: Case studies of successful transformation (04:00)
Build a Magnet, Not a Staircase: Reimagining loyalty with a replenishment mindset (07:09)
Plus tools, templates, and downloadables
-
Are We There Yet?: Choosing the right progress metrics (03:37)
The Art of Persuasion: Making the internal case for change (04:00)
Rally the Troops: Building your change coalition (05:21)
When the Buzz Wears Off: Sustaining momentum post-launch (07:24)
You’re Ready. Let’s Go: Your next steps (01:02)
Plus tools, templates, and downloadables
THE FRAMEWORK
The Alchemy Process
At the core of Audience Alchemy is a simple but powerful idea: Growth happens when you align with what people are already seeking.
That’s where the G-O-L-D framework comes in—a precision-driven approach to unlocking demand, deepening connection, and building sustainable growth.
➤ Quantify your potential with the Growth Calculator.
“I left the program with specific plans for building better communications with existing and potential audience members.” —Course Participant, 2024
The G-O-L-D Framework
➤ GATHER audience insights that illuminate massive growth opportunity
➤ OPTIMIZE your value proposition to match real demand
➤ LEVERAGE the customer journey to reach a broader audience
➤ DELIVER transformational value that drives loyalty, relevance, and growth
Unlocking Real Growth
“Audience Alchemy COMPLETELY changed the way we talked about our concert series. By implementing the customer-centric model, we more than doubled attendance at a recent concert compared to our past season’s average!”
– George Fergus, Artistic Director, Musica Atlantica
"I turned the camera outward—and was awarded the full grant amount I asked for. I've found a new energy in tackling grants from this customer-centric paradigm, and I have A LOT of science, data, and language to use while doing so."
—John Wilson, Director of Cultural Arts, Jewish Community Center of Saint Louis
“Your seminar was terrific. I heard participants referencing it throughout all three days of the conference.”
—David Styers, League of American Orchestras
“What I have learned from you has been SO VALUABLE. Nearly 1,100 people took part in our inaugural weekend! The turnout exceeded all expectations and I am so grateful for your approachable, actionable teachings.”
—Tekla Cunningham, Founder, Seattle Bach Festival
“This course was a mind shift. Ruth’s G-O-L-D framework is helping us move from a product-centric mindset to a customer-centric one, showing us how to connect with audiences on a deeper, more meaningful level. She’s a hero for the arts and culture industry.”
—Ana Jaquim, Director of Marketing, Chamber Music Detroit
“There are so many clear and concrete takeaways that organizations can use to guide their own exploration of how to connect more widely and more deeply with present and future audiences.”
—David Prentiss, President & CEO, New Bedford Symphony Orchestra
"Audience Alchemy gave me an incredible set of tools and ideas to explore. After just one module, the buzz at our board meeting was fantastic—board members asked smart questions and I was able to give them clear, confident responses instead of vague advice. It’s helping shift the entire culture.”
—Jolle Greenleaf, Artistic Director, TENET
“This is the most useful series I've ever taken. You give us actionable information in a down-to-earth way. It's all extremely helpful info that we can implement immediately.
—Conee Sousa, Director of Marketing, New Bedford Symphony Orchestra
“I thought I was doing an acceptable job of marketing…Ruth's program showed me how wrong I was—and what I can do to improve, step by step. Every arts organization, from tiny nonprofits to esteemed legacy groups, can benefit from Ruth's program.”
—Eden Casteel, Greenhouse Entertainment Group
ENROLLMENT + INVESTMENT
Enroll in Audience Alchemy
Join a guided cohort with live strategy sessions every quarter, plus weekly “what’s next” emails and a private community to keep you moving forward.
For individuals paying out of pocket
$499
Features:
✓ Private community
✓ 30+ digestible video lessons
✓ Customizable templates, worksheets, and checklists
✓ Access to program materials and private community for 12 months
Accelerate your results with:
✓ 100 Customer-Centric Prompts
✓ Marketing Funnel Matrix
✓ Warning Signs: Audience Trends
✓ Growth Market Calculator
For orgs with annual budgets below $5M
$1,249+
Features:
✓ Private community
✓ 30+ digestible video lessons
✓ Customizable templates, worksheets, and checklists
✓ Access to program materials and private community for 12 months
Accelerate your results with:
✓ 100 Customer-Centric Prompts
✓ Marketing Funnel Matrix
✓ Warning Signs: Audience Trends
✓ Growth Market Calculator
Team access:
Includes access for your entire organization
For orgs with annual budgets $5M+
$3,566+
Features:
✓ Private community
✓ 30+ digestible video lessons
✓ Customizable templates, worksheets, and checklists
✓ Access to program materials and private community for 12 months
Accelerate your results with:
✓ 100 Customer-Centric Prompts
✓ Marketing Funnel Matrix
✓ Warning Signs: Audience Trends
✓ Growth Market Calculator
Team access:
Includes access for your entire organization
FAQs
Here’s what other arts leaders often ask before joining.
-
This isn’t tactics or tweaks. Audience Alchemy is a game-changing paradigm shift, built on the world’s most powerful innovation frameworks—and tailored for the realities of the arts sector.
Jobs to Be Done Theory – Understand what truly drives customer decisions, beyond demographics.
Blue Ocean Strategy – Stop competing for a shrinking pool and create new demand.
Market-Creating Innovation – Build new markets by addressing unmet needs.
Demand-Side Selling – Align with what customers are already trying to achieve.
The Art of Relevance (Nina Simon) – Break down barriers and make your organization essential to more people.
The Art of Gathering (Priya Parker) – Create magnetic, welcoming experiences that drive loyalty.
The Art of Community (Charles Vogl) – Strengthen belonging to drive deeper engagement and retention.
Leading Change (John Kotter) – Lead successful organizational change with clarity and momentum.
Plus powerful insights from consumer research (McKinsey, Deloitte, Pew Research, APA) to fuel your growth.
-
Audience Alchemy is designed to be accessible to individuals and organizations of all sizes, with tiered pricing based on your budget.
Pricing ranges from $499 to $5,995, depending on your budget size.
The program delivers the kind of deep customer insights, audience strategy, and value proposition work that typically costs $50,000 or more through a traditional consulting engagement — at a fraction of the cost.
You’ll walk away with strategic clarity, ready-to-implement tools, and the confidence to drive radical growth from the inside out.
(See the pricing section above for full details and installment options.)
-
Yes. You can spread your enrollment fee over three months with a small convenience fee. Just select "Installments" at checkout or reach out if you have questions.
-
This course is housed in a Circle community platform. It’s a combo of 30+ learn-at-your-own-pace videos, live sessions, and downloadable resources like templates and checklists.
The gamification component ensures that you stay motivated and engaged til the end. (Hint: There are big prizes at stake.)
-
The video modules add up to approximately 30 minutes of content each week. You’ll be walked through the six-week course through weekly emails nudging you to watch the next module.
Can’t squeeze it all in during the six week timeline? No problem. Watch the video learning modules at your own pace.
-
Yes—if you enroll through an organization license, everyone at your organization can access the content. It’s a powerful way to align your entire team around a bold, customer-first vision.
(If you’re paying out of pocket, you will receive an individual license.) -
You’ll have 12 months of full access to the program materials and community—plenty of time to implement, revisit, and continue growing at your own pace.
-
If you complete the first three modules and don’t feel you have a clear, actionable path forward, email me within 24 hours and I’ll refund your enrollment. No hoops. No forms. No questions asked.
RADICAL GROWTH AWAITS
Ready to redefine what’s possible for your organization?
Enroll now; start whenever you’re ready.