I'm speaking and giving free one-on-one consultations at the Fall 2010 Arts Reach National Arts Marketing and Development Conference in Los Angeles, October 21-24. (I'll be speaking on either October 22 or 23 -- or maybe both -- sometimes I get to do my sessions twice. The 23rd is my birthday, so if you come to the conference and see me around, feel free to say, "What a loser! At a conference on your birthday! Ha!" or "Happy birthday" or whatever strikes your fancy, although I don't condone violence.)

My session will focus on "flow" -- at the meta level (the "What is this?" and skimming level), and at the level of copy writing and page layout. The thesis is that smooth flow keeps readers engaged and encourages sales, while snags caused by awkward, dull or confusing words or designs cause readers to lose interest and discourage sales. Here's the actual description:

Go With the Flow for a Lot More Dough: Smoothly Flowing Copy and Design Pull Patrons to The Finish Line (M/T)

PRESENTER:
Henry Ruddle, President, Ruddle Creative

The saddest lost sales are those not made to the willing prospects who were bored or confused by your brochure, postcard or advertisement. You invested in the production and in the marketing pieces, but your prospects have to want to read them and heed your call to action. Learn how to write copy and design layouts that flow — pulling the potential patron relentlessly toward the final action you so desire — the completed sale — and learn how to avoid creating barriers with confusing or unappealing words, graphics or layouts that stop the flow of ready cash to your organization. We'll look at some good examples, and some bad examples that have been made over, to see and judge for ourselves what makes for good flow.

(Note: the M/T at the end of the title means the talk is primarily of interest to marketing people and that there will be specific examples from theater companies.)

By the way, the "dough" portion of the session title was suggested by John Zorn, the conference organizer. It's exactly the sort of playful language he usually cuts out when I try to put it in, so at first I thought he was making a joke by suggesting it. It's a bit long, but with his addition the title is now a rhyming couplet.