museum store winter 2014
DESCRIPTION
This issue of Museum Store magazine has articles about merchandise planning, strategic management, communications, and business relations.TRANSCRIPT
THE MALE MUSEUM STORE CUSTOMER 12 AFTER-HOURS RETAILING 17 BRINGING SCHOOL GROUPS
BACK 32
THE QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF THE MUSEUM STORE ASSOCIATION WINTER 2014
MuseumStoreSM
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Project #: MM-001-395 Title: MSA Ad Winter Ad Date: 22OCT14Project Manager: Jamie Lapetina Version #1 Designer: TJG Page: 1 of 1 © 2014 DMA · PLEASE USE PROJECT # WHEN CORRESPONDING TO DESIGN MASTER ASSOCIATES, INC.
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Take a look in the mirror of the world market. Explore every facet of the international consumer goods industry at the world’s largest and most important trade show for the industry. Discover a unique diversity of products in the Giving area, where you’ll fi nd countless ideas across the entire gift sector.
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Tel. 770.984.8016 [email protected]
February 13 – 17, 2015Frankfurt, Germany
Partner country
MesseFrankfurt.indd 5 12/4/14 11:52 AM
6 MUSEUM STORE
FEATURES
12 The Male Museum Store Customer By Andrew Andoniadis
17 After-Hours Retailing By Marge D. Hansen
20 Buyer’s Guide
28 Getting Married to Marketing By Sue Stoveall
32 Bringing School Groups Back By Traci Rylands
36 In Your Best Pinterest By David Rukec
DEPARTMENTS
8 Letter from the Board President
10 Letter from the Executive Director
41 Member Story
43 Book Review
44 Ad Index
On the cover: MSA Executive Director/ CEO Jama Rice holiday shopping at one of Denver Art Museum’s shops. Photo by Carl Budke
$15
Winter 2014 | Volume 42 | Issue 4
MUSEUM STORE ASSOCIATION3773 E. Cherry Creek North Dr., Suite 755Denver, CO 80209Phone (303) 504-9223 Fax (303) [email protected] museumstoreassociation.org
SKIES AMERICA PUBLISHING COMPANY
ART DIRECTOR
Michelle Fandrey
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Jolene Johnson
EDITOR
Samantha Edington
MUSEUM STORE MAGAZINE ADVERTISING
Mary Petillo (503) [email protected]
Diana Grossarth (503) [email protected]
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Cindy Pike
CIRCULATION
John Mendez
Museum Store magazine (ISSN 1040-6999) is published quarterly by the Museum Store Association. Museum Store Association and MSA are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Postmaster: Send address changes to Museum Store Association, 3773 E. Cherry Creek North Dr., Suite 755, Denver, CO 80209-3804
© 2014 Museum Store Association Inc. All rights reserved. Except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review, no part of this magazine may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Museum Store Association. Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Museum Store Association. Printed in the USA.
Knowledge Standards Key
n COMMUNICATIONS
n FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
n OPERATIONS
n MERCHANDISE PLANNING
n STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
n CUSTOMER RELATIONS
n BUSINESS RELATIONS
n HUMAN RESOURCES
TOC_W14.indd 6 12/4/14 1:36 PM
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8 MUSEUM STORE
t is about making a profit and producing that ever-elusive, positive net income! Every retailer struggles with this every day—how to attain it and how to increase it. It takes a strong retail team to build the foundation and put all of the pieces together to get there.
Do you have the right fixtures and does the lighting create a tone and environment that attracts and guides customers? If lighting highlights the merchandise properly, there is an ambiance that enables purchase decisions. New lighting and/or lighting design can increase your sales significantly! Alice McAuliffe of the Walters Art Museum recently shared that her average transaction increased seven percent in one year after redesigning the lighting. That’s a number you can take to your finance department!
Is your staff trained to sell? Does your store have a customer service and sales program that lays out the key ways that staff can help reach your store’s goals? A well-trained staff can have a positive impact on the bottom line by as much as 123 percent.
Do you have a product development and marketing program that supports your institution’s mission and uses every opportunity to make a brand statement? If not, you are missing valuable opportunities to educate visitors about your museum and you are losing sales. Visitors want mementos to take home with them.
Does your store have an event schedule? Trunk shows, featured artists, CD/DVD/book signings and vendor talks are opportunities to increase revenue and net income, and there is no carrying cost to the inventory you will be moving—it’s sold before it’s even received! In this issue of Museum Store magazine, you will find articles that support your quest to have an impact on your museum’s financial objectives. This edition was specially created to help you discover ways to increase profit. I guarantee that if you become engaged and involved, read and reread this magazine and take advantage of the opportunities MSA offers, you will increase revenue and ultimately net income for your institution!
it is about profitMSA Board of Directors
P R E S I D E N TBarbara LenhardtThe John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Washington, D.C.
F I R S T V I C E P R E S I D E N TDavid A. DuddydeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum Lincoln, Mass.
S E C O N D V I C E P R E S I D E N TStuart Hatade Young and Legion of Honor/Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco San Francisco
S E C R E T A R YMichael HigdonNational Building Museum Washington, D.C.
T R E A S U R E RGloria SternMinnesota Historical SocietySplit Rock Lighthouse Two Harbors, Minn.
D I R E C T O R A T L A R G EMary ChristensenMuseum of Flight Seattle
D I R E C T O R A T L A R G EKathryn RushHarn Museum of Art Gainesville, Fla.
A F F I L I A T E A D V I S O RPhil ZuckermanApplewood Books Carlisle, Mass.
FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENT
i
Barbara Lenhardt MSA Board President
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9MUSEUM STORE
CONNECTReceptions
Special eventsNon-stop Networking
Learn about the sessions, speakers, special events and more at
museumstoreassociation.org
LEARN21 Learning Sessions
Renowned Keynote SpeakersLearning Excursions
DO BUSINESSOne-stop Shopping
200+ Vendors11 Expo Hall Hours
Board-Director Letters_v2.indd 9 12/4/14 1:22 PM
10 MUSEUM STORE
he economics of managing an association are not much different than any business, including retail stores. Bring in revenue, manage expenses and make good business decisions to generate profit.
For the Museum Store Association, financial sustainability requires that we grow the top line and continue to take a hard line on expenses. In order to stabilize the association following the recession, the previous administration instituted some cost-cutting measures, and in the last two years we have significantly reduced expenses even further. But at some point, cost cutting begins to affect the value the association offers to its members.
So, now it is time to focus on the top line, and that’s where I could use your help. An increase in the number of members generates much more than membership revenue. More members means more attendees at the Annual Conference & Expo, and more attendees results in happier exhibitors. More members translates to higher Museum Store magazine circulation, and that means happier advertisers. More members means more interest in MSA’s books, webinars, recordings and learning sessions, and that means more learning. More members means, well, more members, and that creates a stronger community. And, more members allow MSA to have a greater influence in the museum store industry as a whole.
MSA staff has agreed that there is nothing more important than creating value for members. A laser-like focus on making membership matter to you is the best chance for MSA to achieve growth. I think board members agree: there is no assignment more important for MSA’s executive director/CEO at this point in time.
The team in Denver is reviewing research and history in order to fine-tune our focus on members. We would love to hear your feedback on our progress and ideas for doing even better. Your help in identifying and recruiting new members supports our efforts. Spread the word: It’s a new day at MSA!
Thank you for your help in growing MSA’s top line.
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
my biggest responsibilityMSA Staff
E X E C U T I V E D I R E C T O R / C E O Jama Rice, MBA, CAE
MEETINGS & CONFERENCE MANAGER Jennifer Anderson
S Y S T E M S A D M I N I S T R A T O R Adriana Herald
MANAGER OF LEARNING Lacey Mills, MA
M A R K E T I N G & C O M M U N I C AT I O N S
C O N S U LT A N TSue Stoveall, MBA
t
Jama Rice Executive Director/CEO
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13MUSEUM STORE
Merchandise Planning
f you are a retailer, you know that there is no single way to increase sales from male museum visitors. As a retailer you have tried different things to get men to buy but have not found a consistent solution. This dilemma can potentially be solved by looking back to our ancestral roots: men are hunters and women are gatherers.
Four out of five women shop like gatherers, browsing until they find what they want at a price they want to pay. Women regard shopping as a form of leisure and are happy to roam until they can gather what they want. Men, on the other hand, approach shopping as a mission. Upwards of 70 percent of men know exactly what they want before going shopping; they know where to shop, and they go straight for the kill when they get there.
Then there are the economics of shopping, some of which work to the retailer’s advantage. While women make approximately 70 percent of all retail purchases, men have access to a sizeable reserve of disposable income. Men move more rapidly, ask fewer questions and make up their minds quickly. They really can be efficient transactions.
The first step to selling to male visitors is to believe there is a male market that wants to buy. Men are either in your museum store as a primary customer or they are accompanying partners, spouses, children, other family members and friends. So, if you believe, take the time to try retailing tricks that may stimulate their interests and lead to incremental sales. And, once they have made up their mind to make a purchase, men are less concerned about price. A range of price points, however, should be available.
Museum-oriented Twists That Work
Customer ExperienceStaffing with knowledge. Men often lack detailed knowledge of products and can be discouraged by too many undefined choices. A staff person with product knowledge, exhibit answers and focused recommendations will more easily make a connection.
Killing two birds with one stone. Gift cards work well for the male buyer and the recipient. Use suggestive selling to promote them. When the recipient comes to your store—whether a man or a woman—there is a good chance that browsing will lead to a purchase beyond the amount on the gift card.
Making assumptions. Don’t bother to ask a man if he needs help. Assume that he does and that he probably will not ask. Initiate some no-pressure, informative interaction. “What was your favorite part of the exhibit?” is a good, proactive opening line that can be followed up with product recommendations.
BY ANDREW ANDONIADIS
Men move more rapidly, ask fewer questions and make up their minds quickly. They really can be efficient transactions.”
the male museum store customer
i
“Mission-style lamps have been an attrac-tive, long-lasting gift for décor for a man’s office or domain.”
Dale Peterson, River of Goods, St. Paul, Minn.
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14 MUSEUM STORE
Merchandise Planning
Merchandise for men in conjunction with the Quality is Contagious: John Economaki and Bridge City Tool Works exhibition at the Bellevue Arts Museum in Bellevue, Wash., includes this hand-sewn leather journal by Rustico.
Making him feel at home. Prior experience with a product has a strong infl uence on purchasing, so brand names and exhibit images that evoke familiarity will reduce buying resistance. After they feel comfortable in a store, and especially with the staff, men can be very loyal customers.
Product SelectionSports, fi nancial, electronic, gadget, nostalgia and transportation motifs are naturals for male shoppers. This is one reason why, in my experience, stores in museums with related missions seem to do better with male visitors. Even if these areas are not part of your institution’s mission, exhibits with these components can be highlighted in the store or used in merchandise displays. When choosing male-oriented products, remember that in the home décor, desktop, tabletop and gift areas, function is preferred over fashion. Look for items that have leather, suede, wood grains and texture components.
Merchandising and DisplayDo not forget about gatherers and hunters when merchandising and displaying. Put male-oriented products at the front of the store. Women will readily walk through the male-oriented section to get to their areas of interest, but men are far less likely to walk the entire store in search of something of interest. One exception may be books, which are often a natural draw for men.
Men infl uence what women buy and, perhaps most importantly in this context, how long they stay in the store. An impatient man, perhaps negatively infl uenced by uncomfortable environmental factors, will shorten the buying window. So, while marketing to men will drive purchasing, keeping their interest and making them comfortable will also allow members of their party to linger longer and buy more.
Just like men don’t know what to buy for women, many women don’t know what to buy for men. By focusing the merchandising in a part of your store toward men, you will also be facilitating purchases for men by women.
Twists That Don’t WorkMany of the environmental factors that have a negative impact on male shoppers will also infl uence the buying patterns of women, but may more heavily impact men. Take the time to consider these factors and make adjustments to maximize
the possibility of motivating men to buy.
A warm store. Men will simply leave a store that is too warm much more quickly than a store that is too cool—taking the rest of their group with them.
Strong smells. Merchandise products that have a strong scent near the HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) in order to dissipate the smell.
Clutter. Crowded visitor, fi xturing and merchandising conditions will shorten the stay of the male shopper. Spread things out so they have room to breathe.
HERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL MERCHANDISING TWISTS FOR MEN IN MUSEUM STORES:
• Men are harder to get to focus, so make your merchandising and displays visually compelling.
• Merchandising and fi xturing with darker, richer colors, especially browns and earth tones, regardless of which colors are trendy at the moment, will attract men.
• Helpful signage will relieve men from having to ask questions or call attention to themselves.
• Cross-merchandising displays that bring together multiple categories and exhibit examples will attract men.
• Merchandising that has integrated audio and visual elements will fairly easily manipulate men to stop, look and listen.
• Recalling mission- and sporting-related exhibits or museum events into merchandising will drive sales to men.
• Merchandise gift certifi cates together with male-oriented products.
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15MUSEUM STORE
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Male Shoppers_V2.indd 15 12/4/14 11:39 AM
16 MUSEUM STORE
Merchandise Planning
Long lines. Men may actually spend a reasonably long time in your store, but when they are ready to leave, they are ready to leave. Do your best to minimize lines toward the cash register.
Bad information. Poor signage, especially missing price tags, apparel sizes and provenance information, will require a man to ask questions. Take steps to help men avoid drawing attention to themselves.
Untrained salespeople. Overly talkative and/or under-informed salespeople can quickly cancel out all of your efforts to market to men. Train salespeople on the differences between male and female shoppers, and be sure they are fully informed about male-oriented merchandise.
In conclusion, I am not advocating that retailers treat men like Neanderthals. After all, we are not extinct. Male Neanderthals did exhibit intelligent behavior, and the hunting instinct has served men well over the millennia. The challenge for retailers is to play tricks on the hunter to get him to hunt more.
The male merchandise section at the Modernism Museum Shoppe in Mount Dora, Fla., features ties from Museum Store Products, Inc., handmade wooden products and leather taxi wallets.
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Merchandise Planning
17MUSEUM STORE
An “after hours” theme encourages visitors to think about cultural institutions in a different way. This attitude can spill over into retailing, providing the perfect opportunity for stores to engage a whole new audience.
BY MARGE D. HANSEN
after-hours retailing
nce strictly part of the artistic, botanic, historic and scientific studies scene, many institutions have begun to open their doors to people who just want to have fun in a distinctive setting where gallery walls are covered with respected collections, exotic plant
species flourish, glimpses of historical context unfold and underwater or starry-skied action is the perfect backdrop for an evening out. Upping the creativity quotient, these museum-by-night activities now rank right up there with other entertaining goings-on around town: live music, DJs, good food, wine/microbrew tastings, dancing, stimulating discussions with musicians and authors, holiday-themed and hands-on projects, private tours and much more.
This relaxed vibe can transform a museum into a popular gathering place—happy hour with a cultural twist that can simultaneously become an important source of increased revenue for the store. And, when an organization is in town for a convention or a local group rents the facility for an evening, carefully selected, related merchandise and institution-specific products are great takeaways. While working with a larger budget certainly makes it easier to maximize sales outreach efforts, smaller venues can benefit greatly from investing time, effort and imagination in a scaled-down version of after-hours retailing.
Food for ThoughtLast October, the National Geographic Society (NGS) launched a new exhibition titled Food: Our Global Kitchen, as well as its Food for Thought three-event series. A number of after-hour events were spin-offs on the NGS learning about food theme: An Evening with Top Chefs, a look at the Washington D.C. restaurant scene; A Farm-to-Table Meal, a five-course local, sustainable meal with wine, beer and cider; The Geography of Food, map collections paired with a private tour of the Global Kitchen exhibit; and EAT: The Story of Food, with special guests revealing how
food has defined human civilization, followed by a tasting reception.
On the evenings the events were held, the store saw an uptick in sales volume of approximately 25 percent over typical daily transactions, according to Ellen Tozer, retail manager at the NGS museum store in Washington, D.C. “Usually we sell lots of related books/exhibition products and it’s busy the whole time,” Tozer says. “We create displays in our street-front window, as well.”
The NGS store is open for all exhibition unveilings and for outside groups that rent the museum spaces for parties. “Often the events groups will put together goodie bags of products related to the exhibition they are seeing to be given away to guests.”
Capitalize On What You Do BestIn contrast to the expansive National Geographic Society campus, The Dennos Museum Center in Traverse City, Mich., has only five galleries and a sculpture garden—all on one level. “We are small and off-season,” explains Store Manager Terry Tarnow. Upon entering, visitors circle through the galleries and come to the compact, 500-square-foot Charles and Dolores Kelly Museum Store last.
“We have a concert series twice a month, October through April, exhibition openings four times a year, lecture series, college-related receptions, where the museum is used and outside events that rent the museum,” Tarnow notes. “Depending on the time of year, the revenues
o
National Geographic Society’s Peruvian Gold Merchandise
Hansen After Hours.indd 17 12/4/14 11:40 AM
Merchandise Planning
18 MUSEUM STORE
POWER MARKETING
• Tap into the local scene to identify what merchandise is drawing the attention of targeted age groups, and make mission-related items of the same type available at after-hours events.
• Work with internal event coordinators to add “store open” copy to advertisements, local calendar listings and direct mail/email blast event reminders.
• Produce “save the date” announcements to display at checkout or include with store purchases.
• Post featured events/store open messaging on the store website.
• Get the word out via Facebook and Twitter that the store is open for business during after-hours events.
• Engage employees in your unique shopping experience. NGS has 1,300 employees in three buildings. Small event posters are created and displayed in strategic spots the employees frequent, like elevators.
can be 80 percent of a day’s sales. We may do a few hundred during the day, but $400 to $500 during an event.”
The store’s largest dollar sales are in Canadian Inuit art, based on the museum’s primary permanent collection, but with a largely female customer base, Tarnow says scarves, shawls and jewelry are bestsellers when it comes to quantity. For the paper art show by Chinese artist Li Hongbo and Michigan artist Matt Shlian titled Stacked & Folded Paper As Sculpture, she tapped into an English artist’s assortment of permanently pleated scarves that closely resembled the folded paper in the exhibition. She also found jewelry made of paper and jewelry with folds that replicated the folded paper, confi rming she knows what her daytime and after-hours event audiences appreciate, and matching the merchandise to her customers’ purchasing patterns.
For another show, which incorporated light and mirrors in many of the constructs, Tarnow had fun with light-up earrings, bracelets, necklaces and some optic lights. She added other multi-colored pieces that gave the impression of light. She sometimes has specials for an event or offers the member discount to a visiting group. The substantial increase in sales proves she chose and displayed her array of products wisely.
Museum Store Manager/Buyer Donna Natsoulas realized an impressive 150 percent increase over regular daily store sales driven by a recent exhibition-related, after-hours event at Sacramento’s Crocker Art Museum. “If we have a blockbuster show up and opening soon, special preview openings are well attended,” she says, observing that many of the after-hour events attract existing members who already loyally support the store. Feedback from newer members and other guests also indicates they approve of the merchandise offered, as substantiated by increased customer spending.
In a completely different setting, Daweswood Gifts, the store at The Dawes Arboretum in Newark, Ohio, near Columbus, is located just inside the front gate. The 1,300-square-foot shop and visitor center is a multi-purpose space located directly off the small, main foyer. “It consists of a front desk, separate check out/register area, shop displays and an area in front of a large stone fi replace where there is a leather sofa and two arm chairs with a coffee table for our visitors to sit and rest. Visitors also cross through this space to reach offi ces, our rental rooms, education areas and restrooms,” describes Brandon Clayton, Director of Visitor Services. “Our main after-hours events include both educational events and wedding receptions. We occasionally hold concerts, internal and large community events. For large, outdoor, after-hour events, we occasionally have a mobile gift shop where we handle sales through an iPad.”
Clayton reports an increase in sales on these event occasions, with an important added benefi t: fi rst-time visitors discover the store. “Some of these visitors are not prepared to shop, but fi nd enough interest in our products where they return to shop in the future,” he explains.
To Open or Not To OpenAccording to Natsoulas, “Our store will be open to provide a service and enhance our visitors’ experiences.” Adopting a different point of view on what works best at the Dawes Arboretum, the shop is not open for every event. When the store is open after hours, the front desk staff manages shop sales and visitor services.
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Merchandise Planning
19MUSEUM STORE
Because of its location, when the store is not open, a representative of the department holding an event must be present and sit at the front desk. “Our situation does not allow for our gift shop to be shut off from the rest of our visitor center very easily, so we need to be very flexible in our hours and coverage,” says Clayton, who finds targeting specific audiences best benefits the store. She uses past sales history of groups that return regularly to monitor which events draw customers who spend the most. This also helps her gear opening times to when event visitors are most likely to shop.
Value of After-hours RetailingJanet Bay started out as a volunteer when The Dennos Museum Center opened in 1991 and has been a store associate for the past 15 years. She remembers what her customers like, recommends new items accordingly and especially enjoys working special events.
“The Museum seems to change personality after hours. Diverse groups attend exhibit openings plus musical, intellectual, college and social gatherings. I enjoy being a part of these evenings, getting reacquainted with regulars and making new friends who attend these events. Some have not been to our museum before, and it is fun to get them acquainted with our store. The shoppers’ good moods are contagious—and they buy! I always look forward to having our store open during these functions and notice that many of the buyers return.”
Marge D. Hansen is a freelance writer based in Broomfield, Colo.
Photographer Ken Scott gives a lecture on his work at The Dennos Museum Center.
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Hansen After Hours.indd 19 12/4/14 11:40 AM
20 MUSEUM STORE
Merchandise Planning
what’s hot for 2015WHAT’S HOT ON THE RUNWAY DOESN’T NECESSARILY TRANSLATE to what’s hot for museum store shoppers. Museum stores offer a cozy, colorful, personal experience that invites visitors to walk in and flip through a book, try on accessories or get up close to a piece of art or a symbol of history.
Many vendors who specialize in products for museum stores urge buyers to sit back and think about things like nostalgia and history. For museum stores, a product doesn’t need to be new in order to be a big seller. If it captures imagination and curiosity, it’s hot.
“My company sells products that are nostalgic and historical,” said Julie C. Harris, owner of Historical Folk Toys, LLC. “If you consider fun and dependability when analyzing a trend, then these are hot.”
Harris has been selling historical folk toys, craft kits and nostalgic books for over 20 years. “Guess what?” she said, “Those same items are still popular today.”
Easy 123 Art’s Aimee Cecil agrees. She knows through experience that nostalgic products are hard to find at today’s big retailers. “When someone visits a historic site or museum store, they’ll find things you can’t find online or at the mall,” she said. “Museum stores encourage participation and stir up excitement, and that never goes out of style.”
For museum stores, a product doesn’t need
to be new in order to be a big seller. If it captures imagination and curiosity, it’s hot.”
BUYER’S GUIDE
Folkmanis, Inc.Dive to the depths of your imagination with the whimsical Sea Serpent puppet. This enchanting creature features scaly-looking, midnight blue skin with a feathery, three-humped spine highlighted with bright blue accents on its movable head and tail. Animate both mouth and tail pocket for full hypnotic effect.
Folkmanis, Inc. Folkmanis.com(800) 654-8922 See ad on page 2
Easy 123 ArtDesign a collection especially for your museum store with Easy 123 Art customizable paint-by-number kits. Send a photo of your museum’s main attraction, choose color palette and level of detail. Kit sizes are mini, classic and big with oak frames available. Pictured is Take Me to Churchill Downs, a 12- by 12-inch classic kit from the Kentucky Derby™ Collection.
Easy 123 Art easy123art.com(502) 225-4006 See ad on page 42
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21MUSEUM STORE
Merchandise Planning
Swahili ImportsThere’s much to appreciate about this African Animal Tea Party set, from the Africa-shaped table to the simple symbolism of savanna animals in conference. This unique piece comes from the workshop of Richard, a talented Kenyan wood carver skilled at carving jacaranda, a tree readily available in East Africa. Each animal, table and beverage is carved and painted by hand.
Swahili Imports swahiliwholesale.com (541) 684-0688 See ad on page 34
Carol S. Miller HandbagsNew by Carol S. Miller Handbags are hand-painted bags by The Artisan, made and painted in the U.S.A. These bags are painted with a special acrylic leather paint guaranteed not to chip, run or fade. Carol S. Miller Handbags can custom design at a reasonable cost for original “art to wear.”
Carol S. Miller Co. carolsmillerhandbags.com(201) 406-4578 See ad on page 34
Galison/MudpuppyThe Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum’s collection contains a wealth of gorgeous patterns for wallpaper, textiles and more. Galison/Mudpuppy’s Cooper Hewitt Design Patterns Boxed Notecards feature 24 of these unique designs, with a different pattern on every card. The beautifully-illustrated and durable box features a magnetic closure.
Galison/Mudpuppy Galison.com(800) 670-7441 See ad on page 44
University of LA at Lafayette PressThe Public Art of Robert Dafford provides a vivid depiction of the renowned artist’s work through text and images by acclaimed photographer Philip Gould. Dafford is one the most prolific and successful American muralists working today, with over 350 large scale public works in the United States and overseas.
University of LA at Lafayette Press ulpress.org(337) 482-1163 See ad on page 35
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22 MUSEUM STORE
Merchandise Planning
American Heritage™ ChocolateAmerican Heritage™ Chocolate is an authentic historic line of products based on recipes from the 1750s that celebrate chocolate’s important role in the lives of Americans during the 18th century. Available in individually-wrapped, single-serving chocolate sticks; individually-wrapped, bite-size chocolates in a keepsake muslin bag; chocolate blocks; and a re-sealable canister with a bag of finely grated chocolate for drinking or baking.
American Heritage™ Chocolate americanheritagechocolate.com(800) 800-7046 See ad on page 27
Popcorn Movie Poster CompanyPopcorn has developed a modern, readymade package for your custom museum magnet set. The Crystal Clear Magnet Jewel Box includes four custom magnets pictured on the back packaging. Order small minimums with no set-up or design fees. Made in U.S.A.
Popcorn Movie Poster Company popcornposters.com (213) 622-4719 See ad on page 3
Historical Folk ToysA handmade doll is a treasure. The Rag Doll Kit is Historical Folk Toys’ best-selling kit and a must-have for colonial historic sites. The doll measures just over 11 inches when finished and is easy to make. Kit includes fabric, yarn, needle, thread, embroidery floss, stuffing, pattern, instructions and history.
Historical Folk Toys historicalfolktoys.com(800) 871-1984 See ad on page 44
Solmate SocksLife is too short for matching socks, especially when you can wear these beautiful mismatched ones. Solmate Socks is a highly sought-after brand and a top-selling item at gift shops, galleries and museum stores nationwide. Solmate Socks are Made in U.S.A., eco-friendly products that keep customers coming back for more.
Solmate Socks socklady.com (866) 762-5523 See ad on page 19
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24 MUSEUM STORE
Merchandise Planning
KamibashiLet Kamibashi create a custom string doll for a permanent or temporary exhibit. Handmade in Thailand, each string doll has his/her own special power that is always positive and helpful. Loved by all ages, each doll is a fair trade piece of art at an affordable price. No sample fee or minimum order if the doll becomes part of the String Doll Gang.
Kamibashi kamibashi.com(828) 683-7994 See ad on page 40
The Unemployed Philosphers GuildThe Unemployed Philosophers Guild Planet Plate features an original watercolor portrait of a member of the solar system on a 9-inch, dishwasher-safe melamine plate. The set of eight features Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Planet Plates were honored with the 2014 MSA Buyer’s Choice Award in the education and games category.
The Unemployed upguild.comPhilosphers Guild (800) 255-8371 See ad on page 23
Josh Bach LimitedJosh Bach Limited’s handsome and distinctive neckties are a pleasant departure from the predictable and the everyday. Every Josh Bach design is meant to catch your eye, make you smile or evoke a fond memory. Choose from in-stock neckties and bowties or the 100-piece custom design program. Made in U.S.A.
Josh Bach Ltd. joshbach.com(212) 964-5419 See ad on page 15
Design Masters AssociatesView a custom, full-color image through a uniquely cut, handcrafted crystal with Design Masters Associates’ crystal and photo-etched ornament. The ornament surrounds a rectangular crystal with a sparkling facet edge in a beautifully ornate, brass, photo-etched frame that is silk screened and gold finished. Completed with a red satin ribbon for hanging, the ornament is nestled in a blue vacuform insert and slipped into a clear acetate box. Included is a romance card with site-specific information.
Design Masters Associates designmasters.com(757) 566-8500 See ad on page 4
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25MUSEUM STORE
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26 MUSEUM STORE
Merchandise Planning
Origin JewelryThis statement piece form Origin Jewelry is a wearable, contemporary piece of art with a clean aesthetic and affordable price. Exclusive European designs are handmade of resin, shell, silver leaf and aluminum, and are hypoallergenic, nickel and lead free.
Origin Jewelry originjewelry.net(831) 475-8595 See ad on page 39
Applewood BooksAmerican Roots is a new imprint from Applewood Books. This collection of timeless classics from famous American writers, thinkers, dreamers and doers has been lovingly crafted into small, tactile souvenirs of the mind, intended to connect Applewood’s love of content with its love of beautiful things.
Applewood Books applewoodbooks.com(800) 277-5312 See ad on page 33
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29MUSEUM STORE
Communications
received a beautiful, 20-page newsletter in the mail recently from an art museum where I grew up. I remember my parents bribing me out of throwing fi ts about visiting the museum by promising a stop in the museum store.
Being who I am now—a marketing person who works for the Museum Store Association—I fl ipped through the pages looking for information about the museum store. I read through the
newsletter twice, fi guring I missed it the fi rst time. On the second run through, I found a mention about the museum store. It was a small ad about how members could save at the store during an upcoming event (see below).
That’s it? I would love to support my hometown art museum, but what can I look forward to when I get there? This is holiday shopping season. I’m busy. I work, I have kids and I have guests coming on December 2! The museum is all the way across town and I have no idea what I’ll fi nd when I get there!
Well, this is true: I received the newsletter from my hometown art museum. But, I can’t go shop there on December 2 because today I live more than a thousand miles away. If I did live there, however, I would throw another fi t. I am sure this museum store has fabulous merchandise that’s not available anywhere else in the city, and that if the museum’s marketing department had fi lled a page with photos of exhibit-related products and holiday merchandise, they would experience a whole lot of generosity and giving back—to the museum’s bottom line.
Do not let this happen to you! How well connected are you with your institution’s marketing department? How often do you sit down with those who write newsletters, eblasts, social media posts and content for the website? If your museum’s marketing communications are generated by the membership department, have you had a conversation about how your store can support membership acquisition?
If your answers to these questions include “not very,” “I don’t remember” or “no,” then a great relationship lies ahead.
The CourtshipHere are the stages to creating a meaningful and lasting relationship with the marketing department.
Phase #1: Take Marketing Department Out for Coffee (or Cocktails)Meet and lead a discussion about the specifi c merchandise in your store that
Steps for creating a meaningful and lasting relationship with your marketing department.
BY SUE STOVEALL
getting married to marketing
iTake a break from the frenzy of online holiday shopping and visit the Museum Store at the Local
Art Museum during #GivingTuesday for extra savings on purchases! #GivingTuesday is a global day dedicated to celebrating generosity and giving back, so we’re thanking our valued members and visitors with special discounts and rewards on any purchase over $25.
Your purchase helps the museum fulfill its mission of bringing art and people together!
Valid Tuesday, December 2.
TO SAVE!
ONE DAY
This ad for an art museum sale may not attract shoppers.
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30 MUSEUM STORE
Communications
supports the institution’s brand and mission, offers visitors a memento relating to the main exhibit and items that are just plain awesome and can’t be found anywhere else in town.
Phase #2: Email Product Images to Marketing DepartmentThe day after coffee or cocktails, email images of products you discussed in Phase #1, along with data and information about why these products are in stock, who buys them, what visitors say about them and what percentage of purchasers did not receive a membership discount because they were not members. This should get their hearts pounding.
Phase #3: Book a Conference Room and Send an Outlook InviteDon’t wait too long. Marketing people are easily distracted by Facebook and Twitter, members, website problems, curators and the CFO. Bring the products discussed in Phase #1 that were emailed in Phase #2 to the meeting along with a retail marketing strategy. This is the easy part for you. You know which products will generate a level of interest that will bring members and non-members to the museum. You know how your store’s concept is designed to support your museum’s brand and extend the visitors’ experience. You know what seasonal merchandise you have ordered that will help the marketing people bring more visitors through the door.
Phase #4: Put a Ring on ItYou and your marketing people are now very close. You’ll have coffee regularly to plan the next newsletter, email, Facebook post, Tweet and web page. You’ll have spontaneous celebratory meetings in the café. You’ll high fi ve about reaching membership, visitor and sales goals. You’ll text about retail marketing strategy during all-staff meetings and before bed.
There’s a Ring on It: Norton Simon MuseumAt the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, Calif., there is a clear sense about the importance of communicating about the store as part of the museum’s mission and incorporating the museum with the store’s retail strategy.
Store Manager Andrew Uchin and Head of Public Affairs Leslie Denk collaborate regularly. Denk’s department oversees marketing, communications, membership, design and visitor relations, and ensuring that each visitor has a positive experience—in the museum and in the store—is part of her mandate. Denk assists with choosing colors for displays and signage and with product development, and Uchin provides content for print and electronic newsletters, social media and the website. Uchin’s staff sits on Denk’s social media committee, and Denk provides a platform for Uchin to conduct product research—visitors in the midst of exhibits.
“It behooves me to get all the guidance and support I can, and to collaborate as much as possible because this is a small institution with a clear, strong vision,” said Uchin. “When store products are featured in museum ads and on the website along with visitors interacting with products, the whole institution benefi ts.”
The Norton Simon was recently the subject of a Los Angeles Times feature story on Lock, Stock and Barrel: Norton Simon and the House of Duveen, which opened in October. The exhibition
catalog—on sale in the store—is mentioned above the fold. Uchin expects the publication to get a lot of attention from visitors.
Uchin and Denk both benefi t from collaboration. The store gives book samples to visitors with children and exhibit staff provides product feedback. “This makes visitors happy, and it’s how I found out that although the store carried books for toddlers, there was a demand for books for babies,” said Uchin.
“I think it’s very important for store managers to partner with the marketing and communications department at their museums,” said Denk. “While we at the Norton Simon do include the store in some very traditional communications vehicles, such as the quarterly newsletter and monthly e-newsletter, the relationship isn’t simply about getting shoppers in the store. It may sound sentimental, but to me the store can serve as a marker for the museum experience. A person purchases a book or a postcard and that item will trigger a memory—hopefully a positive one—about the museum. That’s something we all have a stake in.”
At the Norton Simon and at every museum, the store is part of the mission. The store reinforces what is going on curatorially, and it’s the place where visitors can fi nd products to associate with their museum experience. When there is a happy marriage between marketing and store staff, everyone wins.
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31MUSEUM STORE
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Business Relations
32 MUSEUM STORE
useums receive approximately 55 million visits each year from students in school groups, according to the American Alliance of Museums. That statistic might lead one to believe that museum store managers can depend on an endless supply of children to provide a steady source of customers.
Not anymore.
Because of the hit the economy took in 2008, state funding for education continues to get slashed. One of the first things to get cut from a school’s budget is field trips.
According to a March 2012 survey by the American Association of School Administrators, 30 percent of respondents eliminated field trips in 2010–2011, while 43 percent indicated they were considering doing so for 2012–2013.
Despite an improving economy, museum stores continue to feel the fallout of the recession. What can store managers do when fewer school groups are coming to the museum? Here’s how three museum stores are tackling this reality.
Dennos Museum CenterTerry Tarnow, museum store manager/buyer for the Dennos Museum Center in Traverse City, Mich., has watched the number of school groups coming to her museum dwindle.
“I would guess we had at least two school groups per week years ago and now it is four to six per month,” she says. “Schools have cut funding for busing, and teachers don’t like to ask parents for money for school trips.”
To help teachers find funds for field trips to the museum, Tarnow holds a raffle during the store’s Holiday Art Fair. Artists are asked (not required) to donate a piece of art; it’s usually valued between $20 and $50.
“Tickets are $2 or three for $5,” Tarnow explains, “Patrons fill out a stub on the ticket and drop it in any bag by each piece. This event has raised as much a $2,500.”
Schools can apply to the museum’s education director for funding to cover busing or admission. Northwestern Michigan College, of which the museum is part, has a foundation that distributes the funds to eligible schools.
BY TRACI RYLANDS
Students browse books at the Dennos Museum Center.
bringing school groups back
mHow museums can bring back field trips—for the future and the bottom line.
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33MUSEUM STORE
Another way Tarnow raises money for field trips is by “rounding up,” an idea that came from a discussion with MSA colleagues.
“We now ask customers as they are checking out if they would like to round up to the next dollar for our education fund,” she says. “We’ve seen 98 percent positive response, and many people add an extra few dollars. I estimate by the end of the year this will add another $2,000 to the fund.”
When a school group does visit the store, Tarnow tries to limit it to 12 students at a time, and they must have one teacher or adult with the group. But time limitations can sometimes call for bending that rule a little.
“The reality is that sometimes they run out of time and then we just go for it. I ask for more adults to watch the students and, yes, it is crazy for 20 minutes or so but the sales are worth it,” she says.
Tarnow thinks that students shopping in the store can only add to the benefi ts a fi eld trip to the museum can provide.
“We give kids the same good customer service that we give to all our customers. We want their experience to be a good one,” she points out. “Many teachers look at buying in the store [itself] as an educational experience.”
Denver Art MuseumFor the Denver Art Museum, school group attendance has remained about the same, according to Associate Director for Retail Operations Greg McKay. However, many school groups don’t have enough time to make it to the store after touring the museum.
“We have so many things in the building, I think as far as the school group is concerned, the shop is at the bottom of the priority list,” he comments. “But we want to make sure if those students have a desire to get some sort of souvenir to remember their visit by, that they have the opportunity.”
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34 MUSEUM STORE
In June 2014, the museum opened a separate 750-square-foot children’s store located near a busy hands-on activity center for kids. As part of the museum’s Summer in 3D program, children received a “Pick 25 Creative Challenge Bag” in which they could select items such as wood pieces and beads to make their own creation at home. McKay also sold the bag in the store.
“We plan on offering a similar bag for purchase to go with our upcoming Cartier show,” McKay said. “This one will have more glitzy materials so they can make a tiara or a necklace. Acrylic gems and things like that.”
McKay also works to offer a variety of merchandise to meet the smallest of budgets.
“Our number one-selling item is a beaded sequin ring originally priced at $1, but we dropped it to 92 cents to streamline the transaction,” he says. “We also have popular mood and magic pencils with the Denver Art Museum logo with convenient pricing.”
McKay is quick to emphasize the importance of children’s visits to the museum and how the store can be a part of making their experience a positive one.
“Today’s children are tomorrow’s members and donors, and it is incumbent upon us all to make their visit engaging and one that they wish to repeat again and again,” he says.
Illinois State MuseumAt the Illinois State Museum in Springfi eld, Ill., the number of school groups has dropped considerably. Museum Store Manager Cheryl Staley says it has been a blow to the museum and to the store.
“Illinois lost most of our funding for fi eld trips so it’s been devastating. Some of the groups that are still able to travel a lot of times don’t come with money, so they aren’t allowed in the store due to their rules,” she explains. “Yesterday,
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35MUSEUM STORE
we had about 250 kids here but they weren’t allowed in the store.”
Like McKay, Staley provides a number of lower-priced items so that students who are allowed to shop have many options from which to choose.
“We sell a lot of rocks and rock candy,” she says. “We have an entire rounder where everything costs one dollar. Kids don’t always understand tax, and we are cognizant of that. We always have a tray of extra pennies or nickels near the cash register just in case.”
Every year, the museum holds a catered event for 500 teachers and administrators to encourage them to bring students to the museum. It includes gift certificate give-aways for field trips and purchases in the store.
“We have great donors, so we can manage to give at least six field trips along with $50 gift certificates to the store so teachers can buy for their classrooms,” she explains. “The truth is that they want to come, but they can’t afford to rent a bus.”
When school groups do come to the shop, Staley and her staff greets everyone and explains where things are located in the store by subject and price.
“We have an entire wall of Folkmanis puppets that are irresistible,” she says. “So they have to pet the ‘wildlife’ and take their pictures. We also have a large selection of children’s jewelry.”
Staley thinks that making students, chaperones and teachers all feel welcome in the store goes a long way toward delivering an overall positive museum experience—even if their visit doen’t include a purchase.
“As long as everyone leaves with a smile, we’re happy,” Staley says.
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36 MUSEUM STORE
A few months ago, Pinterest showed off its first ad at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, and it’s a beautiful tribute to how the platform connects and inspires 70 million users worldwide. Just four years after its beta launch in 2010, Pinterest has 2.5 million page views per month, making it the fastest growing social platform today.
The ad portrays Pinterest as a search-engine for fostering creativity rather than answering everyday questions like Google. In fact, Pinterest CEO Ben Silbermann repeatedly contrasted Google with Pinterest in a keynote presentation at the festival. “Google is the ultimate card catalog,” Silbermann said. “The search engine can help you answer questions about the weather and how to get somewhere, but can it tell you what to wear to your best friend’s wedding?”Silbermann refers to Pinterest users as “curators,” painting the picture of a company more aligned with art and beauty than with technology.
And its popularity is not the only draw: Pinterest is more successful than Twitter and Facebook at turning followers into customers. Take a look at Pinterest by the numbers (see below).
Clearly, Pinterest is an essential platform for e-commerce and bricks-and-mortar retailers. It also appears to be especially merchant-friendly. Recently, Pinterest introduced a new tweak to its popular follow button that makes it easier for consumers to follow retailers off-site.
There is solid data on Pinterest users that makes the platform a no-brainer for museum stores. Pinterest users’ incomes are on average nine percent higher than those of non-users, and Pinterest users spend, on average, 70 percent more than non-users. Today, 43 percent of Pinterest use is in place of reading magazines. For retailers with tight marketing budgets, Pinterest posts are an amazing bargain!
BuildTo begin capitalizing on Pinterest’s potential, make sure your Pinterest business account looks its best with optimized images. Pinterest is all about visual inspiration, so don’t lose potential followers with distorted images or unattractive content.
Boards—where your pins are organized—are a critical part of your Pinterest strategy. Think about what kind of content resonates most with your visitor audiences and use Pinterest analytics to determine what might work best: boards with your own store products or those that fit with your audience’s interests and lifestyles. Better Homes & Gardens created a “Blogger Recipes We Love” board, which is now one of the most successful boards on Pinterest with over one million re-pins.
Add pinterest to your e-commerce strategy and turn followers into customers.
BY DAVID REKUC
One pin generates a lot: two website views, six page views and $.78 in sales.
Online shoppers who are Pinteresters spend twice as much or more than Tweeters and Facebook fans, and Pinterest ranks second among the three top social platforms as a referral source to online retailers.
in your best pinterest
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37MUSEUM STORE
such as event times, product features and ingredients, prices and locations.
Pinterest is currently testing Promoted Pins, which are ads that allow retailers to increase pin visibility. The reaction from users so far has been generally positive. Promoted Pins will be available to all retailers soon. In the meantime, you can spend time on Pinterest looking for different types of pins to decide what will work best for your store.
Hashtags work the same way on Pinterest as they do on Twitter, allowing users to monitor products, brands and trends. Keep in mind that hashtags are only useful when placed within the description of a pin. They won’t work in board titles, board descriptions, account descriptions or profile names. Hashtags are clickable, and if you’re trying to expand the reach of a pin, be sure to use simple, trending hashtags. When a similar hashtag is clicked, your pin will show up in the user’s search results.
DiscoveryHelp your customers find you on Pinterest and help Pinterest users find your store. Get creative with ways to use Pinterest as an online catalog and your store as a place to promote it. For example, Nordstrom places Pinterest labels on products that are most popular on their Pinterest page. Use Pinterest contests to attract new followers and shoppers, and don’t forget to cross-promote Pinterest on Facebook and Twitter.
Your Pinterest profile and posts are indexed by search engines, creating even greater potential for your profiles, boards and stores to be found by interested customers. Brush up on search engine optimization tactics to get the most out of your Pinterest presence. Name your boards, pins and images to correspond with your product names and popular keywords, and be sure that the link
GrowUsers spend more on products they discover on Pinterest than users on any other platform. Take advantage of this fact by tailoring your profile and pins to your target audience. Eighty percent of all content on Pinterest is shares or re-pins. You can entice followers to share your content in a number of ways.
Add a “pin it” button to your website and let your customers help you capitalize on Pinterest by embedding the Pinterest board widget on your website to invite followers. Be sure to include smart information with your pins, including topic-specific tags so that your pins are highly searchable. And check Pinterest analytics often to understand what your followers like most.
Pinterest is constantly adding new Goodies. Just this past summer, Pinterest improved the functionality of its follow button. Now, when users click a retailer’s Pinterest button, they see a pop-up preview of the latest pins, allowing them to preview a store’s social presence without leaving the shopping page—a win-win for everyone.
OptimizeLike any other social platform, Pinterest is constantly changing. Stay on top of new features from Pinterest designed to add value for retailers. Today there are different types of promotional pins with features that have different advantages for retailers.
Rich Pins are topic-specific details you can add to pins to provide additional information to followers. Etsy shop owners are especially good at tagging their products. There are five types of Rich Pins to choose from—movies, recipes, articles, products and places—which allow you to add information
Pinterest Goodies are ways to strategically implement your
Pinterest activity.
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38 MUSEUM STORE
Adding Pinterest to your sales strategy will ultimately bolster sales and engagement with your institution. Whether your store is big or small, old or new, physical and/or online, smart use of Pinterest can attract and infl uence a wide audience of potential customers.
David Rekuc is marketing director at Ripen eCommerce. He will present “E-Commerce A to Z: Selling the Museum Experience Online” at the 2015 MSA Retail Conference & Expo.
associated with each pin is correct. Use unique board names to stand out and be sure to name your fi le images appropriately because those are also searchable. Remember to use hashtags to increase pin discovery and optimize your username and “About” section to capitalize on industry-specifi c keywords.
Shelf LifeThe shelf life of any social media post is short-lived (some say Tweets have an 18- to 30-minute lifespan). Pins last a bit longer, but it’s important to understand when your pins get the most engagement and views, and build this into your Pinterest strategy. Above is a breakdown.
Just like you plan inventory, events and even your staff schedule, create a plan for pinning. Two days before a new product hits the shelves, pin it! Hot holiday merchandise? Pin it! Need to move product? Put it on sale and pin it!
On average, the majority of clicks will occur within the first two days of posting.
Finance_Pinterest_v2.indd 38 12/4/14 11:46 AM
39MUSEUM STORE
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41MUSEUM STORE
Merchandise Planning
A hurdle we faced when trying to stock the new store was convincing producers of the museum’s potential in terms of sales and likely visitorship. We had little purchasing power as we were buying for one shop with little cash flow. Additionally, we needed potential suppliers to buy into the vision of success to come. This is where the strategy played a very important role. We set about trying to inspire the producers’ confidence in the vision, plan, goal and product ideas.
As a team, we developed a series of “hard hat” tours, iPad presentations and imagery that quickly got our creative juices flowing. We gave producers access to the collection prior to the opening and ensured that the key theme of the museum—the story of the men who lived and worked on the ship—was realized by the producers through talks, tours and briefs.
This approach, along with some further cajoling around prices and quantities, was highly successful and resulted in access to fantastic and unique products. Key staff members from Emma Bridgewater, the world-renowned pottery company, took the tour and quickly saw product opportunities using the wonderful “Cowdray” picture, taking the colors and characters to produce a mug, and tea and biscuit tins. The product selection shows how Emma Bridgewater took the museum story and produced everyday items around it—modern versions of some of the artifacts on display.
As with all museum stores, a key aim is developing a product line that continues to educate beyond the museum by serving as a reminder of the visit, especially for children. Within the collection, there
hen Henry VIII became king in 1509, he immediately saw the need to defend England from invasion. He commissioned two warships, one of which was the Mary Rose. Built and launched in Portsmouth in
1511, it became the flagship of his fleet.
The Mary Rose enjoyed a 34-year career, almost the entire length of Henry VIII’s reign (outlasting five of his marriages!). On July 19, 1545, Henry watched from Southsea Castle in Portsmouth as the Mary Rose led the English fleet against French invaders. Mystery surrounds what happened next, but we know that the Mary Rose fired her cannons, turned, and for reasons unknown, sank with the loss of over 500 men.
The ship was lost for over 400 years, until 1971, when a team of divers rediscovered the wreck. What happened next remains the world’s largest maritime archaeological project, culminating in the raising of the Mary Rose, which was broadcast to over 60 million people worldwide. She was put on display in Portsmouth Naval Dockyard, with a small selection of artifacts in a museum located some distance away.
The long-term aim was to display the ship and her artifacts together. This dream was realized in May 2013, when, after the $25 million project was completed, the Mary Rose Museum opened to the public. Since then, the museum has attracted over 670,000 visitors, with store revenue topping $1.25 million.
As you would expect with a new museum space, the store serves as an integral part of the entrance/exit foyer and was designed to maximize commercial opportunities. Our store strategy is simple: high-quality products that are inspired by the collection, fit within the surrounds of a world class museum, are relevant to the story of the Mary Rose and locally produced whenever possible.
BY PAUL GRIFFITHS
Mary Rose rubber ducks don the captain’s uniform.
mary rose museum store: inspired by the collection
w
MEMBER STORY
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42 MUSEUM STORE
Merchandise Planning
is a skeleton of the ship’s rat-catching dog Hatch, which served as inspiration for a children’s activity pack. This in turn led to a range of books, toys and clothing to inspire the next generation.
We cannot talk about product inspiration from the collection without mentioning the replica range, which includes items such as arrows, leather tankards, wooden bowls, jewelry and nit combs. The retail team spent many hours at re-enactors fairs seeking the right craftsmen who use traditional, authentic methods. It was a time-consuming project, but well worth the effort.
The team continues to search for items that best reflect our strategy and vision, and with our continued success we have more leverage with the producers, making this effort easier. It is difficult not to be continually inspired by the collection of the Mary Rose Museum.
We hope this article offers a flavor of what we have achieved at the Mary Rose Museum.
Visitors at the Mary Rose Museum Store in Portsmouth, UK.
Paul Griffiths is Head of Operations at the Mary Rose Museum. He will present “A Museum Store Fit for a King” at the 2015 MSA Retail Conference & Expo in April.
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43MUSEUM STORE
Financial Management
BY JAMA RICE
the 1% windfallHow Successful Companies Use Price To Profi t and Grow
f you are responsible for revenue goals and growth, you probably ask yourself often: “How can I grow revenue and continue to provide a
good value?” The 1% Windfall by Rafi Mohammed made me realize that it’s possible to increase revenue without adding new bells and whistles to the products and services we currently offer. Dr. Mohammed’s premise is that if we are thoughtful and strategic about pricing, we can increase revenue just by changing the sticker price.
Dr. Mohammed believes that a mistake managers make consistently is focusing on cost instead of value to the customer. Instead of analyzing costs, he asks that managers spend more effort understanding what price adjustments will have on demand. He outlines the following scenario which assumes, for a moment, that demand remains the same:
You have a product that sells for $1 with a fi ve percent operating margin. In other words, fi ve cents of every dollar is profi t. Now increase the price to $1.01, and you now have six cents of profi t and your operating margin just increased 20 percent.
Value Can Be Dynamic: $.01/$.05 = 20%If you pay close attention to demand and value, increased margins come naturally. Rather than increasing price due to increased cost, it’s best to increase price when value goes up and decrease it when value goes down.
i
BOOK REVIEW
EXAMPLES OF VALUE PRICING IN ACTION
• Street vendors in New York City double the price of umbrellas when it looks like it’s going to rain. The next best alternative could be getting wet.
• Chain restaurants in the suburbs charge more for the same dish than do their outlets in the city. There are not nearly as many dining-out options as there are in the urban core.
• Southwest Airlines charges extra to be at the front of the line. The alternative is running the risk of being stuck in a middle seat on a cross-country fl ight.
Value can be dynamic, ever-changing and variable for different audiences.
In his book, Dr. Mohammed walks through the methodology of value pricing in four steps:
1] Identify the next best alternative for the customer by understanding the differentiating attributes such as brand, quality, service, ease of purchase and style.
2] Create a value statement by being clear about how your product and services compare to the next best alternative.
3] Take time to explain the differences by making sure that your current and potential customers understand the value; strive to put that value in dollars and then communicate that value.
4] Determine the premium (or discount) that refl ects the value of your product by creating different pricing strategies for different audiences, providing customers with options.
When I was reading The 1% Windfall, I had a conversation with a friend about various smartphone plans. My friend and I are heavily reliant on our phones for both business and personal needs. We need enough access to data while traveling and during meetings, enough minutes for long conference calls and a suffi cient amount of texts to stay in touch with our kids, family and friends. Business people have diverse needs when it comes to their smartphones and are willing to pay a premium to have their demands met.
Teens and tweens, on the other hand, need a simple and inexpensive plan for unlimited texting, and they will be just as satisfi ed. Clearly, there is a different value for different audiences when it comes to what the same smartphone can do—a perfect example of value pricing.
Dr. Mohammed goes into great detail about how to implement a value-based pricing strategy—it requires analysis, fl exibility and a bit of dexterity. The effort invested can generate profi table outcomes.
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44 MUSEUM STORE
AD INDEX
Alucik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
American Craft Council Shows . . . . . . . . 48
American Heritage Chocolate . . . . . . . . . 27
Applewood Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
BeadforLife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
BullPen Book Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Carol S . Miller Handbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Clear Solutions, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
The Color Wheel Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Design Masters Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Easy 123 Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
EDC Publishing (Usborne/Kane Miller) . . 25
Figments Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Folkmanis, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Found Image Press . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Fractiles, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Galison/Mudpuppy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
General Pencil Company, Inc . . . . . . . . . . 40
Historical Folk Toys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Hogeye, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Josh Bach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Kamibashi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Live Your Dream Designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Lorenz Hermsen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Marcorp Editions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Messe Frankfurt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Modgy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
MSA Retail Conference & Expo . . . . . . . . . 9
MSA Retail Industry Report . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Newood Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
North Country Bells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Opto Int ., Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Origin Jewelry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Ozone Socks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Popcorn Movie Poster Company, LLC . . . . 3
Retail Works, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Schiffer Publishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
ScreenCraft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Solmate Socks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Swahili Imports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
TAM Retail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Unemployed Philosophers Guild . . . . . . . 23
University of Louisiana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
UPrint on Demand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Ad Index_W14.indd 44 12/4/14 4:10 PM
46 MUSEUM STORE
BeadforLife offers hand-crafted, recycled paper
bead jewelry and natural Shea butter products. We take pride in our
ethical product lines made by Ugandan women,
determined to work their way out of poverty. Make a beautiful and powerful statement by offering BeadforLife’s fair trade
and eco-friendly products in your store.
Visit us at NYNOW to receive free shipping on your order. Booth 517.
303.554.5901 [email protected]
BeadforLife offers hand-BeadforLife offers hand-crafted, recycled paper crafted, recycled paper
bead jewelry and natural bead jewelry and natural Shea butter products. Shea butter products. We take pride in our We take pride in our
ethical product lines made ethical product lines made by Ugandan women, by Ugandan women,
determined to work their determined to work their way out of poverty. Make way out of poverty. Make a beautiful and powerful a beautiful and powerful statement by offering statement by offering BeadforLife’s fair trade BeadforLife’s fair trade
and eco-friendly products and eco-friendly products in your store.
Visit us at NYNOW to Visit us at NYNOW to receive free shipping on receive free shipping on your order. Booth 517.your order. Booth 517.
303.554.5901 x120303.554.5901 [email protected]@beadforlife.org
I g n i t e P o t e n t i a l E n d P o v e r t y
www.beadforlife.org
Museum Store Magazine On your iPad!
Visit the iTunes Store or skiesamerica.com for free app downloads of every Museum Store 2014 Magazine.
Visit the iTunes Store or skiesamerica.com
On your iPad!On your iPad!
TO ADVERTISE, CALL Mary Petillo, Advertising Sales Manager
Diana Grossarth, Advertising Sales Executive
[email protected](503) 726-4984
[email protected](503) 726-4986
Ad Index_W14.indd 46 12/4/14 11:49 AM
1,000s of titles on the topics your museum is looking for
w w w . s c h i f f e r b o o k s . c o m
Contact Joe Langman for more information:1-610-593-1777
Schiffer.indd 47 12/4/14 11:33 AM
It’s the country’s premier wholesale marketplaceJoin us at the Baltimore wholesale show, Feb. 18-19, and immerse yourself in top-quality, handmade items you won’t find anywhere else.
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