Museums

„Museum for People”marketing, audience segmentation, research

of the needs and opinions, PR

Museum for People.

Definition:A Museum is for People, not for Museum Managers. It is not for Art Historians and Critics, either. Not even for Artists. A Museum is supposed to save valuable things and enable as many people as possible to see, learn, get to know.

Step One:In order to be like that, a Museum must “listen.” It must know whom it addresses, whom it should address, how to reach different people, what language to speak. It must know how to “adapt” to changing reality.

A Museum should be creative, easy to understand, active and full of ideas.

Mini Glossary:

• Our Subjective Mini Glossary of marketing terms used in the modern management of cultural institutions.

• “Museum for People” training. • Our definitions are related to the goals of this

training and are shaped by the specific features of marketing and management in non-commercial work in the domain of history, culture and art.

Marketing.

A domain of economics and psychology responsible for achieving measurable results in the work of an Organisation (Museum). Using knowledge about the psychology of message Recipients and Senders as well as certain rules, techniques and management methods, Marketing can generate professional, efficient and creative solutions with respect to such domains as time and space management in museums, positive impact on the Recipients’ senses or improving the public’s abilities of perception and concentration. Marketing also takes care of the assessment of the institution’s activities by the media, visitors, influential circles and Patrons.

Commercial vs. Non-commercial Marketing.

• Slightly different goals but the same methods. • Many surprising analogies on both sides.• Commercial priority: quantity first • Our priority: quality first • But THEY are creative and know professional

techniques, tools and solutions • WE are often many years behind the society for which

we exist • Museums CANNOT AFFORD to lose their audience!!!• Elitist and egalitarian goals CAN be reconciled. • Maybe they MUST??

Marketing Communications.

In some sense this means just conscious, professional communications. They differ from common communications in that the Sender controls and consciously utilises many existing channels (means) of interpersonal communication. On the other hand, the Recipient not always fully realises how such communications influence his reception of the message and thus his judgments and decisions. With commercial marketing, this means manipulation and an emphasis on sales, while with social and non-commercial marketing, it means enhancing the efficiency of our actions and having a stronger impact on the recipient’s senses (and thus accomplishing our mission more successfully, enhancing the recipient’s recall).

4 P – or already 5 P?• People ?? Recipient, visitor, learner, listener, spectator, consumer...

What do we really know about them and their needs? Do we address all important Recipients??

• Product. Exhibition, service, product, spiritual value, knowledge, even love. Everything that satisfies the needs of the People.

• Price. This is not only the cost of the ticket but also the social cost of getting there – the time needed, the “trouble” (it is easier to make a decision concerning something that is fashionable or important for us).

• Place. This is not only the location of the museum but also additional possibilities of getting in touch with it outside the building (e.g. exhibition “teasers” in other places, preparatory lessons in schools etc.).

• Promotion. Advertisement, PR and other mechanisms that arouse interest in the Museum in the proper way are crucial here.

Marketing Mix.

• Assumes a natural balance between the 4 (or 5) P.

• If any of these elements is missing, the machine is broken.

• A Museum without one of the Ps (however professionally managed) cannot be a good Museum.

Does this model really work everywhere?

Of course.

Case 1. Church.

• It is the 15th century. The CHURCH is the tallest building in town.

• The BELL is the loudest thing around.• The priest, who uses modern means of persuasion: the

pulpit and interior acoustics, is the highest authority.• Sensual communications are used – the highest art of

communication – there is incense, stained glass, holy water, sculptures, organ...

• Metaphors, symbols and the complex scenario of the perfect message – the Holy Mass – are used.

• This worked perfectly for 1000 years.• Today there are more competitors – we have skyscrapers,

the TV makes a lot of noise, instead of going to the Mass on Sunday we can go to a supermarket, cinema, theatre...even to a museum

Case 2. Politics.

• X, a POLITICIAN, was nobody. He was neither handsome nor wise. He wasn’t well-mannered, either.

• X did his marketing homework – he defined his objectives.

• He found the ideal group of recipients (the largest one – poor people), found the best techniques of communicating with it (scandals, promises, going against the flow, populism).

• He positioned his image, made it different from other politicians’ images (determined, genuine, just as we are).

• He selected his tools – TV (a mass medium) and meetings with people (he speaks the truth, he’s with us, he’s not afraid).

• The POLITICIAN has succeeded.

Case 3. Museum.

• Museum A has a great collection and a nice building. • Museum A functions because it must. So it is written.• Nearby – in a less well-known Museum B – a team of

eager people forms.• Museum B attracts the attention of the media, people,

patrons and finally other museums with one good project after another. It benefits from the lack of competition.

• Museum A loses its subsidies and is widely criticised.• Because Museum A must not close, the team working at

Museum A gets the chop and the Museum B team is told to put it in order

• There are two good museums in town now.

Everything that People WANT/NEED

has certain features.• Each of these features is worth taking into account

when developing exhibition projects.• Person – easy to understand, attractive...• Value – emotional, artistic, educational,

philosophical...• Accessibility – opening hours, information quality,

information campaign reach.• Character – scientific, aggressive, charming, witty –

it’s best to combine a few features together.• Difference – the rule “different from all other”, at

least in some part.• Usefulness – I know more, I’m more sensitive, I’m

surprised, I’m amused, I’m touched.

Everything that People do not need disappears.

Like tail, claws or hair on our back.

This is like the crisis of religion and Faith, twilight of the Circus and the

downfall of tribal structures.

Even Museums have to adapt. Even Museums have to be modern.Even Museums can create reality,

not only reflect it.

Mission.

• Its target group usually is (should be?) the entire society or a very large part of it.

• Elements of the mission: collect, protect, describe, show, educate...

• But also: initiate, cooperate, promote, stimulate, give example, break conventions.

• Within the mission, antagonisms will clash – educate everyone, show the best things. POP vs. ELITE.

• Mission is stable, does not have to hurry, has measurable resources, deadlines etc.

• This is really a choice between the OLD and NEW MUSEUM and the choice between UNIVERSAL and PIGEONHOLED, closed, hermetic... This is no longer a mission...

Target Group

• Society is very diverse in many respects. • Each Museum must understand these

differences in order to work effectively.• The Museum should consciously choose and

define its target group.• The Museum should consider whether it is

allowed to narrow this group down. A museum’s mission should usually be broad and individual projects should be targeted.

Differentiating Target Groups by:

• Income – poor, affluent, rich.• Education – primary, university, but also specialist (we

usually should not design exhibitions for ourselves, art critics and historians).

• Age – children, teenagers, adults 20/25/35/40/45/50/60+• Faith – Roman Catholic, Jew, Protestant, Atheist.• Politics – right-wing, left-wing, liberal etc.• Gender – female, male, unisex.• Nationality – locals, tourists, language and cultural

groups.• Goal – getting opinions (both quality and reach matter),

funds, visitors (quality and quantity).

Museum and Groups:

• Museum as such.

• Museum of Technology should be for everyone, in practice it is sometimes for schools, engineers and a certain number of unidentified tourists.

• Modern Art Museum is sometimes elitist and hermetic, and it should be for nearly everyone?

Museum Groups:

• Visitors by sectors of society.

• Opinion groups.

• Decision groups (funds, artists, works).

• Connoisseur – elitist direction.

• Mr Nobody – somebody we should change but I guess we aren’t very good at it.

• Egalitarian direction leads to development.

Listening.

• Common wisdom. • Media opinion.• Openness to criticism and suggestions.• Creating multi-channel mutual

communications – our task is not only to inform everyone about everything the museum does but also to create as many opportunities as possible for people to talk “to the museum.”

Recipient Market Segmentation.

• Being aware of market divisions among the recipients of our offer and the mission of the Museum (rich – poor, young – old) – we must decide whom we want to (must) address with our offer.

• It is worthwhile to select these segments that will bring us the most benefit (it is worthwhile to educate them, try to gain their favour, listen to their opinions).

• It is worthwhile to select segments other than those dominated by our stronger competitors.

Offer Positioning.

• The Museum should be different from all similar offers. You should strive for another image, programme, ideas, recipient groups.

• The Museum should know whom it addresses...• ...and be able to speak their language. If I

design an exhibition for young people, I speak their language and I’m aware of their knowledge of the subject.

• Because of this, my museum will be: unique, interesting, easy to understand and effective.

Research:

• Opinion. About the museum, people, topics, protagonists, projects – before / during / after implementation.

• Needs – of the recipient groups, of the Museum itself, of artists, scientists...

• Trends – looking for thematic niches, social trends – and museum analogies.

• Comparative research – what others do.

Research / Listening Methods:• Questionnaire – before (what I expect, what I’m waiting for), ongoing (I’m evaluating

item by item as I go), immediately after (immediate response), some time after (distanced response).

• “Ever” questionnaire – e.g. compare museums, select some, list and describe the best exhibitions you’ve ever seen.

• Analytic session – comparing results from all questionnaire types.• Omnibus – a mass survey, simple questions, e.g. what exhibition themes would you

like to see at the museum. Method – barter with the polling institute. • Open questions (write what you want) and closed questions (select from the list).• Focus group. • Internet – questionnaires, polls, surveys, forums.• Interviews with staff.• Rankings.• Interviews with target groups. • Guest books.• Media monitoring.• Databases.• Internet, know how dissemination.

Focus Research. Focus Group.

• Choose 10 – 15 persons corresponding to the stereotypical target group of your project.

• Invite the Group into a room prepared beforehand. • The facilitator presents research problems (e.g. project

concepts, ways of implementing the project) to the Group.

• The Group starts a discussion directed by the facilitator – they say what they like and why, make a ranking, criticise etc.

• Everything is recorded (hidden audio/video equipment).• Conclusions will certainly be useful and they may be

surprising.• You may order this research or conduct it on your own.

Facilitating Research:

• Incentives – a gift from sponsor, diploma, badge, ticket for another exhibition.

• Simplicity – complete a closed question survey (test).

• Voting – put a ball into a basket.

• Large research – a large barter with a polling institute, cooperation with Social Sciences faculty at the University.

Mystery Shopping.

• Research by unofficial Museum testing.• Trained, selected persons (researchers,

acquaintances) visit the Museum – they should pay attention to specific details.

• We test e.g.: staff politeness, temperature, exhibit presentation and description quality.

• Staff don’t know this is not a regular visitor.

Pareto Curve - Pareto Group.

• Each “social product” has its “consumer.” • The PARETO rule operates in economics:

80% of income is generated by 20% of Consumers (in our case it’s probably 70/30).

• A PARETO group member is your “heavy user.” Look after him particularly carefully.

• It is he who comes and speaks most often, passes the most judgments and spends the most money.

Barter.

• Contract (non-cash) between the museum and a commercial partner who offers benefits.

• The museum offers prestige, opportunity to show “social involvement” (corporate social responsibility), opportunity to use the image of culture and art in order to strengthen one’s image.

Media Patronage.

• Benefits for the medium: logo at the museum and on the materials, priority access to information, right to title the event with its name, right to use the event in order to enhance its editorial or marketing value (self promotion).

• Benefits for the museum: information in the media, publicity, opportunities for survey, discussion, advertisement, generating added value for Patrons and Sponsors.

Patronages:

• Media. Media Relations. Choose large opinion-forming media read by your ideal, valued recipient. Size does not equal circulation. Prestige works both ways.

• Honorary patrons. You need the Great of This World.• Patrons. They have money, you have good ideas and an

important mission. • Patron boards. Have nothing to do with museums but

they’re famous – their support makes you popular and liked by other groups. They add glamour. All well-known people of good repute are eligible – singers, footballers, actors (just as in the case of the “Drink Milk!” campaign).

• Programme patrons. A board of advisors, professionals, authorities. They may offer advice. And they certainly won’t criticise as rashly as those who aren’t on the board.

Corporate Identity.

• Comprehensive museum visual identity system.

• Name, trademark, logo, building (out- in-side), uniforms, design of materials, fixed exhibition design elements, concepts concerning characteristic communication components.

• Image starts here!

Public Relations.

• Museum’s entire communications with its outside environment.

• PR activity area is divided into various directions – relations with:– museum staff (internal relations);– visitors (actual customers of the Museum) – local and external

ones (tourists);– society (potential but inactive customers of the Museum); – local community;– influential groups (journalists, experts, critics, superiors);– Patrons (commercial, non-commercial, local government, central

government Patrons who fund Museum activities and individual projects).

PR in practice.• Your own star – communicator. Boss, exhibition curators,

spokesperson.• External stars – Artists, Authorities, Patrons, Honorary Patrons.• Reliable, constant information about the Museum – webpage

(monthly updates!).• Consistent emphasis on constant qualities (high artistic value,

openness, creativity).• Periodic emphasis on desired qualities (improving image).• Anchors for the media. “Something” for the news photographer,

writer (short information of interest), sound engineer, camera operator (an attractive moving, colourful item).

• Information flow programme – press release template (standard), journalist database, habits (press conferences, news release dates).

• Media monitoring – we collect and organise all media coverage and draw conclusions.

Internal Relations

• Board bulletins, internal bulletins. • E-mail / intranet messages (extended version of press

info).• Meetings – interesting, short, using presentations,

visualisations (no lengthy monologues), discussions.• Regular – once a week, at least once a month.• Internal surveys. Regular, topic-oriented.• Opportunities to submit proposals openly and

anonymously.• Prizes, praises, victories, achievements – special

meetings. • You should inform about everything!

Competition.

• Indirect. All ways of spending leisure time / educating yourself. TV, sports, bars / schools, the Internet, media.

• Direct.Other museums, exhibitions, theatres, books.

• A competitor is your potential enemy but also your potential ally. Examples: a joint ticket to a museum and a cinema, IMAX or Aquapark. Cross-selling with a bank – a museum ticket is a prize in the Patron’s promotional competition.

Remember!

No results without PR.

If you do something right – boast about it.

When there is no PR, it lives its own life, out of your control. Such PR is usually

unfavourable and does not reach many people.

Spread information about yourself – in an interesting way, often, so as to reach

everyone (as far as you can).