“Make this holiday historic!” The 2012 holiday campaign for history organizations and historic sites

October 2013 update

• In 2013 we built on the positive response in 2012 and created materials that all organizations can use. These are described on the slides that follow, along with links to download them.

• A recap of the 2012 campaign is in the last section.

The 2013 holiday campaign for history organizations and historic sites

Updated October 24, 2013

Overview

A campaign we can all use to promote our history organizations at the holidays.

Goals

• Increase attendance.• Increase gift shop sales.• Increase sales of gift

memberships.

Implementation

• There is no cost.• All materials can be downloaded now

http://www.thehistorylist.com/holiday-materials

• On the pages that follow–Examples–All of the designs–Next steps–FAQ–Tips–Contact information

Tabletop signs ready to print out on cardstock.

Designs you can use to create your own tags and signs, such as the one shown.

And add to your website, newsletters, and print materials.

And supply to bloggers to promote your organization’s gifts and events

In two designs with many different messages

Merchandising gifts and promoting events

Merchandising

Merchandising handmade gifts

Merchandising handmade gifts

Merchandising

Merchandising books

Merchandising

Merchandising memberships

Merchandising memberships

Supporting the organization

Bloggers

Bloggers

Bloggers

Next steps

Sign up for e-mail updateshttp://www.thehistorylist.com/e-mail-updates

List your organization and eventshttp://www.thehistorylist.com/getting-started

Download the materials http://www.thehistorylist.com/holiday-materials

Print out table top signs for entry area, gift shop Add your institution’s name and make available to local businesses Add to your print advertising Add to your website Add to your press materials Create custom tags for gift shop items Use with the new package stickers and retail tags from Avery Create a custom gift membership holder out of cardstock Adapt to create a gift enclosure card Create a handout with a coupon for a discount on a gift membership Add to a flier highlighting your gift items Include on your poster promoting your holiday events Include the campaign slogan in your press release

Tips for getting the most out of the holiday campaign

Send your ideas and suggestions and we’ll share them with others: Editors@TheHistoryList.com

FAQ

What does this cost?It’s free to use.

When does this start?Feel free to use the materials as soon as you wish.

Is this a national program?Yes. It’s designed to be used all across the country.

Who else is participating?We don’t know yet, but we expect many of the organizations that

participate on The History List will also adopt this campaign, and we hope you will, too. You can read more about the campaign and materials here: http://www.thehistorylist.com/the-holiday-campaign-for-history

FAQ

Is this going to be advertised?We’ve created the campaign theme and designs for you to use. Include

them in your materials and in your ads. You will have an impact in your community. If many others use the materials, the impact will be far reaching. Unfortunately, we don’t have a budget to advertise this ourselves.

Can I invite other organizations or tell them about it?Please do. Just send them a link to this presentation or web page.

Is this going to be done next year?The goal is to create a long-lasting annual campaign in order to support

history organizations across the country. If the reception is positive this year, we’ll repeat it, taking into account suggestions and feedback from this year.

FAQ

Do you have to list your events on The History List?No, though we hope you add yours to the site since all holiday events

will be promoted there. There is no cost and it’s copy-and-paste easy.

Can I change the slogan? We hope you don’t. The best way to create something that is

memorable and impactful is if we all use the same slogan and design.

Can I change the design?We hope you don’t, though we do hope you build the design into your

materials and incorporate it into new materials, such as the small sign shown with the books earlier. Or create special gift tags, or a seasonal gift membership folder. You can use the graphics with any program you wish, even Word or PowerPoint.

Where can I get more designs?Sign up for e-mail updates and we’ll let you know when more materials

are available, though we hope we’ve covered most situations with the materials that are available now.

Who is behind all this? The History List, the largest list of history-related events across the

country. Add your organization and events and find out more athttp://www.TheHistoryList.com/getting-started

Where do I send feedback or questions?Editors@TheHistoryList.com

FAQ

“Make this holiday historic!” Review of the 2012 holiday campaign for history organizations and historic sites

“Make this holiday historic!”

•Duration: December 1, 2012 – January 1, 2013•How it worked

– History-related organizations enter their events.– Organizations add “2012 holidays” as one of the tags when they enter

their event.– 33 events featured, one per day, on an interactive calendar.– Every calendar square linked to more information about the featured

event and to all of the events of all types on that day.

Participating organizations and events

Links to all events on this date.

Links to all events on this date.

These web and e-mail badges were available

to all organizations with holiday events.

These web and e-mail badges were available

to all organizations with holiday events.

All events appeared on The History List.

All events appeared on The History List.

One event was featured each day on

an interactive calendar.

One event was featured each day on

an interactive calendar.

This icon appeared when the organization added the tag “2012

holidays” to their event.

This icon appeared when the organization added the tag “2012

holidays” to their event.

A listing on the main listing page that includes the holiday event icon

Web badges for participating organizations

The interactive calendar of featured events with an example of the way an event appears when the user places their mouse in the date square

Campaign elements

On

the

Face

book

pag

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an

orga

niza

tion

who

se e

vent

was

feat

ured

(b

otto

m) a

nd o

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e ap

p pa

ge (m

iddl

e) a

nd o

n ou

r pag

e (t

op)

Tweets

Selected social media

Facebook

The application on Facebook

Facebook application page

“ . . . a clever interactive calendar for the

holidays which highlights events at

historic sites around the country with

changing images and sounds wrapped in

an attractive bright red package . . . “

“If any of you have tried to create an

online calendar for your website or blog,

you know it’s ridiculously complex and

difficult for both you and your visitors.

The History List may be a serious

solution for a single searchable, sortable

calendar that can be shared with your

members, fans, the public, and the press.

If you are a history-related group or

organization, see if this free web-based

platform can help publicize your events,

sites, and exhibits.”

Max A. van Balgooy writing at

www.EngagingPlaces.net

• The goal wasn't necessarily to pick the "best of" a particular type of event or the best event in the country taking place that day, but to highlight a wide variety in order to raise awareness of the many great historic sites, museums, and organizations across the country and draw new attendees, fans, volunteers, members, and donors.

• And while every event had a clear tie to history, some, notably the Boston Tea Party and Washington's Crossing reenactments, didn't have a holiday theme per se, but were major historical events that took place during the month.

Selecting featured events

• From Maine to California• Organizations ranging in age from 20 years old to 200+ years old• Private and public, from small, local organizations to statewide or spanning

several states• From expensive to free to pay-what-you-can• For kids and families, or just adults• From the momentous and world-changing to the delightful and trivial• Including the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War• Loud and boisterous to quiet and contemplative• Outdoors and indoors, from walks to lectures to concerts to celebrations• Castles and forts, ranches, houses, and mansions• Well-known and centuries old, to just a few years old and just getting

established• One-time-only to every day of the month

Selecting featured events

• December 1: Indiana Author Fair (Indianapolis)• December 2: “Reporting the Revolutionary War” author lecture (Boston)• December 3: Hayes Train Special Display (Fremont, OH)• December 4: Fantasyland with Santa (Roanoke, WV)• December 5: A Victorian Christmas (St. Paul)• December 6: Historic Libations annual party (San Francisco)• December 7: Holiday Whiskey Tasting (York, ME)• December 8: A Civil War Christmas (Frankfort, KY)• December 9: Russian Holiday Dinner (Eagle, WI)• December 10: Christmas Eve at the Byers-Evans House (Denver)• December 11: Brucemore Holiday Mansion Tours (Cedar Rapids, IA)• December 12: Holiday Decorations at the Pawnee Bill Ranch (Pawnee, OK)• December 13: Wisconsin Historical Museum Society Annual Sale (Madison)• December 14: Christmas by Candlelight (Sturbridge, MA)• December 15: Christmas Candlelight Grand Masquerade (New Bern, NC)

The featured events

• December 16: Boston Tea Party reenactment (Boston)• December 17: Guided Holiday House Tours (Portsmouth, NH)• December 18: The Sound of Christmas concert (San Antonio)• December 19: Riverfront Holiday House (Fort Myers)• December 20: Christmas by Candlelight (Old Salem, NC)• December 21: “At Christmas be mery” (Historic Jamestowne, VA)• December 22: The Castle by Candlelight (Youngstown, NY)• December 23: Christmas at the Newport Mansions (Newport, RI) • December 24: Holiday Lights at Clifton Mill (Clifton, OH)• December 25: Washington’s Christmas Crossing reenactment (Washington Crossing, PA)• December 26: “A Toy Shop Window” (Freeport, NJ)• December 27: Holiday Lantern Tour Newport (Newport, RI)• December 28: “It’s a Wonderful Life” screening with an introduction (New York)• December 29: Commemoration of USS Constitution vs. HMS Java (Boston)• December 30: Holidays at the Heard (Phoenix)• December 31: First Night at Otis House (Boston)• December 31 / January 1: Freedom’s Eve (Washington)• January 1: 150th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation (Boston)

The featured events

Plans for 2013Updated 9/18/13

•Instead of one interactive calendar, we have broadened

the campaign and encourage all historic sites and history-

related organizations to participate. All holiday events

entered on The History List will appear.•We have removed “The History List” from the materials

and are providing digital files so you can create signs

(right), tags, stickers, web badges, and graphics for your

print or electronic newsletter.•All of this is provided free of charge.•More information for organizations, including the link to

download the files, is on this page.•http://www.thehistorylist.com/the-holiday-campaign-for-history

Lee WrightFounder

Lee@TheHistoryList.com

Twitter: TheHistoryList

© 2012 The History List