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200 Million200 Million

The Farmers’ Museum Case Study

2 Museums2 Museums

MissionMission“Cultivating an understanding of

the rural heritage that has shaped our land, communities and American Culture.”

Strategic Planning

Via Brian Solis, www.BrianSolis.com

Younger Demographic

Reaching a “New” Audience

Our Leader Did a Good Our Leader Did a Good Thing…Thing…

Our Fearless LeaderOur Fearless Leader

Initiated by our CEO we engaged in Initiated by our CEO we engaged in a large-scale interdepartmental a large-scale interdepartmental planning processplanning process

We were looking at everything from We were looking at everything from our current web presenceour current web presence

To the possibility of blogging and To the possibility of blogging and other social mediaother social media

New Media Initiative

Thank God for Middle Thank God for Middle ManagementManagement

With leadership bubbling up from With leadership bubbling up from middle management, a strategy of middle management, a strategy of using blogs and a Facebook page using blogs and a Facebook page was our first stepwas our first step

FacebookFacebook

We assembled a super power team We assembled a super power team We benchmarked with other sitesWe benchmarked with other sites We read the back-end instructionsWe read the back-end instructions We played with designs and We played with designs and

integrated other social media sitesintegrated other social media sites We had people who could afford We had people who could afford

vacations give us their approval, and vacations give us their approval, and in November of 2007 we went livein November of 2007 we went live

FANSFANS

We started by suggesting to We started by suggesting to everyone we knew or thought would everyone we knew or thought would be interestedbe interested

We invited them all to be a part of We invited them all to be a part of our new effortsour new efforts

After 2 days we had 90 FansAfter 2 days we had 90 Fans Today we have close to 300 FansToday we have close to 300 Fans

Blog “What an Unfortunate Blog “What an Unfortunate Name”Name”

We worked through the bumps of senior We worked through the bumps of senior staff members who were either antagonistic staff members who were either antagonistic or just unsure about this “new media”or just unsure about this “new media”

We created a test blog that we kept internal We created a test blog that we kept internal for 30 daysfor 30 days

We developed a purpose statement for our We developed a purpose statement for our institutional blogsinstitutional blogs

Adopted standards and set up “official” Adopted standards and set up “official” bloggers and a working constructbloggers and a working construct

We had just enough bureaucracy and We had just enough bureaucracy and checks and balances to satisfy everyonechecks and balances to satisfy everyone

Purpose StatementPurpose Statement

Web logs for Fenimore Art Web logs for Fenimore Art Museum and The Museum and The Farmers’ Museum Farmers’ Museum

engage communities in engage communities in conversations about conversations about

American art and history.American art and history.

Our BlogsOur Blogs

Blogs require a specific type of writingBlogs require a specific type of writing We worked to identify voices that were We worked to identify voices that were

personal but appropriatepersonal but appropriate We built on the strengths of our collections We built on the strengths of our collections

and activitiesand activities We linked our posts directly to our We linked our posts directly to our

Facebook page which has driven more Facebook page which has driven more traffic to themtraffic to them

We have had 47 interactions in the last 7 We have had 47 interactions in the last 7 days. days.

Writing Posts: Keeping It Writing Posts: Keeping It RealReal

Editing postsEditing posts We discussed a variety of methods for ensuring that posts We discussed a variety of methods for ensuring that posts

with typos are not published to the blog. The group agreed with typos are not published to the blog. The group agreed upon the following method of ensuring excellently written upon the following method of ensuring excellently written content:content:

The poster will save their post as a draft, but will not publish itThe poster will save their post as a draft, but will not publish it A blog administrator will read the post and make minor typo and A blog administrator will read the post and make minor typo and

spelling corrections to the post. (if the author is also a blog spelling corrections to the post. (if the author is also a blog administrator, that author may not proof-read his or her own administrator, that author may not proof-read his or her own post). All blog administrators are authorized to read and post). All blog administrators are authorized to read and approve posts.approve posts.

The administrator/reader will then send an email to the author The administrator/reader will then send an email to the author indicating that it has been checked and approved for indicating that it has been checked and approved for publication. If further changes are needed or if the publication. If further changes are needed or if the administrator/reader has noted that guidelines for posting were administrator/reader has noted that guidelines for posting were not met, these concerns should be addressed in the email. The not met, these concerns should be addressed in the email. The author should make these changes then save the post again as a author should make these changes then save the post again as a draft and notify the administrator/reader that changes have draft and notify the administrator/reader that changes have been made.been made.

Once the author has received an email that his or her post has Once the author has received an email that his or her post has been read they are responsible for publishing the post.been read they are responsible for publishing the post.

http://www.thefarmersmuseum.blogspot.com/

Two Worlds Collide

Measuring SuccessMeasuring Success

By creating a space where people can By creating a space where people can communicate, reminisce, access communicate, reminisce, access content, identify activities that they content, identify activities that they can engage in and learn any time day can engage in and learn any time day or night, we have created a richer user or night, we have created a richer user experience that meets mission.experience that meets mission.

Cultivating an understanding of the rural heritage that has shaped our land, communities and American culture.

By creating a space where people can By creating a space where people can communicate, reminisce, access communicate, reminisce, access content, identify activities that they content, identify activities that they can engage in and learn any time day can engage in and learn any time day or night, we have created a richer user or night, we have created a richer user experience that meets mission.experience that meets mission.

Cultivating an understanding of the rural heritage that has shaped our land, communities and American culture.