rosie clarke introduces culture24, museums at night and an event marketing masterclass for small...
TRANSCRIPT
• Current free promotional opportunities from Culture24
• Museums at Night festival
• Successful event marketing
• Clustering support activity
What is Culture24?
Non-profit core-funded by Arts Council England to support the cultural sector to reach audiences across digital platforms.
4 main areas of work:
• Publishing• Data aggregation and sharing (6500 organisations)• Museums at Night festival• Action Research and knowledge development – Let’s Get Real
Brief taster of Culture24’s projects –website links and contacts are on handout.
Please get in touch: we’re here to help!
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Growth of venues & events 2009-14
Venues
Events
Every year, more venues take part
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Growth of visitors 2009-14
“We toured the RAF exhibits at a relaxed pace with a drink in hand; it was great to have no crowds and music on. We watched a woman perform WWII era songs and competed in a paper aeroplane-throwing competition!”
Popular with the public
What makes an after-hours event special and different for visitors?
• Convenient – discover heritage on the doorstep• Magical atmosphere• Chance to try something different
Three main audiences
Fun, fashion, friends – social, wine or cocktails, vintage
Family audiences
Fans and special interest groups
Why take part?
• National public-facing PR campaign raising the profile of all museums. Punch above your weight!
• Chance to trial a different offer, reach a new audience
• Low barrier to entry – re-use assets, double-brand events
• Work in partnership
• Helpful resources – 6 years of case studies on the blog, downloadable templates
• Income generation
• Culture24 offers event ideas, promotional opportunities e.g. Reading Agency authors
Top tips
• Get everyone on board – Friends, young people’s groups etc
• Register in time for deadlines to get into brochure• Compare notes locally to share resources, avoid
clashes• Read our email newsletters for new offers• Don’t start with a sleepover!
How to get publicity and attract your target audience
• Audience focus• Creative copywriting• Press releases • Photography case study• Print• Online tools• Social media• Keeping the audience – email newsletters
Target audience
• Who are they?
• Where are they, in real life and online?
• How can you reach them?
Creative copywriting
• Creative copywriting
• Why should people come out to your event?
• Collection objects / highlights / extras
• Night time atmosphere?
• Sensory descriptions – not just sight
• USP
• “This is for people like me”
Writing a press release
• WWWWWH
• Quote curator / funder / celeb endorsement
• 2 pages max in body of email
• Images
• Who’s available for interview?
• Notes to Editors
• Named contact – respond quickly!
Sending a press release
• Find out deadlines
– Weekly papers 2 weeks ahead
– Broadcast 1 week
• Contact details (print = news, listings, features editors; broadcast = producers)
• Follow-up phonecall
What’s your angle?
• Local media want a local angle
• Journalists look for human interest – any descendants of local Victorians?
• Topical – link to a historical event, personality or anniversary
• Make sure interviews end with link to website
You can feature on Culture24!
Three types of content:
1) Picture story
2) Curator’s Choice
3) News story for a specific audience
Key themes: Art, History, Archaeology, Military history, Transport and industry, Victorians, Georgians, Literary history
What makes a good image?
• Target audience / cute kids having a good time, engaging with collections
• Get parents’ permission
• Create a night-time atmosphere
• Print quality – over 300 dpi, A5 size, minimum 2MB
• Filename, caption – title, venue, photographer, (c), date
Extra tips
• Set up a photocall
• Create a competition with newspaper – prizes could be items from your shop, meal in cafe
• Invite picture editor to send photographer on the night
• Take your own photos, visitor vox pops – and re-use them!
Online coverage
• Your own website / blog
• Telling stories, drawing people in, news updates
• Immediacy: type what you’d say out loud
• I want your guest blog posts!
http://museumsatnight.wordpress.com
- include call to action and link back
Social media
• Communicate directly, anyone can read
• Simple, authentic, human voice
• Track what’s being said about you, respond openly – but ephemeral
• Connect with local community, interest groups
• What does success look like?– Numbers?
– Engagement?
– Repeat visits?
Tools
• Storify
• Facebook and Twitter analytics
• YouTube / Vine
• Google Analytics – referrers? Conversions?
• Don’t forget to take baseline measurements!
Email newsletters
• Separate, targeted messages to public, teachers, Friends of museum
• Seasonal highlights, upcoming events
• Deepen relationship – perks e.g. launch invitations, competitions
• Cheap / free
• Tone of voice
Problems and solutions cluster activity
Split into groups
Each share a problem
Everyone shares a helpful suggestion
Thanks very much!
Rosie Clarke
@museumsatnight
http://museumsatnight.wordpress.com