Manual Communicating and Marketing Exhibitions by F.d. Riksutställningar

MANUAL COMMUNICATING AND MARKETING EXHIBITIONS

CONTENTS 7 9 13 17 21 25 29 33 37 41 45 49 53 61 64

INTRODUCTION PERFORMING TOGETHER RESEARCH YOUR SUBJECT THOROUGHLY PLANNING TIME AND MONEY MAKE A COMMUNICATION PLAN COLLABORATE WITH CONTRACTORS CONTRACTS AND PROCUREMENT TEXT AND GRAPHIC DESIGN PRESS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS THE WEB AND SOCIAL MEDIA THE OPENING FOLLOW UP AND EVALUATE SUGGESTED READING AND GLOSSARY THANKS CONTACT

INTRODUCTION

This manual is intended for people in the business of marketing exhibitions. Marketing is concerned with increasing attention, reaching prioritized groups and creating a major buzz in the media. Creating narratives so that the exhibition attracts plenty of discussion. Consciously crafted communication is the route to this goal. Successful communication and marketing requires your initiative and creativity. Your best resources are your keenness, courage and commitment. Start with some serious planning, draw up a plan of communication with plenty of activities, and follow up your work throughout the period of the exhibition. Communication and marketing also involve collaboration with other players. Together you produce common narratives that give emphasis to the message at strategic points. Focus on a common target for the outgoing operations. The Swedish Exhibition Agency is charged with developing and sharing knowledge in the field of communication and marketing of exhibitions. This manual provides tips and advice about marketing exhibitions. It is concerned with arousing visitorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; curiosity and giving them many good reasons for visiting the exhibition. Add your own tips at the end of each chapter and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to enjoy yourself while you are doing this.

PERFORMING TOGETHER

”Its all about interpretation” Maria Piacente, Lordculture

Producing exhibitions can be described in terms of three simple steps: planning, production and delivery. Where delivery extends over the entire exhibition period. The role of marketing manager should be included at an early planning stage, since an understanding of visitors, markets and target groups is a necessary condition of successful communication operations. Initial values in the working group Dedicate as much time as possible right from the start to getting to know each other and creating a strong sense of the group. What initial values and skills are there in the group charged with producing the exhibition? What have we previously achieved and what can we reasonably expect to do? It’s a good idea to use methods that create group dynamics and rules of the game. Problems become more easily solved along the way if one has seriously discussed the conditions and expectations. Creating a common objective Working towards common goals and objectives for the exhibition. Let everyone present their own idea of the exhibition. Play the role of an inquisitive journalist looking for the background and message in a story. Interpret and create narratives of various sorts about the exhibition. Compare different views and carry on discussing until you really have a common objective. You need to arrive at a joint definition of the purpose of the exhibition and of what it is about. Allocate roles and responsibilities Creating a good working climate is essential in that professional roles, skills and artistic abilities are not separate entities. Roles and responsibilities need to be allocated in such a way that everyone 9

understands who does what. Make an organizational chart and carefully describe and allocate the various functions. Who makes the decisions? Several aspects of producing an exhibition are dependent on each other and there are times when one has to think again and make new decisions. The artistic freedom for a single individual to change things at the last moment is limited and, in order to move things along, you need to have solid arguments and specifics for the decision. Make sure that it is clear who is mandated to have the final say. This can be concerned with aspects such as press releases, exhibition texts, graphic design and what images are to be used to highlight the exhibition. Parts make up a whole Use this manual in a supportive function and bring your questions to the first working-group meeting; and research the background to the exhibition. That you are equal players in the project is important in connection with marketing. A communication plan is a living document that needs to be adapted, changed or modified to meet changing circumstances. Update it frequently and keep it constantly accessible in the project structure. Most of the work is done before the exhibition opens but follow-up and perseverance are just as important throughout the entire period of the exhibition. Share your success Use the local factor and do things with people and businesses in the neighbourhood. Let professional colleagues take part in work on the exhibition and create user-generated content in the form of images, narratives and artefacts. Share your successes. If you gain a lot of notice and positive feedback make sure that everyone knows about this and gets congratulated. This will create a positive feeling of community that helps the work go on all the more smoothly.

TIPS FOR PERFORMING TOGETHER Start early working on the storyline of the exhibition. Make use of your network and contacts. Keep as many ideas open as possible. Write on your blog or newsletter about your collaboration and about how the exhibition is developing. Use other peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s news boards and shop windows and make your own available for marketing and advertising the exhibition. Include people from the target group as advisors, reference group and ambassadors for the exhibition. Contact tourist agencies, travel companies and other businesses offering experiences of public collaboration.

RESEARCH YOUR SUBJECT THOROUGHLY

â&#x20AC;?The connection to the collection is through the storiesâ&#x20AC;? Lisa Brochu, National Association for Interpretation

Study the background and determine what the exhibition is all about. What is the exhibition narrating and is there a special message that needs to be emphasized? Note the reasons for mounting the exhibition and what it is that makes it of special interest. Interviews Conduct lengthy, personal interviews with the person or persons responsible for initiating the exhibition. Asks questions about possible goals, objectives and the message to be communicated via the exhibition. Are there personal motivations and what is it that makes this theme suitable for an exhibition? Think story telling and interview techniques, curators, producers, educationalists, exhibition staff and all the other people involved in creating the exhibition. Make a storyboard Identify the theme and the various principal elements. Is the storyline chronological, spontaneous or associative? Is there an evident or underlying conflict? Make a storyboard in order to highlight what the exhibition wants to say. Does the storyline agree with the preferences of the target group. Invite representatives of the target group to attend and test how marketing can arouse interest. Let the exhibition tell a story Ask all the people in the project group to talk about a couple of artefacts or other items included in the exhibition. Is there a narrative or experience that can be highlighted in the marketing operations? Are there content, values, artists or collaborative efforts in the exhibition that arouse particular notice? 13

How can the exhibition be made relevant to its time and stimulate debate? Search out unique narratives Make a mind map showing moods, impressions, images, forms and descriptions from the exhibition. Call a meeting of the project group and brainstorm the exhibition together. Identify what is special about the exhibition and create exciting narratives out of the content. Use key personnel Take photos of objects and other items and reach an agreement as to how these can be used in marketing the exhibition and the extent to which they can be used for publicity. Let the producers and artists talk to the press and ensure that they are available for photographs and interviews. Look out for narratives regarding the background to artefacts and other items. The media like personal portraits, unusual backgrounds and information about techniques used by the producers. Collect digital material Are digital materials such as images, videos and sound files available that can be used outside the exhibition? Check out experts and journalists who write about the subject. Are there any other similar exhibitions? If so, what is their marketing like? Apply for permissions and rights to all materials that may later be used in various media. Emphasize values Make use of values and create a clear graphic design that expresses the message of the exhibition. A conscious working procedure that embraces gender issues, diversity and accessibility ensures a qualified result. Maintain an awareness of environmental aspects throughout the process and highlight this at the right point in the marketing operations.

ASK QUESTIONS â&#x20AC;&#x201C; DO RESEARCH Why are we producing this exhibition? What is the background to the production? What is the exhibition about? What are the goals of the exhibition? What are the intentions behind the exhibition? What activities are planned in conjunction with the exhibition? Who are the target groups? Collect quotations, expressions and narratives that deal with the subject of the exhibition. Edit a brief text describing the exhibition. Test the contents on the target group and highlight the most interesting points in the marketing.

PLANNING TIME AND MONEY

Time and money are the resources that you need to plan for. Start by counting backwards. When must the exhibition be ready and what date is the opening? Plan time and money for marketing with the opening day as oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s starting point. Make a communications plan with selected activities, channels and cost estimates. Set deadlines Be specific about what you want right from the beginning. What needs to be purchased and what can you make yourselves? Set deadlines as control points in collaboration with external suppliers and contractors. Ensure that there is â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;airâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in the system but let everyone understand that multiple people are dependent on things being supplied on time throughout the process. Discuss the time plan and have it verified by suppliers and clients. Make a production schedule Making a simple plan of the material that needs to be produced in order to be able to monitor the processes and to understand how different parts depend on each other. Do everything you can as early as possible and run several processes in parallel. Does phase one really need to have been completed before one embarks on phase two? Is phase ten actually dependent on phase one at all? Calculate supply dates from external sources with a margin in case of any faults or delays. Changing the order It can be better to have a single supplier or contractor who can furnish everything necessary rather than doing bits of the project oneself. Try always to maintain a reserve plan because nothing ever works out exactly as intended. Maintain a flexible approach and ensure that changes are properly understood as quickly as possible. It is easier for a supplier or contractor to deal with changes the earlier they are known. 17

Discuss the situation and the boundaries so that you avoid having to redo work because of faulty communication. Monitor the budget on a weekly basis Make a detailed budget, dividing the costs into as small units as possible. Observe when there are discrepancies with regard to the proposed budget and change the relevant entry to the actual amount. Keep a running check and update your budget weekly. Communicate changes to the budget with your collaborators and project managers. Additional costs can arise for all sorts of reasons and must be taken into account. A realistic time schedule should also be included as an item in the budget so that working time is also accounted for. Invest in quality Add in at least ten per cent of the total budget for unforeseen expenditure. This is not a matter of bad planning but is intended to deal with new ideas and opportunities. Dare to invest in quality and run fewer activities with the right sort of competence available to ensure success. Try to link the budget with income if possible. Then it becomes evident which types of investments that need to be prioritized and, perhaps, increased. Following a good review in the press, increase your advertising. Discuss whether further activities might be undertaken with a view to reaching a wider audience. This should also appear in the budget as an entry for increased activities. Have plenty of proposals for sponsors Look for sponsors at an early stage and ask them what they want to gain from their collaboration. Enter into a dialogue and produce a proposal listing the amount of visibility they will enjoy by being linked with the exhibition. Estimate how much the brand will be exposed and how both win by being exposed in this fashion. Create a sponsorship policy and make one person responsible for the 18

issue, with a mandate to reach an agreement. Make sure that the sponsorship agreement is understood throughout the organization. Produce presentational materials and model contracts with a variety of different possibilities such as principal sponsor, project sponsor, project partner, donator or offer participation in a society of “friends”.

TIPS FOR FINANCING AN EXHIBITION Rent out the premises and the exhibition to other events. Propose to film companies that they should film the exhibition. Sell items to each other in shops. Produce a special edition of an item or an extra edition of a printed publication. Advertise on public transport during summer when tariffs are often lower. Make sure that you have an attractive café with fresh food and – in summer – outdoor seating which attracts visitors in its own right.

MAKE A COMMUNICATION PLAN

Start with a communication plan, a template for activities, and a budget from the outset. The aims and objectives of communication and marketing need to support the fundamental goals of the exhibition. Draw up measurable objectives. This may be in terms of numbers of visitors one expects, where visitors are to meet advertising, or the number of articles in the daily newspapers. List all of this in a communication plan and update the information regularly. Background Give the exhibition a unique and significant title. Check on the Internet to see whether the title is already in use. Think in terms of a web address and translation into other possible languages as required. Is there a need for an explanatory subtitle? Write a short description of the background and objectives of the exhibition and link this to marketing efforts. Use quotations from the background text and aims when you are describing the exhibition in the marketing materials. Main message What is the main message of the exhibition? What should marketing be chiefly communicating to the public? Collect and edit key formulations. Try out some pay-offs and taglines. Use value terms from the storyline of the exhibition and break it down into a number of partial messages. Look for a variety of different ways of marketing and communicating the message. Measurable goals Define the goals in accordance with the exhibitionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s communicative message. Measure the impact of the channels and how they reach different target groups. How is the exhibition to be marketed? Set up measurable goals that can be monitored. How did visitors find the exhibition? How many pairs of eyes are going to see the 20 advertisements? In how many places should posters be hung? 21

Who are to receive leaflets about the exhibition and how many press cuttings and mentions on the radio and TV should one expect? Try also to measure whether the objectives have achieved any effect. Target groups Define target groups, dividing them into primary and secondary groups in allocating resources. Create one or more fictitious people of a certain age and with a specific lifestyle and interests. It is easier to give direction to materials when one has a person in mind. Identify the visitor groups that need to be contacted and offer the exhibition to them in their channels. Strategies Identify the marketing activities that work best for the exhibition. Tailor the strategies to the target groups and take into account both age and demography. How is one to reach potential visitors and how can a relationship with them be developed? Is the goal one visit or recurrent visits? Are there different segments? What are the main channels for the exhibition and which initiatives have received the major investment. Risk analysis Make a risk analysis of the communication plan. Take measures to deal with sensitive issues that can be linked with the exhibition. Identify possibilities, weaknesses, strengths and threats. Deal with possibly critical questions by referring to chosen spokespersons who are prepared for discussion of the sensitive subject. Prepare a document with questions and answers. Activity plan with budget Make a simple matrix in which you enter all the activities and the chosen channels. When are they to be undertaken, as well as how, where and by whom? After the activities have finished, the plan can be used for evaluation purposes and for following up the exhibition a couple of weeks after it opens. 22

MAKE A COMMUNICATION PLAN Create a table with the following headings: Activity, Channel, Aim, Goal, Priority, Target group, Budget, and Person responsible for the activity. Choose activities and plan in a newsletter, articles on the Internet, social media, advertising, invitations to the press, blogs, leaflets, posters, mailings and all the other activities in the various media channels. Work with the various target groups and plan which channels will function best with regard to each target group. Create different â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;personasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; that correspond to the target groups and identify where and how they are most likely to be influenced by the marketing operations.

COLLABORATE WITH CONTRACTORS

”The stories that people share in our community curated exhibitions create a powerful sense of place, and change the nature of how our visitors experience history.” Deborah Schwartz, Brooklyn Historical Society

Well-functioning collaboration with reliable suppliers or contractors adds quality to the marketing operations. Comment in a positive frame of mind, emphasizing each other’s best points. If there are several people behind the production you need to allocate responsibilities and roles. There is often a financial transaction underlying the collaboration so you should have serious expectations regarding suppliers. Compile basic information Use sources of information and research materials in order to get the contractor started. An idea can be described in words or images at an early stage and this can be used in drawing up the contract. Provide your contractors with a clear description of what is required and ensure that each contractor has a contact person. Request a short debriefing in order to check that the contractor has understood what is required. Inspirational images Create an inspirational mood board with images for photographers, copywriters, illustrators, art directors and designers. Write the client’s names in connection with usage. Give references and sources and check that you have the right to use quotations. Enter into agreements so that pictures and other illustrations from the exhibition can be used on the Internet and in publications. Divide supply contracts into several stages.

Visit the printer Learn about the printing process, gathering as much information as possible. Ensure that the printer feels like a participant and is on a good footing with the graphic designer. Establish some fixed points for approval throughout the process so that you avoid unpleasant surprises. The more you know about printing techniques and paper sorts, the better will be your contact with the printer. Request samples Take reference samples or proofs for colours and do not rely merely on what you can see on a computer screen. Run a pre-flight programme to check your document before sending it to the printer. Check that the pictures are four-colour, high-resolution separations and that the font is included. Request proofs of the publication even if this costs more. Check that the designated publisher has signed off the final proof before returning it to the printer. Publications If you are thinking in terms of making a catalogue for the exhibition, you can seek an ISBN number and can publish the catalogue separately prior to the exhibition. A catalogue can be a useful complement to the marketing as well as providing more information about the content of the exhibition. Make sure that catalogues and other publications have their own budget so that they do not eat into the marketing budget. Circulate the publication prior to the opening and send review copies to cultural journalists and others who may be interested. Make plans for an electronic version and for print-on-demand if you want to minimize the edition for environmental reasons.

TIPS FOR COOPERATION WITH CONTRACTORS Use faรงades and walls and some of the printed matter as advertising sites for contractors and collaborators. Join membership clubs of newspapers and organize special offers together with contractors. Organize guided tours based on a contractor perspective from the contents of the exhibition.

CONTRACTS AND PROCUREMENT

Formulating precise contracts is important if one wishes to avoid misunderstandings. Always produce written contracts that clearly state what has been agreed. Public procurement rules apply to the public sector, the aim being to ensure that all potential suppliers are fairly treated with equal terms. Send out a number of requests for tenders at the same time and compare price and other conditions. Draw up contracts as early as possible Contracts should be drawn up as early in a collaboration as possible. It is easier for all parties to maintain clarity if the terms are written down so that the expectations are clearly visible. Agreements and contracts can be updated, re-negotiated or adjusted if necessary. Model contracts with flexible headings Base the contract on the tendering description. Begin with a brief statement of the agreement. Produce model contracts for various contexts, including the following points: Summary of the agreement Names and addresses of the parties, contact details Description of the assignment When and how payment is to be made Fixed payment or time-and-materials within stated limits When legal advice is needed Plan for dealing with disagreements Environmental demands and other policies to be followed Schedule supply dates Clear price limits Decide whether to agree a fixed price or a time-and-materials contract with a price ceiling. Include payment and supply dates 29

in all contracts and define the consequences if the contractor should fail to deliver on time. What are the consequences for other plans and supplies if the contractor is late in delivering? Copyrights and fees Come to an agreement about copyrights and the extent to which the material is to be distributed. Set a date for when the assignment has to be finished. Get written permission from people appearing on photographs for use in marketing. Produce a form for this. Take part in other negotiations for contracts regulating copyrights that affect marketing. Learn more about rules for copyrights, fees and other immaterial rights pertaining to artists. Be open and ask whether you can use material in several different contexts. Procurement and tendering Rules governing procurement can be complex. It may be worth the money to pay a procurement consultant in order to ensure that the rules are followed and that you find the right contractor. Swedish government bodies have access to the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Avropaâ&#x20AC;? website. In requesting tenders, state whether price or some other variable is decisive. Get tenders from at least three suppliers. When you have chosen a tender, negotiations can begin and a contract can be drawn up. Each party receives a copy of the contract, dated and signed by both parties. Basic values and guidelines Guidelines and requirements must be easily comprehensible so it is wise to include policies on gender issues, environmental concerns and basic values as appendices. This enables parties to the agreement to rapidly become acquainted with the intentions and values of the exhibition producers.

TIPS FOR CONTRACTS AND PROCUREMENT Always draw up written contracts. Decide how to describe each other and where logotypes should be seen together. Be specific about which parameters are decisive in the procurement process. Include guidelines, policies and values in the agreements. Give all contractors the same basic information, preferably at the same time. This will simplify evaluation of the tenders. Be clear about the final date for tendering and answer all tenderers as quickly as possible when a decision has been made.

TEXT AND GRAPHIC DESIGN

”The most successful in attracting children are museums that focus on the ’nice to go’ aspect then incorporate the learning aspect” Annemies Broekgaarden, Hands On! International

Texts that are easy to read with a simple graphic design facilitate getting the message across to the target groups. Adapt materials to suit the needs of visitors and choose your channels of communication. Leaflets, posters and printed invitation cards are still the most common area of graphic choice. Produce the materials in the digital domain as this makes them easier to use in advertising and banners on the Internet and the social media. Accessible language What language should one use and how are the texts to be received? Are the mode of address, tone or spoken-language conventions important? Determine the linguistic and visual frameworks at an early stage so that whoever uses the texts is aware of the parameters and why things look like they do. What do you want an inquisitive visitor to expect of written information? Use a central theme and a particular tone run through all the texts so that they are all consistent. Write simply All visitors should be able to understand a text without having a specialist knowledge of the subject. Adapt the length of the text and the tone to the needs of the target group. Write using as simple vocabulary as possible. Use background texts to add information about the message of the exhibition. Write about yourselves and don’t forget to include contact details and web addresses at the end of the text. Try a new channel for each new exhibition you undertake. 33

Graphic design Should a graphic designer be contracted for the marketing materials? Use the reference group from the target group to ensure that the graphic design communicates the message. Good design is a matter of truly understanding what works for the target groups. Format, colours, fonts and printing techniques are all relevant. You also need to consider how the graphic design fits with the institution responsible for the exhibition and its graphic profile. Form and message Take the target groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs as your starting point. Does the exhibition have its own identity and how is its title to be written in running or body text, in italics, bold type or within inverted commas? Start from the prioritized channels and be consistent. Let the graphic design support the message. What about the situations where you do not influence the choice of font, colour and form? Do you need to draw up guidelines for how you communicate using the social media? Choose a concept image Create a concept image for early information prior to the opening of the exhibition. This should preferably be a striking image, full of contrasts. It can be a good idea to create the concept image at an early date and to repeat it regularly in the marketing activities. Make sure that the image is repeated on leaflets and posters. Consider the copyright issues in connection with the image and find out whether you can put text onto the image or show only part of it if necessary. Posters and leaflets Posters are a tradition in the museum sector and they often use up a good portion of the budget. Consider whether this is the best way to reach the target group or whether there are more efficient methods. Posters on outdoor hoardings are hardly visible in the winter in Sweden. Check where the posters will be displayed before deciding on the format and number. Include the address, opening hours, website and dates. 34

Place leaflets where they are readily visible and make sure that they are continuously available.

TIPS FOR TEXT AND GRAPHIC DESIGN Should information be available in several languages? In Sweden, besides Swedish and English, this can be a matter of Finnish, Serbo-Croatian, Arabic, Kurdish or Spanish. Offer the possibility of information in simplified form that is easy to read. Give the exhibition its own logo and graphic identity that is repeated on all the material. Determine the appropriate tone and agree on how the collaboration and the exhibition are to be described in written contexts.

PRESS OCH PUBLIC RELATIONS

Provide the editor with well-written texts and proposals for illustrations to make the editorial work as simple as possible. Produce factual information and relevant statistics from the exhibition and invite radio and TV in advance of the opening. Think ahead and send out reminders at intervals to keep the media interested. Maintaining good relations with a small number of journalists is more worthwhile than impersonal press releases sent out to hundreds of newspapers and media companies that one is not acquainted with. Expend plenty of time and resources on press and public relations as their channels represent the best way of reaching a wider public. Collaborate with journalists Cultivate relations and contacts by means of a conscious and active media operation. Talking to journalists takes time. Give frequent tips and let the editor decide whether the material is suitable as a news item or not. Photographers like taking pictures of people doing something specific and some journalists want the story exclusively. Consider whether the exhibition would benefit from being exclusive to a particular newspaper or other media channel. Press preview Decide on a date for the press preview. If you want the news article to be published on the day of the opening it is best to have a press preview on the previous day. Otherwise it is good to choose an occasion when there are a lot of visitors to make lively photos. Make a schedule for press operations, send out invitations to the media and ask if they intend to come. Let producers, artists, contractors and others talk about their work on the exhibition. Have press photos available Make sure you have good camera angles for photos at the press preview. If you have a school class attending, you need to have 37

photo permits from the childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parents. Produce a press kit with texts, photos and interviews available on CD or a USB stick. Make the same press kit available on the Internet. Immediately after the opening, fill up with pictures from the opening. Identify news items Successful news items need to be unique and to address the emotions and do not arise all that frequently. The media have their own priorities and always have the reader in mind when evaluating news. When the exhibition is decided on, this must be conveyed to the press and when the exhibition opens one needs to tell the press how this went. Make plans for a continuous flow of news from the exhibition. Find angles from the various events and lectures connected with the exhibition. Produce statistics. Do something special on the big holidays and inform the press of the last opportunity to view the exhibition. Take every opportunity to create new and exciting news angles. Writing press releases Write the most important news in the introduction to the press release. The entire release should be on one sheet of paper. There should be only one news item to a press release and one should finish by listing the contact people who are ready to answer questions, as well as a boilerplate of the institution in a smaller font. Ask someone to proofread the press release before sending it out. Contact different media organizations Keep in contact with radio and TV shows that have their own editorial staff. Offer your press material to small organizations such as corporate newspapers, societies for the arts and pensionersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; organizations. Make contact with the publisher of travel magazines on railways, busses and aircraft and offer them finished articles. Prepare the material with unique illustrations and text specifically for this particular destination as well as offering exclusive rights to the article. Take the target group as your starting point and consider which editors in the trade press are relevant to them. 38

TIPS FOR PRESS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS Keep active in the pressroom and update materials frequently. Take new photos regularly. Invite schools and groups of children to attend the press preview if the exhibition is aimed at children. Organize lectures and topical debates, and do not be afraid to address conflicts that the exhibition may give rise to. Learn an oral narrative that describes the exhibition. Emphasize what is unique to this particular exhibition.

THE WEB AND SOCIAL MEDIA

The fact that an exhibition is in progress is a main news story. Use this opportunity for interaction and ask visitors to send in their photos and narratives, or their views about what the exhibition lacks. If it is a travelling exhibition it can have a website of its own. Take the needs of the target group as the starting point and link a newsletter to the website. The best tip for the social media is simply to experiment and see what works! The editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role Create a new website or blog for the exhibition and appoint a person as the responsible editor for the entire digital operation. Create links and tips to the website where images, films and texts are available. Edit the texts and media in order to link up different channels for talking about the exhibition in different ways. Give up control and let visitors comment and influence developments as far as possible. Social participation Invite visitors to take part in narratives, comments, tips and competitions. Always answer contributions and encourage dialogue. Present the exhibition and inform people as to how things are developing and what exciting plans there are for the future. Be open with areas that can be influenced and how participation will be apparent. Let visitors send in material. Optimize browsing and monitor statistics Tag contributions and repeat the exhibitionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name, keywords and formulations in headings so that they come to the top of the list on browsers. Create numerous links to and from the website. Subscribe to a free service for press cuttings and remember to update it with new search words. There is information about optimizing browsing on Googleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s help pages. 33 41

Activate the group Write down some simple guidelines about how, when and where you are visible in the social media. Clarify the distinction between speaking as a member of the exhibition staff and speaking as a private person, if required. Prioritize your channels and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t create too many new channels. The social media are time-taking and demand your constant attention if they are to work really well. Find people in your organization who like putting out material and taking part in debates. Rules and regulations Check with the Swedish Postal and Telecom Authority (PTS) about what information has to be included on the website. This can be a matter of cookies, of removing comments and of how to interpret Swedenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Personal Data Act. There may be regulations about saving materials and the right to public access. The rules can vary depending on whether the institution is a government authority or has some other organization as its principal. Smartphones and tablets Think mobility, speed and positioning opportunities in smartphones and tablets. App-development will continue apace and so you should plan for interactivity. New technology provides new opportunities but demands relevant content and for the responsible publisher will remain.

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TIPS FOR WEB AND SOCIAL MEDIA Form a group and help each other spread narratives on the web and in the social media. Use QR codes and link to texts or websites for an easy way to keep information updated. Transmit lectures and events in real time online. Make your own media channel on the web. Uppload events continuously in the running calendar. Produce interactive competitions on the web and spread them via newsletter and social media.

THE OPENING

The opening – or les usually, vernissage from the French tradition of varnishing paintings on the day an exhibition opened – helps to increase awareness of the exhibition and, with luck, will result in plenty of notice in the media. Be prepared in case there are more visitors than you had expected and don’t forget that the opening is primarily intended for visitors from the target group. Prepare the staff Give each member of staff an assignment and make a checklist of who does what during the opening. An assignment may be to serve in some capacity but it can also be mingling and networking. Everyone can help to welcome the guests in a personal manner. How can the premises best be adapted to the opening party; and keep track of the time of year. Do you need a cloakroom for winter coats? Do you need first-aid provision and a heart starter? Do you need security on the door? Will all the guests want taxis at the same time? What is the state of the entrance hall and the toilets? Select your guests Ask all members of staff to propose people for the guest list. Determine how many guests you want to come. Reckon with some refusals and invite more people than you want to attend. Which representatives of the media and of interest groups should you invite? Choose the people who can make the biggest splash and look for opinion-formers like specialized journalists, expert politicians or a leading person from the corporate world. Send out invitations Send out invitations at least two weeks prior to the opening. Use “save this date” if it is a grand opening with guests who need to plan their participation long in advance. Decide whether to send invitations digitally or as printed cards. Do the guests need to reply to the invitation? Is there an open invitation or is the opening for 45

invited guests only? Should it be advertised in the newspapers, on the web or in a newsletter? Speeches and programmed events What activities are included in the programme and who is to formally open the exhibition? Should it be someone interesting to the media, to the visitors or to both? Celebrities can be very busy and need to be approached long before the opening date. You will also need a competent sound system. And you need to make sure that the programme accords with the content and message of the exhibition. Visitors tend not to appreciate having to listen to long, internal votes of thanks. Showing the exhibition Do a staff preview on the day before the opening so that staff are able to present the exhibition in detail. Plan guided tours at regular intervals. Music that suits the noise level and a performance that does not dominate but that helps guests to feel more welcome is often appreciated. Hand out simple leaflets about the exhibition. Snacks and refreshments Remember that some of your guests may well be vegetarians, gluten-allergic or lactose intolerant so it is a good idea to label the snacks accordingly. Do you need a permit to serve alcohol? Can people eat refreshments in the exhibition or should these be served elsewhere? Do the refreshments suit the exhibition and will people be able to talk and eat at the same time? Non-alcoholic drinks? Is there a safety limit on the number of visitors on the premises at one time? Does one need to notify the emergency services? After the party Thank people for attending with a goodie bag containing publicity materials and a catalogue with information about the exhibition. Spread the news that the exhibition has opened with a large atten46

dance and that it was much appreciated. Let visitors spread information about the event using a common hash tag and with specific places specially equipped for taking photographs.

TIPS FOR THE FORMAL OPENING Invite bloggers, sponsors, customers, members, press, staff, politicians, and collaborators. Organize concerts and performances inside and outside the exhibition. Produce a melody or soundtrack for the exhibition Let special guides talk about the exhibition, stressing striking events from the exhibition. Film and photograph production of the exhibition and show these â&#x20AC;&#x153;work in progressâ&#x20AC;? activities at the opening.

FOLLOW UP AND EVALUATE

â&#x20AC;?The important thing is the stories behind the stuff at the museumâ&#x20AC;? Lisa Brochu, National Association for Interpretation

The exhibition has now opened, the press preview is over and, we must hope, there is now a steady stream of visitors eager to view the exhibition. What was the result of the various initiatives and how well were they conducted? Follow up the marketing and communication through an evaluation prepared in advance. Decide on a time a couple of weeks or so after the opening to look at the objectives of the communication plan. Evaluation will provide new ideas for marketing and even give new news angles. Undertake a visitor survey Decide on how you will collect the data and in what form it should be presented. One can undertake a qualitative survey or a quantitative one. But one should avoid posing too many questions. Tour the exhibition yourself and talk to visitors. Ask them to fill in a questionnaire on the spot or after the conversation. The survey is a tool for improving the exhibition and the marketing. Use the results for new press releases and make even a minor survey rather than none at all. Test your values Does the communication in connection with the exhibition measure up to your values? It is a good idea to divide the evaluation into smaller groups so that even sensitive points of view can be discussed. Have the values and the message reached the media and visitors? Time to measure your objectives Figures and statistics are useful in argumentation and they can 49

also be used from a news angle. Use measurable goals for activities right from the beginning and establish goals along the way to check whether strategy is going in the right or wrong direction. Look at the number of visitors, press cuttings, hits on the Internet, ticket income, reviews, supportive mail, complaints and everything else that can be quantified. Send out press releases about statistics and the reasons behind the figures. Media impact List the contact details of journalists who attended the opening or who have written about the exhibition in the meantime. Contact these journalists, offering them a follow-up through statistics or a new angle for an article. Use surveys to gain feedback on different parts of the work and save press cuttings for later use as an entry to contact with the journalist. Own reflections What do visitors say to museum hosts and others who meet visitors on a daily basis? The information gained in such dialogues is valuable in working for improved quality. What was it that caused the visitor to come to the exhibition? What sort of things are included in comment boxes in discussion forums and the social media? Can one confirm the visitor feedback by visualizing it in text or images? Perhaps use bar charts that grow out of the statistics, making them intelligible and interesting. Everything is connected Make use of the information gained from an evaluation and adapt marketing accordingly for the rest of the exhibition period if required. Intuition and gut feelings come from experience and automatically follow on to the next project. What marks the end of one exhibition is the beginning of another and an essential condition for something new. Everything is connected and the task of marketing an exhibition recurs in a comprehensible pattern.

TIPS FOR FOLLOW-UPS AND EVALUATIONS Undertake surveys and interviews with reference groups and target groups. Measure the number of mentions in the press, the number of visitors, reviews, blog posts and web traffic. Make qualitative measurements too. What were your expectations? How was the marketing perceived? Where and how did visitors come into contact with communication about the exhibition? Ask for criticism of what did not work. Measure the objectives that were listed in the communication plan.