Marketing is about more than selling. Sue Daniels explores ways of placing the customer at the heart of a gallery.
In many cultural institutions, marketing is involved at a late stage in the programming process. This reflects not only a traditional transactional view of marketing, one of selling, but also a silo approach one which avoids joint working to operational activities. The question is: How do we know that we are offering something that customers want to buy? It is vital that organisations wishing not only to survive but actually to thrive in todays competitive climate should involve marketing earlier first, by identifying what the consumer wants, and, second, by considering how the organisation can best fulfil that need or desire and serve the customer.
While audience development especially attracting new, more diverse audiences is an essential element of this, high-quality relationship marketing that is integrated and customer-centric is of equal importance and supports such activities. The aim in doing this is to win over customers by clearly demonstrating that the whole organisation has put the customer at the heart of its strategic decision-making and operational implementation. For example, in one gallery, exhibition planning involves a cross-functional team responsible for the overall delivery of the exhibition programme. They first meet 18 months before an exhibition opening and continue to the end of the exhibition. The consensus approach has led to better communications planning and PR, the development of more customer-focused exhibition materials and interpretation (including exhibition titles), and improved facilities planning all of which has led to increased customer satisfaction, more visitors and increased revenue.
It is vital that marketing is acknowledged and owned by all within the organisation. Marketing needs to transcend the traditional, restrictive, functional silos and, instead, be considered as a central element in reaching objectives and tasks. All employees, systems and processes need to focus on the same goal: gaining customer insights that will enable your organisation to win customer preference. Some will ask, but what about the importance of artistic product or our need to understand, conserve and preserve art or objects? Without customers, now and in the future, who are you doing these activities for?
Successful integrated marketing depends on the organisation having core offers that anticipate and meet customer needs. The development and success of what you offer relies on the insights drawn from understanding your customer. Customers tend to fall into three main categories: enthusiasts, interested, and the not-interested or dont knows. Cultural organisations need to develop ways of reaching these customers better data gathering, analysis and interpretation are required. Informal research is less expensive but one of the best means of gathering valuable information, for example, walking the floor of your institution observing visitors; undertaking a mystery customer exercise; listening to box office/bar staff/cleaners/security staff; attending a performance and using customer facilities only (at your and competitor/similar venues). Review existing data to glean insights and if no data is available, then determine what you need to know. An organisation must be able to change or remove any process or system that does not add value or service the customer.
The Head of Communications at the National Gallery spent three days working at the Gallerys main information desk, which provided valuable insights leading to a rethink regarding systems and processes including the type of experience and training that front-desk staff required, the development of more informative signage, a redesign of the Gallery plan and better attention being paid to the Gallerys brand. None of these approaches to gaining customer insights are new but all are valid. It is not just important, but essential that the chief executive and the board demand a truly customer-centric approach and they should actively encourage cross-functional working.
The benefits of integrated marketing are the ability to deliver against short-, medium- and long-term goals. For example, success can be an increase in admissions and revenue over time, a decrease in customer churn rates, an increase in share of customers, and an increase in development income, brand equity, or in the development and uptake of new programmes. Having said that marketing must be embraced by all functions within the organisation, what then is the role of the marketing department? At the simplest level, it is to add value to the rest of the organisation by practising its disciplines to the highest professional standards. But it is also vital that the marketing function uses its expertise to gather customer insights and intelligence in order to give customers the experience they desire and then to choose the right means to communicate this to the end users. It is in no organisations interest for an appropriate product or service to be their best kept secret.
Sue Daniels has over 16 years experience working with cultural organisations internationally in the areas of governance, strategy and marketing.
e: suedaniels@insight-management-international.com