Prepared by: Jenna Mills, Haysam Fahmy, Rosemary Heiss, Amanda Sawney 1

Experience Marketing Action Plan Team Assignment

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Table of Contents1.0 Introduction

2.0 Executive Summary

3.0 Purpose & Objectives

4.0 Action Plan

5.0 Audiences

6.0 Stakeholder Impact

7.0 Opportunities Analysis

8.0 Financials

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IntroductionIt is an honor to present to you the business plan for the Smithsonian Museums New

Visitors Experience. We have embarked on a journey that over time will transform how

millions of people interact with the largest repository of human knowledge and creativity in

the history of the world. It is with the future in mind that this document was created.

James Smithson's Gift:

"I then bequeath the whole of my property...to the United

States of America, to found at Washington, under the

name of the Smithsonian Institution, an Establishment

for the increase & diffusion of knowledge..."

James Smithsonian

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Executive SummaryThis business plan encapsulates the vision, high-level scope and project governance

structure associated with one of the highest priorities of the Smithsonian: the successful

implementation of the New Visitors’ Experience.

The overall purpose of the New Visitors’ Experience is to offer, whether here in

Washington or across the country, an engaging, entertaining, and educational experience

with the Smithsonian Museums that stimulates lifelong learning and creativity.

To achieve this ambitious result for an ever-expanding and diverse audience, we have

several clear objectives to guide the efforts of the New Visitors’ Experience:

To increase public awareness of the extraordinary educational resources of the Smithsonian, which belongs to all Americans

To make the Museums a primary visiting destination

To use live engaging activities and events to enable visitors to explore the Museums collections

To provide relevant, authentic and engaging learning experiences for students, teachers and lifelong learners

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Executive SummaryThe New Visitors’ Experience must captivate the many audiences who visit. With that in

mind, this business plan features scenarios that envision how our target audiences may

experience the treasures contained within the Museum.

The scenarios are meant to show the breadth of what millions of visitors will undergo

inside the physical space.

A new Arrival experience

Experiencing the exhibits

A new live experience through events and activities that engage a learning experience

All programs, activities, exhibitions and content delivered through the

implementation of the New Visitors’ Experience will require support from the

enabling infrastructure of the Smithsonian Institution. Because the project is

funded almost entirely by private contributions, fundraising is the lifeblood of

the project; it is what makes the vision, scope and timeline of the project

possible.

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Executive SummaryMarketing and communications play a key role in both fundraising and ensuring public

awareness of all that the Museums will have to offer with the New Visitors’ Experience.

Once people arrive, visitor services, volunteers, and safety and security staff will be

dedicated to ensuring visitor satisfaction.

The final component of this business plan is an outline of the program governance

structure that will ensure the successful delivery of the New Visitors’ Experience. A goal

in managing this project is to be creative but realistic with regard to what can be

accomplished given available time and resources. Governance refers to the structure,

processes, documentation and collaboration under which the New Visitors’ Experience

team will operate in order to deliver this ambitious project.

One of the most important elements of a successful project is a clearly articulated

purpose with corresponding objectives. The purpose and objectives answer questions

such as, “How does this project help fulfill the mission of the Smithsonian Institution?”

and “What are the desired outcomes?” The purpose is a statement to which the entire

project team, stakeholders and constituents can commit and support. The objectives refer

back to the purpose — once the objectives are completed, the purpose will be fulfilled.

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Purpose & Objectives

The purpose of the New

Visitors’ Experience is to

create an engaging,

entertaining, and educational

experience with the

Smithsonian Institution to

inspire and sustain lifelong

learning and creativity for an

expanding and diverse

audience.

The purpose and objectives that have been developed communicate the importance and

mission of the New Visitors’ Experience in a clear, concise manner.

Smithsonian Castle, 1867

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Purpose & ObjectivesObjective 1: To increase public awareness of the breadth of the Smithsonian

Institution’s resources, collections and other offerings, which belong to all Americans.

The Smithsonian Institution, with its vast repository of knowledge, is an essential resource for

the American people. The New Visitors’ Experience will increase public awareness of this fact.

Objective 2: To make the Smithsonian Museums a primary destination.

Many visitors to the Museums comment that they are of the most beautiful architectural spaces

in Washington, if not the nation. Their architecture, reflecting the nation’s and the world’s

cultures, coupled with the vast amounts of unique treasures in their possession, qualify the

Smithsonian Museums as some of this country’s premier destinations.

The New Visitors’ Experience will demonstrate why the Museums are a “must-visit site.” When

people visit Washington, the Smithsonian Museums will be on their list of top-ten places to visit.

When they speak to their friends about their visit to the nation’s capital, the Smithsonian

Museums will be one of the highlights that they talk about.

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Purpose & ObjectivesObjective 3: To provide relevant, authentic and engaging learning experiences for

students, teachers and lifelong learners.

In a world where youth have so many competing choices for their attention, educational

opportunities that create a passion for learning are far too few. As a respected and reliable

source of knowledge, the Smithsonian Museums have the unique opportunity to affect

teachers, students in K-12 and beyond, and lifelong learners with the New Visitors’ Experience

in extraordinary ways.

The experience will focus on inspiring visitors to engage in critical thinking and to ask deep

questions by providing access to thought-provoking artifacts. Individuals will be drawn into the

experience in an enjoyable, interactive manner, using cutting-edge technologies.

Because some of this content is also available online, teachers will be able to access related

lesson plans and other materials that support effective learning. These plans will be a rich,

unique educational resource.

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Action Plan Overview

The marketing plan is broken into three phases of work. Each phase has a primary goal,

objectives that are accomplished, units of measurement and duration.

Phase 1 Awareness

Phase 2 Target the Brand

Phase 3 Retention, Support

& Direction

Goals

Objectives

Measurement

Duration

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Action Plan Overview• Create revitalized ad campaign highlighting key features of the Smithsonian experience

• Create strategic partnerships to promote the Museum

• Feature more engaging ads promoting events in partner media resources

• Feature more engaging ads promoting events in national media outlets; online, offline, broadcast

• Promote fun learning activities/events at the museum for students and families

• Increase museum revenue; sales, donations

• To increase public awareness of the breadth of the Smithsonian Institution’s resources, collections and other

offerings, which belong to all Americans

• To make the Smithsonian Museums a primary destination

• To provide relevant, authentic and engaging learning experiences for students, teachers and lifelong learners

• Capture data to track value of promotions as to re-strategize and re-invest if necessary

• Measure return on investment against New Visitor Experience Investments and historical visitor data

• Measure return on investment against New Visitor Experience Investments and increased Museum revenue

• Measure return on investment against New Visitor Experience Investments and donations/benefactors

• Measure financials against Museum goals; relate to historical performance & forecast future performance

• Phase 1: Awareness: 6 months

• Phase 2: Target the Brand: 3 months

• Phase 3: Retention, Support, Direction: 6 months (option to extend)

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Audiences

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Audience 1: Washington, D.C. visitors

Strategy: Out-of-home marketing near the mall and in Metro

Rationale: More than 15 million people visit Washington every year, bringing $5.5 billion in

tourism to the area. D.C. tourists make up a large percentage of Smithsonian visitors every

year, but they could represent a larger percentage. This is a demographically variable group,

but their travel patterns and behaviors are largely fixed. Most use Metrorail transit to visit the

national mall during their time in D.C. By placing marketing communications materials where

they are likely to go, we can ensure that the Smithsonian is a top-of-mind destination for them

during their visit.

Audience 2: Corporate Partners, Leaders and Patrons

Strategy: Direct mail and personal contact

Rationale: This group has an established relationship with the museum – many in highly

involved ways. They are people or organizations who have donated between $25K to $100K to

the museum. They receive year-round benefits from the museum, and they are accustomed to

interaction with members of the Smithsonian executive team. By targeting this group, we can

reinforce the importance of their gifts and encourage some to move into higher corporate

levels, increasing overall donations.

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Audiences

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Audience 3: D.C. Public Schools

Strategy: Outreach to school board to develop summer programs

Rationale: D.C. has 177 public schools that serve nearly 60,000 children each year. Although

each school has its own budget, the school board, under the direction of Chancellor Michelle

Rhee, identifies budget items. The board has been searching for new and creative ways to close

the achievement gap between D.C. students and the national average. DCPS has already

formed partnerships with organizations like the Dept. of Parks and Recreation in order to keep its

students engaged during nonschool periods – particularly summer. By targeting DCPS, we will

form a mutually beneficial relationship that will not only increase visitors but will contribute to

developing lifelong learners.

Audience: Learning Communities Online

Strategy: Targeted ad-words and banner ads

Rationale: A growing number of schools and alternative education sources are turning online to

expand their teaching capabilities. As they do, communities are being created to facilitate virtual

learning. These communities not only feed the Smithsonian goal of creating lifelong learners, but

they provide a ready audience for targeted messaging about the Smithsonian, which will initially

drive traffic to the Web site but will ultimately increase visits and donors.

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Stakeholder Impact

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Current Visitors

25.2 million per year

Current Benefactors

91,000 contributors fund 30% of

Smithsonian’s $975 million budget

Future Visitors

30 million per year

Future Benefactors

100,000 contributors fund 32% of

Smithsonian’s $1 billion budget

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Weaknesses• Limited operational hours….most are open 7 hours a day

• Can be overcrowded at times

• Very limited on hand staff, museum “experts” and tour guides

• Limited staff to speak foreign language

• Administration and Support Staff are not engaged w/ media

• Not many high level museum officials are in the public eye

• Not enough brand awareness outside the U.S.

• Not enough interactive and engaging “hands on” features

• Not enough play or break rooms for children

• Weak slogan, in need of a revamp to fit its brand name

Opportunities• Plenty of room to offer engaging, hands on, fun features

• Extending its marketing efforts outside the US

• Utilizing the success of motion pictures to promote

• Increase specialized staff and volunteers

• Add more features that engage all 5 human senses

• Live entertainment; volunteers in costume, skits

• Initiate and promote museum competitions

• Create online catalogue of museum; web and kiosks

• Create multi-language digital descriptions of artifacts

• Create inter-marketing network campaign to promote

Strengths• Most widely known & recognized chain of museums in the

U.S.

• Largest & most visited museum complex in U.S. and the world

• Holds some of the most rare & priceless artifacts

• Holds more than 135m artifacts from all over the world

• All museums are completely FREE of charge year round

• Capacity to hold thousands of visitors daily

• Highly regarded by educational community

• Attracts millions of young visitors - approx 35% yearly visitors

• Geographically interconnected within a short walking distance

• Able to cater with those requiring special needs

• Organized display areas and well maintained environment

• Consistently holds cultural and scientific events

• High web traffic & loyal visitors to website: 180m per year

• Outreach: monthly magazine, e-newsletters, social networks

• In process of digitalizing their entire 19 museum on the web

• Museum and brand name are incorporated in motion pictures

Threats

• New/upcoming DC museums attracting large crowds

• Could lose online followers if they do not connect & engage

• Visitors weary that free admission could mean less fun

• Limited daily operational hours force visitors elsewhere

• Many adults not drawn to museum if deemed a kids attraction

Opportunities: SWOT

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Financials

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Personnel

Salaries ($125/hr bill rate, 4 employees) $120,000Benefits 12,000Payroll taxes 14,400Bonuses 8,000

Personnel Total $154,400

Market Research

Web Research $2,500Independent Research 2,500Focus Groups 1,500

Market Research Total $6,500

Marketing Communications

Branding (Design company - contract) $25,000Advertising (off-line) 20,000Direct marketing (mailers) 10,000Internet marketing (ads, banners) 40,000Collateral (brochures) 10,000Events 50,000Public relations (media desk/news release) 10,000

Marketing Communications Total $165,000

Customer Acquisition & Retention (CAR)

Lead generation $5,000Customer loyalty 1,000

CAR Total $6,000

Other

Postage $500Team Cell Phones 2,200Local Travel/Parking 2,500Computers and office equipment 15,000

Other Total $20,200

Total Phase 1 Budget $352,100

Budget Plan: Phase 1 (6 months)