Museum Marketing Mix

Marketing travel and tourism products and services

I – Introduction

I have been offered a short period placement in the National Maritime Museum. As part of my team projects in the Marketing Department, I have to produce a brief report to describe the marketing mix of the organisation in order to examine different aspects of marketing. The National Maritime Museum located in the heart of Greenwich where is home to historically buildings and most important national collections.

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It is the museum itself and also is a visitor attraction, which is funded by the Government to maintain its World Heritage Site. Each year the museum attracts many visitors from all over the world to come and see a wide range of displays and to have the understanding of the seas, oceans, time and space, planets and the universe and know the importance and their relationship with people. As a tourist attraction, the museum has to produce a marketing plan to meet the needs of the market and the visitors.

Marketing mix is an essential part affect customer’s motivation for all organisations in terms of products, price, place and promotion.

Marketing Mix

Products

Visitors, of course, come to museum to see the arts, galleries, collections, displays and models. In the National Maritime Museum visitors can explore the astronomy and time by seeing how stars and planets are born, the Solar systems, Harrison timekeeper at the galleries. There are over two million collections relating to seafaring, astronomy, time measurement and navigation with over 9000 objects and 12,000 images in the museum.

The other reason for visitors to come to the museum is that Greenwich is also a tourist destination itself, well known as a World Heritage Site. Specifically, the museum is made up of three significant sites, which are: the Royal Observatory, famous as the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and the Prime Meridian Line (Longitude 0 degree, the Queen’s House – the first building built with the classical style in England and the National Maritime Museum galleries (Maritime galleries). These three main sites can also be separate products.

They have Observatory Galleries, Planetarism in the Royal Observatory; rare portrait collections by the most famous painters Van Dyck, Gainsborough, Hogarth and Reynolds in the Queen’s House. The museum does not target any specific type of customers, they do a lot of activities to attract families with children, adults, group visit, school trips and businesses:

• Permanent and temporary exhibitions

The museum runs many exhibitions for all people throughout the year. For example, North-West Passage, Astronomy Photographer, Jeremy Millar: Given are three highlighted exhibitions. Besides, tour exhibitions are quite popular and normally full-booked as they complement activities on-site and make a tour through many places in the UK such as Beacon, Glasgow, Hull, Aberdeen, Great Yarmouth, etc… Some big tour exhibitions are: Beside the Seaside on tour, Turmoil and Tranquillity on tour, Your Ocean on tour and on tour – Skin deep: a history of tattooing. They also offer exhibition specialise for children called All Hands and the Bridge Interactive Galleries open to families every Tuesdays weekly and uring school holidays. It all designed for children at all ages, they will be able to send a semaphore signal, load a cargo ship and more exciting is firing a cannon. This exhibition is also use for school group as a superb resource.

• Special Events The National Maritime Museum produces a variety of events include family events, adult programmes, school programmes, and sign-interpreted events. A lot of fun activities are offered in family events for all, for under five years old and five years old plus in particular.

There are some more special events for summer holidays, half-term holidays, which are Explore Saturdays, Discover Sundays, Family Treasures and Creative Cargo. More over children can also have the opportunity to create and build their own models and stuffs such as Victory boat model, rocket, sea-monster mask and global and quadrant.  Adults programmes are events supposed to help adults to go in deep the concepts and ideas of history, features in terms of the sea, time and stars which are related to the Museum’s collections through courses such as GCSE Astronomy, Introduction to Astronomy or The Solar Systems.

The methods of teaching are lectures, study days, film seasons, workshops, panel discussions and tours. Study programmes are not only for adults; there are plenty of courses, study days for students from Primary, GCSE to A-level studies include Science, History, Physics, Citizenship & Geography, Business Studies, and Travel and Tourism. Provided by excellent, enthusiastic teachers giving great opportunities for students to experience and enjoy all fun activities.

Especially for school visits, they provide education resources in particular subject. Students on study day Girls doing school projects in “Your Ocean” galleries If you visit any tourist attraction we can easily see the souvenir and gift shops selling toys, books or other products related to that place. Obviously, visitors come to visit the attractions and would like to bring something home to remember that day or just to buy presents for their friends or families.

In the National Maritime Museum, there is a wide range of stuffs linked to their collections and to be found by subjects such as Cards, Time and Timepieces, Telescopes & Binoculars, Maps, Globes & Exploration, Clothing and Personal accessories, Books, Toys, Kids’ bookshop, Corporate gifts, Teachers’ resources and many other things. Another essential section in the museum is restaurant and cafe area, as all visitors get tired after the whole day exploring the museum, they need to have a rest at the coffee shops and fill in their stomachs in the restaurants.

There are two coffee bars in the Museum, The Galley where visitors can have delicious soups, hot food or they can have salads, sandwiches if fancy cold food. And the other is Paul where they can find light snacks and enjoy the seasonable drinks in the Museum. [pic] [pic] Summer drinks at the Museum Volvo corporate event The National Maritime Museum is also one of the unique venues hold many conferences, events and weddings. Businesses hire the venue not only because of the beautiful place, they want to experience the fabulous views across London and glaze the stars by having private telescope after the meetings.

The Museum also provides food and drink at the venue, corporate services and photographic services. Corporate event on the Upper Deck during Queen’s House southwest parlour set up the evening for a meeting

• Product life cycle

As I have illustrated on the graph above, there are 4 main periods of a product life cycle which are Introduction, Growth, Maturity and the last period is either Re-growing or Decline.

From my point of view, I think the National Maritime Museum is on the Maturity period as the Museum is an old organisation. Besides, to avoid declining, new events, exhibitions, study programmes are coming every month to attract more potential visitors and more coming back visitors. Moreover, they keep maintaining the attraction by planning conservation and new capital projects. They are working on the major new wing project and will be opened in 2012 in time for the London Olympics in order to grow the volume of visitors both from domestic and international. There are five key features of the new project:

• new entrance from the South new spaces for special exhibitions an open archive research centre
• a stylish new cafe, brasseries and shop and upgraded visitor facilities
• flexible new learning spaces

The Sammy Ofer Wing Project – National Maritime Museum We can say the Museum is stepping to the re-growing period after all. Obviously, their new wing project will bring a massive growth of tourists from all over the world.

Price

• Strategies Entry to the Museum is fee as it belongs to the nation and is funded by the Government to remain the World Heritage Sites. There was a debate ages ago about the admission costs of the Museums.

We all know that if the Museums increase their admission fees, they can use that income source to contribute to image-building, marketing purposes in order to reach the specifics markets. However, there were some evidences proved that the number of visitor decreased after the announcement of charging the Museum entrance fee. According to the survey result in 1988, the number of visitors at the National Maritime Museum fell by 37% in the year they imposed charges.

• Competitor analysis Almost Museums in the UK are fee of admission such as the National History Museum, Science Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum.

Therefore, what they are going to do to gain competitive advantage? The answer is adding value to their products and services. Although people visiting the Museum do not have to pay the admission fee, they still want to see the value of products and services offered at the attraction. The National Maritime Museum sends the message of “good value” to visitors by providing the unique collections, special exhibitions, the upper-class services to ensure that they will have a good experience when visiting the Museum without paying any money.

• Discounting

Although the Museum is funded by the Government, but it can not cover the staff’s salaries, maintenance costs, new projects and other expenses. Because of that they need to earn from other income sources as I have mentioned in the Products description above. The Museum does discounts for some products such as half-price, bye one get one free at souvenir and gifts shop, discounts for Planetarium Shows, free for children under 3 years old and reduce prices for students (full time), unemployed (ES40 holders), holders of ISE youth cards, disabled visitors and seniors 60+.

For disabled visitors, there is no charge if they need a helper. To have more benefits, visitors can apply for the Museum membership receiving:

• 20% percents discount on all food and drink ? Exclusive membership events and private views
• Lively programmes of talks and lectures
• Access to planetarium shows for free
• Free entry to all special exhibitions
• Free entry to Maritime Museums in the UK and Worldwide
• Exclusive access to the Members Room (tea and coffee)
• 10% discount on all products at the Museum’s shop 20% discount on river trips with City Cruises

Membership subscriptions annually at National Maritime Museum

• Seasonality During the winter time, people stay at home due to cold and wet weather. The Museum offers up to 20% discount on the planetarium shows and some discounts on special events and exhibitions.

Place

• Channels of distribution Visitors wish to attend the Museum’s events; exhibitions and shows can book online or get the tickets directly at the Museum. The tickets also can be sold by email Bookings.

All information about booking tickets can be found easily through the Museum’s website which is www. nmm. co. uk. Besides, visitors can use telephone booking or access to the Greenwich Tourist Information Centre to buy the tickets. If people wish to buy maps, books, or other products related to the Museum’s collections, they can stay at home, see the new products and shop online through the Museum’s website.

• Physical location

The Museum located in the heart of Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Sites. Surrounded by beautiful scenes and spectacular views.

Visitors are impressed by the fabulous historic scientific sites, the stunning view from Greenwich Park where they can stand on the Meridian line, the elegant Tulip Stairs, the Great Hall in the Queen's House, the Time Ball on top of Flamsteed House which used to tell the time at the earliest year. These features make the Museum unique.

• Accessibility Transport to and from the attraction: The Museum situated in Greenwich, where easily accessed by the public transports. There are many ways travelling to the Museum

The nearest Docklands Light Railway station is Cutty Sark. From the station, it only takes approximately six to ten minutes’ walk to the Museum. There are two underground tube stations, which are Greenwich and Maze Hill stations. It takes about 12-15 minutes from Greenwich station and 8 minutes from Maze Hill walk to the National Maritime Museum. Recommended routes from main London terminals

• Buses There are numerous buses service to Greenwich town centre, Greenwich Park and Royal Observatory from many parts of London.

The table below shows the bus routes to Greenwich town centre: Bus routes to Greenwich Town Centre

Interestingly, visitors can also take the sightseeing cruises operate from London Eye, Westminster, Tower and St. Katherine’s piers to Greenwich Pier. From there it is just over 5 minutes walk to the Museum. By taking cruises, they will enjoy the gorgeous sights along the riverside include the Palace of Westminster (Big Ben), London Eye, St Paul's Cathedral, Shakespeare's Globe, The Tower of London, Tower Bridge. By foot Exploring the Heritage Sites by walking through the long-distance walks around the Museum is such an exciting experience. Visitors can take public transports to the walking sections such as the circular Greenwich Millennium Heritage Trails, the Tower Hamlets Walks – North Thames Path to Greenwich, Lea Valley Walk, and Thames Path National Trail – Tower Bridge to Greenwich.

They can take the A2, M2, and A2 direct to Greenwich from Dover and M20, M25, A2 from Channel Tunnel. Accessibilities for special needs The Museum provides facilities for wheelchair users, lifts are highlighted on the map for all units, and coffee bars and restaurants are all at the ground floor for easy access. Moreover, there are provisions for people with difficulties such as deaf, blind and partially sighted visitors. Those provisions include free large-print touchable guide, audio guides and BSL signed Planetarium monthly shows for deaf visitors.

Promotion

• Methods Promotion is a very important part and cannot be missed out in the marketing mix, as they need to raise awareness of new products and services or the museum’s developments. The first and most common method is advertising by distributing leaflets, posters, and press releases. The second method is sales promotion by using discounts vouchers for joint promotion. The next method is direct marketing by sending direct mails in order to encourage people to visit the Museum and event bookings.

They also hold exhibitions as trade shows target group organisers and tour operators. In addition, the Museum use different types of media such as national and local newspapers, radio stations, transport sections.

• Materials As a public sector organisation, the Museum cannot spend a lot of money on advertising. TV advert is very expensive then it is not necessary, the budget way of advertising is distributing leaflets, posters, and flyers to promote campaigns, special exhibitions, three Museum sites, and activities for all age

Leaflet promoting the 'Explore Oceans” A selection of NMM leaflets  'Inspiring minds for free' 2006 poster campaign Joint promotion is the effective way by sharing the costs with other travel and tourism organisations. The Museum connects with those organizations to have a wider range of customers and to add value of money when people buy holidays as packages bring advantages for both sides. Discount vouchers are offered when comprising with other tourist attractions, tour companies, hotel groups and magazine promotions.

The National Maritime Museum also has joint promotion with transport sector, which is c2c Train Company with 10% off at the Museum’s shop and a free pot of tea or coffee when spending over 4 in the cafe.  c2c joint promotion Press releases are essential in marketing, as all relevant information in the Museum have to be kept up - to – date. In the museum there is a press office covers all angles from press coverage to media interest. Press officers have to produce press releases to inform the national and international media all developments at the Museum.

Furthermore, they will have to work out the unique images and the ideas to use for campaign posters or to be published on newspapers.  An image from the front cover of the Independent on Sunday, 24 March 2002, promoting the 'Skin Deep' exhibition [pic] A 4-sheet poster on London Underground for the 'Skin Deep' exhibition

III- Explanation of how the 4Ps work together as a marketing mix in the National Maritime Museum Marketing is sending a message to keep people satisfy.

Basically, marketing is all about creating false needs that means they comprise all marketing elements in order to make the wants become needs. Organisations always have to think about what people want in the future and work out what they can do to attract potential customers. Marketing elements cannot go separately, we need to put them in a pot, mix them together and that is the only thing we can alter to end up success or failure of a business. The following graphic shows the relationship between the 4Ps in the National Maritime Museum:

In the National Maritime Museum we can see the mixture of products, price, place and promotion. In the marketing mix, products and price are the most important then we use place and promotion to bring the business to the highest point of selling. All three components: Price, Place and Promotion affect the selling of Products and Services. There is no admission fee for Museum entrance, many free events and exhibitions. The word “ FREE” has a big influence to every single person, therefore, more and more people coming in to see what is provided in the Museum.

All planetarium shows charge with a very reasonable price appeal audiences come to see the shows. In every business, normally, the Price makes a strongest influence to the selling of products and services. New products and services need to be advertised in order to raise public awareness. The Museum use leaflets, posters, flyers to promote their new shows, events and exhibitions; buy a space on the newspaper, an advert on the radio station, places big posters in the on underground station with the same purpose of driving people to their products and services.

The Museum spends some money to make some money. Although they choose the budget ways of promoting to avoid not spending a large amount of money but they spend a little to make a lot. Internet booking system is the most convenient way of selling products and services. The National Maritime Museum provides many booking options in order to give the best convenience to customers to buy their products and services. The Museum is unique because of its’ Heritage Sites, people come to explore the Museum and to see the surroundings attractions.

That means the Place also bring customers to the Museum, which we can understand as Products. However, the Price and Promotion are linked together as they use the Price to promote the products and services. The Museum reduces the price to have price promotion such as discount vouchers for joint promotion (10% off on all products at Museum’s shop, free a pot of tea or coffee at cafe’ when spending over 4 pounds). Some exhibitions are free with a purpose of promoting and targeting groups of visitors. Promotion also affects the channel of distribution.

One of the promotion methods used by the Museum is direct selling. They open exhibitions, inviting people and sell directly to group organisers, tour operators, and other travel and tourism organisations. Generally, marketing mix plays a very important part of the marketing strategies. In order to reach the market changes and to gain competitive advantage, the National Maritime Museum has to work out more future plans to maintain the ever-growth volume of visitors and to attract both domestic and international visitors.

Bibliography

Text books: BTEC National Certificate in Travel and Tourism – Book 1

• Marketing in Travel and Tourism by Victor T. C Middleton Websites:

• www. google. co. uk

• www. nmm. co. uk

• www. books. google. co. uk

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