Off the 'Cuff

One of the big challenges about running a small museum is a very limited marketing budget. We know we’ve got a cool place, neat exhibits and fantastic programs but getting the word out on a shoestring budget like ours is really tough. We can’t afford what the big attractions can–things like getting our rack card in displays around the city, illuminated posters in the cruise ship terminal, or ads in the local paper.

Instead, we have to work smarter. That means building positive relationships with those who are most likely to suggest or recommend us. It means having a good sense of who actually visits our museum, so that we can reach out to others like them. I firmly believe that whoever has responsibility for marketing should have to spend some time, regularly, on the front line. Talk with your visitors, don’t just survey them.

We’ve seen phenomenal growth over the last few years, partly because we’ve worked really hard, and partly because we’re really lucky. About three months ago, we were approached by a local advertising firm , asking if we were interested in having some pro bono (free!) design work done for us. Of course, we jumped at the chance.

They interviewed us, took a few tours of our facility and then went away to brainstorm. Two weeks later they came back with sketches of a few different ideas for a poster/print campaign. We might never be able to afford to get them printed, but just having someone put that sort of effort into developing ideas for us is invaluable.

Another idea they came up with is a small campaign designed to increase our visibility in nearby neighborhoods. I can’t say what, exactly, this campaign is going to look like… but it will be iconic, easily identifiable and will definitely have some impact. (Look to the right!)

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