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  • 1.  How to you get the word out about fee-based children and family programs?

    Posted 03-10-2016 11:58 AM

    Hi all!

    I manage Children and Family Programs (everything from birthday parties to overnights to summer camps and homeschool classes), and I'm looking to get a sense of the ways folks at other museums market these types of programs AND if/how impact and effectiveness is tracked. 

    We've traditionally had a significant reliance on seasonal, paper brochures sent through the mail and distributed at various points throughout the museum.  We also utilize different online marketing streams (including e-news, e-cards, targeted advertising, etc).

    What about you?  Feel free to reach out directly if you'd like!

    Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences and insights!

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    Bethanie Thompson
    Carnegie Museum of Natural History
    Pittsburgh PA
    thompsonb@carnegiemnh.org
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    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more


  • 2.  RE: How to you get the word out about fee-based children and family programs?

    Posted 03-11-2016 09:39 AM
    Edited by Aimee Brown-Shadduck 03-11-2016 09:42 AM

    First, the easy ways are reaching out to local childcare facilities with flyers. We do this for free events, not paid events. Some schools will allow this as well, and others aren't keen on allowing any outside entities other than the school advertise directly to students in the form of flyers. I've found around here, the private schools are more likely to agree to flyer distribution than the public schools, but check your area. Next, we do a lot of social media outreach. Both on our own page and other interest groups. If you are specifically targeting children/families, look on Facebook for any moms groups or family groups. In know the moms group in our area is very active on Facebook, and I've seen a big impact in simply posting about the event in the group. Finally, we go out of our way to make sure we have a table at any community events (that make sense to our mission). Everything from Arts Festival(s), Science Nights, Operation Military Child days, etc, all of those events, we do our best to be at, and we come with flyers for all of our other events. I think it's all about knowing your demographic, and knowing where they look for events.

    Hope that helps!

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    Aimee Brown-Shadduck
    Programming/Education Coordinator
    Penn State All-Sports Museum
    University Park PA

    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more


  • 3.  RE: How to you get the word out about fee-based children and family programs?

    Posted 03-14-2016 10:43 AM

    Bethanie,

    Have you checked out The Connectory? Here you can post your museum's programs and the public can programs in their area by searching by zip code.

    The Connectory

    Theconnectory remove preview
     
    The Connectory
    Spark your child's curiosity
    View this on Theconnectory >
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    Wendy Hancock
    Manager, Professional Dev
    Association of Science-Technology Centers
    Washington DC

    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more