Marketing plan aimed at gaining summer membership to the John Michael Kohler Arts Center

2. Many benefits the members receive

3. Discounts on performing arts tickets, classes, Preschool, and more

4. 10% discount on merchandise at both ARTspace shops

5. 10% discount on purchases in specified exhibitions

6. FREE admission to the Holiday Continental

7. 20% discount at both ARTspace locations on most merchandise during Holiday Continental

8. Subscription to the bimonthly Arts Center newsletter

9. Invitations to special events and other programming

10. Voting privileges at the Annual Meeting

11. No. 1 rated of all art organizations in the state by Wisconsin Arts Board

12. Current materials proved to current members

13. Marketing team and Fundraising efforts

14. Nationally acclaimed bathrooms

15. Weaknesses

16. No admission charge

17. Declining/Stagnate growth in the Sheboygan area

18. When available later in 2010 or early 2011, census data will be important to look at

19. Use of Social Media

20. Although not a proven method for philanthropic donations, efforts still need to be but into further improving this new phenomenon.

21. Brand Name

22. The John Michael Kohler Art Center is sometimes grouped with the well-off Kohler family and therefore unknown to some to be a non-profit organization

23. Current means to measure current customer

24. No surveys have been created to determine information about current members

25. Opportunities

26. Expand online

27. Use social media more effectively

28. Create a more interactive website

29. Continue to use online venues to raise money

30. Gain memberships through schools that visit

31. Think of a creative way to get kids to bring parents back to Arts Center for a membership

32. Threats

33. Weak Economy

34. Philanthropic budgets of people and business shrinking

35. Competitors

36. Plymouth Art Foundation

37. Lakeland College Fine Arts Center

38. Churches

40. See a positive gain of 200 in overall membership

41. Help reinforce benefits of the Arts Center

42. Increase overall number of people who enter Art Center in a given yearAUDIENCE/TARGET MARKET<br />Current members will become advertising vessels. If these members have been managed correctly, which I feel they have, they will present the John Michael Kohler Arts Center will the perfect opportunity to use them to promote the values and ideals of the company. My plan proposes that the current members be the primary target market for this year’s summer campaign. The current members will be encouraged to share the experience that the JMKAC has given them to their friends. In return the JMKAC will reward the current member and the new members with a Friendly $5 that can be redeemed at the JMKAC. <br />Along with the primary market, my plan would also have a secondary target market of the 3,000 plus people that are on the current mailing list at the JMKAC. These people on the mailing list are people that have knowledge of the Arts Center (whether it is from past membership, volunteer work at the Arts Center, plays seen there, art classes taken there, etc.). This segment will be targeted with the same theme as the primary target market: friendship. The message will in essence be that they will find and make friends at the JMKAC due to the fact they will be interacting with people that have similar interests. The same reward will be given to the secondary target market as was given to the primary target market. <br />HOW PLAN WILL STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JMKAC AND MEMBERS<br />This IMC will further strengthen the relationship between the JMKAC and the members. It will accomplish this by reinforcing the idea that the JMKAC is a place where lifelong friendships are harbored (Where a membership can turn into a lifelong friendship…JMKAC expect the unexpected). This strengthening of relationships will be more easily seen in the secondary target market than that of the primary target market because the primary market already has a good relationship with the JMKAC─ they are current members for a reason.<br />CAMPAIGN THEME<br />THE UNSINKABLE SHIP: FRIENDSHIP<br />My campaign theme centers around the idea that the JMKAC helps create lifelong friendships. By becoming a member, one can be around others that have the same interests they do. Being that the main target market for this campaign is existing members, it is important that these members were treated correctly (and they were when compared to other non-profit businesses, Ms. McBrearty cited that when the recession hit they lost far fewer members than that of the national average). Since these members were treated and managed correctly they can attest for firsthand what the Arts Center has done for them. By reminding them of the friendships they have made, the new campaign looks to play on their emotions and have them share the experience with other non-members. This message will also be relevant for the secondary target market as well. It is human nature to be around people that have similar interests as you. Being that this secondary market already has some knowledge of the JMKAC it is apparent that something they liked drew them in. Sending a message to these people stressing the friendships that can be gained through becoming a member and spending more time at the Arts Center, the message becomes a very practical and relevant one to these people: if you want to create new friendships the JMKAC is the place to be. Both of these similar approaches will helpful in fulfilling the goal of gaining a net of 200 members. <br />MEDIA PLAN and TIMELINE<br />Direct Mail <br />According to Ms. Mary Jo McBrearty, direct mail is currently the best and most efficient way to gain memberships for the JMKAC. This is likely to change in sometime due to the power that social media has had on the market in recent years; however, there is yet to be evidence that social media leads to philanthropic dollars, and therefore my campaign will be heavily devoted to the advertising via direct mail. The IMC plan will consist of two main postcards: one for the primary target market and one for the secondary target market. The subtle difference between the two will be the wording on the back describing the incentive to join the Arts Center but both will contain the friendship theme of the campaign. The direct mailing advertising plan will also include two letters similar to that of the last campaign: one to current members and one to new members. The only differences between last years and this year’s letters will be an added paragraph about how friendships are made through the JMKAC and the paragraph promoting last year’s campaign will be deleted. Direct mail is what the members of the Arts Center are use to receiving and will be a very reliable source to reach them. The direct mail will be sent out at the beginning of the campaign. As new potential member give information to the Arts Center they will receive the same media. There will also be the same information at the reception desk for people visiting the JMKAC.<br />Word of Mouth<br />One of the most important advertising vessels after direct mail is Word of Mouth. The power that the consumer has in the market place is incredible these days. With one displeased customer spouting off on a blog, twitter, or by other electronic means, the amount of people that are receiving this negative message is immense; on the other hand, if this message is positive the opposite is true. Managing the consumer is a difficult, yet very important task. I feel that if the JMKAC continues to manage the company the way they have, the “Word of Mouth” advertising vessel will take care of itself. This can be used at any and all times during the year.<br />Sheboygan Press Insert<br />During the campaign an insert will be placed in the Sheboygan Press newspaper. The reasoning for this is a large target market for the Arts Center is the Sheboygan area; therefore, it will reach a large majority of these people. The insert will be a short and to the point about how friendships are made at the JMKAC. The Arts Center will determine at what time this insert will be put into the Sheboygan Press based on previous campaigns.<br />E-Blasts/Email <br />A recent tactic that the Arts Center has equipped in their arsenal of advertising is E-Blasts. E-Blasts are short emails that are sent out to subscribing members about the JMKAC. My campaign will use this to introduce the new campaign as well as remind the subscribers of the campaign. E-Blasts are sent out once ever couple weeks. I plan on having little reminders in each of these E-Blasts until the end of the campaign.<br />Social Media <br />Although social media will not be the main front in my campaign, I hope to start to utilize the media vessel more efficiently and effectively then the Art Center has in the past. Being that the JMKAC has just gotten onto Facebook within the last year, they are behind times with technology. My plan would be to make their Fan page more interactive. Have an open discussion about friends people have made at the Arts Center and other stories involving friendships. (Possibly offering prizes to the best or most inspiring story, and maybe offering a Friendly $50 to the winner that could be used at the Arts Center). A benefit of this would be that the JMKAC could use this story in their marketing campaigns in the future. Updating and creating more interactive social media sites should be implemented immediately and should be continually updated. <br />