Amy shares the question she is asked the most by museums and the answer. 

Resources Mentioned:

Episode 10: Brand Messaging for your Museum 

Join the Love my Museum Facebook Group

Free Resources:

Museum Metrics Tracker Template: https://bit.ly/amysmuseummetrics

Planning Calendar for Museums: https://bit.ly/2024museumcal

People First Framework Guide for Museums: https://bit.ly/4PSguide_lovemymuseum

Check out the website at: www.lovemymuseum.com

Today on the podcast.

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I thought we would talk about the question

I get asked the most from museums.

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Today I'm going to let

you know what that is.

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And answer it for you.

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Let's get started.

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Hello, and welcome to the left.

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My museum podcast.

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I'm your host, Amy keys,

and I love museums.

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I also happen to be a brand strategist

and communications expert for museums.

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On this episode, I'm going

to tell you what my most

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frequently asked question from.

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clients, podcast, listeners,

email subscribers.

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is, and I'm going to answer that question.

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The most frequently asked question

that I get is around brand messaging.

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Museum workers will ask me.

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Okay, Amy, you talk about brand

messaging a lot, but I don't

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really know what that means.

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What.

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should I have in place?

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What word should I have written?

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What.

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makes up.

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my brand messaging.

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And so I thought that would be a good

thing to talk about on the podcast today.

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I really hope that you

can take this episode.

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Refine the words that you're using.

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And.

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Make it something that

becomes a foundation for.

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Not just marketing and public relations,

but everything that you do at your museum.

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First, let me tell you a little

bit about the commonalities that I

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see in the people that are coming

and asking me this question.

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They tend to be.

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struggling to get visitors

in their museum stores.

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A lot of times

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they are worried because

they aren't getting.

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donors.

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They aren't.

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increasing their memberships.

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They aren't getting repeat visitors.

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They think that they have.

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a marketing problem.

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or a media relations problem.

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But for all of these, what I can

see, and the reason that they're

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asking me this question is that.

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they don't.

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Have authentic.

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brand messaging at the foundation.

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of everything that they do.

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In episode 10 of the podcast, I

talked a lot about brand messaging

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one of the things that I quickly

mentioned where the messaging elements

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that you should include in a brand.

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kit.

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And I listed them, but I

didn't really go into each one.

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Like I said that led to a lot of

questions from podcast listeners.

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So between the recurring questions

that I get from my clients.

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And also the questions around that

episode from podcast listeners.

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I knew that this was something

that we needed to talk about.

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So today let's define some of the major

building blocks in your brand messaging.

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These are the essential elements

that make up the words of your brand.

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If you are having trouble getting

visitors through the door.

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It.

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Is probably worth it to

go back to these items.

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And.

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Reexamined them talk about

them with your coworkers.

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See if maybe they need to be clarified.

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The first major building

block is your mission.

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The mission of the museum is.

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A clear and concise statement that.

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Defines the purpose.

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And the primary objectives of your museum.

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It should be serving as a guide for.

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Your activities, your

events, your exhibits.

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And all aspects of your

decision making process.

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Most museums do have a mission statement.

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But a lot of times, but I see is.

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Maybe the mission statement.

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Isn't being used.

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It isn't serving as a foundation.

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There could be a couple

of reasons for that.

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It maybe it's just not a habit

to look out at frequently.

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Or use it as the foundation

for the work that you do.

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It could be that.

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Maybe some of the words

need to be clarified.

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The second thing that you should

define or that you need as a major

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building block is your vision.

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The vision of a museum describes

what the long-term goals are.

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It's a.

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A forward looking statement.

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It should articulate how the museum

plans to impact its community.

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The vision should inspire.

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It should motivate.

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Not only staff, but also.

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Stakeholders donors, community members.

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And visitors.

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It should be ambitious,

but also attainable.

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The third building block.

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Which.

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It's more of an internal

building block, but it's just as

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important as mission envision.

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Our values values are the fundamental

principles and beliefs that.

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Guide the behavior.

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And.

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Help determine the decision-making.

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Of the museum.

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The values that you pick should

shape the museums culture.

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Internally.

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The tone of these values can

really make a difference.

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And I've seen.

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How.

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just one word can impact.

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the direction of an organization.

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There should be alignment.

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Between your mission, vision, and values.

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Let me give you an example.

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If your mission and

your vision, talk about.

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being inclusive.

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and talk about.

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education, but then one of your values.

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is the word permanence.

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that is not in alignment.

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The definition of permanence is the fact

of surpassing all others superiority.

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So that word is not in alignment.

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with being inclusive.

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and in sharing with others.

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There are a lot of words out there,

and I'm sure that there's one

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that you could come up with that.

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would still.

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have the idea of being a leader.

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Without the tone of superiority.

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The fourth building block is brand story.

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It's the origin story of your museum.

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It's a narrative that

recounts why you were founded.

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It may include the

motivation who founded it.

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The origin story provides.

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some context and background, and it

helps you create a sense of identity.

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and familiarity.

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It's something that you can be

creative with maybe even poetic.

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You can use it to show a persona

and personality for your museum.

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It can highlight the challenges

that maybe you've overcome.

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And it should also talk about your vision.

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and be inspiration.

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How do you want to impact the

community that you are in?

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What is your legacy?

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Having a video brand story on the

homepage of your website can be really

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important for potential visitors.

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And for fundraising.

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It can help solidify that

know like, and trust factor.

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I've also seen where a video

brand story can really help with

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your internal communications and.

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staff morale.

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as well.

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So we have mission and vision

and values and a brand story.

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And the last thing is key messages.

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Key messages are the core points

that a museum should consistently

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communicate to its audience.

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I recommend one to three key messages.

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No more than five.

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Your key messages.

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Should be clear.

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You should use them consistently.

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And you should use them with confidence.

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They will be used in marketing materials,

social media, public relations,

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media relations.

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And hopefully anyone

that visits the museum,

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no matter what exhibit,

no matter what program.

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they should be able to come away and.

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talk about these key messages.

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A lot of times when a client is

having a hard time figuring out

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what their key messages are.

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I tell them to ask their visitors.

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But did you learn at our museum?

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How did it make you feel?

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If you are confident in these.

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Messaging building blocks.

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If they are clear and if your

audiences are seeing them consistently.

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They will learn them.

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And that.

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Is the PR goldmine.

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They will be able to go into any room.

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Even when you're not there.

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And repeat your messaging for you

and tell someone about your museum.

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Include these messaging building blocks.

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In your brand kit.

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And have it be something

that you've referred back to.

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Have them be something

that not only drives.

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what you're saying in your marketing

and in your public relations,

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but also what you use to decide.

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On.

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What the next exhibit will be.

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Or.

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what your programming may look

like for the following year.

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Public relations is slow growing, but if

you are clear, consistent, and competent,

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In these messaging building blocks,

it really will help you get visitors.

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Through your museums doors.

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I really hope this was helpful.

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If he want to learn more,

you should join the love.

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My museum, Facebook group.

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It's a great place to have a two-way

conversation, not just with myself,

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but with other museum professionals.

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I'll leave the link to join.

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in the show notes.

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I'd also love to hear from you.

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Send me an email.

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Let me know what you're thinking of

the podcast, or ask me a question.

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Well, that's all for today.

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I'll see you next time...