Marketing is most often associated with increasing audiences. How might imperatives to widen and diversify audiences influence the marketing approach and function within the museum?
This essay starts by sketching briefly the motivations that have underpinned the introduction of marketing within the museum realm, suggesting that it is an essential tool for museums in order to grasp their audience composition and needs. Hence, the role of the market research will be discussed, looking in particular at different segmentation systems. In the light of some practical cases, this section explores whether some segmentation systems might be more effective than others in order to understand the categories of potential public that are un-represented by the museum‘s services, and to support a more inclusive audience development strategy. Subsequent to this analysis, the essay will look at different initiatives that museums around the UK have undertaken in order to reach out for new segments of audience, thanks to efficient market research, good communication and promotion.
