The course introduces trainees to the basic concepts of marketing in the cultural heritage sector with particular emphasis being placed on the history and cultural interest of a place-destination.

Thematic sections

• Strategic marketing planning
• Characteristics of the cultural heritage industry
• Customer behaviour and customer journey in the cultural heritage industry
• How to create an effective marketing plan for an organization operating in the cultural heritage industry

Structure

Strategic Marketing Planning I

• The meaning and importance of marketing for a cultural heritage organization
• What is cultural heritage tourism?
• Different forms of cultural heritage tourism (e.g., eco-tourism, agro-tourism, archaeological sites and monuments, towns/destinations of particular cultural heritage interest)
• How is marketing different in the cultural heritage industry?
• Marketing audit: Tools for analysing an organization’s internal and external environment (e.g., resources, mission, vision, culture-philosophy, micro and macro environment, the role of market research)
• SWOT analysis
• Marketing objectives formulation

Strategic Marketing Planning II

• Marketing strategy determination
  • Segmenting the cultural heritage industry
  • Choosing the appropriate target groups
  • Designing, positioning and branding the cultural heritage product, town/destination marketing
  • Selecting the appropriate price

Strategic Marketing Planning III

• Choosing the right distribution channels to reach the cultural heritage customers (e.g., on-line and off-line agents, partners, industry experts, organization’s Web Site).
• Designing and effective and integrated communication strategy (e.g., advertising, sales promotions, public relations, direct marketing, digital marketing and social media)

Strategic Marketing Planning IV 

• The role of employees
• The role of atmospherics in offering the cultural heritage products
• Marketing strategy implementation
  • Setting budgets
  • Determining timetables
  • Assigning responsibilities

• Marketing strategy evaluation and control
  • Comparing objectives vs. results
  • Determining control criteria
  • Taking corrective actions

Characteristics of the cultural heritage industry

• Intangibility, perishability, heterogeneity and inseparability of the cultural heritage offering
• Differences in the micro - and macro-environment of cultural heritage organizations

Customer behaviour and customer journey in the cultural heritage industry

• Categories of cultural heritage travellers
• What are the factors that affect cultural heritage travellers’ behaviour (e.g., personal, cultural, environmental, marketing stimuli)?
• How do they find information regarding competing offerings (e.g., traditional off-line ways vs. on-line ways such as digital marketing and social media)?
• What criteria do they use in order to choose among competing offerings?
• What are the factors that determine their level of satisfaction and loyalty with a cultural heritage organization?
• Differences in customer behaviour across different countries

How to create an effective marketing plan for an organization operating in the cultural heritage industry

• 10 commandments-tips for designing a sustainable and successful marketing plan

Programme

You can download the analytical programme

Exams/Credit

Participants will be asked to design a marketing plan for a real organization operating in the cultural heritage industry through a group assignment. At the end of the course, participants are expected to hand in and present their assignments. Their final grade will be based on the evaluation of their coursework. The successful completion of the course (i.e., a final grade minimum 5/10) will equal to 4 ECTS credits. 

Certification

For further information: info@excelixi.org