Introduction
In this section, the report will evaluate the background of digital communication audit, history of Wirksworth Heritage, museums within the United Kingdom, PESTEL analysis, SWOT analysis, and models critiquing based on brand strategy.
Introduction and Background
Wirksworth Heritage centre is located in Wirksworth town, 12 miles away from Derby city. The centre is 4 miles away from Matlock, which lies to the north, while Ashbourne, to its west, lies 10 miles away. Wirksworth sits at the end of Ecclesbourne valley. The town is surrounded by a verdant planetary countryside landscape, making it offer attractive views (Wirksworth Heritage Centre, 2021, p. 23; Barnatt, 2020, p. 43). Thus, the landscape plays a vital role in tourist attraction at Wirksworth Heritage.
Wirksworth Heritage centre in Wirksworth town is built to preserve this town’s captivating history and heritage. The centre tells stories through its three-floored museum, which allows for exhibitions and rekindles the past by collecting artefacts existing in the museum (Hose, 2021, p. 32). The heritage centre brings Wirksworth folk stories such as how the lead mining, quarrying and textiles industries shaped its character (Crawford et al., 2020, p. 12). This essay will focus on digital marketing strategies for making this heritage centre the most competitive museum in the UK.
History of Wirksworth Heritage
Wirksworth Heritage’s story can be categorised into four primary phases: the pre-history phase, the Roman history phase, the Anglo-Saxon history phase, and the 19th century to the present history phase. During the pre-history, Wirksworth was located within the tropical ocean. To the west, the river demarcated the boundary to the western limestone, while the east was a boundary to the gritstone (Shone, 2019, p. 10).
These boundaries developed because of the geology of the area, which led to the creation of specific topography in Wirksworth. The Roman history of Wirksworth is a result of speculations made by historians who claim that two Roman roads came from Wirksworth from the evidence of their digs and documentations. Historians assert that roads coming from Buxton and Brough, both from the south, were built on top of Roman roads (Shone, 2019, 12). Additionally, they argue that Romans Lutudarum town existed because of lead mining activities in the limestone-rich town.
The third phase is the Anglo-Saxon history, presenting that the town originated from Christian missions. The belief that the town was from Christian foundations relies on the earliest surviving records found within the area, such as the “Wirksworth stone” discovered in 1820 (Shone, 2019, 21). By the 12th century, Wirksworth had developed to be one of the most important centres for lead ore in England due to mining in the town. The mining activity made Wirksworth prosperous, and it is during the same period when modern houses were built in the town. The town’s prosperity during this century led to the rise in stone carvings in the 13th century as people wanted to depict their industrious mining lives. This is the source of the many artefacts displayed in the heritage centre, such as the ‘t’owd man’ (Shone, 2019, p. 23). However, by the 19th century, lead was exhausted, and limestone quarrying became the next primary economic activity for the town’s inhabitants.
The final historical phase is the 19th-century account to the present. It entails Wirksworth history after the completion of lead mining. In this stage, the most important activity of the town’s inhabitants was limestone quarrying. The railway was built in Wirksworth and the dust “dry-throats” period, which led to the establishment of Wirksworth, ended (Shone, 2019, p. 24). Due to the industrious nature of the townspeople, the first textile mills were established in the town. Mining through quarrying changed the landscape of Wirksworth.
Museums within the United Kingdom
Located in Bloomsbury, London, is the British Museum dedicated to British history, culture and arts. The institution is also devoted to the history of the entire globe. There is a collection of millions of works from across the entire six continents. Most of these items gathered exhibited in these organisations were collected during the British Empire era, and the museum remains to be one of the best voted for by its visitors in the UK (Tripadvisor, 2021, p. 34). Additionally, it shows global antiques that shall be analysed to understand why many visitors prefer it compared to Wirksworth Heritage Centre.
Construction of the Digital 7Cs for Competitor Evaluation
Figure 1: 7Cs, competition evaluation (Tripadvisor, 2021, p. 32)
PESTEL Analysis
PESTEL stands for political, economic, social, technological and legal forces which an institution faces. Pestle analysis in marketing aims to identify, analyse, and monitor external marketing environments that may have impacts on the museums. Political factors concern the government’s intervention in the economy (López García et al., 2019; Polanco-Diges et al., 2020, p. 43). Such interventions may occur through policies, political stabilities, tax policies, labour laws, environmental policies, and instabilities in overseas markets. Such factors impact how the museum carries out its businesses; they force museums to adjust their operations according to the policies (Çitilci and Akbalık, 2020, p. 62). Support from the national government and especially funding from the government through the national lottery heritage fund allowed for the museum’s transformations and building in 2017 (Roth, 2020, p. 32). The funding positively changed the face of the museum, thereby an increase in its operations.
Economic factors, on the other hand, impact financial performances affecting museums’ profitability. The main aspects here include unemployment rates and foreign exchange rates. Wirksworth holds eleven festivals annually, and the income generated from ticket sales is enough to generate wealth and create jobs. These events enhance the local image and identity, which in turn increases the number of visitors.
Social factors directly impact how marketers understand people living in Wirksworth and the specific activities that drive them, such as their needs and wants. Elements such as demographics of families, cultural trends, and lifestyle changes are also worth considering (Minculete and Olar, 2018, p. 15). Strong community links are some of the opportunities created by social factors. One such effect was evident when there were delays in construction completion in 2019 when trustees who had already taken possession of the newly constructed building in 2018 had to wait, therefore affecting the museum’s financial health. Technological factors affect how institutions market their products simultaneously, influencing the management strategies for the very institutions (Wirksworth Heritage Centre, 2021, p. 56). Digital platforms provide opportunities for fundraising beyond Wirksworth town and increase quality engagement with the visitors once they visit the site.
Legal factors include what the law allows for a museum to operate in a given territory. Consumer laws, health and safety, international trade regulations, and restrictions affect institutions. The neighbourhood plan is an example of a legal, strategic plan that the museum’s development should operate (Wirksworth Heritage Centre, 2021, p. 56). The proposal also touches on laws such as environmental and energy consumption plans for the heritage centre. Such plans ensure that museums operate effectively while receiving maximum support from the government.
Models Critiquing Based on Present Brand Strategy
The brand strategy comprises what the product stands for and what it offers to the customers. The brands’ objectives should describe the brand itself and its objectives (Lockett, 2018, p. 47). Naming strategy allows for the development of long term plans, allows institutions to achieve specific goals, and allows institutions to connect to consumer needs, emotions and, at the same, helps institutions operate in competitive environments (Dar and Shah, 2018, p. 43; Al Janahi, 2019; Li et al., 2021, p. 25). Compared to the RACE model, which insists on a strategic approach, the brand strategy has no specific approach but hopes that the brand is a necessary digital marketing tool better than plan, reach, act, convert engage strategy promoted by RACE. Presenting branding strategy also differs from the 10’cs model in that it believes that the brand alone can change self, team and company mindsets which are the mind-sets 10 C’s model argues around.
According to presenting a brand model, the brand name itself is responsible for all the through foresters model’s engagements. The product allows for involvement, permits interactions, intimacy and also influences consumers. It is also the brand that makes individuals identify themselves with the product, and therefore brand alone answers all questions of the 5 I’s (Martinez, 2018, p. 35). Just the same way brand represents the 5’Is, it also represents the 6’cs of choice, consent, customisation, community, convenience and cost reduction.
SWOT Analysis
This analysis is a planning technique that allows museums to identify their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, and, in most cases, concerning the competition or planning for projects. For the Wirksworth museum, SWOT translates to figuring out how to increase the number of visitors. The ways of allowing the institution to capitalise on the activities they do best and in improving functions they do the worst. SWOT also means minimising the effects of PESTEL factors that the museum may have no control over (Harlequin Training Solutions Limited, 2021, p. 11).
It allows organizations to put up resources in the right place and at the right time (Namugenyi et al., 2019, p. 28). Museum strengths may include such aspects as experienced volunteers, location or feedback from visitors. Weaknesses may include lack of marketing skills or strategies, lack of diverse income streams, over-reliance on tourism. Opportunities for the museum may exist through a supportive local community and ideas for developing partnerships, and finally, threats may include poor transport network and loss of employees.
Digital Communications Strategy
Digital communication strategies are essential for boosting museums brands. These strategies are what allow the museum to reach its audience through the right delivery methods (Burrell et al., 2021; Hanelt et al., 2020, p. 17). It is the strategies that allow the communications to reach the audience and change their behaviours and attitudes (Papageorgiou et al., 2020, p. 34; Muhammedrisaevna et al., 2020, p. 12). Digital communication strategies involve four steps: identifying business goals, gaining insights into the target audience, and determining the best digital communication tactics and analytics (Wood, 2020, p. 22). In this scenario, TOWS analysis will be used to thoroughly analyse the initial SWOT for thinking the organisation’s strategies as a whole.
Strategy Development Using TOWS Matrix
Figure 2: SWOT Matrix (Wood, 2020, p. 25).
Social Media Strategy Model
The social media advertisement model involves advertisements over social media platforms such as Facebook. In this model, the heritage centre must first identify and decide on its advertisement’s purpose before adapting the strategy (Freya, 2019, p. 45; Grover and Kar, 2020, p. 66). After the realisation, the advertisement strategy follows four phases: awareness, consideration, conversion, and evangelism.
Since people are unlikely to consider the brand if they have no initial knowledge about it, the awareness phase makes people know that the brand exists. It also ensures more people see the advertisement posts because the more individuals see the posts, the more the awareness (Quesenberry, 2020; Harrigan, 2020, p. 37). Nevertheless, the consideration phase is about considering people not only as those who are aware of the brand but also making them actively think of the brand (Li et al., 2021, p. 19). The third phase, the conversion, is designed to encourage the customer for taking specific action in the advertisement (Cheung et al., 2020, p. 31). The final stage is evangelism, and this does not have to happen necessarily. This phase involves such aspects as reviews and feedbacks, and in most cases, they increase awareness.
Digital Marketing Objectives and Proposed Strategy
The objectives of digital marketing using the 5s model aims at providing effective internet marketing strategies. This model seeks to increase brand presence, increase client engagement rates, and boost digital transactions for the institution (Intelligo Consulting, 2017; Ahn, 2020, p. 52; Vemaraju and Bethapudi, 2019, p. 54). Under this model, the main idea is to sell through online distribution, fully serve customers, engage and attract customers through speak, helping clients save time and money and finally sizzle chances that build the brand.
The proposed strategy segments the 4Cs segments marketing to consist of consumer wants and needs. After segmentation, the strategy positions the business to create an online value proposition (Sridhar and Fang, 2019, p. 63; Xu and He 2020, p. 21; Ungureanu, 2020, p. 34; Maryville University, 2020, p. 44). The 4Cs include clarity which ensures the idea being spread is clear and simple; consistency, which ensures the message is consistent as it breaks through various platforms, credibility, which ensures the idea being promoted is credible in client’s minds and competitiveness, to ensure the idea has a competitive edge.
Figure 3: Proposed strategy (Sridhar and Fang, 2019, p. 37; Huang and Rust, 2021, p. 38).
Digital Communications Plan
A digital communication plan will focus on the REAN model, tactics using the digital application, resources based on the 9M’s model, RACI model and responsibilities, and recommendations based on the SAF framework.
REAN Model
REAN model aims to coordinate all the digital marketing channels used by the organisation and then turn them towards a specific goal. Each letter in the word REAN (Reach, Engage, Activate, and Nurture) has a different objective to achieve (Huovila, 2020, p. 39). The goal of reach is to grab clients’ attention and know the specific problem the institution can solve (Moreews, 2021, p. 11; Koivuniemi, 2020, p. 15).
Engage pushes clients towards the institution so that they may have the experience. Activate ensures visitors make a purchase or subscribe to the advertising model, and finally, nurture ensures clients relationship with the institution is developed after transactions (Bowden, 2018, p. 19; Rojalin, 2020, p. 21). Nurture also ensures that the prospect returns for other transactions.
Tactics Using the Digital Application of the 7Ps
7Ps is a marketing mix designed to help companies define and review all its key issues, which affect how it markets its products and services. Companies use this model to set objectives in conducting a SWOT analysis (Omer, 2018, p. 35; Do and Vu 2020, p. 65) and when analysing the competition. One tactic of using the model is to evaluate the mixed elements while asking questions about the elements (Hanlon, 2020; Ndofirepi et al., 2020). Such questions on the elements may include developing products on products element, how to change pricing on prices, and distribution options on a place, among others (Kumar and Almoula, 2020, p. 10; Ramadani 2020, p. 23). The other elements such as promotion, physical evidence, processes, people and partners should also be evaluated.
Resources Based on the 9M’s Model
Resource planning is the other important aspect worth consideration under digital marketing as it ensures that once the tactics are set, resource planning ensures the tactics are acted upon accordingly. 9M’s model is such a resource model and integrates manpower, money, materials, management minutes, measurements, machines, materials, methods and Mother Nature when planning resources (Comber, 2019, p. 54; Saura et al., 2019, p. 37). It is this model that allows for online outsourcing of freelancers in larger organisations to speed up processes.
RACI Model and Responsibilities
RACI matrix maps out a responsibility assignment chart for every task, for every key decision or milestone a project passes before its completion (Millah et al., 2020, p. 44). The model assigns roles and responsibilities for each item, personnel accountable and who needs to be consulted and the individual who needs to be informed (Kantor, 2021, p. 55; Lee et al., 2021, p. 52; Yu, 2020, p. 31; Chiarini and Gabberi 2020, p. 43). RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed) clarifies responsibilities for every single project that should be accomplished.
Recommendations Based on the SAF Framework
Formulating a business strategy is often difficult as it involves choosing and implementing the right strategy in a pool of many strategies. The sustainability, Acceptability and Feasibility (SAF) framework is such an approach that can assist in choosing the right strategy (Liu et al., 2020, p. 15; Wang et al., 2020, p. 18). In choosing a sustainable strategy, the strategy must be able to use the institution’s strengths effectively, overcome the identified difficulties, and fall in line with the business’s objectives (Kantor, 2021, p. 12; Saura et al., 2019, p. 17). For acceptability, the strategy should measure risks, returns and customer reactions from the strategy. Finally, on feasibility, the strategy should be able to answer the m-word model.
Recommendation and Conclusion
Wirksworth heritage centre is a fascinating place and very rich in history, just as other museums in the UK. The main reason it does not appear in the top ten most rated museums in the country is that it lacks proper digital marketing strategies to promote its beauty and fascinations. This problem, however, can be solved through a digital communication audit, appropriate digital communication strategy and a good digital communication plan.
The digital communication audit allows for identifying the most important characters, history and factors affecting the museum. From the identifications of these factors, an appropriate strategy and a plan can be developed to ensure the heritage centre is digitally marketed for the entire globe.
Through good digital communication audit, problems inhibiting marketing and advertisement of the museum can all be determined and corrected through the appropriate strategies such as the SWOT and TOWS. This solution, however, must follow laid out a plan to ensure every other responsibility is taken care of and above that customer or the museum visitors remain happy and their numbers and visit frequencies increases.
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