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This article was downloaded by: [Western Kentucky University] On: 17 October 2014, At: 08:21 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/wnon20 Consumer Experience Tourism in the Nonprofit and Public Sectors Mark A. Mitchell a & Sheila J. Mitchell a a University of South Carolina-Spartanburg Published online: 21 Oct 2008. To cite this article: Mark A. Mitchell & Sheila J. Mitchell (2001) Consumer Experience Tourism in the Nonprofit and Public Sectors, Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, 9:3, 21-34, DOI: 10.1300/J054v09n03_02 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J054v09n03_02 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http:// www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions

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Page 1: Consumer Experience Tourism in the Nonprofit and Public Sectors

This article was downloaded by: [Western Kentucky University]On: 17 October 2014, At: 08:21Publisher: RoutledgeInforma Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House,37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK

Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector MarketingPublication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information:http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/wnon20

Consumer Experience Tourism in the Nonprofit andPublic SectorsMark A. Mitchell a & Sheila J. Mitchell aa University of South Carolina-SpartanburgPublished online: 21 Oct 2008.

To cite this article: Mark A. Mitchell & Sheila J. Mitchell (2001) Consumer Experience Tourism in the Nonprofit and PublicSectors, Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, 9:3, 21-34, DOI: 10.1300/J054v09n03_02

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J054v09n03_02

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE

Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) containedin the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make norepresentations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of theContent. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, andare not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon andshould be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable forany losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoeveror howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use ofthe Content.

This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematicreproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in anyform to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions

Page 2: Consumer Experience Tourism in the Nonprofit and Public Sectors

Consumer Experience Tourismin the Nonprofit and Public Sectors

Mark A. MitchellSheila J. Mitchell

ABSTRACT. This manuscript reviews the growing use of manufacturingplant tours, company museums, and company visitor centers in thefor-profit sector and suggests ways to embrace this strategy in the non-profit and public sectors. Consumer Experience Tourism allows consum-ers to bond with brands. This manuscript suggests ways to create similarbonds with clients, donors, volunteers, politicians, local residents, and oth-ers. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Ser-vice: 1-800-342-9678. E-mail address: <[email protected]> Website:<http://www.HaworthPress.com> © 2001 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rightsreserved.]

KEYWORDS. Consumer tourism, consumer experience, consumer sat-isfaction

INTRODUCTION

The American public is interested in how things work, how things aremade, and how’d they do that! In response, the number of how-to-books

Mark A. Mitchell is Associate Professor of Marketing at the University of SouthCarolina-Spartanburg. He is also Director of the Center for Economic and CommunityDevelopment at USCS. He earned his DBA in Marketing from Mississippi State Uni-versity. His research has appeared in numerous academic and trade publications, in-cluding the Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, Journal of MarketingManagement, Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, Journal of Ministry Mar-keting and Management, Nonprofit World, Personal Financial Planning, and others.

Sheila J. Mitchell, CPA, MPAcc, is Instructor of Accounting at the University ofSouth Carolina-Spartanburg. She earned her MPAcc from Clemson University.

Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, Vol. 9(3) 2001� 2001 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved. 21

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continues to flourish. Radio and television programs tell how-to im-prove your home, relationships, financial affairs, spiritual life, and soon. One web site (see howstuffworks.com) provides a series of articlesdetailing the operations of such everyday items as automobiles, toilets,WD-40, and personal computers. In fact, the site now boasts over 1 mil-lion hits per month (Thompson, 2000).

Consistent with this curiosity with “how things work,” a growingnumber of companies maintain manufacturing plant tours, companymuseums, and company visitor centers to satisfy the intellectual curios-ity of consumers as well as creating personal bonds with consumers,employees, investors, local residents, and other stakeholders. Some non-profit and public sector agencies have created similar facilities as well.For example, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) de-veloped its 25,000 square foot visitor’s center (The Hall of Champions)as part of its new headquarters facility in downtown Indianapolis, IN(see ncaa.org). The federal government continues to provide populartours of the White House, Capital Building, Supreme Court, and othergovernmental facilities.

This type of tourism, labeled as Consumer Experience Tourism, is avaluable weapon in the fight for buyer attention and brand loyalty. Thepurpose of this manuscript is to review the use of Consumer ExperienceTourism in the for-profit sector and to evaluate how nonprofit and publicsector organizations can embrace Consumer Experience Tourism in thebattle for funds, volunteers, public attention, and other desired out-comes. First, a review of this type of tourism is provided. Second, a lookat how some in the nonprofit and public sectors currently provide suchlearning experiences is presented so that others may learn from theirlead. Third, the target audiences for such initiatives in the for-profit andnonprofit/public sectors are reviewed. Fourth, the underlying interestsin this segment of tourism are examined. Finally, an action plan to takeadvantage of the “how’d they do that?” interest in society is advanced.

DEFINING CONSUMER EXPERIENCE TOURISM

Manufacturing plant tours, company museums, and company visitorcenters represent a segment of tourism known by different names: man-ufacturing tourism, industrial attractions, industrial tourism, and indus-trial heritage tourism. The common goal within each descriptive term isto provide the individual with an experience regarding a product, its op-eration, production process, history, and historical significance. (It must

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be emphasized here that the focal point for examining this tourism phe-nomenon is the consumer’s relationship to the brand or organization,not simply the consumer’s relationship to the tourism experience.)

It is suggested here that “Consumer Experience Tourism” representsa unifying theme for this segment of the tourism industry. This termcaptures the consumer’s ability to learn more about the products they(hopefully) consume while manufacturers (and service providers) forgecloser relationships with their consumers during the 30-120 minutes oftime the consumer typically spends as a guest of their facility. While alltourist attractions provide an experience, Consumer Experience Tour-ism seeks to strengthen relationships with consumers.

Consumer Experience Tourism represents a diverse group of offer-ings. Axelrod and Brumberg (1997) profile 288 plant tours and com-pany visitor centers/museums throughout the United States. Similarly,Berger and Berger (1997) provide background information for about1,000 free industrial tours (in more than 300 industries) that are open tothe public. Arany and Hobson (1998) provide information on over1,000 smaller, lesser-known museums that are considered part of Con-sumer Experience Tourism given their focus on a product category orspecific brand. So, in addition to the Catfish Capital Museum or theBarbie Hall of Fame, readers can learn more about many nonprofit or-ganizations and their museums, including the American Police Centerand Museum, Boys Town Hall of History, Juliette Gordon Low GirlScout National Center, and others.

EXAMPLES OF CONSUMER EXPERIENCE TOURISMIN THE NONPROFIT AND PUBLIC SECTORS

A growing number of firms have recognized the value of consumersbonding with brands during plant tours or while visiting company visi-tor centers/museums. Similarly, many organizations in the nonprofitand public sectors currently provide tours of their facilities or have con-structed visitor centers/museums to more fully share their message. Afew examples are provided below.

The American public has long visited the nation’s capital to witnessgovernment in action. In fact, it could be argued that the cable televisionnetwork C-SPAN provides a live “tour” of the operations of govern-ment. Public utilities commonly provide tours of their facilities to edu-cate the public. In fact, the Tampa Electric Company maintains avisitor’s center where visitors can watch manatee take refuge from the

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chilly ocean waters in the warmer waters of the discharge canal of itscoal-fired power plant (Fuhrmans and Fleming, 1999). Further, com-munities such as McCormick, SC have successfully converted historicbuildings into Visitor Centers to promote their history and culture(American City and County, 1996).

Some member organizations encourage the public to visit their facili-ties as well. For instance, the New York Stock Exchange and the Chi-cago Board of Trade provide popular tours. Food producers such as theCabot Dairy Cooperative of Vermont provide tours of their processingplants (Axelrod and Brumberg, 1997). Some research labs such as theScripps Institute of Oceanography provide periodic tours to highlighttheir work (Berger and Berger, 1997).

Many trade associations encourage members to provide plant tours aspart of their professional education programs. For example, the Manufac-turers’ Agents National Association encourages its members to includeplant tours in the orientation processes of new sales agents (AmericanSalesman, 1999). Academic associations such as the Marketing Manage-ment Association regularly include trips to area businesses as part of theirannual meetings. Community development/leadership classes such asLeadership Spartanburg (SC), sponsored by the Spartanburg Chamber ofCommerce, include tours to local manufacturing facilities as part of theirannual program (see spartanburgsc.org).

Further, there are some less obvious applications of Consumer Expe-rience Tourism in the nonprofit sector. For example, many churchesconduct new member orientation classes which include tours of thesanctuary, childcare center, and adult education center. Comprehensivetours are provided for campers at Boy Scout and Girl Scout camps.Community theater groups provide tours of their facilities, as do sup-porters of fish hatcheries. Finally, professional associations use tours intheir continuing education programs for members. For example, theNational Association of College and University Foodservice providesvirtual tours of nine benchmark kitchen operations over its web site (seenacufs.org).

TARGET AUDIENCESFOR CONSUMER EXPERIENCE TOURISM

IN THE FOR-PROFIT SECTOR

The western world’s industrial heritage of distilleries, textile mills,mines, oil refineries, shipping yards, and manufacturing plants have be-

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come very common for tourist attractions (Mansfield, 1992). Manufac-turing plant tours, company museums, and company visitor centershave become a low-cost entertainment option for families and businesstravelers alike. They provide a day trip option for local residents.Schools can plan field trips for area students (and teachers). Businesstravelers can learn best practices from firms in both related and unre-lated industries (Brumberg and Axelrod, 1995). Prentice (1993) notesthat areas with large numbers of business travelers are particularly fruit-ful for the development of such a tourism initiative.

Plant tours can be a powerful means of providing corporate managerswith an enhanced understanding of how manufacturing capabilitiescontribute to a company’s strength in the marketplace. Upton (1997)suggests that everyone that interacts with a manufacturing plant (i.e.,buyers, suppliers, managers, employees, and so on) can benefit from acomprehensive look at the manufacturing process.

As noted earlier, the Manufacturers’ Agents National Associationencourages its members to include plant tours in the orientation pro-cesses of new sales agents. Further, they argue that all sales agents–re-gardless of age or experience–should participate in plant tours toincrease product knowledge and build customer empathy. These samesales agents are encouraged to later host their industrial buyers to suchan experience (Agency Sales Magazine, 1996; American Salesman,1999).

Penchina (1993) encourages advertising professionals to take toursof the manufacturing processes of their clients, particularly employeeson the creative side, in order to learn more about the client’s products,processes, culture, and consumers. Other target consumers for Con-sumer Experience Tourism include shareholders, politicians, dignitaries,and reporters. While target audiences may have different motivations fortaking such a tour and may seek different outcomes from it, it is certainthat people are interested in the work of others.

TARGET AUDIENCESFOR CONSUMER EXPERIENCE TOURISM

IN THE NONPROFIT AND PUBLIC SECTORS

As noted earlier, Consumer Experience Tourism sites are targeted ata variety of audiences. Governmental sites such as the Bureau of En-graving and Printing in Washington, DC or the Federal Reserve Bank inCharlotte, NC provide the voting public the opportunity to witness the

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functions of government in action. Government tours are an excellentexample of a “sunshine” expectation of consumers: tax dollars supporta facility and taxpayers (as owners) wish to inspect their investment.Further, a sense of civic pride is created when citizens can witness theirdemocracy in action. In the nonprofit sector, target consumers for tours,museums, and visitor centers include: clients, donors, voters, volun-teers, politicians, business partners, local residents, and others. A dis-cussion of the diversity of audiences and outcomes is provided in thesections that follow.

At the core, Consumer Experience Tourism is part of a firm’s Rela-tionship Marketing effort; that is, consumers learn more (i.e., establishrelationships) with familiar and not-so-familiar brands. As such, growthin buyer loyalty, sales, profitability, and market share are some of thebusiness outcomes sought by companies that operate such facilities.Outcomes more applicable to the nonprofit and public sectors deal witheducation, public image, open communication, and benchmarking.Successful realization of these objectives may, in turn, lead to increasesin more measurable operational items such as dollar and in-kind dona-tions, volunteer commitments, and clients served.

Education

Facility tours provide a nonprofit organization the opportunity to ed-ucate people regarding its work and the subsequent impact on its clientsand communities. For example, potential donors may better appreciatethe plight of the homeless after interacting with them in a shelter. Fur-ther, potential volunteers may be touched by the people that need theirhelp and can inspect the work environment prior to joining the volun-teer program. Politicians or philanthropic givers may become better in-formed regarding the lack of resources available to fight a problem andhave a more sympathetic ear in the future.

Tours provide an organization the opportunity to showcase its workor capabilities. Fire departments invite residents to inspect new firefighting equipment. Maternity wards often provide tours of their facili-ties to expecting families in order to highlight what they’ll see or experi-ence during their stay. Certainly, such educational tours are applicablefor others in the nonprofit sector. For instance, a blood donor may beless resistant to giving blood following a tour of blood donation and col-lection facilities. Or, a parent may be more likely to enroll a child in anafter-school program at the YMCA or Boy’s Club after touring the fa-cilities and meeting the counselors. For that matter, the children may be

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more interested in joining the after-school program after witnessing thevariety of programs and others enjoying them.

Trade associations may encourage members to provide tours to in-terested parties to showcase the challenges facing their industries. Forinstance, the National Association of Printers and Lithographers sug-gests its members provide plant tours for media representatives so theybetter understand the printing process and the operational challenges ofthe industry (American Printer, 1997).

Public Image

Operations that struggle with negative publicity and stereotyping canwork to cultivate a more positive public image by providing tours andcreating visitor centers to highlight the social contributions to theirwork. For instance, a psychiatric hospital or home for troubled youthmay create uneasiness among local residents given the (perceived) na-ture of its clients. Tours of these facilities can showcase the positiveoutcomes associated with work done by the professionals and volun-teers that work with those needing such care.

Tours are also a means of communicating with regulators and publicinterest groups. Nike commissioned a panel to review its operations inChina, Indonesia, and Vietnam. The company’s working conditionsand worker treatment were found to be acceptable (Neuborne, 1997).Farm and mining cooperatives, as well as youth shelters and drug treat-ment centers, may allay similar concerns by opening up to the public.

Open Communication

Inviting the media and members of the community to tour a facilityconveys an open communication style (i.e., we’ve got nothing to hide).Further, such a tour may be successful in stimulating positive press cov-erage and word-of-mouth communications. Volunteers may be attractedby such an open work environment. Also, for-profit business partnersmay be drawn to organizations that are more open in their approach giventhe greater likelihood of positive association for their companies.

Benchmarking

Facility tours provide the opportunity to share best practices and tobenchmark against the performance of others in the for-profit, non-profit, and governmental sectors. While some argue the opportunity for

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“true” benchmarking during a plant tour is overstated, the resultantopenness of communication and the ability to learn from others are de-sirable outcomes (Hinton, 1996).

UNDERLYING INTERESTIN CONSUMER EXPERIENCE TOURISM

For-Profit Sector

Many people think of Consumer Experience Tourism (e.g., planttours, company museums, and company visitor centers) as low-cost en-tertainment options for parents with children (such tours are typicallyfree or require a nominal fee) (Lukas, 1998). While this is one key targetmarket (and one key benefit the consumer may seek), it has been sug-gested the root cause of this interest, this fascination, runs much deeper.

Harris (1989) and Prentice (1993) note that factories and mines usedto employ a larger percentage of the workforce. The shift to a serviceeconomy takes people out of the factories. This removes people spa-tially and culturally from the manufacturing sector–they have less con-tact or first-hand knowledge of industrial work. This creates a novel andnostalgic view of industrial work, which in turn feeds their interest astourist destinations. They further note that many younger workers havenever experienced factory work so they’re curious about the work andproduction processes while older employees experience the nostalgia of“returning to their roots.”

Lukas (1998) notes that “company museums create the specter of theWizard of Oz, but factory tours provide a glimpse of the man behind thecurtain.” Rudd and Davis (1998) suggest that the Industrial Revolutionwas a defining event in American history. Companies providing planttours are providing users a look at our collective past. Richards (1996)notes the industrial revolution created an era where the transition frommodern to obsolete occurs more rapidly. As such, products of oldertechnology are considered cultural and historical artifacts and producefeelings of nostalgia among society. A company museum or visitor cen-ter showcasing the evolution of the product or technology can provide anostalgic tourist experience.

Nonprofit and Public Sectors

Does this interest or fascination with production processes and/orcompany histories similarly motivate consumers in the nonprofit and

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public sectors? Or, are they somehow otherwise motivated? As notedabove, many nonprofit and public sector organizations have embracedConsumer Experience Tourism as an integral part of their marketing ef-forts. While an empirical examination of consumer motivation in thenonprofit and public sectors is beyond the scope of this manuscript, anumber of consumer motivations appear to drive behaviors. They areoutlined in the table that follows.

The above list is meant to be illustrative and not exhaustive. Muchlike the for-profit sector, the underlying interest in Consumer Experi-ence Tourism in the nonprofit and public sectors is a multi-dimensionalphenomenon. More empirical research is required to better explainthese suggested differences.

Mark A. Mitchell and Sheila J. Mitchell 29

Consumer Motivation Rationale

Desire for more information regarding afamiliar brand (product, service, facilities,and so on).

Former and present users may be more likelyto visit a facility to learn more about theorganization or to demonstrate their belief inthe organization’s mission.

Desire for group affiliation and/or contactwith other volunteers.

Former and present volunteers may be morelikely to visit a facility to learn more about theorganization or to demonstrate their belief inthe organization’s mission.

Desire to learn more of an organization’shistory.

Residents that appreciate the consistentlong-term work of an organization may wish tolearn more of its history.

Desire to express gratitude for priorservices and community contributions.

Beneficiaries of the services provided by anorganization may seek to learn more of theorganization that provided assistance duringtheir time of need.

Desire to monitor group performance. Donors may wish to express their support byvisiting an organization. Others, as “owners,”may seek to monitor the organization to“protect their investment.”

Desire to express pride in acommunity’s resources.

Citizens may seek to learn more aboutimportant organizations in their communities.Further, they may take out-of-town visitors tosuch a facility.

Desire for educational materials. Citizens seeking understanding of processes,history, nature, natural sciences, and othersubjects may find such tourism opportunitiesinteresting and noteworthy.

Desire for entertainment. Many citizens may simply find organizeddisplays about familiar organizationsinteresting and noteworthy.D

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EXAMINING THE ELEMENTS OF EXISTINGCONSUMER EXPERIENCE TOURISM SITES

Tours of a physical facility are a flexible method of promotion sinceeach tour can be adapted to the needs of the audience. For instance, a tourof a community arts center can focus more on the diversity of programsfor the aspiring artist whereas a tour conducted for influential members ofthe community may focus on the merits of their financial support and thepositive contribution to the community. A companion visitor center/mu-seum, or at least a multi-media presentation, can be an effective way ofdocumenting an organization’s history of giving or service.

The book Watch It Made in the USA (2nd Edition) profiles 288 man-ufacturing plant tours, company museums, and company visitor centerslocated in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico (seeAxelrod and Brumberg, 1997). Let’s assume an organization seeks tocreate a visitor center/museum to showcase its history and highlight itswork. The common characteristics of these existing sites are presentedin the table below.

From the table above, the following generalizations are offered re-garding existing Consumer Experience Tourism sites:

Most sites do not require the guest to make advanced reservations,though it is often encouraged. These sites are typically free or in-expensive. It is common to distribute “freebies” to guests as wellas including video in the experience. Most provide guests a chance

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Characteristic Number PossessingCharacteristic

Total Number ofSites Evaluated

Percentage of Sites

No Need to MakeAdvanced Reservations

215 288 74.6%

No Admission Fee 239 288 83.0%

Provided ProductSamples or OtherFree Information

209 288 72.6%

Video PresentationShown

172 288 60.0%

Location to PurchaseCompany Merchandise

231 288 80.2%

Suggested Time forVisitation

221 < 60 minutes271 < 120 minutesAvg. = 58 minutes

288 76.7%94.1%

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to purchase related merchandise at the site. These sites typicallyare experienced as part of a day’s events rather than the focalpoint of the day.

This generalization leads to the question: Should these features be in-cluded in a site showcasing a blood bank, shelter, church, or communitytheater? It is suggested here that similar characteristics be included insuch efforts in the nonprofit sector, albeit with some refinements.

Scheduled operating hours relieves the need to make advanced reser-vations but for groups. The absence of an admission fee removes the “itcosts too much” objection. Free literature or give-aways such as keyrings or study booklets can be distributed instead of free products.Video presentations allow the group’s story to be told accurately (fund-raising videos may already exist for this purpose). While food and bev-erage items may not be produced on site, a snack shop fundraiser maybe appropriate. Finally, the shorter time needed to experience a site off-sets the all-too-common time objection. The for-profit sector is buildingcloser bonds with important parties by taking advantage of ConsumerExperience Tourism. A central tenet of this manuscript is the nonprofitand public sectors can greatly benefit by embracing this type of tourismas well. An action plan to do so is advanced below.

ACTION PLAN

Assume an existing organization has elected to showcase its work.Further assume the development of a museum or visitor center is be-yond its financial means or space constraints. There are other cost-ef-fective alternatives for consideration. First, the Internet provides avehicle to share video and still photography images and to create a vir-tual tour available any time the user desires. These multi-media imagesmay be produced for fundraising or public relations work. Digitizingthese images and loading them to a web site is a cost-effective first stepin opening an organization to others.

Next, local groups that could benefit from a facilities tour should beidentified and contacted. Providing benefits to these groups could inturn provide positive benefits to the organization. For instance, a recy-cling center hosting school children to a field trip may stimulate “dinnertable” discussions about the need to recycle. Or tours of a women’s orchildren’s shelter may stimulate greater gifts of food and clothing whenpotential donors have personal contact with those being served. Somegeneral guidelines are suggested below:

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� Schedule tours in advance to confirm activity at site (if desired).� Solicit questions from the audience prior to the tour to identify

specific concerns.� Tailor the tour to the information needs of the audience.� Make sure your facilities are clean and organized for your guests.� Confirm tour guides are well-trained and understand the needs and

interests of your guests. They must be able to tell your storyclearly, concisely, and accurately.

� Provide a hands-on experience to increase the effectiveness of thetour.

� Allow plenty of time for questions and answers both during and af-ter the tour. Don’t make visitors wait until the end of the tour to askquestions.

� Incorporate a multimedia presentation into the tour (or, at the end)to tie the whole experience together for your guest.

� Provide visual materials (e.g., pictures, flow charts) at the end ofthe tour to reinforce/remind what was covered.

� Contact guests within one week of visit to address any new ques-tions.

Longer-term, the investment in a museum or visitor center will serve anorganization as a permanent means of communicating the importanceof its mission and its impact on the community. Such a tourist attractioncan provide employment and stimulate tourist spending as well. It is ex-citing to think of parents taking children to visitor centers and museumscommemorating the contribution of such organizations as the GirlScouts, Boy Scouts, Little League Baseball, NCAA, and others in oursociety.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

Consumer Experience Tourism provides consumers the opportunityto bond with brands. A consumer witnessing the production of their fa-vorite products may become a more brand loyal consumer. Further, thissame tourist may become a credible spokesperson as they share the ex-citement of their experience with others. Marketers in the for-profit sec-tor are forging closer relationships by hosting guests and highlighting

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their work. It is suggested here that the nonprofit and public sectors canbenefit greatly from similar efforts. Certainly, the need to bond withconsumers, donors, volunteers, politicians, and other interested partiesis equally great! The American public is interested in “how thingswork.” This interest provides a showcase opportunity for progressiveorganizations in the nonprofit and public sectors.

REFERENCES

Agency Sales Magazine (1996). Plant Tours: How Agents and Manufacturers Can Co-operate to Make Them Most Productive. 26 (6), (June) 31-33.

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34 JOURNAL OF NONPROFIT & PUBLIC SECTOR MARKETING

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