Event Evaluation
Perspectives from the National Trust
Presentation prepared by:
Stephen Calver, Head of the Market Research Group
Celia Mead, Customer Services Manager, The National
Trust
Thursday 11th January
Size and scope
• The National Trust offers
over 10,000 events per
annum in England,
Northern Ireland and
Wales
• These generate over £5mn
of direct revenue
• The National Trust is a
charity that relies upon its
commercial efficiency to
achieve its conservation
aims.
Why evaluate?
• To measure the extent of
engagement and
understanding
• Have visitors enjoyed
themselves?
• How can operational
efficiency be improved?
• How can marketing and
planning be better
targeted?
Classification of events
• ‘Value added’ events
• Interpretative walks and
tours
• Income generating
events
• Temporary exhibitions
• Large scale public
events – private hire
The dataset
The data for evaluation is obtained from
three primary sources
• National Heritage Survey
• National Visitor Survey
• Events Survey
Target Groups
• ABC1/C2 Socio economic groups (Market
Research Society Algorithm)
• MOSAIC Geo-demographic analysis from
postcodes
• Members/ Non members of the National
Trust
• Young families – children 0-11yrs
• Older families – children 12-15
• Independents
• Older independents
National Heritage Visits Survey
• Conducted annually, national coverage to
evaluate role of heritage visits in the
national leisure ‘portfolio’
• Questions derived from small group,
qualitative research
• Quota sampling, face to face interviewing of
sample population
• Data collected since 1998
National Visitor Survey
• All large properties (by visitor number)
nationwide participate plus a sample of
smaller properties and ‘open site’ properties.
• Questions derived from qualitative research.
• Self completion questionnaire, control
groups of face to face interviews, depth
interviews
• Data collected since 2000 nationally; since
1992 for some regions of the National Trust
• Database of over 250,000 cases
Events Survey
• Introduced in 2006 in the Wessex Region
• Questions derived from qualitative research
• Quota sampling, face to face interviewing at
key properties
The Heritage Visits Survey
Battle enactments at Corfe Castle
• 2006 survey includes 5
questions specifically
investigating attitudes
and behaviour
regarding events at
historic properties.
• The following slides
give details from two
of them
Egyptian Art exhibition at Kingston Lacy
‘Would you be interested in any of the following activities
at National Trust properties’? %
16
16
15
14
13
12
11
11
10
Children's activities
Children's educational tours
Interactive displays
Presentations about gardening
Presentations about family
Sports events
Concerts
Exhibitions
Visiting the shop
9
Presentations about art
7
Specialist tours
6
Guided tour of house
5
5
Guided tour of gardens
Guided archeological tours
Guided tour of country site
2
Heritage visits survey 2006 Base 827
‘Have you attended any of the following types of event at an historic
property during the past 12 months?’ %
Includes 'Once', 'Twice', 'More than Twice'
Special day'
30
Musical event
28
Theatrical
16
Exhibition
16
Tour of property
12
Heritage visits survey
Base 827
Lecture/presentation
9
‘Special Days’ e.g Apple Fairs,
Book Fairs
The National Trust Visitor Survey
What was the purpose of your visit today? Please tick one box only
Pay for entry, Non event specific %
To see the house
26
A nice day out
15
To see the gardens
14
To go for a walk
7
Interest in history
7
To be with family & friends
7
Beautiful places
4
Things for children to do
3
To show family/friends
3
Tearoom/restaurant
3
Enjoy the peace & quiet
2
To relax
2
Special event
2
Shop
1
Interest in art
1
Exhibition
1
The top six motivators include
a mix of pragmatic factors
(house, garden, walk) and
experiential (a nice day out).
2006 National Visitor Survey
Base 37520
There is a strong link between purpose of visit and length of stay at
the property (and therefore spend).
The average proportion of the
visitor population staying longer than
3hrs at National Trust properties is 31%
There are 5 motivational
categories that stay longer
than average
To Show Family and Friends - 46% more than 3 hrs
A Nice Day Out - 45% more than 3 hrs
To attend an event - 40% more than 3hrs
Interest in Art - 36% more than 3hrs
Things for Children to do - 34% more than 3hrs
2006 National Visitor
Survey
Base 37520
Do event visitors have a different planning schedule
to other visitors? %
Event visitors
32
35
All
25
27
22
20
20
17
Today
Yesterday
2006 National Visitor Survey
Base 37520
This week
Some time
ago
Which media prompted the visit? %
NT Handbook
11
NT Leaflets
11
NT Regional new s letters
5
1
31
Advert - News/Mag
Base 37520
3
10
1
Events visitors
8
All
NT Internet Website
2006 National Visitor Survey
9
ArticleNews/Mag/Radio/TV
5
2
Television and film promote specific properties and
provide themes for events
Variation in points of origin? %
15
Under 5 miles
11
75
Home
57
30
5-14 miles
Friends/relatives
25
5
8
22
22
15-24 miles
16
Holiday
accommodation
Other
32
4
3
22
25-49 miles
50-74 miles
24
6
10
2006 National Visitor Survey
Base 37520
75+ miles
6
8
Events Visitors
All
Events Research 2006
Falconry displays
and other rural
‘crafts’ are popular
with mixed groups
Afternoon
performances are
popular with
families
‘Which of the following have provided you with the information to
attend an event in the past 12 months’? %
76
Friends & Relatives
55
Adverts
41
Articles
39
The Internet
38
TICs
Events programmeorganisation
19
Events programmeproperty
11
Newsletter from
organisation
Your contact with
property
10
5
2006 Events survey Base
476
How important was this event in your decision to visit
today? (Property Open) %
Very important
15
Important
12
Neutral
13
Not important
Not at all important
Did not know about event
before arriving
5
7
48
2006 Events survey Base
476
How important were the following for your visit today?
(Property open) Very Important%
Entertaining children
52
Occasion for friends
to get together
51
Specific Interest in
event
38
*‘Entertaining children’
(only respondents with children)
Part of property visit
Educational Outing
In the area
2006 Events survey Base
476
22
7
13
Evaluation of concerts, plays and other ticket
events
• Fifteen categories have
been identified which
represent critical
measures of evaluation
by the visitor.
• There is a strong positive
relationship between five
of these categories and
attendance at cultural
events generally.
• There is a strong positive
relationship between five
of these categories and
motivation to visit
2006 Events survey Base 476
‘Concerts, plays and other events
requiring a ticket. How would
you rate this event with regard
to the following’
Timely promotion of event
Very good _ _ _ Very Poor
Example – Evaluation related to attendance at cultural events and
motivation to attend event
Attendance at cultural events –
4 times a year
Entertaining the children
Timely promotion of the event
Access and parking
Ease of booking
Location of event at property
Ease of obtaining further
information
Seating arrangements/
space allocation
Access and parking
Guides programmes and other
information
Ease of obtaining further
information
Seating arrangement
Evaluation of Exhibitions, fairs, enactments, walks
and interactive events
• Fourteen categories have
been identified which
represent critical measures
of evaluation by the visitor.
• There is a strong positive
relationship between four
of these categories and
attendance at cultural
events generally.
• There is a strong positive
relationship between four
of these categories and
motivation to visit
Attendance at cultural events –
4 times a year
Available information before the
visit
Information and explanation
from staff
Opportunities for interaction
Access and parking
MOSAIC Groups
• MOSAIC is a commercial segmentation
package produced by Experian; it classifies
all consumers in the United Kingdom into 11
groups subcategorised into 61 types.
• MOSAIC provides a useful means of
understanding consumer attitudes and
predisposition in order to direct marketing
strategy and evaluation of marketing.
MOSAIC group analysis- Large ticket event/
Wessex %
23
Symbols of success
11
10
Happy Families
18
20
Suburban Comfort
7
7
Ties of the Community
2
Urban Intelligence
Welfare Borderline
Municipal Dependency
Blue Collar Enterprise
Twilight subsistence
UK POPULATION
Symbols of success 10%
Happy Families 11%
Suburban Comfort 15%
Ties of the Community 16%
Urban Intelligence 7%
Welfare Borderline 6%
Municipal Dependency 7%
Blue Collar Enterprise 11%
Twilight Subsistence 4%
Grey Perspectives 8%
Rural Isolation 5%
4
0
0
0
0
Fete
Wessex
2
3
1
1
14
12
Grey Perspectives
Rural isolation
34
9
22
MOSAIC group analysis –Value added
events/Wessex %
42
Sym bols of success
11
10
Happy Fam ilies
Suburban Com fort
0
0
Municipal Dependency 00
1
Blue Collar Enterprise
Welfare Borderline
Rural isolation
20
UK POPULATION
3
4
Urban Intelligence
Grey Perspectives
17
7
7
Ties of the Com m unity
Tw ilight subsistence
34
1
1
Value added
Wessex
3
8
89
12
Symbols of success 10%
Happy Families 11%
Suburban Comfort 15%
Ties of the Community 16%
Urban Intelligence 7%
Welfare Borderline 6%
Municipal Dependency 7%
Blue Collar Enterprise 11%
Twilight Subsistence 4%
Grey Perspectives 8%
Rural Isolation 5%
GIS – Stourhead Large event
GIS – Stourhead Small events
www.themarketresearchgroup.com