Chicago Architecture Foundation - Around Chicago in 85 Tours by Jennifer Lucente

2. Founding of CAF
Glessner House
Santa Fe Building

3. Architecture River Cruise
Voted Chicago’s #1 Architecture
Tour
200,000 people take
CAF’s River Cruise every
year

4. Tours
HAPPY HOUR
TOURS

5. Programs, Exhibitions, Education, Events
Chicago Model City exhibition
Award-winning K-12 textbooks & curriculum
Programs and lectures Special events

6. Docents
More than 450 docents volunteer
their time to lead CAF’s 85 tours

7. Our audience…

8. Research study showed…
Opportunity audience
25-44 years old
Cultural events
Architecture & design
Chicago history & future

9. Beyond the River Cruise…
LOVE the River Cruise…
I
CAF River Cruise
…but weren’t connecting with the rest of CAF

10. Connecting
Opportunity audience
Tech-savvy
Using social media to connect with others
Taking it mobile

11. CAF’s social media
Twitter:
@chiarchitecture
• Strong interest in CAF
• Research study was right
• No corporate voice
Facebook:
facebook.com/chicagoarchitecture

12. Bridging the gap
Converting our strong online audience into a participating audience

13. Parameters
Audience
• Catchy, fun, interesting
• Easy to participate online & in real life
• Genuine, personal, down-to-earth

14. Parameters
CAF
• Low or no cost
• Manageable just by me
• Keep CAF “as is”

15. Goals
• Increase awareness & participation online & in real life
• Position CAF as a leader in social media marketing
• Create network of online brand ambassadors
• Bring in revenue

16. Around Chicago in 85 Tours
Take all of CAF’s 85 tours within
one year
Document the challenge online:

17. Around Chicago in 85 Tours Blog
www.85tours.com

18. All 85 tours…
Alta Vista Terrace Graceland Cemetery
Architecture River Cruise Graceland: A Second Look
Beverly: Elegance on the Ridge 1 Green Inside Out
Beverly: Elegance on the Ridge 2 Highland Park Walk
Bike the Lakefront Highlights by Bus: Robie House
Bridgeport Historic Downtown (north): Treasures
Bungalow Belt By Bus (North Route) Historic Downtown (south): Rise of the Skyscraper
Bungalow Belt By Bus (South Route) Hyde Park
Chicago Board of Trade Jackson Boulevard
Chicago Old and New: Intersections Jenney, “Father of the Skyscraper,” and His Legacy
Churches by Bus John Hancock Building
Daniel Burnham: Architect, Planner, Leader Kenilworth - North Route
Devil in the White City Companion Bus Tour Kenilworth - South Route
Downtown Deco Kenwood
Emerging Chicago Lake Forest Cemetery
Evanston Along the Lake LaSalle Street Towers of Finance
Farnsworth House Lights, Camera, Architecture!
Fine Arts Building Lincoln Park Zoo: the Architecture
Frank Lloyd Wright by Bus Logan Square
Frank Lloyd Wright in Oak Park Loop Tour Train
Frank Lloyd Wright Neighborhoods by Bus-Saturdays Louis Sullivan: Lost & Found
Gold Coast: Astor Street Macy’s on State Street
Gold Coast: Dearborn Street Magnificent Mile

19. …continued…
Marquette Building Riverfront Walk II: Fork of the River
Merchandise Mart Rookery
Michigan Avenue: Chicago's Landmark Streetwall Rosehill Cemetery
Mies & Modernism: The IIT Campus Tour Rosehill Mausoleum
Millennium Park Revealed Santa Fe Building Sculpture in Lincoln Park
Modern Skyscrapers Sculpture in the Loop
Modern Wing - Art Institute of Chicago Seats of Power: City, County and State
Monadnock Building Segway on the Lakefront
Oak Woods Cemetery Sheffield Historic District
Old Town Triangle Sullivan Center (Carson Pirie Scott)
Palmer House Hotel Tour Tiffany Treasures in Chicago
Parks & Blvds By Bus: Grant & the South Parks Uptown
Parks & Blvds By Bus: Lincoln & the West Parks White City Revisited
Preserving Chicago's Landmarks Wicker Park
Printers Row Willis Tower and Its Next-Door Neighbor
Reliance Building (Hotel Burnham) Women of Influence - Graceland Cemetery
River North
Riverfront Walk I-Main Branch

20. Around Chicago in 85 Tours

21. Benefits for CAF
 Get to know CAF audience & opportunity audience
 Introduce opportunity audience to CAF
 Grassroots feel…global reach
 Increase CAF docent morale
 Library of content

22. Media
Increased awareness of the
Chicago Architecture
Foundation

23. Why would I do this to myself?
 Learn about tours & audience
 Connect with tour-goers & docents
 Experience…professional & personal
 It’s fun…and I love to challenge myself

24. Impact on Social Media
39%
@chiarchitecture
95%
facebook.com/chicagoarchitecture
**As of 6/16/2010

25. Impact on membership
New membership up an
average of 11% per month

26. Impact on tours
Highlights by Bus tour: 9.5%
Historic Treasures: 15%
Green Inside Out: 24%
Neighborhood Tours: 190%

27. What I’ve learned…
People are listening
They also want to be heard

28. Word of mouth on steroids
Testimonials
Referrals
“Tweetups”

29. Recent tweets…
“@chiarchitecture Went on your bus
“My pics from Chicago Architecture and boat tours.The docents were
Foundation's "Devil in the White City" terrific. What an incredible city this is!”
Tour. Highly recommended!
http://ow.ly/1Jo3A”
“I absolutely loved the
architecture tour I took with
“I love Chicago! Currently enjoying the the Chicago Architecture
exhibits @ the Chicago Architecture Foundation. I learned a ton
Foundation with the bestest husband & dad” about the city!”
“I can vouch for the fact that
your guides are terrific. Our “Love giving my time to @chiarchitecture
Highlights guide managed because they have done so much for me!
her way around a parade and Newhouse 08, 07 & 06”
the POTUS”
“Took the downtown
“went on the chicago architecture foundation's boat deco tour today.
tour this morning. so good! every chicagoan should go Thanks for another
and learn about this beautiful city” great tour,
@chiarchitecture”.

30. Need to be flexible
CAF TweetUp Tour
Uptown
Saturday, July 10th
www.architecture.org/uptown

31. Get a team involved
Time and dedication
Common sense
Interest in social media
Participate in the conversation
Stay current
Connect with followers

32. What’s next for me?
The Around Chicago in 85 Tours
Challenge continues…

33. What’s next for you?
Follow!
www.85tours.com
@chiarchitecture
www.facebook.com/chicagoarchitecture
www.architecture.org

35. Jennifer Lucente
jlucente@architecture.org