Open Forum

Membership growth and retention is one of the biggest challenges that museums face.  There are so many things that compete for people's time and money that museums really need to offer something special to attract and hold members.  Our example is a cautionary tale. 

Established as an outgrowth of a small historical society museum over 20 years ago in 1994, our membership was initially pretty high, as in somewhere over 500 memberships of various levels.  The vast majority of these memberships came from a very small demographic and many were purchased as a feel-good way to support the nascent new museum, which faced some serious obstacles.  During the intervening years, this demographic has shrunk considerably, but the strategy was to keep going back to the same drying up well.  This was directly the result of the historical society mentality of "exclusivity."  A private club, really, which still allowed people to pay to visit, but they were not actively encouraged to become members.

Fast-forward to 2016 and our membership levels have hovered below 200 for the past several years.  This includes the twenty-five new Corporate level memberships that we garnered from an aggressive appeal to all six hundred plus local Chamber of Commerce members last year.  We plan another similar appeal very soon.

Our struggle has been to develop new Member benefits that will encourage people to join.  When anyone can come for free for our kid-focused Family Fun Days (about 5 times a year), we need to develop more adult-oriented evening events.  We are currently working on that, as well as looking at retooling our Corporate level memberships to cost much more, but offer much, much, much more.

That's the $64,000 question.  I work at a house museum. It is difficult to attract members when your "exhibit" doesn't change or your don't have special exhibits that art museums offer. We offer guests the opportunity to purchase a membership on the day of a tour, crediting the tour cost to the membership costs....so sometimes they are paying just $10 for a membership (instead of $65) or sometimes they are actually saving money by purchasing a membership. Only about 20% of this group renews after one year.We have raised our membership rates to try to recoup a little more money from this group who see buying membership as a value proposition - just $5 for our Individual Plus 1 and $10 more for a household membership.

This year we reached out to those who had memberships which expired more than 12 months ago - our of 1500 email solicitations, about 50 renewed at a 50% discount. It didn't cost us anything but we gained some revenue.  We are now trying a new discount with our expired upper level members. It will be interesting for us to see their response.

Membership is not a monolith.  It is not a money maker.  At entry levels, it is a designed to be an entree to annual giving.  Membership expectations should be realistic and recognized as rooted in an understand of the overall development cycle and pyramid.  It sounds so retro, but it is still what membership is build upon.  One major issues is typically that institutions do not drive participants to become members.  What is the differentiation in fees for members vs. non-members for kids camps, programs, etc.  What always sells out?  If camp fills up, then charge at least 40% more for nonmembers.  Museums must give the public a reason to join.  Since membership is viewed as a means to save money through fee admission and discounts on programs, then cost is a factor that museums should not shy away from.  

Relevance is also key.  What is your museum FOR.  If it's static, doesn't change; if there are no dynamic programs, if the museum is viewed as nice to have in the community rather than necessary and vital, then members will shrink.  When museums begin to ask, "what are the big issues in our community?"  "What is our role in providing a forum for solving problems or celebrating what others value, then the number typically change.   If the community needs more after school programs, then add the service and use the museum and its collection to full advantage. Several museum that I am working with have started schools, nursery or pre-schools.  They are using their collection and resources to serve the community, expanding the audience, and building their reputation by becoming useful.  Others are looking at minimal admission revenues  and going free.  By securing corporate sponsorship for Free admission, and  they are making more money than when they charged for admission.  They are boosting their attendance and using broader access to visitors to actively market the value of membership.  These can be providing member only early admission to events, advanced event ticket sales, VIP membership admission/seating, sharp program discounts.  These changes have made them rethink gift shop sales.  This is a difficult decision for larger organizations that derive considerable income from admissions; but for small institutions, it can be a great opportunity to achieve their mission without sacrificing revenue.  In fact it can grow revenue.  These are all membership development strategies.

How many board members are involved in growing membership?  Are they expected to bring their networks into the museum and add names to the membership acquisition list each year?  Is there a board member assigned to lead a membership task force that includes members and board members?  

If membership is important, then pay attention to it?  The board's role is to solve problems, ensure the financial stability of an organization.  Rather than cut budgets, they are to provide resources.  That's financial responsibility in action.  Bringing trustees into development can be gentle.  Assign a board member to organize a thanking team to call and thank people for renewing their membership, upgrading, or becoming a new member.  Thanking is a critical development activity and a call from a board member just to thank someone for joining makes an impression.  if they are also equipped with some talking points to use on the phone you can educate them about things they may not know, and also make them more comfortable about making calls.  

Membership cannot succeed if the museum offerings are not exciting, fun, interesting.  If the board isn't actively involved as ambassadors and in building the membership base.  If there is not a development plan that sets targets and develops strategies with steps to increase and retain members, people will not join or stay.  Retention is typically a problem if members feel that no one cares if they join; if they don't use their membership within the first month; if no one asks them to renew - by email, by mail, by phone.  That again comes back to having a strategy to retain members, be in touch, offer them special discounts.