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  • 1.  Membership "Health" in Your Organization

    Posted 08-08-2023 08:47 AM

    Good morning, 

    My name is Katie Farley and I manage the Membership program at the Kentucky Derby Museum in Louisville, KY. Over the past year we have noticed a steady decline in both new memberships and membership renewals. We offer a robust membership program with free tickets, discounts, and special offerings and gifts. We run promotions to gain new members, advertise in the lobby, and have a membership board to promote the program. However, it's still on a decline. We are currently in the process of changing membership database systems (going from one that isn't "Membership friendly" to a system that far surpasses our current one). We are hoping that may help. 

    I'm curious if this is a trend in your area, or if there are any suggestions on how to promote memberships? One thing that may be a strike against the Derby Museum is that we are not aimed at children, so we aren't necessarily pegged for families. Our demographic is more the Equine, racing fan, or those that visit when guests are in town. 

    Thank you! 

    Katie Farley

    Membership & Special Projects Manager 

    Kentucky Derby Museum 

    Louisville, KY 



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    Katie Farley
    Kentucky Derby Museum
    Louisville KY
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  • 2.  RE: Membership "Health" in Your Organization

    Posted 08-09-2023 11:37 AM
    Hi, Katie, et al - Let me start by admitting that I am both a retired museum director and a member of museums in my state ... and I'm a baby boomer.

    First, I feel your pain about losing the "membership friendly" system.  I recently was renewing my membership to a museum in my state that had recently switched to a new system and it took me three or four tries to complete the process and get my credit card accepted.  In an email conversation with a staff member responsible for membership, but not systems, she admitted that it was a bit glitchy.

    Since you don't have children's programming, I'll guess that your membership base has been largely Boomers (or even older).  We are, by and large, a tech-savvy group, but making it difficult to join or renew will only chill the rate.  There may also be resistance as a result of recent developments in our understanding of what horses experience as athletes.  Have you surveyed your members?  Especially asking those who have not renewed, which isn't easy, but can be done, might be useful.

    Good Luck!  Vivian





  • 3.  RE: Membership "Health" in Your Organization

    Posted 08-09-2023 12:10 PM

    Hi Vivian, 

    Thank you for your response. You are correct that our Membership based is mainly based on Boomers and above. We've moved from paper renewals to online only (to save on postage, paper, and a better green-initiative). I've noticed Renewals go down with just that. Our demographic prefers paper and checks, but unfortunately, that's not the direction the Museum wants to stay in. I've surveyed the members, but being an online survey, we only received a few responses. Those that access and submitted the survey are more tech-savvy, so it may be a little bias. 



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    Katie Farley
    Membership & Special Projects Manager
    Kentucky Derby Museum
    Louisville KY
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Membership "Health" in Your Organization

    Posted 08-10-2023 09:16 AM
    Hi, Katie (again) - I think that's a shame, but I know many museums are moving in that direction.  In my opinion, it's a mistake to limit yourself to only one platform for renewals, donations and publications.  This is especially true if you already know your demographic is not responsive to online only.  I know the long-time members of my last museum loved the printed, quarterly newsletter, which always included at least one scholarly article, relating to our content.  The museum has switched to using instagram and fb for very short bits about collections, exhibitions and the printed newsletter turned into more-or-less a bulletin.  I've heard from former members (my age and older) who are very disappointed with this.  

    Could you put together as objective and fact-based an argument as you can muster and present it to the "powers?"  Perhaps it could include a cost/benefit analysis.  I know this is a lot of work, but if retention is your goal.... it could present a compelling case.  Also, sometimes just reaching out to ask the opinion of (especially lapsed) members can have the effect of re-engaging them.  Again, good luck!  Vivian



    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Membership "Health" in Your Organization

    Posted 08-09-2023 12:05 PM

    One thing I don't see listed among the things you're doing to retain people is events. 

    I've been talking to a lot of museums about adding historical dance-themed events to their programming, and whether dance-themed or not, people like having a specific event to go to. Mind you, they won't pre-register for events and decide at the last minute that they're coming (why commit, there might be something better they learn about at the last minute!), but they are coming out for specific events.



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    Jeanette Watts
    Historical Dance Consultant
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  • 6.  RE: Membership "Health" in Your Organization

    Posted 08-09-2023 12:11 PM

    HI Jeanette, 

    Great call out. Yes, we do host many external events are the Museum. While we do not reach for new members at our events, we do offer our Members "first dibs" at tickets, which sell out very quickly. I'll add a Membership booth at our next event! 



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    Katie Farley
    Membership & Special Projects Manager
    Kentucky Derby Museum
    Louisville KY
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Membership "Health" in Your Organization

    Posted 08-11-2023 11:20 AM

    Katie, I feel your membership pain!  I have a few things to recommend below, but here is an observation, having visited your Museum long ago and knowing a bit about different kinds of museums and their audiences.  First, The Kentucky Derby Museum while certainly equine focused, is really a history museum and kind of like a hall of fame.  As such, I am assuming you attract an older demographic to the history side, and perhaps the episodic type member especially those who might attend the Derby one time or off and on.  Plus, are would also be an attraction and pride of Louisville and the entire state of Kentucky, so you have a lot of people to appeal to.

    That said, to grow membership you have to do a lot of work and that usually suggests that you need a budget to work with - for new member campaigns for direct mail and digital marketing, robust renewals, new member premium items for giveaways and such.

    First, I would invite you to join our upcoming seminar on Membership Marketing and Planning for Success, which will be held in October and virtual over three days.  It is chock full of best practices and proven membership tactics.   Here is the link: 

    I would also encourage your membership committee folks to join in.
    Secondly, If you haven't already, I would encourage you to take our Pulse of Membership Survey that we host two times a year, and then sit in on the free webinars we host that talk about how membership  programs are doing across the nation and compare your situation to what other membership managers are reporting. Here is a link to our last webinar on the Pulse of Membership from June:   
    If you email me privately I will send you a snapshot of just how history related museum membership programs stack up from this survey.  Dana@Membership-Consultants.com
    Finally, Here is the response I provided Russell Daws about a month ago on this platform, as to what programs need to be doing to grow - look up his full post:

    Russ, Good to see you are still out there in the museum world!   We are too!   Here are some recommendations:

    For whatever you are doing for membership and annual fund, it is good to do all that you can from direct mail, emails and on social media.  These methods all still work and work best when in sync with one another.

    For membership acquisition, we are still seeing great results from direct mail and even better when combined with emails - every two weeks during the run of a direct mail campaign.   And posting social media ads that complement the creative of the DM and EM solicitations.  Uploading your lapsed files to a SM platform to deliver targeted rejoin messages is also a good plan.

    Doing a very targeted ask when people visit is imperative for those on site sales, but if you have people that have bought tickets in advance and you have captured their email addresses, be sure to send membership ask via mail and email, perhaps giving them the price of their tickets off the price of a membership.  Also, you mention events - make sure you have a dedicated person to make the membership ask to all attendees, perhaps greeting people as they arrive, or working the room throughout the event.

    Renewals, same is true - best to start 60 days out and run until 60 days after expiration with at least three direct mail touches and probably 3 to 6 emails.

    Upgrades are good to use the mail and email combo too.  We send very specific and directed upgrade letters in the non-renewal season of a member's timespan (e.g.. if they are due to renew in March, we are sending upgrade appeal in fall, in their renewal "off season".

    Lapsed recapture - include lapsed people in your acquisition direct mail, email and digital campaign efforts.  and keep trying - repetition is a must!   Go back 3 to 5 years and email them monthly or quarterly at the least.  Doing a mailed lapsed effort is also important probably at least twice a year.

    And to answer a few of your other questions, yes to premiums or special offers in all appeals, an extra bonus for joining or renewing now, and yes to auto renew, but it will take a while to build participation, so shoot for 5 to 10 percent of your renewal coming in that way to be realistic.

    FYI, We will be hosting our Membership Seminar this fall online October 10, 11 and 12.  Stay tuned for more info and an invite to that.  It encompasses all that you are asking about and a lot more!   Best wishes to you and your membership program!

     Best wishes of success to you Katie!  I hope this gives you some perspective!  Dana Hines



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    Dana Hines CFRE
    President

    [Membership Consultants]
    [St. Louis] [MO]
    Dana@Membership-Consultants.com][314-574-1185]
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