How Museums Are Leveraging Digital Membership During COVID-19
GuestUser · April 16, 2020
Right now, many museums, zoos, and cultural organizations have been closed for nearly a month and are predicted to be closed for more weeks to months to come. This “new normal” has presented new challenges, and many museums are working to adapt their workflows to the current reality.
In particular, with the majority of membership departments currently working remotely, it is becoming increasingly difficult to adhere to the traditional methods of membership outreach. Membership departments are working harder than ever to fulfill membership cards, send out renewals, stay on top of gift processing and acknowledgment letters, and maintain a line of communication. At the same time, the lack of access to printers and materials, combined with the uncertainty around membership expiration dates, is making it nearly impossible for membership professionals to effectively execute the fulfillment process from home.
Digital Membership is one way to remove the burden from the membership fulfillment process while also providing institutions with a channel to quickly and easily distribute information to their constituents.
Read on to discover five ways digital memberships are helping organizations adapt their membership program in the age of coronavirus:
1. Update Members with Useful Content and Important Information
Digital memberships offer one centralized place for members to access information and receive communications. Indeed, the back of a digital membership card can be used to provide members with all the details they need.
Under normal circumstances, the back of your digital card is an essential tool for communicating your contact information, operating hours, and other information about day-to-day operations. However, with the extension of museum closures, organizations are leveraging the back of their digital cards to provide members with vital information during this time. Newfields has converted the back of their digital card to reflect a notice to their members about temporary closures due to COVID-19. The back of your digital membership card can also be used as a centralized location to promote upcoming digital programming to your members. Are you offering a virtual curated tour? A digital workshop? A ”Museum From Home” experience? All of this information can be displayed on the back of your digital card.
2. Carry Out Fulfillment From Your Home Office (No Printing, No Mailings, Just Digital!)
Many membership department professionals vacated their offices in mid-March with the expectation of returning to work within days or weeks. Now, closures are predicted to last much longer, and organizations may be feeling unprepared.
For processes like membership fulfillment and sending renewal notices, many organizations still rely on print-outs and mailings. Yet, with limited resources to print and mail from home and do so at scale, organizations may be looking at alternative methods to fulfill membership cards. And, for organizations outsourcing their fulfillment to outside vendors, expect weeks of delay. Yikes!
Digital membership cards offer a no-print solution that drastically reduces the time, resources and costs associated with traditional membership cards. Fulfillment can be done from your home in a matter of minutes. There is no hassle with stuffing envelopes and no costs associated with postage - just a streamlined, efficient fulfillment and delivery process that will be appreciated by your colleagues and members alike.
3. Avoid Risks and Delays related to Postal Mail
Coronavirus is also wreaking havoc on the US Postal Service, with delays or other challenges, and now the CDC is advising people to “wash their hands or use hand sanitizer after accepting deliveries or collecting mail.” As sending and receiving physical membership cards relies on postal mail services, there are unexpected risks and delays that are likely to take place. Offering digital membership cards gets around these challenges and is a risk-free option compared to traditional methods.
4. Update Expiration Dates and Card Information with Ease
At this point, many organizations are considering extending memberships due to closures. If you’ve tuned in to the ”Membership Mondays” webinars, you might already know what a popular topic of discussion this is. As organizations discuss the possibility of extending expiration dates, one significant drawback can be the cost and difficulty of updating hundreds or thousands of membership cards.
With a digital membership card, changing the expiration date for a membership base of any size is as easy as a couple of clicks - there are no headaches or costs associated with printing and resending cards! Digital cards give you the flexibility to update your policies and allow membership cards to be updated accordingly and automatically. That way, you can make the best decision for your organization and members without any logistical barriers.
5. Increase Renewals in an Uncertain Time
As museums and membership organizations continue to search for the right tone and messaging to ensure renewals at this time, the renewal push notifications on digital membership cards are a simple and effective tool to remind members it is time to renew. Using the push notification reminder, members receive personalized, optimally-timed notification directly to their mobile device. Combined with an email and/or traditional mail, you can ensure your message of the importance of renewals during this difficult time is heard.
By using digital membership cards during this time, organizations are able to allocate their limited resources to other areas of the organization. The digital membership card can act as a frontline communication tool, a marketing device, and a time-saving fulfillment mechanism. As organizations continue to adapt to the new normal, the digital membership card continues to show its versatility in deepening engagement, maintaining loyalty, and facilitating convenience.
Interested in learning how digital membership cards can benefit your organization? Schedule a free consultation with Cuseum today.