In the past several years, and at an exponential rate in 2023, more zoos and aquariums have decided to revamp and reinvigorate their membership programs by launching Digital Membership initiatives. What's driving this rising popularity of digital memberships in zoos and aquariums?
First and foremost, members are an invaluable resource for these institutions. Recent studies have highlighted their irreplaceable contributions. Members are frequently the most vocal supporters of zoos and aquariums, exhibiting considerably higher satisfaction levels than typical visitors. Moreover, the ten-year value of the average member is 4.5x greater than the average visitor.
At the same time, conventional membership procedures have grown increasingly cumbersome and intimidating, diverting time and resources from strategic tasks such as member retention, acquisition, and engagement, as well as other operational expenses and animal care.
Creating and sending physical membership cards and welcome packages, either in-house or through external providers, can be expensive and slow. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, and particularly amidst the current economic uncertainty, budget reductions and job losses only add to these difficulties.
The pandemic inflicted significant damage on even well-funded establishments; for instance, The National Aquarium, for example, lost millions in funding and furloughed a third of its employees before 2020 concluded. Although numerous institutions successfully reopened in the subsequent years, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums has observed that many organizations are still "hemorrhaging money" and grappling with staff shortages. Consequently, small teams of membership and development experts are shouldering ever-growing responsibilities and must accomplish more with fewer resources.
In short, membership remains crucial for zoos and aquariums, but it often depends on laborious processes that are becoming unmanageable for many institutions. Additionally, consumers have embraced digital conveniences and contactless technologies at an astounding pace in the past year, generating demand for these services in all aspects of their lives.
To address this, zoos and aquariums across the nation have decided to roll out Digital Membership Card initiatives in collaboration with Cuseum. So, which institutions have gone digital in recent years?
Here's a snapshot of some of the zoos and aquariums throughout the country that have implemented Digital Membership Cards with Cuseum in the last few years:
Why have so many zoos and aquariums chosen to go digital? Digital Membership Cards offer a host of benefits to these institutions and their members.
Streamline Membership Card Fulfillment. Traditionally, membership fulfillment has been a labor-intensive and tedious process, dependent on physical mailings and the production of paper/plastic cards. Digital membership cards offer a no-print alternative that drastically reduces the time and resources needed for membership card distribution, streamlining the process. Members can quickly access their card and membership details, which is crucial in today's "work from home" era, where delays and disruptions have impacted the completion of membership tasks usually done on-site.
Save Time & Money. Membership fulfillment usually demands considerable staff time and resources, which is increasingly difficult amidst budget constraints and staff reductions. Furthermore, membership professionals are often expected to accomplish more with less. Transitioning to Digital Membership Cards not only saves time but also eliminates avoidable expenses like production, postage, staff labor, and printing. By going digital, zoos and aquariums can allocate limited funds and labor towards more strategic initiatives, such as membership retention and engagement strategies. Pro tip: Check out Cuseum’s ROI Calculator to see how much you could save!
Save the Environment. Zoos and aquariums are often at the forefront of conservation initiatives and protecting endangered species. Many have environmental commitments embedded in their mission statements. Adopting digital solutions can conserve valuable paper and plastic resources, enabling zoos and aquariums to further demonstrate their environmental commitment by going green with membership. This type of green initiative also resonates deeply with members.
Boost Renewals. In a December 2020 survey involving over 200 membership professionals in the cultural sector, more than 57% identified a "decline in membership renewals" as a top challenge they faced in 2020. With Digital Membership Cards, zoos and aquariums can address the renewal decline by sending push notification renewal reminders directly to members' mobile devices.
Enhance Engagement. Over the past several years, on-site attendance at zoos and aquariums has been steadily declining. Even prior to the pandemic, most cultural organizations were doing the same or even worse in terms of onsite attendance than they were ten years ago. Digital Membership Cards can remind members of their benefits, virtual offerings, special discounts, new exhibitions, and more through on-demand push notifications, and “back-of-card” text, promoting member engagement both on and off-site.
Facilitate New Conveniences, Like Contactless Entry. With Digital Membership Cards, members will never forget their card, and it will automatically appear when they're near the location. Digital cards also provide a convenient, contactless way for members to enjoy the zoo. For touch-free entry, members can show their mobile phone at admissions, and staff can easily scan the membership barcode. This enables a contactless experience, minimizing unnecessary exchanges.
Zoos and aquariums face various unique and pressing challenges as they work to enhance their membership programs. Visitors and members are crucial for revenue generation. Despite a consistent decline in visitor numbers across the sector, expenses have remained high due to animal maintenance. For instance, the Denver Zoo spends $1 million per month just to care for their 3,000 animals.
Despite these obstacles, Cuseum-powered Digital Membership Cards help address many pain points related to membership card fulfillment, saving time and money, encouraging renewals and engagement, and providing new conveniences.
Countless major zoos and aquariums had already made the switch to digital, a trend that will likely only accelerate in the years ahead. If you have been thinking about embracing the convenience and innovative potential of the digital-first era, 2023 is the perfect time to make the change!
Interested in learning more? Book a meeting with Cuseum today.