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Implementing Gamification in Museums: How to Merge Playful Engagement & Education
The Future of Visitor Engagement: AI for Interactive Storytelling at Museums
7 Ways to Keep Your Alumni Members Engaged During COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many aspects of alumni relations, prompting new questions and concerns for university alumni associations. With the onset and continued risks of COVID-19, traditional opportunities for alumni engagement, such as class reunions, March Madness, NCAA football, tailgates, homecoming, in-person social events, alumni chapter meetups, and networking opportunities have been cancelled, or remain in limbo.
Indeed, while many held out hope that fall NCAA football would be a comeback after March Madness was called off, the Big Ten cancelled fall 2020 football in early August, and traditional social events like tailgates and alumni chapter watch parties are being suspended.
Despite the hurdles, alumni engagement is critical for building a university’s reputation and brand, securing donations, and creating community. In response to new challenges and unforeseen circumstances, many alumni associations have adapted by doubling down on their digital engagement strategy, with incredible results.
Here, we will examine the continued importance of an active alumni association for both universities and alumni, along with seven exciting ideas to activate alumni engagement during COVID-19 and beyond.
How Museums Can Generate Revenue Through Digital Content and Virtual Experiences
Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic forced museums of all kinds to close their doors, many have responded by shifting their attention to engaging audiences through virtual and remote channels. Through social media initiatives, virtual tours, live-streamed events, and an array of digital content, cultural organizations have made substantial efforts to expand their digital offerings throughout the period of lockdown.
Now, more than three months later, many organizations are not only facing the ongoing question of how to engage audiences; they are also facing a significant loss of revenue. Although many are beginning to open their doors to visitors once again, they are operating at reduced capacity and may be facing restrictions on physical events, summer camps, and other types of special gatherings. Organizations are also preparing for the possibility that a second wave of the coronavirus may push them towards temporary closures once again. Consequently, even as they reopen, many are recognizing the critical importance of digital content and engagement tools to not only to engage, educate, and inspire audiences, but also to serve as a new source of revenue.
As museums look to generate revenue through virtual initiatives, here are six ideas to consider:
Webinar Transcript: Preparing to Reopen: Strategy, Planning & Process on the Road to Reopening Museums
For nearly two months, museums across the country have been physically closed due to the coronavirus. In response, cultural professionals have developed and delivered exciting new content across a range of platforms to keep their audiences engaged during these unprecedented times. Now, as some states lift their stay-at-home orders and the world prepares to slowly reopen, museums are thinking about what reopening is going to look like.
On May 6, 2020, over 4,700 guests joined Brendan Ciecko (CEO and Founder @ Cuseum), Mark Sabb (Senior Director of Innovation, Marketing & Engagement @ Museum of the African Diaspora), Holly Shen (Deputy Director @ San Jose Museum of Art) & Ellen Busch (Director of Historic Sites Operations @ Texas Historical Commission) as they talked through the strategy, operations, process, and planning involved in reopening your museum successfully. This webinar will explore strategic planning, design thinking, and innovative approaches to welcoming your audiences back.
Webinar Highlights: Supporting Communities With Digital Programs During Coronavirus
As museums face ongoing challenges associated with the prolonged closures of their physical sites, communities are facing challenges of their own. Organizations are striving to produce vibrant, mission-driven content and programming, while also supporting the diverse needs of community members and constituents. How do you assess the needs of your community? How can your organization deliver content and resources that support the community? And how can museums imbue their mission into digital resources and programming?
On April 29, 2020 over 1,500 people joined Brendan Ciecko (CEO and Founder @ Cuseum), Terri Freeman (President @ National Civil Rights Museum) & Mara Kurlandsky (Director of Digital Engagement @ National Museum of Women in the Arts) as they discussed how museums can serve their communities and further their own missions through digital initiatives. This webinar strived to address aspects of community engagement, digital programming, creating educational content, and more.
Webinar Transcript: Supporting Communities With Digital Programs During Coronavirus
As museums face ongoing challenges associated with the prolonged closures of their physical sites, communities are facing challenges of their own. Organizations are striving to produce vibrant, mission-driven content and programming, while also supporting the diverse needs of community members and constituents. How do you assess the needs of your community? How can your organization deliver content and resources that support the community? And how can museums imbue their mission into digital resources and programming?
On April 29, 2020 over 1,500 people joined Brendan Ciecko (CEO and Founder @ Cuseum), Terri Freeman (President @ National Civil Rights Museum) & Mara Kurlandsky (Director of Digital Engagement @ National Museum of Women in the Arts) as they discussed how museums can serve their communities and further their own missions through digital initiatives. This webinar strived to address aspects of community engagement, digital programming, creating educational content, and more.
How Museums are Leveraging their Mobile Apps during COVID-19
Over the last two months, the demand for digital content has increased dramatically. Many museums have worked hard to translate their physical offerings into the digital space and have experienced a sizable growth in online reach and engagement. With the vast majority of museums remaining closed for the foreseeable future, organizations are looking to leverage their digital channels to bring the museum experience into people’s homes. Many institutions have learned during this time that digital content can transcend geographical barriers and can be used as a permanent extension to a museum’s reach. Research has shown that smartphones are also the most accessible digital tool for accessing information, with the vast majority of Americans owning a smartphone.
Cuseum’s Mobile Engagement platform is one way that institutions can effectively deliver digital content and provide a convenient one-stop location for their audience to view digital tours with interactive elements such as videos and audio.
Webinar Transcript: Membership Mondays: Messaging, Communication and Events in Membership During Coronavirus
The coronavirus crisis continues to keep museums and cultural organizations closed to the public, and closures are predicted to continue for weeks to months more. As a result, many institutions are facing disruptions to their revenue streams and finding it hard to connect with their members, donors, and constituents without in-person interactions and events that allow members to gather.
This week over 1,000 guests joined Dan Sullivan (Head of Growth and Partnerships @ Cuseum), Elizabeth Epley Sheets (Chief Advancement Officer @ Cheekwood Estate & Gardens) & Bradford Talley (Membership Manager @ Museum of Pop Culture) as they discussed the ways they’ve been honing their communication and messaging to connect with their members and donors during this difficult time. They discussed the potential of “virtual events” and gatherings that can help members stay connected to your organization and with each other.
Webinar Highlights: Collaborating On Virtual Educational Programs During Coronavirus
As museums and cultural organizations push forward in their efforts to adapt to coronavirus closures, many are striving to redesign programming and educational resources for digital platforms, stay community-oriented, and embrace digital transformation across all departments. At this moment, many museum leaders, educators, curators, and other professionals are working collaboratively with their colleagues in digital and social media to usher in a new digital era at their institutions, and many may be in search of guidance and best practices to help navigate these changes.
On April 22, 2020, over 3,000 people joined Brendan Ciecko (CEO & Founder @ Cuseum), Marie Vickles (Director of Education @ Perez Art Museum Miami) & Liz Neely (Curator of Digital Experience @ Georgia O'Keeffe Museum) as they discussed the ways that organizations can implement digital changes in education, programming, curation, and other departments. This webinar strived to address the topics of sustainable digital transformation, as well as best practices for engaging and supporting your community in light of coronavirus.
Webinar Transcript: Collaborating on Virtual Educational Programs During Coronavirus
As museums and cultural organizations push forward in their efforts to adapt to coronavirus closures, many are striving to redesign programming and educational resources for digital platforms, stay community-oriented, and embrace digital transformation across all departments. At this moment, many museum leaders, educators, curators, and other professionals are working collaboratively with their colleagues in digital and social media to usher in a new digital era at their institutions, and many may be in search of guidance and best practices to help navigate these changes.
This week over 3,000 guests joined Brendan Ciecko (CEO & Founder @ Cuseum), Marie Vickles (Director of Education @ Perez Art Museum Miami) & Liz Neely (Curator of Digital Experience @ Georgia O'Keeffe Museum) as they discussed the ways that organizations can implement digital changes in education, programming, curation, and other departments. This webinar addressed sustainable digital transformation, as well as best practices for engaging and supporting your community in light of coronavirus.
Webinar Transcript: Membership Mondays: Fulfillment, Renewals and Budgets in Membership During Coronavirus
It’s been over a month since many museums, zoos, and aquariums first closed down their physical sites due to coronavirus. This “new normal” has presented certain challenges, and many organizations are working to adapt their workflows to the current reality. In particular, many membership professionals are struggling with managing membership fulfillment, renewals, and reduced budgets from their home offices.
This week over 1,000 guests joined Dan Sullivan (Head of Partnerships @ Cuseum), Alice Stryker (Director, Individual Giving @ Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum), & Kimberly Kirkhart (Director of Membership @ Santa Barbara Zoo) as they discussed how they are adapting workflows and reallocating resources to stay on top of essential membership operations during this time.
Webinar Highlights: Thinking Outside the Box to Reach Audiences Inside Their Homes
As museums and cultural organizations continue to adapt to the challenges brought on by the coronavirus, many have revamped and expanded their digital presence and offerings. In the process, many organizations have realized that traditional strategies, messaging, and social media channels aren’t enough, and have started to get more creative with how they reach audiences in their homes.
Last week over 3,000 people joined Brendan Ciecko (CEO & Founder @ Cuseum), Sloan MacRae (Marketing Director @ Carnegie Museum of Natural History), & Caitlin Kearney (Digital Content & Engagement Manager @ The Field Museum) as they discussed what sorts of digital strategies, workflows, and channels are allowing them to effectively target and attract audiences beyond the walls of their museums.
View the top takeaways below!
Webinar Transcript: Thinking Outside the Box to Reach Audiences Inside Their Homes
As museums and cultural organizations continue to adapt to the challenges brought on by the coronavirus, many have revamped and expanded their digital presence and offerings. In the process, many have realized that traditional strategies, messaging, and social media channels aren’t enough, and have started to get more creative with how they reach audiences in their homes.
Last week over 3,000 people joined Brendan Ciecko (CEO & Founder @ Cuseum), Sloan MacRae (Marketing Director @ Carnegie Museum of Natural History), & Caitlin Kearney (Digital Content & Engagement Manager @ The Field Museum) as they discussed what sorts of digital strategies, workflows, and channels are allowing them to effectively target and attract audiences beyond the walls of their museums.
View the full transcript below
Webinar Transcript: Membership Mondays - Expanding The Membership Experience During Coronavirus
As museums continue to prolong their physical closures due to coronavirus, membership and development professionals are encountering new challenges. Now that in-person visits and special exhibition tickets can no longer serve as a primary benefit to members, how do membership professionals expand, augment and/or transform the member experience?
This week over 800 museum professionals joined Dan Sullivan (Head of Partnerships @ Cuseum), Jennifer Stone (Membership Manager @ Denver Museum of Nature & Science) & Chelsea Graham Jackson (Assistant Director of Membership @ Cleveland Museum of Art) as they discussed how the member experience might be expanded, especially through digital offerings, during coronavirus closures.
Watch the full video recording.
Read the full transcript below!
How Museums Are Leveraging Digital Membership During COVID-19
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.
Webinar Highlights: How to Craft Meaningful & Mindful Digital Content in the Age of Coronavirus
Due to the spread of coronavirus, museums and cultural organizations across the country are extending their expected lockdown periods and bracing for prolonged closures. As they remain physically closed to visitors, many museums are encountering new challenges around communicating and engaging their audiences. What outreach channels should you use? How do you overhaul your content calendar? And perhaps, most importantly, what kinds of content will resonate with your audiences?
This week, over 3,000 museum professionals joined Brendan Ciecko (CEO & Founder @ Cuseum), Ryan Dodge (Head of Digital Experiences @ Canadian Museum of History), and Kat Harding (Public Relations & Social Media Manager @ North Carolina Museum of Art) as they discussed how to develop effective content and messaging that aligns with your organization’s mission while resonating in the hearts and minds of audiences.
Watch the full video recording.
View the top takeaways below!
Webinar Transcript: How to Craft Meaningful & Mindful Digital Content in the Age of Coronavirus
Due to the spread of coronavirus, museums and cultural organizations across the country are extending their expected lockdown periods and bracing for prolonged closures. As they remain physically closed to visitors, many museums are encountering new challenges around communicating and engaging their audiences. What outreach channels should you use? How do you overhaul your content calendar? And perhaps, most importantly, what kinds of content will resonate with your audiences?
This week, over 3,000 museum professionals joined Brendan Ciecko (CEO & Founder @ Cuseum), Ryan Dodge (Head of Digital Experiences @ Canadian Museum of History), and Kat Harding (Public Relations & Social Media Manager @ North Carolina Museum of Art) as they discussed how to develop effective content and messaging that aligns with your organization’s mission while resonating in the hearts and minds of audiences.
Watch the full video recording.
View the full transcript below!
Tips for Choosing a Webinar Platform for your Museum or Organization
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to keep museums closed to the public, many cultural organizations have begun to produce a variety of digital content to keep their audiences engaged. One approach to engagement that is swiftly growing in popularity is webinars and virtual events. As the crisis continues, we are taking note which webinar platforms are being adapted by the museum, arts, and cultural attractions community, and which of these software giants are supporting the sector through cost-effective, and in some cases, free platforms to host webinars.