In the age of coronavirus (COVID-19), museums are facing unprecedented difficulties and uncertainty. In the past weeks, three-quarters of museums have shut down, starting with behemoths like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, and the Smithsonian’s museums. While these indefinite closures are presenting challenges, museum professionals have acted rapidly and creatively to keep their audiences engaged remotely.
How Membership Departments Can Prepare for the Impact of Coronavirus (Webinar Highlights)
With the ever-growing concerns around Coronavirus and its ripple effect on the global economy, many museums and attractions are wondering how they will be impacted. Membership professionals are specifically concerned about how this will impact their membership bases in the coming months or years.
To address these concerns, Dan Sullivan (Head of Partnerships at Cuseum) and membership experts Dana Hines (VP, Membership Marketing, Gabriel Group) and Alicia Lifrak (EVP, Fundraising, Gabriel Group) came together in a special webinar earlier this week to talk about steps membership-based organizations can take to prepare, and respond to this impending crisis.
To learn more, you can view the webinar recording online.
In the meantime, here are the top five tips and takeaways from the discussion:
How Museums and Attractions are Preparing and Responding to Coronavirus
Museums are beginning to be affected by the fear and precautions taken in light of the spreading coronavirus. Across Asia and Europe, cultural organizations and tourist destinations are closing down to visitors. While this is taking its toll on the cultural sector, several museums have begun to devise creative strategies to make their collections and exhibitions available to the public through digital and virtual tools.
How Museums are Offering Special Events & Programs to Celebrate Black History Month
We’re halfway through February, and that means Black History Month is in full swing. Black History Month is recognized across the country and it serves as a “celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing the central role of blacks in U.S. history.” For museums of all kinds, and particularly institutions that feature art, history, and science, Black History Month is an important time to pay tribute to the vital contributions, triumphs, and creativity of African Americans.
We’re thrilled to shout out some of our partners who are celebrating Black History Month with special exhibitions, events, and more. Read on to be inspired by various ways museums are honoring Black History Month.
Top Technology Trends for 2020: What it Means for Museums and Nonprofits
Technology is becoming increasingly essential to the operations of museums and nonprofits. From making things more efficient behind the scenes to improving the customer experience, new and long-standing technologies are transforming the way organizations operate and delight visitors. Each year, we look forward to reviewing the predictions published by major research firms and leading technologists. Gartner, a leading global research and advisory firm, recently put out their latest predictions for trends that will accelerate technological progress in years to come.
How Colleges and Universities Turn to Digital to Enhance Alumni Engagement
More than ever before, ensuring alumni engagement and career success are top priorities for colleges and universities. Indeed, as higher education enrollments continue to fall and universities feel heightened pressure to bring in more revenue, active alumni networks not only help institutions of higher education cultivate a compelling brand, but also serve as a vital source of financial support for colleges.
According to the latest findings by Salesforce, “the advancement office is fundamental to institutional growth and development” at universities. Additionally, advancement and development staff rely heavily on the generosity and giving of alumni to achieve their fundraising goals and keep their institutions vibrant and afloat.
5 New Technologies Unveiled at CES that Could Shape the Future of the Museum Experience
Earlier this month, Las Vegas and the tech world were abuzz about the 2020 Consumer Electronic Show (CES). According to Forbes, “CES is a celebration of creativity and the desire to make things smarter, faster, and better,” and it showcases the innovations from startups, tech giants, and manufacturers alike. For many, it’s a glimpse into what’s to come next.
5 Tips to Reduce Membership Turnover
Museums and cultural attractions spend a lot of time searching for creative and effective new ways to attract new members while retaining and engaging their existing constituents.
With everything that goes in to expanding your reach, sometimes it is easy to forget that keeping members in the long-term is just as important as getting new members to sign up (if not more)! Research shows that it costs five times as much to acquire a new member than to retain a current one. Additionally, over a five year period, the average total value of a renewed member was worth 35% more than that of the average total value of a newly acquired member. The numbers are clear: reducing membership turnover is well worth the investment.
Here are five ways to help reduce membership turnover at your organization!
4 Reasons to Go Digital with Membership Cards in 2020
We’re counting down the days until 2020, which promises to be the biggest year yet for the digital wallet. While mobile wallet payments accounted for $75 billion in 2016, this number is forecast to reach $500 billion going into 2020. And according to predictions by Visa, “By 2020, many people could be leaving their wallets behind” in favor of their mobile phones.
3 Things You Need to Know About AI-Powered “Deep Fakes” in Art & Culture
In the past year, the term “deepfake” has entered into news headlines and the realm of popular culture. If you’ve run into articles like “Deepfakes are getting better. Should we be worried?” and “Internet Companies Prepare to Fight the ‘Deepfake’ Future” you might be feeling apprehensive or even wondering what, exactly, a deepfake is. In the era of fake news where content can spread through the internet like wildlife, this emerging technology is sparking new debates and driving new experiments.
5 Ways to Leverage Social Media This #GivingTuesday
Paperless Passes: The Perks of Mobile Ticketing in Museums & Cultural Attractions
In recent years, the “mobile ticket” has taken off. It goes by many names – e-ticket, digital ticket, online ticket – and has transformed ticketing in nearly every industry. The rise of the mobile ticket has emerged concurrently with the widespread use of smartphones. A 2019 study by the Pew Research Center revealed that 81% of Americans own a smartphone.
Tips for Choosing a Point of Sale (POS) System for Your Museum or Organization
At retailers of all sizes, point of sale (POS) systems are overtaking the traditional cash register to manage transactions and interactions with customers. Simply put, a POS system “is the hardware and software that allows a business to process customer payments for products and services.” POS systems have become the central component of businesses, serving as “the hub where everything—like sales, inventory and customer management--merges.” Increased efficiency, ease of use, expanded payment capabilities, and reporting are just some of the myriad benefits of such a system.
How Data Can Help You Create a Vibrant & Sustainable Membership Program
The world is abuzz about “big data” and “data-driven” strategy. As defined by IBM, “Big data analytics is the use of advanced analytic techniques against very large, diverse data sets.” In the commercial sector big data has applications in everything from product development, customer experience, operational efficiency, to innovation. According to Intel, “big data analytics is a technology-enabled strategy for gaining richer, deeper, and more accurate insights into customers, partners, and the business.”
3 Reasons Why Museums and Nonprofits Should Be Thinking About Cybersecurity
It’s October, and that doesn’t just mean Halloween – it’s also National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM). NCSAM is a joint effort between government and industry “to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity and to ensure that all Americans have the resources they need to be safer and more secure online.”
What is the Value of a Visitor, Member, and Evangelist to Your Organization?
What do Peer Networks Mean for New Member Acquisition?
4 Technology Trends that Open New Doors for Provenance Research and Education
Provenance, or art’s history of ownership, is a growing area of discussion for museums across the world. As the Philadelphia Museum of Art so eloquently describes, “the provenance of an individual work of art sheds light on its historical, social, and economic context as well as its critical fortunes through time.”
Headed to Blackbaud's bbCon? Here are 10 Awesome Things to Do in Nashville
Blackbaud’s bbCon, premier tech gathering for social good, is less than two months away. To quote our friends at Blackbaud, we’re ready to hit a high note in Music City! We’ve assembled a top-notch list of sights, eats, and adventures to help guide the bbCon crowd through the city. From cultural landmarks, outdoor spaces, to local favorites for food and drink, we’ve got you covered on every front.
4 Ways AI is the Next Big Game-Changer in Museum Membership & Attendance
At Cuseum we’re stoked to keep on doing amazing things with Blackbaud. We’re so excited about our latest piece on their npENGAGE blog, which explores AI in museum membership and attendance.