With the growing uncertainty around Coronavirus and its duration, museums and cultural organizations are wondering the best ways to navigate these uncharted waters. In the face of closures, requests for membership extensions, and member turnover, many cultural organizations are all experiencing the unprecedented challenge of maintaining their membership bases. During this unusual time, communication with those members is critical - but where do we start, and how do we stay relevant in members’ eyes when nobody can actually see us?
Webinar Transcript: Membership Mondays - Communicating with Your Members During Coronavirus
With the growing uncertainty around Coronavirus and its duration, museums and cultural organizations are wondering the best ways to navigate these uncharted waters. In the face of closures, requests for membership extensions, and member turnover, many cultural organizations are all experiencing the unprecedented challenge of maintaining their membership bases. During this unusual time, communication with those members is critical - but where do we start, and how do we stay relevant in members’ eyes when nobody can actually see us?
This past Monday, over 500 membership, development, and cultural space professionals came together with Dan Sullivan (Head of Partnerships @ Cuseum), along with Ingrid Van Haastrecht (Director of Advancement Services, Analysis and Membership @ Dallas Museum of Art) and Jennifer Thomas (Director of Annual Programs @ St. Louis Art Museum) to discuss actionable strategies for keeping members informed during closures.
Watch the full webinar recording online.
Read the full transcript below!
Webinar Transcript: How to Captivate, Connect, and Communicate with Your Audience During Coronavirus
If you missed it this week, Brendan Ciecko (CEO & Founder @ Cuseum), with special guests Susan Edwards (Associate Director, Digital Content @ Hammer Museum) and Koven Smith (Museum & Nonprofit Digital Strategy Consultant), came together in a webinar to talk about steps cultural organizations can take to captivate, connect, and communicate with their remote “visitors” and audiences.
You can view a recording here and read full transcript below:
Webinar Highlights: How to Captivate, Connect, and Communicate with Your Audience During Coronavirus
Due to the rapid spread of coronavirus and government recommendations for social distancing, three-quarters of museums across the United States have closed down temporarily. As a result of these closures, many cultural organizations face new levels of uncertainty and difficulty in navigating these unfamiliar waters. In particular, for visitor-serving organizations, not being able to bring visitors on-site produces a significant challenge: while being physically closed, how do museums continue to engage their would-be visitors?
This past Wednesday, over 3,200 members of the museum community came together with
Brendan Ciecko (CEO & Founder @ Cuseum) and special guests Susan Edwards (Associate Director, Digital Content @ Hammer Museum) and Koven Smith (Museum & Nonprofit Digital Strategy Consultant), to discuss steps cultural organizations can take to captivate, connect, and communicate with their remote “visitors” and audiences. These experts did a deep-dive into digital communication strategies, creatively leveraging social media channels, and establishing a community without a physical space to gather in.
4 Ways Museums Can Successfully Leverage Digital Content and Channels during Coronavirus (COVID-19)
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.
Webinar Transcript: How to Keep Your Audience Engaged, Entertained, and Inspired in the Age of Coronavirus
If you couldn’t make it to our webinar this week, “How to Keep Your Audience Engaged, Entertained, and Inspired in the Age of Coronavirus,” Cuseum's Brendan Ciecko came together with special guests Seema Rao (Deputy Director & Chief Experience Officer @ Akron Art Museum), and Scott Stulen (Director & President @ Philbrook Museum of Art), to discuss steps cultural organizations can take to engage their audiences digitally and continue their important work as trusted community resources during this public health and economic crisis, even when physical sites remain in lockdown.
You can check out a transcript of the conversation below, or view a full recording here:
Webinar Highlights: How to Keep Your Audience Engaged, Entertained, and Inspired in the Age of Coronavirus
In light of the rapid spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and social distancing recommendations from public health officials, many visitor-serving cultural organizations have made the decision to temporarily close their doors to the public. As a result, these organizations face great uncertainty about what the next days and weeks hold for them during this unusual time.
This past Wednesday, over 3,000 people from the global museum community, joined Cuseum's Brendan Ciecko, with special guests Seema Rao (Deputy Director & Chief Experience Officer @ Akron Art Museum), and Scott Stulen (Director & President @ Philbrook Museum of Art), to discuss steps cultural organizations can take to engage their audiences digitally and continue their important work as trusted community resources during this public health and economic crisis, even when physical sites remain in lockdown.
Webinar Transcript: How Membership Departments Can Prepare for the Impact of Coronavirus
If you couldn’t make it you our special webinar this week, How Membership Departments Can Prepare for the Impact of Coronavirus, we have the next best thing. 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, and you can see a transcript of their conversation below. You can also check out a recording of the entire discussion.
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:
Introducing a New Partnership: Cuseum and Tessitura Network
Cuseum, a leading provider of engagement software for museums and arts nonprofits, is the latest partner to join Tessitura Network‘s ecosystem of trusted technology and service providers. With this partnership, Tessitura’s user community, comprised of many of the world’s most iconic museums and cultural attractions plus an extensive number of leading performing arts organizations, will be able to benefit from new mobile engagement and digital membership solutions that integrate directly with the Tessitura platform.
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.
Cuseum Receives U.S. Patent for Innovative Mobile Navigation Solution
Cuseum announced today the issuance of United States Patent No. 10,573,025 related to an innovative wayfinding and positioning solution that leverages machine vision. This latest patent represents the company’s enduring commitment to enhancing the customer experience at venues and public attractions through mobile technology.
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!
Cuseum’s 2019 Year in Review
It’s been an extraordinary year at Cuseum, and we are filled with momentum as we head towards 2020. Between new partnerships, exciting additions to the Cuseum family, launching our third product, and sharing our vision all around the globe, 2019 marks the best year in our company's history.
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.