Webinar Highlights: 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 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: 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: Membership Mondays: Fulfillment, Renewals & 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.

Over 1000 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.

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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.

Watch Full Recording

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: Membership Mondays: Expanding The Member 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.

View the top takeaways below!

Tips for Leveraging TikTok at Your Museum

As museums face prolonged closures due to the coronavirus, the importance of engaging audiences inside their homes has become of growing importance. As museums and cultural organizations work to adapt their content strategy and reach audiences remotely, many may be finding that the “tried-and-true” social channels are no longer as effective as they once were. As a result, such organizations may be interested in experimenting with newer channels that will give them greater reach to different demographics.

Even though it has been around for several years now, TikTok is still considered an emerging and relatively untapped channel for many museums. It also has enormous capacity to help you connect with your audiences and community in new ways.

If you’re looking to get started on TikTok at your museums, check out some tips below:

Webinar Transcript: Membership Mondays: Reinforcing the Value of Membership During Coronavirus


As the perpetual state of Coronavirus uncertainty continues to loom over us, cultural organizations have never faced prolonged, unplanned, closures in the way we are now. Historically, the majority of closures are brief, lasting for a few days or even weeks. Yet with no end in sight, cultural organizations are facing an entirely new, unprecedented challenge.

For many organizations who depend on income from on-site purchases like admission tickets, special exhibitions, and gift shop sales, the membership department is one of the only sources of income at the moment. In a time, however, when members cannot physically come on-site, the question becomes, how do we reinforce the value of being a member?

This past Monday, over 700 membership and museum professionals joined Ash Harris (Vice President of Guest Experience @ San Antonio Zoo), Kelli Buchan (Director of Membership @ The Franklin Institute) and Dan Sullivan (Head of Partnerships @ Cuseum), as they discuss ways that you can continue to reinforce the value of your membership, even when members cannot visit on site.

Watch the full recording here.

Read the full transcript below:

Webinar Highlights: Membership Mondays - Reinforcing the Value of Membership During Coronavirus

As the perpetual state of Coronavirus uncertainty continues to loom over us, cultural organizations have never faced prolonged, unplanned, closures in the way we are now. Historically, the majority of closures are brief, lasting for a few days or even weeks. Yet with no end in sight, cultural organizations are facing an entirely new, unprecedented challenge.

For many organizations who depend on income from on-site purchases like admission tickets, special exhibitions, and gift shop sales, the membership department is one of the only sources of income at the moment. In a time, however, when members cannot physically come on-site, the question becomes, how do we reinforce the value of being a member?

This past Monday, over 700 membership and museum professionals joined Ash Harris (Vice President of Guest Experience @ San Antonio Zoo), Kelli Buchan (Director of Membership @ The Franklin Institute) and Dan Sullivan (Head of Partnerships @ Cuseum), as they discuss ways that you can continue to reinforce the value of your membership, even when members cannot visit on site.

Webinar Highlights: How Museums Can Experiment with Social Media to Boost Audience Engagement During Coronavirus

As the coronavirus continues to prevent museums and cultural organizations from welcoming audiences to their physical spaces, the importance of digital engagement has increased exponentially. In the face of this all, many organizations are embracing the opportunity to use this time as a period of experimentation, especially with regards to social media and other digital channels.

Webinar Transcript: How Museums Can Experiment with Social Media to Boost Audience Engagement During Coronavirus

As the coronavirus continues to prevent museums and cultural organizations from welcoming audiences to their physical spaces, the importance of digital engagement has increased exponentially. In the face of this all, many organizations are embracing the opportunity to use this time as a period of experimentation, especially with regards to social media and other digital channels.

This past Wednesday, over 2,500 museum professionals joined Brendan Ciecko (CEO & Founder @ Cuseum), Hilary-Morgan Watt (Digital Engagement Manager @ Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden), & Emily Haight (Social Media Manager @ New-York Historical Society) as they talked through the ways museums can begin experimenting with social media, hashtags, digital outreach, and other means to boost engagement among their audiences.

Watch the full recording here.

Read the full transcript below!

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