From: "Monette Bebow-Reinhard" <grimm1@bayland.net> Subject: Updating museums - make them donation worthy Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:52:04 -0500 Message-ID: <006d01c9f035$1b95b9e0$52c12da0$@net>
My goal is to make the museum national - by showing how this specific site
relates to archaic copper history and research around the country. In this
respect, I think, a museum can become a breathing, changing place. Plus we
have and are developing hands on for kids, which, if you can win kids over,
parents are usually grateful.
I suggest every museum, if you're looking for ways of refreshing your
exhibits, look for ways to connect yourself to other places.
For instance, I am mailing contact letters to all lumbering museums in the
state (when I get the time) to offer my help in updating their lumbering
exhibits by connecting their lumbering history to the history of the first
documented, commercial sawmill in the state, now a national historic site
(but not a museum).
Monette
Oconto Archiac Copper Museum
From: localhistory-request@listserve.uwec.edu
[mailto:localhistory-request@listserve.uwec.edu] On Behalf Of Paul Wolter
Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 7:22 AM
To: localhistory@listserve.uwec.edu
Subject: Re: Museum visitor sign in log and donation container
Our membership benefits consist of our newsletter (6 times a year) and a 20%
discount on most books and merchandise. I suspect that a county historical
society may have a more general appeal than one with a more specific focus
like yours (if I am reading your name correctly)
On Wed, Jun 10, 2009 at 10:58 AM, Monette Bebow-Reinhard
<grimm1@bayland.net> wrote:
We have membership too but the subscriptions have come to a virtual
standstill. Oh yes, the town is all behind us renovating this museum, but
only a few have gotten behind it with a lousy $15. Most people on my list
are outatowners.
Do you give membership benefits?
Monette
Oconto Archaic Copper Museum
From: localhistory-request@listserve.uwec.edu
[mailto:localhistory-request@listserve.uwec.edu] On Behalf Of Paul Wolter
Sent: Tuesday, June 09, 2009 10:03 PM
To: localhistory@listserve.uwec.edu
Subject: Re: Museum visitor sign in log and donation container
This is kind of related to the donation jar discussion...but the best thing
we ever did was make membership categories above just basic. Our basic
individual membership is $20 (don't sell yourself short here either...the
cinema these days is roughly half of that!) and then we have a family
membership at $35 and then other categories like Friend - $50, Supporting -
$100, Patron - $250...right on up to $5,000+
We don't give any coffee mugs or mouse pads or anything special to the upper
levels. They just get their name in a different category in the newsletter
list of new and renewed members. (we do invite our $100 and up members to a
special Christmas social)
We discovered that people will almost never fill in a membership form as a
basic member ($20) and fill in the "Donation" line with an extra $80. What
they will do however is sign up at the $100 level because it is there and
there a little box to check next to it. It has worked like a charm for us.
If you can come up with incentives all the better I guess but we have not
found a need. Plus some people are turned off by the "free" gift you are
sending to them at upper levels when we all know that it cost something.
(money which many people would rather see put to good use in the
organization)
Another point while I am on the subject...you must have an aggressive
membership retention program (i.e. renewal letters, thank you for joining
letters etc.) If they don't respond to a membership renewal letter the
first time, try it again in a few months. If they don't respond after a year
drop them off your list and for heaven's sake don't give away newsletters to
people that aren't in relatively good standing. They'll never renew if
there getting the newsletter for free anyway.
Donation boxes are great but you must tell visitors that donations are
greatly appreciated. Don't expect too many people to give just because it's
there. We all have to be unafraid to ask. Also push membership at that time.
Paul Wolter
Sauk County Historical Society