Grand Openings - Grand Results

Generating Excitement, New Members, and New Audiences

AMMC 2013

Grand Openings and Grand Results

• Dana Hines, President and CEO, Membership Consultants

• Rosie Siemer, Principal, fiveseed• Jennifer Thomas, Director of Annual Programs,

Saint Louis Art Museum• Mae Daniller, President, Daniller + Company• Rosie Pokrandt, Membership Coordinator,

History Colorado

Presenters


Grand Opening Case Study2010-2012

Dana HinesPresident and CEO

Rosie SiemerPrincipal

Member and Donor Growth• The Traditional

Strategic Planning Acquisition – direct mail, on-site sales Lapsed recapture – direct mail and telemarketing Membership upgrades – direct mail Annual Fund – direct mail

• The Social Finding and engaging new audiences Converting to visitors and members Leveraging word of mouth

Scenario

• A State-run organization• Transformational time in its own history• Building a new physical and brand

presence• Overcoming a perception of need

situation• Creating a new reputation for an

organization

Timeline

• Strategic Planning 2010/11• Implementation 2011/12• Grand Opening – April 28, 2012• Post-Opening – May 2012 to present

Goals

• Grow membership by 50%• Engage new membership audiences• Engage members donors • Lay the foundation for future outreach• Change the way people perceive a history

museum

Fully Integrated, Multi-Channel Approach

• Direct Mail• Social Media• Mobile/Online• Telemarketing• On-site Sales

Touchpoint Flowchart

Digital Integration

• QR codes• Website• Email append • Branded Facebook “microsite” • Contests: Photo, Trivia, Puzzler, and

Scavenger Hunt

Audiences and Strategies

Members – upgrade and engagement• Upgrade appeal, social media to energize• Donor appeals – giving beyond

membership

Lapsed Members – rejoin and engagement• Lapsed campaigns and new member

campaigns

Audiences and Strategies

Non Members – join and engagement• New member campaigns, social media to

raise awareness

Facebook Fans – join and participation • Social and push to mailed campaigns

Pre-Opening Timeline

• 50,000 piece acquisition mailing• 8,000 piece upgrade/lapsed• 15,000 annual fund in three drops• Launch social media photo contest• 50,000 piece acquisition with QR codes• 8,000 piece upgrade/lapsed – mail and

phone

Grand Opening Timeline

Direct Mail• End of fiscal year donor appeal – 26,000• Pre and post direct mail acquisition –

150,000 pieces – 75,000 each in 2 drops

Social Media/Mobile• Grand opening trivia contest• Gold Rush Puzzler• Mobile Scavenger Hunt to promote

opening of Denver A to Z exhibit

Direct Mail Campaign

Upgrade Appeal


Upgrade Results

Response Members RevenueRate

Opening - 6 months 17.30% 573 $ 45,250

Opening - 2 months 13.26% 228 $ 21,785

Opening + 2 months 6.27% 54 $ 4,945

Total 855 $ 71,980

Projected 5% 382 $ 27,620


Lapsed Recapture ResultsResponse Members RevenueRate

Opening - 6 months 4.81% 151 $ 10,760

Opening - 4 months 2.69% 117 $ 7,835

Opening - 2 months 2.09% 85 $ 6,505

Opening + 2 months 0.71% 29 $ 2,520

Total 2.44% 382 $ 27,620

Projected 2% 313 $ 18,782


Donor Appeal ResultsResponse Members RevenueRate

November 1.51% 86 $ 10,525

December .92% 52 $ 6,150

January 1.73% 97 $ 11,936

Total

5,701 Prospects

4.12% 235 $ 28,611

Average Gift $ 122


New Member Acquisition


Acquisition ResultsResponse Members RevenueRate

Opening - 6 months 1.20% 601 $ 46,300

Opening - 4 months 0.92% 458 $ 38,313

Opening - 2 months 0.79% 598 $ 52,435

Opening + 2 months 0.46% 323 $ 29,240

Total 0.80% 1,980 $ 166,288

Projected 1625 $ 97,500

Social Media

Social and Mobile ContestsCampaign Goals

• Raise awareness• Target Audience:

Women 26-40 years old with kids 6-12 years old

• Increase Facebook fan engagement• Mission-aligned messaging• Capture member prospect leads/info• Drive traffic to membership pages• Capture personal stories• Generate excitement and media buzz

Social and Mobile Contests

Share Your Story Photo Contest


Think You Know?! Trivia Contest


Gold Rush Puzzler Challenge


Discover Denver A to Z Mobile Scavenger Hunt

Overall Campaign Results• 739 unique participants in total• 654 individuals engaged for the first time via social• 91 became members after engaging• 13% join rate• 270 QR code respondents; 18% joined• 39% of QR respondents opted-in for mobile texts• Facebook grew from 766% from 1,285 to 11,122• Media attention and primary driver to website• Captured personal stories

Overall Campaign Results

1,961 new members 595 recaptured members 888 upgraded members 235 donors250% increase in target audience on Facebook 40% increase in membership BEFORE opening 89% increase in membership 6 weeks POST

opening121% increase in membership revenues-FY2012

Grand Openings and Grand Results:Generating Excitement, New Members,

and New Audiences

AMMC AtlantaApril 24, 2013

Mae Daniller, President Daniller + Company

[email protected]

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Case Study

• Located in Boston• Opened new Renzo Piano-

designed wing in January 2012

• Visitors increased from 11,300/mo. prior to opening to 25,000/mo. around opening to 19,400 post/mo. (72% increase to current stable number)

• Membership grew from 3,200 to 8,100 (60% increase) in 2012

Membership Acquisition Strategy for Grand Opening

To grow membership, the Gardner chose channels of:• Direct mail• E-mail• Supplemented by media partner, The Boston Globe

with print ads and inserted magazine, subway ads, and bus wraps

• (Exceptionally strong media coverage)

Daniller Strategy for Grand Opening Direct Response

• A series of acquisition mailings before, during, and following the January 2012 Grand Opening

• Strategic testing as part of direct mail• Direct mail reinforced with disciplined and customized

email follow-up appeals

• First two direct mail campaigns designed when new branding not yet available

• Gardner dark from mid-November to January opening• Key membership staff person left and replacement not

on board until right before opening• Membership gift pattern did not fit typical model –

retooled to ensure highest possible returns for January mail

Challenges

First Mailing – September 2011

• 80,000 mailed• 0.76% response rate• Average gift, $125• Test: Invitational vs.

Color package– Color package won

Email Follow-up Appeals

• 2 versions of email appeals:• Lapsed• Prospect

• Sent after each appeal• 3 drops

Second Mailing – November 2011

• 80,000 mailed• 0.74% response rate• Average gift, $108• Neighborhood package

was included

Third Mailing – Arrived at time of Grand Opening

• 80,000 mailed to arrive January 2012

• 1.36% response rate• Average gift, $109• New branding

launched• Offer included

attending an event with limited number of tickets available

• People-focused design

Fourth Mailing – Four months post-opening

• 80,000 mailed• 0.59% response rate• Average gift, $94• Mail almost

cancelled after “Grand Opening burnout” at Museum

• Museum was overwhelmed with onsite acquisition

• Onsite acquisition did not go as planned, no training undertaken

• Membership fell far behind on gift processing and acknowledgement

• Lessons learned here (per Lance!)

Other Grand Opening Acquisition Efforts

What We’ve Learned

• Be prepared for surprises along the way

• Get budgets and commitment for Direct Mail and Email locked down

• Preparation for onsite sales and backend fulfillment is critical

• Acquisition doesn’t end after opening—must steward wonderful new members

Questions?

Mae DanillerPresident, Daniller + [email protected]


(Almost) Ready for Grand Opening

Jennifer ThomasDirector of Annual Programs

Saint Louis Art Museum• Free museum with paid exhibitions• Under construction with gallery closures and limited

exhibition schedule since 2011• 13,000 general member households• 325,000 annual attendance in 2012• East Building Expansion opens on June 29, 2013

Membership GoalsThe BIG IDEA—Increase membership households by 40 % by July, 2013• Increase membership households from 12,000 to

20,000• Change culture of Museum to create opportunities to

sell memberships• Leverage new amenities and public presence to

increase knowledge about Museum and membership program

Timeline• January, 2012—The BIG IDEA• May, 2012—change structure of Membership Department• September, 2012—Art Ambassador Campaign• September, 2012—On-Site Sales Training for Staff• September, 2012—Charter Membership Direct Mail Drop• October, 2012—Robust Telemarketing campaign• January, 2013—Raised membership rates, retooled benefits• February, 2013—1st Grand Opening Direct Mail Drop• April, 2013—2nd Grand Opening Direct Mail Drop• June, 2013—3rd Grand Opening Direct Mail Drop• June 29, 2013—Grand Opening

Membership Department Restructure

Membership Coordinator

Membership Records Associate

Membership Records Coordinator

Major Gifts Records Coordinator

Membership Director

VMS Supervisor

VMS Associates (many)

Membership Manager

Membership Records Associate

Development Operations Manager

Major Gifts Records Coordinator

Development Events Coordinator

Director of Annual Programs

VMS Asst. Supervisor

Art Ambassador Campaign

Grassroots effort to recruit 1,000 members• $84,000 raised

• 934 members recruited

• $90 average gift (compared to $78 overall)

• 51% of all gifts weremade online

Visitor & Member Services

• Required On-Site Sales training for all staff• Created a Call Center that is staffed by VMS

staff members• Set weekly and monthly goals with incentives

during last three months of 2012• New job descriptions and policies for all new

staff in 2013

New Rates, Names, and Benefits• Increased the price of lowest levels

Regular $55 to $65Family $65 to $75

• Eliminated $100 level• Renamed $150 Friends & Family

to receive additional exhibition passes• Study Groups and Young Friends

added to membership levels at no additional cost

Direct MailMonth Pieces Number of Gifts Response Rate Average Gift

September 2012 75,000 568 .74 $81

January 2013 35,000 420 1.2 $87

April 2013 100,000

June 2013 65,000

Charter Membership, Discounts, and Experience Your Museum Transformed

Largest Direct Mail Drop in more than 20 years with 275,000 pieces

Preparation

• Temporary relocation of Call Center and Membership Processing Staff

• Testing off-site fulfillment• Hiring and Training new Member and Visitor

Services Staff• New materials featuring the completed

campus are in production

(Almost) Ready for Opening


Grand Opening Case Study

Mae DanillerPresident


Top 10 List for Grand Openings (or other major big deals at your museum)

Rosie PokrandtMembership Coordinator

Grand Opening Top 10 List

#10. Start Planning yesterday! 18 to 24 months out

#9. Got the Plan, now get the Budget

#8. Right size your staffing for the big crush; make sure you allow enough time to train front end staff on

the POS as well as selling memberships, talking about exhibits, etc.

#7. Become BFF with Marketing – you are in this together!

#6. Communicate your schedule of activities – you will need graphics, brand identity before anyone else


#5. Create the excitement - Start the implementation 8 months out

#4. Your mantra – this is only going to happen once in our lifetime – if not now, when?

#3. Have specific month by month revenue and memberships sold goals – so you can track your progress towards the goal

#2. Make sure you database, ticket software and systems are all working BEFORE the grand opening


#1. Stay Sane!

Stay Flexible!

Be able and ready to go with the flow.

Grand Openings - Grand Results

Business

Transcript of Grand Openings - Grand Results