>I have questions, specifically for those of you in the historical
>society museums or house museums about any great membership strategies
>you can share with me.  I am in the process of revamping a membership
>program and could use some input.  Respond on or off list.  Thanks very
>much!
>
>Chantel Seely
>Washington County Historical Society


Something I've tried before that worked reasonably well was to promote a
theme of "everyone recruit one." Meaning that you your existing members are
your best salesmen and most satisified customers. I sent every member a
brochure (with a membership form as part of the brochure of course) with a
nice letter explaining how expanding the membership base could work wonders
for us and asking them to please pass it along to someone they thought would
be interested in joining, or with the suggestion they buy a gift membership
for someone they thought would appreciate it.

We had considered at one time going with a special reduced rate,
limited-time gift membership where for something like one-quarter to a third
of the usual rate they'd receive 1/2 a normal member's duration of benefits
for the new person they signed up. Then the idea was we'd sign up a good
percentage of these gift people up as regular members when their special
gift memberships expired, but we never followed through on the idea, so I
don't know how well it would have worked.


But theere's two ideas you might think about.

Thomas E. (Pete) Jordon