Tips for Generating Members, Revenue, & Awareness during December

During the Holiday Season, heritage organizations can capitalize on the gift-giving aspects of this time of the year to both build membership and generate revenue. Here are some simple tips for organizations large and small:

1.  Contact (email, via Facebook, in your newsletter) your members and ask them to purchase a "gift membership" to your organization at a %10 discount. There is nothing like opening up a gift that lasts all year long. (This is especially true for organizations with sites.)

2. Offer a weekend discount at your museum or online store for anyone to purchase unique holiday gifts. Make it a celebration and offer "free gifts" (a postcard, a pin, etc.) and refreshments (cider, cookies, etc.) to add to the festivities. Any way you can offer ways to make gift purchasing easier or stress-free will attract more shoppers.

3. Offer a members only holiday ornament, notecards, calendar, or other item for purchase. Use your collection as an asset to create a unique, dated, and limited edition item that members and the community at large would want to have.

4. Send a calendar, ornament, or other holiday item to key decision makers in your community to remind them of your organization and to stand out from the dozens, if not hundreds of cards they might receive 

5. Offer your space to key and potential partners as a space to host a holiday party. This will also new people to visit your site.

6. Send New Year cards in January instead of holiday cards in December to make sure you're remembered and not lost in the shuffle. (See #4 for more on this.)

7. Use your website, blog, and other social media accounts to share items from your collection or images of your community in holidays past to remind them of you and to connect your collection to what's on everyone's mind: the Holidays. Sharing traditions that existed in the past in your community will offer insight into the heritage of LA. Even creating a price list of gifts from 50 or 80 years ago from a store in your community will attract attention.

8. Have your organizations board, staff, and even members support another non-profits holiday food drive, toy drive, or some other service by volunteering with them. This will bring attention to your organization with other community-oriented individuals and offer them the chance to get to you and your organization personally. Look for events that are also sponsored by large businesses or local government.


Do you have an idea on how to leverage the season to generate revenue and awareness or a question about one of the items above? Email us at laheritage @ gmail . com.