How Museums Can Easily Convert Visitors to Memberships on SimpleTix
-
by
Founder & CEO of SimpleTix.com, the World's most flexible e-Ticketing Platform. Entrepreneur and software developer by trade. My current role is SimpleTix is to seek out partnerships with other e-commerce platforms, payment gateways, and channel partnership opportunities.
EverWonder Children’s Museum in Newtown, CT uses hands-on exhibits and programming to cultivate a lifelong love of learning in the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. By easily converting visitors into memberships using the feature-rich ticketing platform, SimpleTix, they can cultivate and grow their community of learners.
At EverWonder, children are encouraged to think, inquire, and wonder about the world around them. It was founded in January 2011 by a group of mothers who wanted to create a rich children’s museum experience for their own community. For the first years of its life, EverWonder existed as a mobile entity without a physical location. Two years later, they opened a physical location called The EverWonder Experience, and in April 2015, EverWonder Children’s Museum opened in a larger location with dedicated space for birthday parties and field trips.
Like many museums, memberships help sustain the EverWonder’s mission and provide members with exclusive benefits throughout the year, like early bird access and discounted pricing for special events. Annual memberships are good for up to two adults and four children. Grandparents often buy a membership so they can bring their grandchildren during visits.
EverWonder wanted to make it easier for visitors to purchase an annual membership. As Niki Giordano, the museum’s office manager, pointed out, “Members bring other people, and they are your best advertisers.”
SimpleTix made the conversion to memberships easy
Visitors to EverWonder can convert their general admission ticket to an annual membership and have their full price ticket deducted from their membership payment. To deduct that ticket purchase previously, staff had to transfer the amount to a gift card and then apply the gift card against the membership. “It worked, but it was clunky,” Niki admitted.
However, new members can also save $20 on their membership if they were referred by another member. “So then we had two gift cards,” Niki explained. “We can’t apply two gift cards to one membership purchase, so we have to move all the money to one gift card and delete the other gift card.”
We discussed this challenge during a check-in call and created a new feature based on EverWonder’s feedback. The new feature allows a visitor to convert their general admission ticket to membership via a follow-up “thank you for visiting” email.
The email contains a message asking them if they’d like to become a member. If they choose to do so, they click on a button and are redirected to SimpleTix. From there, they can select the type of membership and which tickets to convert. Our system will automatically deduct the price of the ticket from the annual membership, and the guest will be asked to pay the balance.
As Niki told us, the ability to buy a membership and have the price of admission deducted from a recent visit is a common marketing tactic used by museums. We are excited to introduce this to even more museums in the coming months.
SimpleTix made the conversion to memberships easy
During our conversation with Niki, we reviewed other features that would be helpful for EverWonder. Some already existed or just needed to be tweaked. Some – like easy membership conversion – were new. In either case, it’s feedback like this that ensures SimpleTix fully supports our customer’s needs.
“We appreciate that when we talk to you and say this would be useful, you listen,” Niki told us. We couldn’t imagine operating any other way.
SimpleTix’s easy-to-use interface, robust set of features, and affordable pricing make us the ideal partner for museums of any size and focus. In addition to supporting membership conversion, our platform makes it easy to upsell, create timed entries, limit capacity, and much more.
If your museum would like to work hand-in-hand with an event ticketing platform that can help you maximize memberships, ticket sales, and donations, schedule a demo today!
Categories
Latest News
Related Articles
How To Sell More Event Merchandise Through Your Ticketing Platform
-
by
Ever wondered how much revenue you might be leaving on the table by keeping merchandise sales separate from ticketing? When you sell event tickets online, separating merchandise from the purchase flow means missing crucial sales opportunities. Many organizers focus solely on ticket sales, overlooking how the ticketing platform can drive significant merchandise revenue. From optimizing bundles to leveraging data for personalized offers, using your ticketing platform for merchandise sales isn’t just about convenience—it’s about boosting revenue in ways you may not have considered. Here’s how to do it strategically and effectively. Bundle Tickets and Merchandise Without Cutting Margins Bundling tickets with merchandise works best when the pricing feels like a deal to attendees but doesn’t undercut your profits. Success requires precise calculations: Analyze price sensitivity: If a ticket costs $50 and a t-shirt costs $25, offering a bundle at $65 can feel like a win for attendees while maintaining a healthy profit margin. Test popular combinations: Past sales data might reveal that general admission tickets and t-shirts are the most requested combination, while VIP attendees prefer hoodies or premium items. Platforms that sell event tickets online can integrate these bundles at checkout, making it easy for attendees to select their preferred option while increasing the overall cart value. Offering bundle discounts as limited-time options further incentivizes purchases during the early ticketing phase. Digital QR Codes Simplify Pre-Orders Pre-purchased merchandise often leads to logistical issues at the event. Attendees may receive the wrong size or change their preferences, resulting in returns or exchanges. Issuing QR codes for pre-purchased items can solve these problems. Once an attendee buys a ticket and selects merchandise, a QR code is sent to their email. At the event, they scan the code at the merchandise booth to confirm or adjust their order. This system allows organizers...
How Do You Set Up Ticket Sales for International Events?
-
by
Selling tickets for international events brings unique challenges, from handling payments in different currencies to meeting local regulations. While Eventbrite is a popular choice, many Eventbrite alternatives offer features specifically designed for global audiences. Setting up an efficient system requires tools that address payment options, compliance, language preferences, and attendee support. What steps and tools are needed to successfully manage ticket sales for international events? Use Payment Gateways That Work Worldwide Global audiences expect flexibility in payment options. A reliable event ticketing system supports multiple payment gateways, including regional and mobile payment methods. Platforms that integrate with options like PayPal, Stripe, or region-specific systems like Alipay or iDEAL help reduce barriers to completing a purchase. Some Eventbrite competitors go further, offering country-specific payment integrations. This is especially useful for events in areas with limited access to traditional banking systems. By providing attendees with familiar and accessible payment methods, you can increase trust and improve ticket sales. Offer Multi-Currency Pricing Ticket buyers are less likely to complete a purchase if prices are displayed only in a foreign currency. A platform with multi-currency pricing solves this issue by allowing attendees to view ticket prices in their local currency. This reduces confusion and friction during the buying process. The best Eventbrite alternatives often have built-in currency conversion tools, automatically adjusting prices based on the buyer's location. This capability not only makes transactions smoother but also shows attendees that you’ve thought about their needs, encouraging them to complete their purchases. Simplify Taxes and Regional Compliance Tax regulations and compliance laws can complicate international ticket sales. A reliable event registration platform should calculate and display taxes based on the buyer's location. Platforms that automate this process make it easier for organizers to comply with local regulations and avoid fines or disputes. Many trade show registration...
How Promo Codes Can Skyrocket Your Event Sales
-
by
Promo codes are often thought of as simple discount tools, but they’re capable of much more. When used strategically, they can do everything from increasing ticket sales to attracting new audiences and driving repeat attendance. Most event organizers stick to basic discounting methods, like early bird or general sale codes. But if you think promo codes only cut into your profits, you're missing out on their full potential - especially with today's sophisticated event registration software that can track, analyze, and optimize your promotional strategy. Here’s a fresh look at how promo codes can reshape your ticket sales strategy and drive better results. Customize Discount Codes Based on How People Buy Here's what most organizers miss: Promo codes aren't just discount tools - they're powerful features of your event scheduling software that can help you sell out events faster, attract better sponsors, and build a loyal following that comes back year after year. Use Dynamic Pricing to Boost Sales at the Right Time Promo codes don’t have to be static. Dynamic pricing—adjusting discounts based on real-time ticket sales—can make a huge difference. At the start of your sales cycle, you can release smaller discounts to create early momentum. As the event date approaches, monitor ticket sales using your event registration software’s reporting tools. If you’re not meeting your sales goals, you can release higher-value promo codes to incentivize last-minute buyers. On the flip side, if ticket sales are strong, you might scale back discounts and use promo codes to drive upsells instead. Geo-Target Promo Codes to Engage Local Audiences Local audiences are often the easiest to target, but they’re also more likely to compare your event with nearby alternatives. Promo codes can be a great way to tip the scales in your favor. Consider creating codes that speak directly to...