The Radiance Insights team at our sponsor table at AMMC 2026.
The Radiance Insights team had the pleasure of attending AMMC 2026 in LA last month, a conference we look forward to each time. This year’s theme was re-focus, which we felt keenly in every session, keynote and social event. Every panel discussion and conversation with colleagues, partners or friends inspired us to really consider what we’re doing well as a sector, what we could focus more of our efforts on, and what fresh, new ideas we could bring back to our work.
After four packed days of sessions and activities, our team each reflected on one thing we’d like to re-focus on, inspired by what we heard over the week.
Alexa: A re-focus on effective cross-collaboration
In one session, someone in the audience remarked that ‘cross-collaboration is where good ideas go to die’. Having worked in and alongside cultural organizations for the past 14 years, I know all too well where this person is coming from. Bringing different departments together can be slow, challenging, and, at times, really frustrating! But the potential rewards of getting it right are too significant to ignore.
Throughout AMMC, I heard countless reminders that we're better together. From the Join or Die opening keynote's call for a greater sense of community through club culture, to conversations with colleagues about how they're making membership everyone's responsibility within their institutions. A common thread emerged: meaningful audience engagement cannot sit with one team alone.
That's what I'd like to re-focus on: helping our sector move beyond departmental silos and embrace a more collaborative approach to audience development. That starts with developing a deeper understanding and empathy for our colleagues' perspectives, building a shared language around the audiences we serve, and aligning our efforts around common audience goals. When we do that, cross-collaboration becomes more than just working together; it becomes a way to achieve things that no single team could accomplish alone.
Sarah: Texting is the new normal
While there were many inspiring ideas and tactics we heard about at AMMC this year, one thing really stood out for me: texting is the new normal. In Texting for Membership Fundraising: From Renewal Nudges to Relationship Building, we learned that peer-to-peer texting actually doesn’t require opt-in, which opens a whole new channel for our members to hear from and have conversations with us. Compared to email, it’s also much more effective: presenter Wendy Marinaccio Husman from Mal Warwick Donordigital shared that the average text open rate for her clients are 98%, and texts cost about half a cent each!
Photo from ‘Texting for Membership Fundraising: From Renewal Nudges to Relationship Building’ at AMMC 2026. Photo by Sarah Owens.
While I’m not suggesting we replace all communications with texts alone, these sessions have inspired me to refocus on texting as a quick, easy, complementary tactic for existing campaigns and renewals, and for rapid-response campaigns (such as asking for funding after a crisis or sudden need). For membership managers who want to incorporate texting into your renewal touches, remember to register your 10dlc with cell phone providers to prove you are a “good actor” in the texting arena – this will increase your deliverability rates.
Rosie: We need to refocus on the moments that build emotional connection.
Reflecting on my time at AMMC 2026, one message resonated louder than all the rest: we need to refocus on the moments that build emotional connection and create a genuine sense of belonging.
During the session Reimagining the Member Experience at the DIA, Mike Mitchell from the Detroit Institute of Arts shared a perspective that immediately stuck with me:
"Our membership strategy became less about the inventory of things that members received and more about an experience that membership creates, [an experience] that deepens the relationship, builds connection, and makes membership feel more like a family and less like a transaction."
This shift from transactional value to intentional community-building was a big takeaway from this year’s conference. From the opening keynotes, Join or Die and Creating Community through Engagements and Shared Experiences, to session content and casual hallway discussions, the need was clear: membership isn't just a list of benefits. It’s a way to invite audiences in. When we give our members meaningful opportunities to engage and participate, we can cultivate a sense of belonging.
As membership professionals, the work we do every day to steward these relationships is vital to creating real connection. So that’s what I want to refocus on: how can we intentionally craft moments that foster emotional connection.