Do you want four times the results? As the story goes, a single Belgian Draft horse can pull 8,000 pounds of weight. A team of these draft horses can pull 16,000 pounds. Two draft horses that have learned to work together and become a well-honed team can pull 32,000 pounds. Working together gave them the ability to pull four times their body weight.

As a museum, nature center, or other visitor-centered organization, you have many opportunities to create partnerships, cooperative arrangements, shared programming and the like to reduce your costs and increase your visitation. These types of relationships are highly underused. What are some of the benefits you could gain if you started cooperating?

• Increased visitation

• Reduced cost

• More expertise, knowledge and experience

• Economies of scale and scope

• Synergies

What are some areas in which you could cooperate?

• Marketing and advertising

• Share events

• Human Resources

• IT

• Accounting

• Office Space

• Loaned objects

• Collaboration with local government

• Collaboration with local business

• Improved vendor relations

• Building relationships with mass media

• Improved visitor services

We all struggle with getting the most out of our limited resources. Working together brings exponential returns. In other words you can triple your services at half the cost. You may be able to create a larger pool for better benefits. At Taylor Studios we often combine efforts with others in the industry to offer better results to our clients. For instance, we are part of a joint venture company call Great Plains Exhibits, in which we collaborate with two other firms for certain projects.

The list of where you could improve your cooperation may sound daunting. As with any habit or change, doing it gradually usually works best for long term results. Maybe you just start by having a cup of coffee with other visitor center organizations in your community. Build relationships, ideas, and processes gradually over time.

Grow you enthusiasm by reading others’ success stories. In the March/April 2016 issue of Informal Learning Review they have highlighted several successful cooperative efforts. In Chattanooga, TN museum cooperation has led to grand success that even saved the Creative Discovery Museum from having to close its doors. Perhaps there is a group of parks or historic houses that combined can improve visitor services across a range of participants. Here’s how they do it in Southeastern Connecticut.

“The power of one, if fearless and focused, is formidable, but the power of many working together is better.” – Gloria Macapagal Arroyo