In part 2 of this series of Insights, we look at three more techniques that can be imported from the for-profit world to great effect.
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WHAT THE BUSINESS WORLD DOES
Maintains a CRM system to consolidate information about all contact with and engagement from consumers.
HOW HIGHER ED CAN APPLY IT
Create an easily accessible, consolidated view of your institution’s communications and alumni engagement efforts across all potential channels at an individual level.
How well do you know your alumni? If you’re like many people working in advancement, you may find that a difficult question to answer. Because while increasing levels of engagement through digital devices means there’s an opportunity to have insight into more aspects of your alumni relationships, there’s also the risk that your right hand doesn’t know what your left hand is doing.
Every alumni relationship matters when you’re focused on reaching a fundraising goal, so it’s essential to ensure that your communication plan is centralized and well-maintained. Establishing governance for alumni data and communication streams will help you manage risk and convey the high quality and competence of the institution. The end result? A communication stream that is genuinely alumni-centric, responding to and respecting the preferences and values of each graduate.
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WHAT THE BUSINESS WORLD DOES
Optimizes all communications and content for digital consumption.
HOW HIGHER ED CAN APPLY IT
Make sure that everything you push out to your alumni is viewable, accessible and optimized for response via every available channel.
You don’t have to be a marketer to know that the majority of communications today are consumed on mobile devices. Surprisingly, this is as true for Baby Boomers and Gen Xers as it is for recent graduates.
What does this mean for you? Mobile-first must be the media mantra for every advancement and alumni relations organization. That translates to more than merely responsive design—content needs to be developed from the ground up in a way that maximizes usability and effectiveness. Because you never know when a twelve-word text will lead to a seven-figure gift.
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WHAT THE BUSINESS WORLD DOES
Harnesses available data to predict the most and least responsive prospects.
HOW HIGHER ED CAN APPLY IT
Use predictive models to ensure officers are focused on the right alumni with the right knowledge.
Does your Advancement organization really know the factors that explain an individual’s decision to make a major donation? Are there events that you may not know about that augment giving capacity or strengthen the connection with the school?
Scoring alumni may sound a little unfair (every one matters, of course!); however, with limited staff, choices must be made about which alumni are worth traveling to see and getting to know. Scoring can provide a guide to your decisions that ensure the yield on an officer’s time is maximized. It’s important to note that scoring is not a one time activity. Running models with new data on a monthly basis could be of great value. For example, individuals who migrated from low to very high scores may deserve special attention and treatment. Something changed in their lives and it may be a fortuitous moment to reach out to them. Ultimately, keeping your predictive models up-to-date can yield substantial dividends.
Whether for a business or an educational organization, advanced marketing techniques enable you to know your community and what they value, build strong, loyal relationships, recognize each alumni as an individual with dignity, present a single face and make it convenient to engage with you. Ultimately, the trick is knowing what to embrace—and what to ignore. Want to learn more? Just drop us a line.