Communications Update

Presentation at the 2014 RAA Board RetreatMarty Siederer & Ken Johnson

Communications Update

• Website www.rutgersalumni.org• Google Calendar• Email outreach

Short-Term Web Site Upgrades• Not requiring significant financial investment

Rationale: Augmented Email Outreach• Need a way to reach members very

quickly –not limited to pre-defined, late monthly

schedule of e-blasts• Must provide –opt-in/opt-out functionality for recipients–manage "Bad addresses" (professional

contact management)

Longer-Term Web Site Updates• Significant simplification of homepage• Add interesting and context-correct graphics• Use "landing pages" instead of "fly-out" menus• More "stories" and "event summaries“, less "calendar

event hawking"• Accessible from mobile devices (but not the quick-fix

variety)• Make RAA website useful to members who are not

"New Brunswick-Centric," as well as those who are

Web Site• Move RAA Photo Library from Google to

Photobucket or similar tool, with links from RAA web site

• Add electronic version of 1766 magazine to web site

• Clean up Back Room, – make it password-protected or separate site for

access by volunteers only

Google Calendar• Calendar has all RAA Board, Exec. Comm, Committee

meetings and all RAA and RUAA events– Consider including LAA, CCAA, ADC

• Increase user list for posting events• Make calendar more widely known and used• Avoid conflicts with other events, holidays, etc• Upgrade current calendar tool on RAA website • Add live links to calendar (more info, register)

Current Email Outreach• Sent via Alumni Relations• Once a month• Limited format• Does not include LC, DC, Cook/SEBS,

University College – Currently forwarded manually

Rationale: Augmented Email Outreach• NOT replacing current emails sent via Alumni

Relations• Need a way to reach people who are "RAA-

Members" but not in the Alumni Relations definition of our constituency– Alumni of other schools– Members of RAA Special Interest Groups– Folks who simply want to connect with us (e.g. LS/LD

Awardees)

Rationale: Augmented Email Outreach• " (professional contact

management)

Rationale: Augmented Email Outreach• Need for targeted emails and list management– Officers– Board members– Reunion award winners– Loyal Sons/Daughters– Event attendees– Etc.

Augmented Email Outreach• Constant Contact– Used by many organizations– Low-cost– RAA volunteer to manage• Marcia Smith Fleres RC ’77

– Augments existing Alumni Relations emails, social media and 1766 but does not replace them

Constant Contact Implementation Timeline

• Lists uploaded– Officers– Event Attendees

• First message emailed June 26– Xx opens– Xx click-throughs

• 9/11 tour article most popular– Xx bounces (mainly student email addresses from 2010-13)