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Presented by
Kathleen E. Pavelka, CFRE, President, Telecomp, Inc.
James B. Malezi, Annual Fund Officer, Washington & Jefferson College
CASE II District Conference
March xx, 2007
CREATING AN ALUMNI GIVING PLAN
THAT WORKS
CREATING AN ALUMNI GIVING PLAN
THAT WORKS
I. Start With Your CalendarI. Start With Your Calendar
• Schedule solicitations to leverage your events
• Schedule solicitations to leverage your publications
II. Determine SegmentationII. Determine Segmentation
Group prospects by
their relationship to you• allows you to speak to them
uniquely• allows you to plan solicitation
frequency and timing
Segmentation versus Fragmentation Segment should be:
– meaningful to the potential donor
– realistic in size for the solicitation method and timing
– allow you to recognize their relationship
– generate the appropriate results for the investment
– have a specific objective
II. Determine Segmentation II. Determine Segmentation
Segmentation versus Tracking Codes • allows you to track smaller
groups within your segments (or larger)
Segmentation versus Restricted Giving• allows you to appeal to their
interest, but does not mean that you have to restrict their gift to their interest -- two separate and distinct issues
Update Segmentation Annually
• based on their changing relationship with you
II. Determine SegmentationII. Determine SegmentationCommon Segment: “Donors”
Concern: Does not distinguish based on recency or consistency of gift. Does not distinguish between level of gift.
Questions: Are some donors more important than others? Do you have a different objective for different donors?
Would your solicitation method vary for different donors?
Suggested Segmentation: Additional Considerations:Leadership Restricted versus Unrestricted DonorsPotential Leadership Special Event DonorsLybunts (Prior Year Donors) Special Appeal DonorsLapsed ( 2 - 5 years out) Sponsors (walks, runs, etc.)Sybunts or Long Lapsed Donors Memorial Donors
II. Determine SegmentationII. Determine Segmentation
Sample Donor Objectives by Segment
Leadership: Increased giving
Potential Leadership: Increase gift to Leadership Level
Renewing Donors: Increase gift by 30% or more
Lapsed Donors: Reactivate giving; increasing may be secondary
Long Lapsed/
Sybunts: Reactivate giving
Common Segment: “Non-Donors”
Concern: Since it groups all non-donors together, does not allow you to recognize their relationship to you (other than they’re not giving)
Does not allow variation in Case for Support, etc.
Questions: What relationship does this non-donor have with you? Are some non-donors more important than others?
Suggested Segmentation:Reunion Fraternity/Sorority “Engaged” Young Alumni
Degree versus No Degree CampusType of Degree Major (undergraduate versus graduate) Other AffiliationEvent Attendees (athletes, for example)
II. Determine SegmentationII. Determine Segmentation
III. Solicitation MethodIII. Solicitation Method
• Three Primary Methods:– Face-to-Face
» Volunteer» Staff
– Telephone» Students (Paid or Volunteer)» Resource Partner (On v Off Campus)
– Mail» Personalized» Non-Personalized
– Other Methods:» Special Events» E-mail
III. Solicitation Method III. Solicitation Method
• Determine which method(s) would be most effective for each segment, and the priority order
• BE REALISTIC– While personal solicitation might be most effective, it is
very limited. Make sure you are realistic in the number of personal solicitations your institution is truly capable of making
III. Solicitation MethodIII. Solicitation Method
Make sure the investment is appropriate to the expected outcome
IV. Database AccuracyIV. Database Accuracy
The U.S. Post Office estimates that 20% of the population moves each year.
• Regular updating is a MUST– NCOA (inexpensive and easy)
– Address Correction Requested on all mailings (including alumni magazines and other general publications)
– First Class mail, where appropriate– Telephone Number Research
(computer matching and directory assistance)
– Advanced search based on SSN and last known address
IV. Database AccuracyIV. Database Accuracy
Investing in alumni with bad addresses or phone numbers wastes precious resources
V. Solicitation OpportunitiesV. Solicitation Opportunities
• Determine the number of opportunities for giving you will provide by segment
• Distinguish between first and second gifts
• General Rules of Thumb:– Solicit as long as each successive effort is cost effective
– In direct mail, expect the successive effort to cut in half
Suggested Opportunities per year:Leadership 3-5 Potential Leadership 5-8Renewals 5-8 Lapsed Donors 3-5Long-Lapsed / Non-Donors 1-2 Second Gift Appeal 1-2
V. Solicitation OpportunitiesV. Solicitation Opportunities
The alumni called in the Spring were a subset of those called in the Fall
Fall
Telephone
Solicitation
Spring
Telephone
Solicitation
FY ’05 Donors $100 - $999 65% 42%
FY ’05 Donors $1 - $99 42% 34%
Results of successive solicitations in a Telephone Outreach Program
Fairleigh Dickinson University 2005-06 Annual Fund
V. Solicitation OpportunitiesV. Solicitation Opportunities
The alumni called in the Spring were a subset of those called in the Fall
Fall
Telephone
Solicitation
Spring
Telephone
Solicitation
FY ’05 Donors 74% 55%
Results of successive solicitations in a Telephone Outreach Program
Pace University 2005-06 Annual Fund
VI. Measuring SuccessVI. Measuring Success
• Set Overall Goals– Total Gift Income– Total Number of Donors– Renewal Rate– Increased Giving from
Renewals– Retrieval Rate (Lapsed
Donors)– Number of New Donors– Average Gift
• Set a specific target for each solicitation, by segment– Use historic performance– Use industry benchmarks
• Develop tracking system to measure your results against your expectations
• Adjust solicitation method and number of opportunities as needed
VII. Set the CalendarVII. Set the Calendar
• Based on the number and method of solicitations, set your calendar– Calendar year-end solicitation a MUST– Fiscal year-end solicitation a MUST (if different)
• Leverage special events, institutional activities and publications!– Homecoming, reunion, graduation, parents weekend, the
start and end of classes each semester– Alumni magazine, class notes/newsletters– Athletic or other big “public” events
VIII. Set the StrategyVIII. Set the Strategy
• Determine your basic strategy for this year’s Annual Fund (Case for Support; what’s our story this year)
• Determine variations on the basic strategy for successive solicitations
(Albert Einstein said: Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome)
• Tie in with other activities, publications, etc.
IX. Thank You Method and Frequency
IX. Thank You Method and Frequency
• Determine method(s) that are appropriate– Handwritten note - Personal letter– Personalized form letter - Telephone Call– Receipt (not desired method for any donor)– E-mail - Other (flowers, candy)
• Determine who should thank the donor
• Determine how many times you wish to thank the donor (never worry that it is too many)
• Formal Recognition (Recognition v. Benefits)
X. Putting It All TogetherX. Putting It All Together
• Create a Master Plan– Include Key Dates– Make it a Priority– Stick to it like GLUE– Adjust as necessary for performance reasons only!