We can't deny it any longer: times have changed. Gone are the days when homecoming events were all it took for alumni engagement. Gone are traditional campaigns that ramped up and wrapped up in five years. Gone are the budgets to build staff in advancement offices. So what can we do to get ahead of this transition?
Use what we already have.
The largest and most valuable resources on a university campus are the students and the faculty. We have energy and expertise in these two groups that we can and should use to build stronger relationships with our stakeholders - without hiring more staff. But university departments often work in silos, and that tradition is tough to break. The advancement team should work across campus to help tear down the walls and build relationships within the institution in order to grow relationships outside of it.
Let's start with faculty. Every school holds an enormous amount of knowledge and interesting work being produced through faculty members and researchers. If advancement professionals build relationships with these individuals and educate them on the benefits of engaging alumni and friends, faculty will become our best advocates. Encourage them to come out to events and talk about their work. Bring the media to them as subject matter experts. Bring alumni to campus to meet with them in their labs and classrooms. They will be be grateful for the interest in their work and alumni and community members will know the cool things happening on campus.
OK, now for our students. Some schools do a good job of getting students involved with advancing the institution, but often we are so focused on engaging alumni that we forget to include our students, who are also part of that distinguished group. At every alumni, donor and community event make sure to seat students at tables with alumni and professionals in order to build networks. Work closely with Career Centre offices in order to build innovative programs that benefit both students and alumni mentors. Work with student clubs to help them with events and finding guest speakers - a great engagement opportunity.
Let's face it: our stakeholders are sophisticated, busy and expect more from us if they are to become involved. Engagement needs to be the focus across all parts of campus, not just the Advancement Office. When all participants understand the impact that this will have, we'll be able to get them on board.
But...
if we want to break down silos across campus, we need to start with our own shop. Integration is key to achieving our goals.
The Alumni and Outreach group needs to step up and play the lead role in building and maintaining meaningful networks. This will mean getting alumni and volunteers involved in ways that they tell us will be meaningful to them, not the other way around. It will most likely involve working closely with career services offices and also with executive education programs. Alumni officers should be front and centre as the go-to for alumni, students and faculty who want to help advance their institution and create reciprocal relationships.
The Communications group needs to back these efforts up with consistent and disciplined messaging and help with social media technology and strategies. Marketing should create an environment of listening to stakeholder needs, and responding to them and giving them content that will add value to their lives' And marketing should also should be constantly and strategically sharing all of the good things that our faculty and students are doing. The community wants to know who we are and what impact we make on society.
All of this should pave the way for the Development group to then visit with engaged alumni and friends who are ready to give to the area within the school that they feel will help make a significant impact in the school and in the world. If Alumni Officers have done their jobs, Development Officers will need to spend less time on building a relationship and more time on listening to what an individual is passionate about and therefore include them in a project with a faculty member or student early on, so that there can be joint ownership.
Notice I say alumni and friends, not donors. I think that is one more silo that we must break down: all of our donors remain alumni and friends, whether they are giving in a particular year or not. Labeling them donors infers that we are conditionally interested in them. We are not. Alumni, through their years of giving time, talent, treasure or advocacy will always be valuable to the institution, and we must always treat them as such.
So, what are you doing to break down your silos?
face-face and social media fundraising: one and the same
The new world of fundraising looks like this: content marketing, SEO, digital advancement managers, twitter campaigns, and crowdfunding. Yes, things have changed, but the fundamentals are still the same. It's all about building relationships and engaging your stakeholders.
The same old rules of face-face fundraising still hold true. What are they again?
1. Have a strong Case for Support. Your fundraising efforts will only be as strong as the case for what you want your donors to support. This has to come first. Your organization and the project has to be strong, and your online messaging has to be equally as strong in conveying that. Content is king. If you don't have something important and valuable to post on your web and social media pages, don't say anything. Your aim, just as in "real life" is to have great conversations that will engage stakeholders and build the foundation for a strong relationship.
2. Get out there. A good fundraiser is one that is constantly meeting with people, making connections, and engaging in conversation with donors and prospects. A good fundraising organization is one that does the same thing online. Digital marketing is not the same as traditional marketing. It's about having two-way conversations and engaging people, not simply throwing information or calls-to-action at them. Organizations should find where their target audiences are on social media and be chatting with them and giving them shareable content often and regularly.
3. Listen. Just like with in-person meetings, 90% of the talking should come from your audience. Organizations need to listen for what their online stakeholders are passionate about, what drives them, and what does not. They will be your greatest source of information.
4. Engage influencers. Our greatest assets on the street are our influencers. Donors who are engaged with our organization will influence friends and peers to join the cause. Engaged online followers of an organization can be an army of influencers with an audience bigger than we've dared to dream of. Engage them, empower them to talk about you, and make it easy for them to share information. Set up groups and have share buttons and links on all of your sites that are easy for an influencer to spread around.
Yes, the non-profit world may look a bit different these days, but we all know what we are doing because they are the same things we've been doing for years: building engaged relationships and trust. Happy tweeting!
1. Have a strong Case for Support. Your fundraising efforts will only be as strong as the case for what you want your donors to support. This has to come first. Your organization and the project has to be strong, and your online messaging has to be equally as strong in conveying that. Content is king. If you don't have something important and valuable to post on your web and social media pages, don't say anything. Your aim, just as in "real life" is to have great conversations that will engage stakeholders and build the foundation for a strong relationship.
2. Get out there. A good fundraiser is one that is constantly meeting with people, making connections, and engaging in conversation with donors and prospects. A good fundraising organization is one that does the same thing online. Digital marketing is not the same as traditional marketing. It's about having two-way conversations and engaging people, not simply throwing information or calls-to-action at them. Organizations should find where their target audiences are on social media and be chatting with them and giving them shareable content often and regularly.
3. Listen. Just like with in-person meetings, 90% of the talking should come from your audience. Organizations need to listen for what their online stakeholders are passionate about, what drives them, and what does not. They will be your greatest source of information.
4. Engage influencers. Our greatest assets on the street are our influencers. Donors who are engaged with our organization will influence friends and peers to join the cause. Engaged online followers of an organization can be an army of influencers with an audience bigger than we've dared to dream of. Engage them, empower them to talk about you, and make it easy for them to share information. Set up groups and have share buttons and links on all of your sites that are easy for an influencer to spread around.
Yes, the non-profit world may look a bit different these days, but we all know what we are doing because they are the same things we've been doing for years: building engaged relationships and trust. Happy tweeting!
engaging donors through social media
You know how important social media is. You know your constituents - both young and old - are using it. Are you?
Non-profits wanting to propel their mission forward and not be caught in the status quo must build an active and integrated social media strategy to engage their stakeholders.
Non-profits wanting to propel their mission forward and not be caught in the status quo must build an active and integrated social media strategy to engage their stakeholders.
Take Mike for example. He is a university grad who is 15 years out from graduation, has a rapidly rising career that demands a lot of his time, and is starting a family. He had a great experience at his alma mater and would like to stay involved more than he does, which currently consists of modest sporadic donations. Although the university has asked him, he doesn’t have time to mentor a student, guest-lecture in a class, or attend alumni events. What could he do to help the university and feel connected?
He could help spread the word to his peers about news and events at the school through social media networks. He is on Twitter and LinkedIn. Many of his contacts include business peers who are former classmates. The university could engage him online through good content and discussion, and he would then share important messages and forwarding invitations to events and appeals for donations. The school should have a LinkedIn group where they (and he) can brag about the support he gives and the project he gives to at the school. This will not only make him feel as if he is doing his part, but also keep him more connected so that he will be more and more willing to increase donations. Oh, one thing- it must be easy for him to share information and donate online.
He could help spread the word to his peers about news and events at the school through social media networks. He is on Twitter and LinkedIn. Many of his contacts include business peers who are former classmates. The university could engage him online through good content and discussion, and he would then share important messages and forwarding invitations to events and appeals for donations. The school should have a LinkedIn group where they (and he) can brag about the support he gives and the project he gives to at the school. This will not only make him feel as if he is doing his part, but also keep him more connected so that he will be more and more willing to increase donations. Oh, one thing- it must be easy for him to share information and donate online.
The old adage that the best marketing is word-of-mouth holds true in today’s plugged-in world. Remember that you want to talk with them, not to them. Have content worth spreading. Make it personal by engaging in inspiring conversations, not just one-way announcements. Make sure to follow what is being said about you online. This way, you can join in the conversation and add value, thank your constituents and even correct misconceptions. It’s also a great way to learn what is relevant to them. And as we already know, this is the key to build lasting donor relationships, online or off.
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