Data Driven Alumni Communications: The Method to the Madness

Data-Driven Alumni
Communications:
The Method to the Madness

Ann Oleson, Founder Converge Consulting
Melissa Newman, Ph.D. Executive Director JDRF

The Power of Words
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hzgzim5m7
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Our Time Together

• The top findings from the
donor motivation study

• A model for crafting effective
communications

• Examples of relevant
communications

• Application of findings to your
alumni/donor communications

Alumni Communications Plan
• Strategize
– Research
– Segmentation/Personas
– Plan
• Execute
– Right message
– Right audience
– Right medium
– Right time
• Analyze/Course Correct
– Evaluating what works

Research

• National benchmark
research
– AFP, CASE, Wealth Engine
• Alumni research
(quantitative/qualitative)
• Data Mining/Modeling
• Social Media
Listening/Monitoring

What Motivates Your Alumni?

Who are your alumni?
What do you know about them?

Positive Predictors of
Alumni/Donor Engagement

• Phone Number on Record

• Satisfaction with the Alumni Association

• Awareness of Members

• Frequency of Involvement

• Positive Alumni Feelings

• Semesters spent on campus

• Age

Negative Predictors of
Alumni/Donor Engagement

• Graduate degree only
• Employment at the university

Some statistically non-significant variables include:

• Marital Status
• Gender
• Location of Residence
• Has Children
• Number of Legacy Relationships
• Student Experiences

Meet Jennifer
• 35 years old
• VP of Sales for Company
• Student Government Officer
• Honors Student: 3.9 GPA
• Not engaged with her college
• No home phone number
• Gives 10% of income to
philanthropy
• Serves on a number of
boards in community
• Has great feelings toward her
college but never been asked
to engage in a meaningful
way

Meet Jennifer
Just because Jennifer is
able to give does not
mean she is motivated
to give.

How do we understand
who Jennifer is, what
she cares about, and
how to reach her?

Research Objectives

• Develop a motivationally-based
segmentation model
• Uncover the motivations that drive the
different types of relationships
• Prioritize which alumni segments provide
the best opportunities for colleges
• Provide recommendations regarding how
these different alumni segments should be
managed to optimize their individual
likelihood of donating
• Develop a predictive model and applied
tool to classify alumni into segments
based on a minimum number of questions

Data Driven Alumni Communications: The Method to the Madness

A Motivational
Segmentation of
College Alumni

Segmentation Method and Analysis

Questionnaire Development

Secondary Research
Over 250 research articles concerning college donating and charitable giving
were reviewed to identify current issues, trends, and alumni motivations.
– The following variables were identified in the literature and provided guidance
for the questionnaire design.

Demographics College Experience College Relationship Charitable Giving
• Age • Type of college • Personal identification • Personal values
• College prestige • Pride
• Gender • Perceived need • Religious values
• Professors
• Income • Campus/facilities • Benefits from giving • Political orientation
• Marital status • Activities • Uniqueness of college • Tax benefits
• Employment • Grades • Obligation or duty • Networking
• Education level • Time to graduation • Professional benefits • Life satisfaction
• Tuition • Current involvement
• Ethnicity • Trust • Perceived need
• Scholarships/grants
• Religious affiliation • Family legacy • Prioritization
• Academic major • Recognition
• Residence • Gratitude
• Placement
• Student loan balance
• Social experience

• Insert slide from page 3 of white paper
segmentation measures

• Insert slide from page 4 of white paper graph

Persona Development

The national study identified three segments of
alumni respondents that vary significantly in
terms of their attitudes and motivations
associated with giving to their alma maters:
• Champions
• Friends
• Acquaintances

Pull image from page 5 of the white
paper

Summary of Findings

Implications
– Colleges are better at managing relationships with ___________ than
they are with _____________.
– Colleges ineffectively manage the _______________ segment.
– Colleges spend as much money contacting Acquaintances as they do
either Champions or Friends. This is a waste of scarce resources that
would be better spent enhancing programs targeting other
segments.

The More You Know…

I work for a non-profit organization in Cambodia
and fundraising is also part of my responsibility.
I've found that knowing a little bit about my
donors and customizing the message is important
to be effective due to the overwhelming amount
of requests people receive. That would be
difficult with a donor/alumni base as large as
XXX's but information gleaned from social media
and online surveys could be helpful. Good luck!
Christina

GREAT EXAMPLES OF
SEGMENTED/TARGETED
COMMUNICATIONS

Champions are the most
important segment for colleges
Targeting Priorities to target and manage.
– These alumni donate the
most frequently and make
the largest average
donations. They are the
foundation for alumni giving
programs.
• Although we did not focus
on major gifts, financially
able Champions have the
passion to make major
donations.
– Champions are the low
hanging fruit for fundraising
programs. Colleges who
already have proactive
alumni relations programs
are likely enjoying at least
some success with these
alumni through self-selection.

Champion Comments

Sometimes, I don't hear about all the events so post on
Facebook and email more often! I really enjoyed the Bowl
tour, the flight was great, loved the football buses, all the
events were amazing including the paddleboat, tour and
best of all the fabulous tailgate party and big win at the
Bowl. I plan on donating more and being more active after
meeting all of you. Thank you so much!

Messages to a Champion

• Pride
• Loyalty
• Tradition
• Affinity

Friends are the second most important target
for colleges.
Targeting Priorities – Like Champions, Friends donate
frequently. But their average donation is
much smaller.
Friends provide outstanding opportunities for
revenue growth.
– Friends donate much more to charities
than any other segment, but only
devote7% of their charitable giving
budget to their college .
– Even small increases in the proportion
of Friends charitable budget being
allocated to their alma mater would
provide substantial rewards.
Friends are already in the habit of giving to their
college and other charities.
– Colleges need to do a better job
persuading Friends that their college
deserves more of their support relative
to other charities.

Feedback from a Friend
Friend

From a Friend: I am a Head of School for an
independent school in ---------, --, and therefore
have quite a bit of experience in fundraising, just
having raised $21 million for our capital campaign.
I am retiring in June 2012 and will be returning to -
------, where I have a home close to. After taking
some time off I intend to get more involved with
the institutions I attended in the area. You may
contact me after June 2012 here is my e-mail and
phone number

Messaging for Friends
Message: Friends

• Uncover their specific affinity
• College
• Greek
• Student organization
• Hospital
• Alumni association
• Athletics
• Tailor the message accordingly
• Emphasize the impact of “changing the world”
• May require collection of demographic and/or
psychographic variables

Just Launched! Hail It Forward
Give back to your Michigan community by sharing one-to-one career guidance with U-M alumni and
students, including assistance with mentoring, professional branding, relocation, and employment
opportunities. For example, Zachary Rable, '10, is looking for an internship/shadowing opportunity in the
field of urban planning. It takes only a few minutes through Facebook. To help grow your Michigan
community and help Zachary, visit facebook.com/Michiganalumni and click on the Hail It Forward application
tab.

Volunteers needed
The University of Northern Iowa is looking for a few volunteers to help host the UNI tent at the
Principal Charity Golf Classic at Glen Oaks Country Club in West Des Moines on Thursday, May
31. Please email Amy Mohr with your name and preference of morning (9 a.m.- 1 p.m.) or
afternoon (1-5 p.m.) if you are interested.
For all alumni, wear your team colors on Thursday, May 31, in support of UNI and get in free to
the Principal Charity Golf Classic in West Des Moines.

Dr. Noel M. Tichy to speak at Education Lecture Series

UNI alumni and friends are invited to attend a free lecture by Dr. Noel Tichy entitled,
“Empowering Leaders at Every Level: Great Leaders Must be Great Teachers,” on Wednesday,
April 11 at 7 p.m. in the Maucker Union Ballroom.

Messaging

– Low cost ways in
which to keep
updated and a way in
which to engage

Messaging for Acquaintances
Message: Acquaintances
• Benefits/Value Proposition

• Recognition

• What’s In It for Me?

• Value of your Degree

Examples from Audience

How are you using information about
your alumni to segment the
communications that they receive?

Analyze

Add infographic strategize, implement, analyze

Applications and Analysis
• Not a static process

• Segmentation and personalization

• Campaign codes

• Market testing

• Run A/B testing

• Test different messages

• Constantly be tweaking message

Take it Away…

1.) Use all available research to develop
strategy (especially research relating to
your alumni)
2.) One size fits all approach to alumni
communication doesn’t work.
Segmentation and personalization are keys
to effective communications
3.) Evaluating and testing is a continuous
process
4.) Things Change

To Continue the Discussion
@AnnCOleson

White Paper

Webinars

ann@convergeconsulting.org

Findings from the Field:
Communication Channel Preferences

Findings from the Field:
Philanthropic Interests

Data Driven Alumni Communications: The Method to the Madness

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Editor's Notes