case iii 2 11 09 final
TRANSCRIPT
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CASE III Atlanta
February 11, 2009
Market Research and Integrated Marketing Strategies
Shaping Fundraising Communications
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2
Michael JonesSenior Director of Strategic Communications
The University of Virginia
Donna Van De WaterManaging Director & Principal
Lipman Hearne
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3Agenda
•The Situation
•The Assignment
•Findings
•Key Insights
•Reinventing the Annual Fund
•Discussion
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The Situation
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5
The Climate:
• $3 billion campaign concludes 2011
• After the campaign: How do we keep alumni engaged?
• Challenge: Decentralization
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6
Decentralized annual fund efforts:
• Schools and Colleges
• Athletics
• Libraries
• Alumni Association
• Other Units
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The Assignment
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8The work
We wanted to understand how undergrad alumni: • Affiliate with U.Va.
• Engage in giving
• Relate to messages from different U.Va. colleges/schools, departments
• Perceive U.Va. Annual Fund communications⁻ Coordination⁻ Channels⁻ Timing
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9The work
What We Did:
• Reviewed current Annual Fund solicitation materials
• “Mapped” key and core messages and support points
• Alumni research• In-depth individual interviews
• Focus groups
• Survey
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Findings
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11The results
Why do alumni give? • Pride and appreciation for U.Va.
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12The results
Why do alumni give? • Pride and appreciation for U.Va.
“I am beyond proud to be an alum of U.Va. I love telling people where I went to school as most of them are visibly impressed.”
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13The results
Did the unit-level Annual Funds promote giving?
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14The results
Did the unit-level appeals promote giving? • In general, no. Messages weren’t clear:
⁻ What it is⁻ Why it is necessary⁻ How it is used⁻ How it is different from other fundraising
initiatives
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15The results
“I have no idea what the Annual Fund is.”
“I’m not sure, but I believe it’s the annual plan for raising money from alumni donations.”
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16The results
Strategic recommendation: Reinvent the U.Va. Annual Fund
• Establish a distinct, unified identity for the undergraduate Annual Fund
• Anchor benefit in U.Va. pride and alumni appreciation
• Clearly define Annual Fund uses and value
• Integrate with undergraduate schools – each as a component of the U.Va. Annual Fund
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Key Insights
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18The results
Insight #1:It’s about the brand.
“My gift is a way of expressing my loyalty to my college or school and my confidence in the University’s future.”
“A gift to the Annual Fund shows that I am proud to be connected to the long history and venerable traditions of Thomas Jefferson’s university.”
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19The results
Insight #2:It’s about investing in the brand.
“My gift makes it possible for new generations to have the kinds of experiences that made my own U.Va. education so meaningful.”
“My gift helps give U.Va. the resources necessary to attract leading teacher-scholars.”
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20The results
There’s a gap:
• What alumni feel the
Annual Fund is
currently used for
• What they believe it
should be used for.
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21The results
Perceived “actual” uses
• Whatever the University feels is necessary/administration/ general use
• Building/facilities
• Program/curriculum/research
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22The results
Perceived “actual” uses
• Whatever the University feels is necessary/administration/ general use
• Building/facilities
• Program/curriculum/research
Top three “important” uses
• Program/curriculum/research
• Financial aid/student support
• Faculty salaries/recruiting faculty
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23The results
Insight #3: Alumni need to know their gift counts.
Why did alumni stop giving?
• Financial reasons
• U.Va. is important, but others need help
more, especially religious and healthcare
institutions
• U.Va. doesn’t need small donations
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24The results
Insight #4: Life stage matters.
• 1980-1989 grads particularly constrained by
finances
• 2000-2007 grads have less discretionary income
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25The results
U.Va. is not important to me relative to:
1. “My daughter’s college costs”
2. “My son’s high school tuition”
3. “Environmental causes”
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26The results
“I’m probably exactly what Virginia wants. The
older I get, the higher they move up on my
list, and I turn down everything else.”
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27The results
Insight #5:Pay attention to what you send.
• Avoid “excessive, redundant mailings”
• Be more succinct and tailored
• Stop always asking for money.
• Telephone solicitations are annoying, embarrassing, and intrusive
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28The results
“It seems like I will give to one and then turn around
and hear from another. If you could coordinate all
these efforts it would be easier to understand where
my money was going and allow me to plan my giving.”
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29The results
“After I make a contribution, please do not send
letters and other literature stating that I have not
yet made a contribution. That makes me feel like
my contribution is irrelevant.”
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30The results
There is no “best” time to ask for donations
• Time of life: What was best for some was worst for others
• Time of year: Divergence of preference
• End of year/Holidays • Spring • Fall
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31The results
There is no “best” channel to reach alumni
• Online: Best for local alumni clubs, financial solicitations
• Print: Best to convey news
• 63% read alumni magazine
• 25% read letters
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Reinventing the Annual Fund
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33Reinventing the Annual Fund
Objectives:
1. Clarify and distinguish Annual Fund2. Report on findings to alumni3. Emphasize the value of all gifts4. Coordinate communications more effectively 5. Refine communications mix6. Time appeals based on behavior7. Tailor communications based on segmentation8. Test and track9. Consistently anchor appeals in valued messages10.Continue to poll alumni
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34The proposal
Introducing:
The Virginia Fund
• Joint, collaborative fund
• Builds on key U.Va. messages
• Addresses needs of individual undergraduate schools
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35The proposal
Components of The Virginia Fund:
1. Communications and solicitations from central development office
⁻ Introduce new fund⁻ Educate alumni about Annual Fund⁻ Make the case
2. Solicitations from schools ⁻ Reinforce central messages⁻ State their own case
. . . Complemented by⁻ Virginia Fund website⁻ New quarterly giving newsletter
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36The proposal
Plus internally:
Development Office guarantees each school specific unrestricted funds
. . . ensuring previous fund revenue in the first year
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37Recommendations for next steps
1.Clarify and distinguish Annual Fund
• Establish unifying institutional identity
• Emphasize the value of everyday support
• Highlight and illustrate how Annual Fund is used
• Clearly define priorities
“There needs to be more transparency on how the university does business and spends its money. We give and have no clue on what we’re giving to half the time and no clue how the money’s being used.”
“I can never tell which campaign/fund I'm being asked to donate to.”
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Response
• Consistent language, messaging, and clear definitions
• Messaging developed with schools, with school-focused messaging under institutional brand umbrella
• Ongoing reinforcement of The Virginia Fund as necessary to the everyday life of the University
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39Recommendations for next steps
2. Report findings to alumni
• Alumni want to know they are heard
• Share Annual Fund updates/stories and results through magazines/ newsletters/web pages
“Soliciting feedback/input, through initiatives such as this survey, does a great deal to engage alumni.”
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Response
• Stories, ads, direct communications remind alumni:
⁻ U.Va. is interested in what they have to say
⁻ U.Va. is improving communications
• Integrate communications across all channels
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41Recommendations for next steps
3. Emphasize the value of all gifts
•Illustrate the value
and power of
collective gifts
•Reward consistency to
keep donors engaged
“The University gets so
much money from
private funds. I do not
think my $50-$100/year
is needed that much.
The school is well-
endowed. Why would
they need my help?
They're doing so well.”
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Response
• Ongoing communication about the value of annual gifts
• Individual recognition and acknowledgement
letters (templated from central and school
perspectives)
• Features on the web and in Traditions.
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43Recommendations for next steps
4. Coordinate communications
• Create a comprehensive, integrated annual giving communications plan
• Coordinate and track communications through a central operation
• Allow a “grace period” from solicitations after a gift is received
“Even after I've donated, I continue getting calls for that same year. That's highly annoying and makes me consider not donating again.”
“I sometimes get
confused when I get
emails or print materials
from different parts of
the University (i.e.,
alumni association versus
college of arts and
sciences). It can be
difficult to decipher
where the information is
coming from.”
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Response
• Comprehensive calendar
• Once gift has been made, donor not solicited again
• With exception of possible year-end gift to help meet Annual Fund goals
• Better utilization of coding and tagging will ensure better coordination
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45Recommendations for next steps
5. Refine communications mix
• Most alumni prefer/need more than one method of communication about the Annual Fund
• Better integrate phone-a-thon into overall strategy
• Consider limiting number of solicitations per year
“If [they] only requested
money twice a year that’s
fine. I give annually
anyway.”
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Response
• Mix of communications and solicitations
• Includes editorials and ads in alumni magazine and
University magazine
• Targeted direct mail, direct e-mail, and viral/web
2.0
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47Recommendations for next steps
6. Time communications according to known giving trends
• Analyze database to determine timing trends for alumni giving
• Build communications plan for alumni to lead up to their “trigger” times
• Make a point in messaging that the University is sensitive to sending excessive communications
• Respect for alumni time and attention
• Responsibility to environment
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Response
• Thorough analysis of previous annual giving to improve timing of appeals
• Proposed calendar adjusted in response to this analysis
• Establish benchmarks and best practices upon which to build ongoing effort
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49Recommendations for next steps
7. Actively segment the donor base
• Analyze alumni giving behavior and develop metrics:
•By school/college
•By life stage
•By class
•By age
•By geography
•Etc.
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Response
• Research showed need for segmentation and to fine tune messaging
• Analyze alumni giving behavior with available information
• Assess effectiveness of each communication or solicitation prior to implementing subsequent touches
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51Recommendations for next steps
8. Part I: Test different strategies within specific segments
• Message and channel combinations• Timing and channel combinations• Vary communication mix
Part II: Actively track and measure all results• Response rates• Year-to-year changes• Percent increase in donors• Percent increase in dollars
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Response
• Integrate Advance and Kintera systems
• Better support gift accounting
• Provide comprehensive metrics and analysis for decision making
• Code all solicitations and communications to facilitate analysis
• Pre-test messages within segmented populations
Recommendations for next steps
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53Recommendations for next steps
9. Consistently anchor appeals in valued messages
• Reinforce the core messages of pride and appreciation in the University
• Emphasize the key reasons alumni value annual giving
• Follow through with the most compelling school/college messages
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Response
• Show by example
•Annual giving last year enabled 50 doctoral students to make presentations at national and international conferences
• Use testimonials in segmented appeals
Recommendations for next steps
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55Recommendations for next steps
10. Continue to ask alumni to share opinions
• Consider replacing one appeal/email per year with a simple email survey about communication
• Track results year to year – a “communication report card”
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Response
• Periodically conduct informal focus groups and surveys to assess effectiveness of communication vehicles and messaging
• Report on ongoing results of The Virginia Fund through targeted communications
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57Annual Fund message foundation
My gift is a way of expressing my loyalty to my college or school and my confidence in the University’s future.
A gift to the Annual Fund shows that I am proud to be connected to the long history and venerable traditions of Thomas Jefferson’s university.
My gift makes it possible for new generations to have the kinds of experiences that made my own U.Va. education so meaningful.
My gift helps give U.Va. the resources necessary to attract leading teacher-scholars.
School of ArchitectureU.Va. gave me the unique opportunity to study in Jefferson’s campus – itself a masterpiece of architecture, landscape architecture, and planning.
Arts & SciencesIt is an important time to give to U.Va. because it gives me the benefits of a large research university with the personalized atmosphere of a small liberal arts college – and all at a public school price.
Curry School of EducationOur nation needs to know how to train and support the best and most effective teachers and educators because children’s lives are improved through the transformative power of education.McIntire School of
CommerceMy Annual Fund gift expresses gratitude for the impact the McIntire School of Commerce had on my life.
…impact McIntire had on my professional life.
SEASMy annual gift supports the SEAS’s ambitions to be positioned among the nation’s top 20 engineering schools.
…helps keep SEAS at the forefront of science and engineering education by supporting distinctive research projects and student programs.
School of NursingMy gift to the School of Nursing is an investment in the future of the people, programs, and research that will shape the future of health care.
CO
RE
KEY
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Questions?
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59
Michael JonesSenior Director of Strategic Communications
The University of [email protected]
Donna Van De WaterManaging Director & Principal
Lipman [email protected]