SUNY/CUAD Alumni Track Session 1

Alumni Communications: Insight and Outreach

June 15, 2005

Jenifer M. KishDevelopment Officer for Special Programs

University at Albany

E-mail: jkish@uamail.albany.edu

Phone: 518-442-3148

Jenifer M. Kish

• Development Officer for Special Programs, University at Albany, May 2003-present

• 1998 MBA in Marketing, University at Albany• Alumni Affairs Director, Associate Director of

Development, Foundation Scholarship Director, HVCC, November 1998-May 2003

• Areas of expertise include alumni/donor publications and communications, annual fund solicitations, event management

Target Audience for Session

• Development/Alumni Officers responsible for Alumni/Donor newsletters and print-based outreach

• Development/Alumni Officers interested in creating in-house targeted marketing communications

What You Will Learn Today

• How to make the most of print communications• Design and use of specialty pieces (invitations,

announcements, Save the Date postcards)• Communication strategy in the development of

print communications– defining your target audience

– how much is too much information?

• Why print communications are still an important part of your alumni program

Friendraising vs. Fundraising: Key Considerations

• How do I determine which of these I am focusing on with my piece?

• Important to distinguish between the two in terms of design and content of your piece

• If this is NOT a fundraising piece, how do I convince myself or my supervisor it is worth the expense?

Back to Basics: Marketing 101

• Consistency of message is key to your success• Branding is essential--even down to using the

same font throughout all of your pieces• Use your logo! It is what makes you unique yet

shows the big picture to your alumni• Follow your college/university’s branding

identity

What is Your Identity?

• How do you want your alumni to identify with your college or university?

• How will your alumni recognize the print communication piece is from your college or university?

• Changing your logo and your “look” is a MAJOR decision and should be done infrequently

Communication Strategy

• School of Information Science and Policy (SISP), University at Albany– New Dean in Fall 2003– Recognized need for outreach to alumni,

which was limited to-date– Approximately 4500 alumni– School and Institutional fundraising

objectives

SISP’s Challenges

• Alumni base is mix of traditional “library school” alumni and information-savvy alumni, presenting a communications challenge– traditional library grads want print

communications, while info-savvy grads are more interested in electronic communications

• Relatively untapped alumni base• De-centralized fundraising operation,

availability of development staff inconsistent

Why a Newsletter?

• Increase communication with alumni, donors, and friends of SISP

• Provide a communications tool that would serve as an information resource for alumni, donors, and friends of SISP

• Create a communications vehicle that is efficient in terms of on-time delivery and conforms to budgetary restraints

Design

• 4 pages, 2 colors, glossy text• conforms to University branding standards in

terms of fonts, logos, size, and color scheme• layout and design done internally at low cost

Content

• Dean’s Message and development strategy pieces created by development officer

• SISP news and alumni updates submitted by SISP Associate Dean

• Edited by development officer

Production

• Bid created by development officer and sent to local printing and mailing shops

• Development officer works closely with printer and mailing shops to ensure timely production and delivery of piece– developing these relationships is essential in the

success of current and future production of your piece

Creating a Development Strategy for the SISP Times

• Focused on “friendraising”• Inaugural issue featured updates on new

programs and an invitation to join newly formed SISP Alumni Association

• “Gifts in Action” column provided information about how gifts are used and promised list of donors in next issue

Subsequent Issues

• Second issue provided information on a special Homecoming Event hosted by the SISP Alumni Association, and an honor roll of donors

• Third issue provided information on a special Alumni Weekend Event by the SISP Alumni Association and a “Gifts in Action” column about gift planning

Future Plans for the SISP Times

• Switch development focus from friendraising to fundraising by including a pledge/gift form that can be mailed

• Feature stories about major SISP donors• Transition to new brand identity as SISP

becomes College of Computing and Information

Too Much Information!

• University at Albany School of Social Welfare (SSW)– Constituents include alumni, government,

human services agencies, deans/directors of Schools of Social Work

• How much is too much information?• How do you meet the needs of so many

constituents?

Spring 2005 SSW News

• Mailed to 5000 alumni, 130 deans/directors of Schools of Social Work, 50 government officials

• Special 8 page insert for June conference • Faculty news, alumni profile, SSW program

information and happenings/events• 2 pages of development materials, including

gift/pledge form• Grand total of 20 pages!!

Final Product• Pros

– Total cost of production, including postage=$3300 for 5000 copies

• good price to reach so many audiences

– Simple, clean design in sync with University’s branding identity

• Cons– Too much information in one communication vehicle!!– Information will be outdated quickly, short shelf life

Next Issue of SSW News

• Fewer pages• More focused

– information will center around SSW’s 40th Anniversary

• Longer shelf life, as information will not be as timely and will be more historical/ reflective in nature

Specialty Pieces

• New Dean Announcement• School of Criminal Justice Conference

New Dean Announcement

Goals of Project

• Announce Peter Bloniarz as new SISP Dean• Relay holiday greetings to target audience, in

this case deans of Schools of Library Science and Information Science at peer institutions, as well as high-profile alumni and friends of SISP

• Low cost and creative– photo is of new science library on UAlbany

campus– designed internally and printed at Kinkos!

School of Criminal Justice (SCJ)

• Promotional materials for inaugural Albany Symposium on Crime and Justice– Target audience consisted of SCJ alumni

and professionals in field of criminal justice– goal was to create attractive marketing

collateral to attract attendees– production costs/constraints were

considerations in production

Marketing Pieces

• Save the Date Postcard

• Registration Brochure

• Event Program

• Print pieces supported by:– email blasts– web site announcements

Results of Print Publications

• Exceeded attendance goals for event

• Provided consistent message and theme

• Dean was able to distribute copies to potential attendees at conferences

• Produced inexpensively through in-house design

How to Do it Yourself

• If you have the opportunity, learn Quark or PageMaker– doing your own document layout saves a lot of

time and $$

• Tour a print shop and mailing house– most places are eager for your business and will

be happy to show you their shop– learn the “lingo” and terminology of the

printing and mailing world

Behind the Scenes

• It is important to develop strong relationships with your printers and mailing houses

• It is amazing how many details there are to manage that occur pre-, during, and post-production of your print pieces

Why is Print Still Important?

• Much of this depends upon your audience• Many people, especially older alumni, still like

communications they can hold and feel• It is important to have print materials to mail to

alumni/donors or to have on hand during prospect visits

• Another opportunity to show off your school or department

• Important “friendraising” tool

Wrap Up

• Remember your basic marketing concepts!• Consistency is key!• Discussion and other examples of best practices