“We live in a moment of history where change is so
speeded up that we begin to see the present only
when it is disappearing.”
--R.D. Laing, Scottish Psychiatrist (1927-1989)
Lets face it folks...life is changing drastically every day.
We are truly in a world of immediate gratification!
When was the last time you wrote a letter and sent it through the US Mail? Why would you when you have a Cell Phone?
When was the last time you went to the library to research a given topic? Why would you when you can "Google" it from your living room?
Can't make it home in time for your favorite TV show? Just DVR it or go to Hulu at your convenience. You get the picture!
Life is good, right? So many things have changed to make our lives so convenient. Maybe so...but is it better or just different?
Either way, we know the speed of change is just increasing exponentially. So you need to ask yourself...What changes have we made in the way that we approach philanthropy?
For decades, fund raisers have leveraged the "warm and fuzzy" sentiments that alumni have for their alma maters. Lifestyles and society in general moved along at a much slower pace 50, 40, 30, even 20 years ago than it does today. There was time to have those feelings. Today's daily breakneck pace doesn't even allow us to think about what we are having for dinner tonight let alone what our feelings are about alma mater and the next capital campaign.
The Campaign Priorities that have been sent down from your President's Office are probably not what your alumni are thinking about when they wake up in the morning.
Those thoughts are usually reserved for things like getting little Jimmy to Little League when his older brother needs to be at band rehearsal and his younger sister needs to be at ballet practice. Believe it or not, YOUR Campaign doesn't even come in second! What probably follows Little Jimmy's scheduling dilemma are thoughts of the very first meeting at the office, the business trip coming up next Tuesday, or in today's economy, what is happening to the 401K!
Where do YOUR Campaign Priorities fit in, you may ask? Do alumni know how hard YOU have worked on the silent phase of the campaign to even get to the public phase? Do they know how much this will mean when YOU can begin building the new facilities...award more scholarships...fund more research...etc?
Your alumni and other constituents do not live and breath the Campaign like YOU do. YOUR institution may not be in the forefront of their minds like it is for YOU. This is currently YOUR priority, not theirs.
Ask yourself this question and be brutally honest...Would you be as involved and invested in the campaign if you were no longer working there? The answer might be yes, but truthfully it really can't be. You are focused...you are driven...you are a professional! That incentive you receive via your paycheck every other week really does work well as a motivator...doesn't it? As well it should and there is nothing to be ashamed of. You are doing great work and it is for a great cause. Lots to be proud of there!
The point is that universities are growing their fundraising organizations to record levels, getting much more sophisticated in their efforts and allocating more and more resources to paying professional fund raisers. This tells us quite a bit about where we are today. If you follow the money trail, it tells us that the need to raise the funds is definitely there and in order to meet the need, we are going to have to invest to get it done.
So what investments are you making today to gain "front of mind" position with your alumni so they are thinking about your institution? What piece of "real estate" or segment of their fast paced daily lives have you carved out for yourself in their lives?
Is the ringtone on their cell phone your school's fight song?
Is the screen saver on their computer screen your school's logo (BRAND) or mascot?
Does the calendar hanging on their refrigerator door have different scenes from campus for each month and promote major campus events?
Right about here you might be thinking...Whoa!!! You are getting dangerously close to talking about "chotchkies"..."swag"..."premiums"..."give aways". This is Philanthropy...we don't do that here! We are above that!
Well guess what...I would tend to agree with you but with a little bit of a twist...
Would you consider investing $1,500 to have 1000 targeted alumni think of your school in a positive way 10 times a day or more...each day...for over a three month period? Could that help you bring back those LYBUNT's that are so important to your end of year?
Or how much would it be worth to have tens of thousands of people see your branding at grocery stores, shopping malls, golf courses and little league games across the country? Would you consider an investment of $5,000 for that many marketing hits?
And oh yeah...both scenarios would gain placement for your university in the daily lives of your alumni. "Front of Mind" placement that builds the connection and allows for stronger growth in the future. Isn't that what we want to "develop" as development officers?
Your efforts are getting more and more sophisticated. Marketing and Branding deserve a place within your plan! It can't be a "Cost per Thousand" paradigm any longer! That's a short term philosophy of managing cost and not a forward thinking look at Return On Investment (ROI).
If you subscribe to the "CASE" philosophy (Copy And Steal Everything) to move your program forward, you are missing a great opportunity. And if you have been told by your supervisor lately to..."Think outside the box."...then this is targeted directly at you!
If you want to explore more possibilities, let me hear from you !!!
Matt
"A brand that captures your mind gains behavior. A brand that captures your heart gains commitment."
--Scott Talgo, Chief Strategy Officer, Landor Associates
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