The Credibility Gap: Strategies for Elevating Program Stature. Michael Westfall Director, Alumni Advancement

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1 The Credibility Gap: Strategies for Elevating Program Stature Michael Westfall Director, Alumni Advancement

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3 What To Focus Upon. YES NO Philosophy Strategies Structure Size & Scale Resources Adapt Ideas to Fit Your Culture Samples

4 The Virginia Tech Annual Fund Story Issues Resources Staff Technology Results % Change TF/DM Breakout

5 The University of Toronto Story Issues Resources Result Potential

6 What Do We Do For A Living?

7 Our Basic Job Is To Create habits externally with our alumni & friends And Internally with our co-workers

8 Power of Perception What is the perception of your annual shop? Inexperienced vs. Experienced Disorganized vs. Organized Reactive vs. Proactive Small Impact vs. Big Impact Chump Change vs. Big Bucks Minor Voice vs. Important Voice

9 Our Very Probable Reality One of the largest development budgets! Garners the largest number of donors! Garners one of the largest number of dollars! Communicates with more alumni!

10 Back To The Plates We create internal habits thru Information Technology Reporting Communication Marketing Customer Service Staff Development/HR We create donor habits thru Telefund Direct Mail E-Fundraising Matching Gifts Leadership Annual Giving Other Annual Programs

11 IT Support The #1 Internal Relationship: Take care of those that take care of you. Don t t be a headache. Be thoughtful, concise, think ahead, plan ahead, know what you want, how you want it, and when you want it, and explain WHY you want it.

12 IT Support Standard Definitions Giving Segmentation Standard (current/lybunt/sybunt/never lybunt/sybunt/never) Better Segmenting A Current Donor In Past Year B 1 3 Yrs Lapsed C 3 5 Yrs Lapsed D 5+ Yrs Lapsed E Non-donors

13 IT Support The Solicitation Calendar Annual means Annual Tweak and Enhance Distribute Early & Often Strategy Written, , E Drop-by Sample (available on-line)

14 IT Support Standard Solicitation/Tracking Coding Does it make sense? Must be timeless Are you utilizing all data elements? Sample (Available on-line)

15 IT Support Standard Reporting Templates Do you have many reports or few? Keep it simple Develop reports that go from global to specific (drill down capability) Think about what you really need & what you need to know

16 IT Support Who pulls your data? Learn to fish. Try to create systems that allow you to pull your own data Use your Telefund software to prepare your SWMY direct mail

17 IT Support Your Gift Entry Staff Provide Gift Card samples in design stage Notify when mail drops or calling begins Implement bar coding Reduces key strokes (what we tell them) Increases S-code S accuracy (what we like)

18 Reporting Proactive, if people don t t know, they assume the worst. What To Count? Annual Giving vs. Annual Fund Use of Solicitation Codes Paramount

19 Reporting Standardize Your Operating Plan Template Create Historical Comparisons Track Overall, By Campaign, By Method Sample (Available on-line) Constituent Reports Your Biggest Opportunity to Build Credibility Global to specific with almost too much information Sample (Available on-line)

20 Reporting Weekly Update Reports Pro-active Assessment & Communication Can address issues while something can be done, rather than next year s s effort Focus on Four (4) Global Areas Pledge/Gift Dollars Pledge/Gift Donors Fulfilled Dollars Fulfilled Donors Sample (Available on-line)

21 Communication Be Pro-active & Forthright Don t t rob Peter to pay Paul US News example Calendars to those impacted Timelines to those impacted Reminder s

22 Communication Staff Meetings Telefund serve as host Spotlight Annual Giving Staff Have development staff visit calling shifts in progress New Development Staff Training Provide Annual Giving overview Solicitation policy Sample Sample (Available on-line)

23 Marketing Brochures (sample) Templates Gift Card (sample) Pledge Cards Non-AG Appeals Annual Giving Education Ads (Available on MG/Rankings/Importance/Designations Branding College Annual Fund (sample) Annual Giving Letterhead Specialty Efforts (Available on-line)

24 Customer Service Create Win-Win situations staying away from No Response Times Problem Letter Templates

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26 Staff Infrastructure Average development professional lasts months Create a system that is set up to handle change Professional Staff Cross train and prepare to be promoted Telefund Student Staff (sample) Groom future development staff

27 Questions

28 Contact Information Mike Westfall Samples & Presentation