Fishing in your own pond

Most of us run several internal campaigns each year. These have mixed levels of success, often based upon institutional and program history. They include (but are not limited to) employee efforts, current students (seniors being the focus but not exclusive) and local community.

Efforts on each of these have the additional opportunity of adding in a personal element - while non of us, no matter how well resourced, can visit each of the thousands of alumni and parents, it is very viable to reach out to these internal constituencies and make personal communication reality. This can readily be expanded to utilization of a small group of volunteer solicitors who can carry the lion's share of the face to face contacts.

To that end however, these are often more challenging audiences to engage through marketing efforts. They already know the "basics" of who, what, where and when that you can use to update and inform external audiences. They often have much greater knowledge of specific areas, programs and departments than you possess.

Take advantage of these informed constituents by providing them with additional information - can you include them in press releases when they go to the media? can you provide them with annual access to the president or a networking reception? The most valuable items that you possess are informational - how can you at your institution provide constituents who support you with access to that information and how can you make sure that others identify and understand how to establish that connection for themselves?

Consider using an internally centered PURL campaign to collect updated information and allow them to opt into additional information flow. Utilize your volunteers to send it out to the folks that are connected to them and lay out a distinct list of unique (and free to you) opportunities that they will be able to take advantage of as a donor. If they make a gift, provide them with a free (this is not free to you) item that they can wear/carry/use to encourage others to give. Provide them with the information about why they should give, access to an easy way to do it and recognition and resource access for doing so.