Why I like to be a speaker

Next Wednesday, I am doing a webinar on direct mail with a focus on mail and engagement strategies for prospective donors, assuming that the Frankenstorm doesn't take away our power up here in the Northeast. As I am going through my preparations for that presentation, I tripped over a comic that was intended to provide humor regarding social media: http://bit.ly/TLpSsN

It struck me, as I was reading it, that this is not as funny a concept as it seems.  In fact, I like it. I like it a lot!

So here is my plan - identify younger alumni who are engaged with us, defined by taking an action to engage - attending an event, giving, working with career services, etc... and having at least an email and a phone number on our system and go back until we either hit 10,000 or 20 years from graduation (my definition is young alumni gets a year longer every year for some reason.)

We are going to create a 6x9 carrier that looks like our alumni facebook page and then create a halfsheet sized postcard that says "like" just like the facebook button on one side and looks like a facebook status feed on the other side along with a message that asks them to show us and the rest of the world that they like the university by making a gift of any amount to either the area of the university that made a difference or in honor of the person at the university who made a difference to them.

We will provide them with both a personalized, digitally printed BRE and a trackable link to the giving pages.   These will be accompanied by a promise that anyone giving from this card who indicates such will be provided with a link to a facebook donor badge.

Different, fun and should be cost effective for an acquisition piece.  This is why I like to be a speaker.