Notre Dame Alumni Association

Successful Membership MarketingAlumni Senate 2010|Apri 16, 2010

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Agenda

Overview of current alumni landscape

Audit and segmentation strategies

Structures, pricing and benefits

Planning and marketing

Best practices

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Landscape

25%

43%

32%

125,000 Alumni

Young Alumni: 31,000 (1-10 years out)

Middle Alumni: 54,000 (11 - 34 years out)

Parents: 73,000 (non-alumni)Friends: 87,000

Young Alumni

Middle Alumni

Senior Alumni

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Landscape

ND Club Network in the U.S.

• 220 domestic clubs• 50 international clubs• 23,000 paid members

Club size/#of alumni in area/# of clubs  

AA:1500+  (19)A: 750 -1499   (18)B: 350 - 749   (37)C: 200 - 349   (40)D:125 - 199   (32)E: 75 - 124   (44)F: 74 or less (28)

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Membership Audit

Defining your club’s composition

Who are your members?

Benchmarking your club’s membership composition against alumni in your area – gap analysis

Alumni vs. Parents vs. Friends

Retention rates

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Segmentation Strategies

New graduates

Young alumni

Senior alumni

Alumnae

Clergy

Parents

Friends

Special interest groups

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Membership Structures & Pricing

Tiered membership structure, i.e. Green, Blue, Gold

Dues structure $25 to $150+

Sample structure $25(Green), $50(Blue), and $100(Gold)

Discounts to seniors, new graduates, clergy, special groups

Honorary memberships

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Membership Benefits

Delivering value

Unique Selling Proposition (U.S.P.) - particular quality, feature or benefit

Benefits, incentives, inducements offered at different levels or types of membership

Develop list of benefits and communicate them often

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Membership Cycle

Calendar for membership drive

Fiscal vs. calendar year

New memberships vs. renewals

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Planning

Communications plan

Calendar of marketing/communication activities

Timely and consistent

“Top of mind” awareness

Messages should be “benefit-oriented”

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Marketing Tools

Website (New platform – Fall 2010)

Social media (Facebook, LinkedIn)

Broadcast email

Direct mail

Newsletters

Print (parish bulletin, newspaper)

Event signage

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Recruitment Best Practices

Annual membership drive

“Invite a friend” campaign

Event-based recruitment

Incentives (The Shirt, alumni Christmas ornament)

Club football ticket lottery

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Retention/Renewal Best Practices

Renewal incentive

Personalized approach, handwritten note

Phone campaign/personal call to lapsed members

Hard copy renewal form with reply envelope

Segment by class year

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Adding Value

Conduct annual brief club survey

Develop programming and events relevant to your membership based on members’ input

Segment programming (family, young, career networking)

Create new programming to attract specific segments and retain current members

Provide incentives for paid members (special receptions, recognition, members-only functions)

Offer a variety of events and activities based on the “Six C’s” to attract the greatest cross-section of potential attendees and members

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Event Based Recruitment

Professional relationship and career building

Career network groups

Professional mentoring programs

Cross-club events and promotions

Local sporting and entertainment events

Student send-offs

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Conclusion

Sharing of best membership practices (all)

Questions