Strategies and tactics for connecting with young alumni. Millennials expect brand interaction to flex to their experience and context.

1. Strategies and Tactics for Connecting
with Young Alumni
ENGAGING AND CULTIVATING
MILLENNIALS GEN ZAND

2. JULIE HOUPT
BILL FAUST
@williamfaust
houpt@denison.edu
OLOGIE
DENISON UNIVERSITY

3. MOST MEMBERS OF
THE CLASS OF 2015 WERE BORN IN
1994.

4. FERRIS BUELLER AND
SLOANE PETERSON
COULDBE
THEIR PARENTS.

5. THEY HAVE GROWN UP WITH
MOBILEDEVICES.

6. MOBILEPHONES.
AS OPPOSED TO

7. AMAZONHAS NEVER BEEN JUST A
RIVER IN SOUTH AMERICA.

8. THEY WON’T GO NEAR
A RETAILER THAT
DOESN’T HAVE
A WEBSITE.

9. WOMEN HAVE ALWAYS
ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES.
OUTNUMBERED
MEN

10. MOST HAVE NEVER
GONE TO A STORE TO
BUY MUSIC.

11. 85%OWN SMARTPHONES.

12. MORE THAN 10O TEXTS
ON AVERAGE THEY SEND
PER DAY.

13. IN FACT, 2/3 WOULD
THAN SPEAK TO SOMEONE
ON THE PHONE.
RATHER TEXT

14. 1 IN 5 PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS REMOVE
A UNIVERSITY FROM CONSIDERATION BECAUSE OF
A BAD EXPERIENCEON THE INSTITUTION’S WEBSITE.

15. SOCIAL MEDIA
MORE THAN 90% ARE ON
DAILY.
(MORE THAN 75% FROM A MOBILE DEVICE.)

16. MILLENNIALS (BORN 1980–1995)
Digital know how is important, and they expect brand
interactions to flex to their experience and context. As
gluttons for entertainment and masters of self-expression,
millennials conduct much of this activity in digital form.
THE BOTTOM LINE:

17. MILLENNIALS
20–34 YRS.
24.5%
GEN Z
< 20 YRS.
25.9%
BABY
BOOMERS
50–68 YRS.
23.6%
GEN X
34–49 YRS.
15.4%
SILENT
GEN
69+
10.5%
BUT GENERATION Z
(<20 YEARS OLD)
IS THE
SEGMENT
IN THE U.S.
LARGEST
POPULATION

18. GEN Z DEFINED (BORN 1996–2010)
After watching college students before them graduate with
astronomical amounts of student debt and slim job prospects,
they have a tendency to decide a career based on its stability. At
the same time, the idea that “anyone can be anything” motivates
them to explore non-traditional career paths, particularly in
entrepreneurship and start-up businesses.
THE BOTTOM LINE:

19. MILLENNIALS
Tech Savvy: 2 screens at once
Communicate with text
Curators and Sharers
Now focused
Optimists
Want to be discovered
GEN Z
Tech Innate: 5 screens at once
Communicate with images
Creators and Collaborators
Future focused
Realists
Want to work for success
WHO THEY ARE TO YOU
YOUR CURRENT STUDENTS & ALUMNI YOUR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS

20. MILLENNIALS
“IT’S ALL ABOUT ME”
(OR IS IT?)

21. MILLENNIALS ARE THE MOST ETHNICALLY
AND RACIALLY DIVERSE COHORT OF
YOUTH IN THE NATION’S HISTORY.

22. THEY ARE
FINANCIALLY
CONSTRAINED.
Today, at more than
$1 trillion, student
loans now comprise
the largest debt in
America, surpassing
credit card debt.

23. BUT THEY HAVE HIGH PURCHASING
POWER, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON
“EXPERIENCE” OVER “STUFF.”
Despite having financial constraints, Millennials will
collectively spend $1.4 trillion annually by 2020,
accounting for 30% of U.S. retail sales.

24. MILLENNIALS ARE PHILANTHROPIC.
75% have made a financial donation; 71% have raised
money; 56% have volunteered. Alumni who reported positive
experiences with university resources reported higher levels of
volunteering and giving.

25. THEY ARE “OMNICHANNEL” CONSUMERS
AND CURATORS AND EXPECT CONTENT TO
BE TAILORED TO THEIR NEEDS.
72% want to connect to personalized content across
all devices — all 7.1 that they have access to.

26. MILLENNIALS
HOW TO ENGAGE

27. DIAL UP DIVERSITY
IN YOUR MESSAGING.
OF COMMUNITY
OF OPPORTUNITY
OF WAYS TO CONNECT

28. INVEST IN
ENGAGEMENT NOW.
ADMISSIONS
FACULTY
NON-GIVING ALUMNI INTERACTIONS

29. BE EMOTIONALLY
SATISFYING.
RATIONAL
EMOTIONAL

30. EMPHASIZE ALTERNATIVE FORMS
OF GIVING THAT APPEAL TO THEIR
PHILANTHROPIC NATURE.
VOLUNTEERING
MENTORING
INCREMENTAL GIFTS MADE
VIA DIGITAL PLATFORMS

31. CRAFT AND DELIVER A SEAMLESS,
PERSONALIZED, CHANNEL-AGNOSTIC
BRAND STORY.
MINDSET
DIGITAL
EXPERIENCE

32. MEET GEN Z:THE SOCIAL MEDIA-IMMERSED,
ENTREPRENEURIAL
ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE

33. FOR THIS GROUP, ONE SIZE
NEVER FITS ALL.
They appreciate and embrace individuality, and have
a strong aversion to being stereotyped or generalized.
There is always an exception to the rule.

34. THEY WANT TO MAKE A
DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.
60% want their jobs to impact the world; 26% regularly
volunteer in some capacity.

35. THEY HAVE AN APPETITE FOR LEARNING,
BUT DON’T FEEL THAT COLLEGE DEGREES
ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
64% of Gen Zers are considering an advanced college
degree (compared to 71% of millennials).

36. A DIY CULTURE AND ACCESS TO
CROWDSOURCING SHAPE GEN Z’S
ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT.
72% of high school students want to start a business someday
and 76% wish their hobbies would turn into full-time jobs.

37. THEY HAVE BRIEF ATTENTION SPANS WITH
A PREFERENCE FOR “SNACK MEDIA.”
The average attention span is 8 seconds, and 5 is the
preferred number of screens for multi-tasking.

38. THEIR COMMUNICATION STYLE IS
VISUAL, EPHEMERAL AND CONSTANT.
Gen Z are drawn to image-based content which self-
destructs. They suffer from FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out),
so being culturally connected is critical.

39. THEY PREFER “ANTISOCIAL”
NETWORKING.
So far in 2014, 25% of 13- to 17-year-olds abandoned
Facebook.

40. CONNECTING
WITH GEN Z

41. DEMONSTRATE HOW THEY
CAN HELP MAKE AN IMPACT
ON THE WORLD.

42. CONNECT EARLY IN THE
COLLEGE SEARCH PROCESS IN
THE CHANNELS THEY PREFER.

43. LET THEM BE
CO-CREATORS OF THEIR
EXPERIENCE.

44. CREATE TINY
EXECUTIONS OF
YOUR CONTENT.

45. SPEAK IN IMAGES.

47. • Private Liberal Arts College
• Founded in 1831
• Located in Granville, Ohio (30 miles east of Columbus)
• 2,100 Undergrads
• 79% students out of state
• 20% first generation students
DENISON FACTS

48. • Named one of the TOP 10 MOST WIRED COLLEGES
in the Country (Huffington Post)
• Most ECONOMICALLY DIVERSE Top Colleges (NYT)
• Recognized by Sustainable Endowment Institute
as a “GREEN” COLLEGE
• FAMOUS ALUMNI: Steve Carell, Jennifer Garner,
Senator Richard Lugar
DENISON FACTS

49. A BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS

50. 2013: A NEW CHAPTER BEGINS AT DENISON
NEW PRESIDENT, ADAM WEINBERG
– Former president and CEO of World Learning, one of the
premier international education, exchange, and development
organizations in the world
– Member of the Council on Foreign Relations and of the Higher
Education Working Group on Global Issues
2013: A NEW CHAPTER
BEGINS AT DENISON

51. • NEW VISION
• BOLD NEW THINKING
• GLOBAL APPROACH TO CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

52. In the past few years we have developed several programs
and tactics to increase engagement with graduates:
– BIG RED SOCIETY
– DENISON CLASS DASH
– 5TH AND 10TH REUNION COMMITTEES
– CLASS AGENT PROGRAM (CAP)

53. But first, we listened...
19 young alumni engaged to determine how giving among
young alumni might achieve greater participation.
YOUNG ALUMNI FOCUS GROUP

54. REASONS FOR NOT GIVING
• Tight personal budgets or the mentality that they
won’t give until they have significant capacity
• Don’t know where the money is going
• Nothing in it for them
INSIGHTS

55. • Transparency about gifts
• Want to feel like they are making a difference
• Suggested a more in-depth process to thank
them and educate them about the importance
of general Annual Fund participation
THIS LED US TO SOME BOLD IDEAS...
TAKEAWAYS

56. Big Red Society, a branded society
for giving and recognition that
aims to be dynamic, interactive,
purposeful, professional and fun,
encourages young alumni from
the nine most recently graduated
classes, to participate with a gift
of $50 to the Denison Annual
Fund and to deepen their levels of
engagement with the college.

57. 2013: A NEW CHAPTER BEGINS AT DENISON
• 375 donors out of 702 young
alumni qualified for Big Red
Society
• Average gift size increased
steadily (especially for classes
1–5 years out)
–FY 2011 . . . . . . $71
–FY 2013 . . . . . $113
• Annual Fund event in Chicago
• Recognition system that
provides e-coupon discount
codes for the Denison
bookstore for donors
RESULTS
BIG RED SOCIETY

58. 2013: A NEW CHAPTER BEGINS AT DENISON
TAKEAWAYS
BIG RED SOCIETY
• MORE PREVALENT in the communications
the Annual Fund sends
• Stronger PRESENCE ONLINE especially
with social media
• Maintain REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS
and keep an eye out for any positive
change in the behavior
of young alumni
• MONITOR GIVING RATES and levels of
engagement as classes move on
toward their 10-year reunions to
determine the long-term impact
• Continued focus on CLASS-SPECIFIC
STRATEGIES like the Denison Class
Dash to keep alumni engaged
during non-reunion years

59. Young alumni from the nine
most recently graduated classes
compete to see which class has
the most donors for a month’s
period. We also count those
who make a second gift which
hopefully boosts overall giving
for the fiscal year.

60. MARCH 2012:
155 donors contributed more than $9,000
FEBRUARY 2013:
118 donors contributed more than $6,000
Class Agents’ social media activity and email
significantly helped promote the challenge
RESULTS AND TAKEAWAYS
CLASS DASH

61. COMMITTEES
REUNION
510YEAR Reunion Committee
Members play a crucial
role in the success of
Reunion Weekend and
the Denison Annual
Fund each year.

62. RESULTS AND TAKEAWAYS
REUNION COMMITTEE
• Young alumni are especially willing
to step up participation and giving
levels for a reunion year. We typically
have large reunion committees of
15–20 people for both 5th and 10th
reunions each year who can reach out
to several hundred members of their
classes.
• The more awareness we build
during non-reunion years, the more
likely classes will not only step
up their support for reunion but
also sustain giving levels. Classes
who have benefited from the
implementation of the Class Agent
Program have shown stronger
giving results as they transition in
and out of reunion.

63. CLASS
AGENT
program
Class Agents are responsible for
encouraging members of their
class to stay connected with one
another and to develop stronger
philanthropic support for the college
during non-reunion years. They
are also the primary force behind
the ongoing identity of their class.
As a result, their efforts should
build fundraising momentum and
involvement for the coming years
including reunions.

64. OBJECTIVES
CLASS AGENT PROGRAM
CONTACT: Reach out to approximately 10-20 classmates in a given fiscal year
ASK: Solicit a specific pledge amount from each classmate
PROMOTE: Encourage classmates to engage with one another and with Denison
RESULTS: Young alumni enjoy serving as Class Agents
Enables a jump into other volunteer opportunities with the institution
Outreach has benefited the Annual Fund’s fundraising
Expanded Class Agents into some older segments

65. OVERALL OUR 4 BIG IDEAS ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE
5-YEAR COMPARISON FOR YOUNG ALUMNI GIVING
1–10 YEARS OUT (AVERAGES)
PARTICIPATION GIFT SIZE
FY ‘10 13% $118
FY ‘11 15% $115
FY ‘12 16% $119
FY ‘13 15% $142
FY ‘14 16% $150
1–5 YEARS OUT (AVERAGES)
PARTICIPATION GIFT SIZE
15% $80
18% $71
19% $80
17% $113
17% $96

66. BOTTOM LINE: KEY TAKEAWAYS
Data indicates that much like the personal lives of young alumni,
their participation and dollars can COME AND GO OVER TIME.
To establish steadier giving, continue to EMPOWER CLASS AGENTS to secure
increased pledges from classmates.
The Annual Fund must also ENGAGE VOLUNTEERS beyond their fundraising
duties so they can further develop relationships with their classmates.

67. QUESTIONS?
THANK YOU