Practical Personalization in Print: Digital Printing for Donor

CultivationPresentation to the CASE District I/II Conference

New York CityFebruary 1-4, 2002

Tom TorelloExecutive Director of Marketing ProgramsIthaca Collegettorello@ithaca.edu

Janet HiserDirector of Advancement Communications and Business IntelligenceRensselaer Polytechnic Institutehiserj@rpi.edu

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

• Located in Hudson Valley, New York• 10,000 students including distance and

multiple locations• 85,000 alumni• 5 schools plus interdisciplinary programs• Technological research university• In nucleus phase of a major capital campaign

Fund Raising Today-- A Changing Audience

• More sophisticated donors who expect more sophisticated communications

• Narrow audience for top gifts -- “the inner circle” -- 90/10 (now 95/5 rule)

• A need for more “polish” early in a fund raising campaign

• More dynamic campaigns that evolve over time -- not all initiatives fixed at the outset

Traditional Fund Raising Case Statements

• White paper for quiet/nucleus phase• Static documents

– glossy, high-end, expensive– difficult to adapt to changing priorities or changing

audiences

• Lack of communications vehicles early in the campaign

• One size fits all (at all levels)– no opportunity for tailoring to an individual or small

group

Case Statement/Campaign Brochure

Potential Donor

Potential Donor

Potential Donor

Potential Donor

Potential Donor

Potential Donor

One-Size-Fits-All Approach

Potential Donor

Potential Donor

Potential Donor

Potential Donor

Potential Donor

Potential Donor

Campaign Priority Brochure

Campaign Priority Brochure

Campaign Priority Brochure

Campaign Priority Brochure

Segmented Approach

Customized Communications Potential Donor

Customized Communications Potential Donor

Customized Communications Potential Donor

Customized Communications Potential Donor

Customized Communications Potential Donor

Customized Communications Potential Donor

Tailored (Narrow-cast) Approach

Narrow-cast collateral• Target audiences

– Individual high-end prospects• Initiative “sell sheets,” priority brochures, proposals

– Small groups of potential donors • Agendas, invitations, fact sheets

– Current top donors• Recognition, stewardship reports

– Media• Press kits for high-profile media events

– Other• Posters, CD covers, table tents, programs, etc.

Process• Establish a clear process for requesting, producing, and maintaining

narrow-casting materials• Establish guidelines for usage

– Types of materials to be produced– Limits on quantities– Production lead time

Process

Development Officer

Requests Materials

Development Comm

Writes copy, updates materials, authorizes production

Asst. Director of Marketing

Oversees production of materials and manages budget

Production Assistant

Designs, outputs, and finishes materials. Responsible for all technical aspects of production.

Materials delivered to Development Communications

“Control Valve”“End-user” “Oversight” “Creative”

• Rensselaer process:

Content Development and Management

• Master plan for content– Content areas– Content “experts”– Format of pieces in each area– Response plan for requests for personalized

publications

• For each publication– Source photography– In-house or freelance writing

Content Development and Management

• Once produced, each publication must be placed on a review schedule and assigned for review– Content accuracy, currency– Images up-to-date?

• Ad hoc review as “new news” comes in on students, research, etc.

Resources

• Digital printing capabilities– High-end, networked, digital printer/copier

• Desktop publishing software– Quark, PageMaker, Photoshop, etc.

• Finishing– Cutter– Binding (Spiral, Velo, saddle stitch)

Resources

• Templates– Designed to be flexible for fitting various amounts

of copy and images– Designed to work with digital output

• Photography– Increased need for photography to support

additional materials

• Administrator– Production and design capabilities

Costs

• Equipment Lease $17,500/yr.– Printer, binder

• Supplies $ 1,500/yr.– Paper, misc.

• Computer (startup) $ 3,500

• Software (startup) $ 1,200

• Salary ????

Results

• Outputting 2,000+ pages per month

• More than 100 different pieces of up-to-date collateral available for use by Development Officers. (More than twice as many are planned.)

• Overwhelming satisfaction from end-users.

• Positive reactions and results from audience.

Next Steps for Rensselaer

• Add needed capacity

• Continue to refine process, content, and design

• Access for campaign volunteers and staff– Online ordering system just implemented

• New applications

• Unanticipated applications that need to be systematized

• Content management tools

Non-development Applications

• Relatively small and segmented audience• Dynamic and visually intriguing

information– Frequent changes and updates

• Return on investment• Customer service infrastructure

– customers will expect personalized service at all levels

Critical Factors: