Q: Capital Campaign Marketing
/I am looking for some creative ways to market our capital campaign as we head into the public phase. With about 65% of our goal reached via big gifts, I am looking for fun and exciting ways to appeal to the rest of our community. We have a viewbook and a really cool video with renderings. We've sent an announcement out that ground has been broken (and a list of donors to date). the announcement included the promise of more info to follow. What should this more info be??? Please help!
During the last campaign almost 15 years ago, marketing materials consisted of boring newsletters with updates every 4 months or so. We want to something with a little more oomph. If you have any suggestions, we would be most appreciative. Anonymous
A: GOODMAN
I'm so glad you asked about fundraising communications and I will put a donor stewardship spin on this, rather than a straight-up marketing one. Both your large and small donors to the building project will need to be actively stewarded to reinforce their excellent decision to support your school in this endeavor. The last thing you want is for a donor to give a gift to a dynamic project and then not hear about the progress for months at a time. One of my clients had a brilliant approach to this. He took photos almost every day (on his phone) of the progress of the project and texted the pics to his donors with a brief message about whatever interesting thing that happened since the last update. Donors were completely engaged and excited about the project. And, it set him up for conversations with donors about the next project and their next gift.
To do this on a larger scale, consider an opt-in text system for donors to receive updates. On a smaller scale, for the few lead donors, you can do this on an individual basis with more personalized content and messaging..
A: CAIN
I agree with Jill. You can develop somewhat of a cult following if you show people progress and milestones. They feel as though they are getting inside information and progress. You can also use these touch-points as an opportunity to reinforce your brand messages while you are at it. And because something like a building is visual, you can use social media that is more visual. Show with beautiful and/or super dramatic imagery or video that include "the grubbing of the site", the pouring of the foundation right through the finishing touches. Time lapse is also great to document the whole build with one 2 minute video of celebration at the end. This way your audience feels like they are part of the process. They are walking with you instead of being the recipient of an announcement. And then, of course, have a big celebration. Keep it up with showing and telling how it benefits your students, the community, and them.
Here are some links to some case studies that feature different ways to target donors, including using your magazine strategically, adding video and microsite to the mix, and communicating impact:
https://zehno.com/case-study/iowa-state/
A: CAYLOR
Both Jill and Kathy have given you some great ideas on how to engage your donors with updates on progress and milestones. Be sure to also consider the following, more from a marketing perspective:
Be sure to segment your audiences for your campaign
By marketing and utilizing various means of communications based on persona/segmentation, you'll be better able to connect with your audiences. For example, you might add printed updates more for boomers and gen x, whereas digital communication might be more of the preferred methods for millennials and young alumni.Lean into various means of communication
Micro page websites (with progress meters), email, social media, direct mail, should all be part of your playbook. Get creative with the ways you share progress. Here are a few ways we have found:
https://rosedriven.com/
https://anderson.edu/called-to-soar/Be sure to have plenty of social proof
In all of your communications, be sure to feature those who are benefiting (students, teachers, etc.) as well as donors. And, be sure that your donors are the heroes of all of your communication. It is about them.
We have written several articles about capital campaign marketing. More info here:
https://www.caylor-solutions.com/7-steps-to-marketing-for-capital-campaigns/
https://www.caylor-solutions.com/marketing-capital-campaigns/
A: NOAKES
I love this question, because it is all about creativity and innovation. Thinking out of the box to deliver the WOW, and drive engagement and campaign success.
There are so many ways in which to do this, but before you do — remember to start with (and understand) data.
Running “cool” creative ideas only work if targeted correctly. But, cool ideas is what you want, so let me share a few for you to explore:
Augmented Reality — used to interact with a campaign brochure (make it come to life), or even within your school campus (stand and point your device at the space where your capital building will eventually be — and watch as it builds in out the ground)
Virtual Reality — get campaign branded VR (flat-packed) goggles designed/printed to complement an interactive 'Virtual Experience' —getting inside your capital projects.
Interactive Field/Building Sponsorship — bring your 'buy a brick' idea into 2021 with a digital/mobile/socially connected experience. Divide your capital project into as many 'donation pockets' as you require —set bands ($ to $$$$) — promote — and see your community engage. The cherry on top is to turn the final donation image into a physical printed installation.
Make it fun (and relevant)
Spotify Playlists — create your own "Campaign Soundtrack"
Instagram Shop — branded campaign merch
Snapchat Filter — get the youngsters sharing your message
Authentic in-house Video, video, video (and #SchoolStories)
You can view and download some visual ideas here. Lots more ideas — but a good starter for 10 to get those creative juices flowing.
A: HADLEY-LEONARD
Some excellent points made already by the other gurus, including the obvious timelapse video, which is a given, so only a little more to add here but:
I am passionate about ensuring that everyone in the school community has a chance to participate. For that reason, once the 'big' gifts are in as you say they are, create a menu of giving which allows everyone to participate. This has the added bonus of drawing the wider school community together for the project. Examples include,
PTA donations — funnelling some of the annual funds created by the parent teacher organisation towards the project
The very common paver/stone/brick initiative for parents and alumni
'Selling' naming rights for sub-sections of building (eg seats, cafe, resources, fixtures) to 'Class of' alumni groups
A silver mile — coins laid by pupils around the footprint of the building — (tricky during a pandemic however)
Invite pupils to donate money earnt from doing chores at home (in the UK affectionately known in the past as 'bob a job' week)
All of these and many more initiatives can and should involve the whole community, with an emphasis placed on 'no gift being too small'. Use exciting visuals to demonstrate how 5 dollars x 1000 can add up to significant figures.
Develop a regular giving programme to run for the duration of the build. E.g. 10 dollars a month for 14 months. These defined period schemes are attractive as an end is in sight and can help to build engagement for the duration. Often, donors decide to carry on giving after the project has been completed.
A word of caution regarding stewardship. You will need to think about how you are going to thank EVERYONE!
A: DiGIOVINE
The Gurus have done a terrific job with this question. One final idea for marketing and presenting the progression of the building going up to your community is similar to what other Gurus have mentioned, but in book form using photo stills. I have been looking for a small flip book of a Michael Graves building being constructed, but can’t locate it. Instead, I found a flip book of the Empire State Building going up. These books are traditionally called flip books or flick books, not to be confused with the flip books that ISSUU creates from PDFs. This flip book is the analog version of a time-lapse video. Fun! Good luck!
Here is a good one created with drawings.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWq-s26YCG8
And here is one made from frames from a video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H55RL8W6sqo
Here is the link to the Empire State Building book. There is a link on the page that downloads a movie of the flip book in action.
http://www.esnarf.com/5603k.htm
