Engaging through Social Media

1. Engaging through Social Media Society’s gift to Alumni Relations

2. Today’s Focus

3. Why Social Media is worth the time and effort • It’s FREE!

4. Facebook • There are more than 500million active users of Facebook • 50% of active users log in once a day • Users spend over 700 mins/month on FB • “Facebook is a social utility that connects people with friends and others,” Facebook’s statistics site.

5. LinkedIn • There are more than 100 million professionals online as of March ‘11

6. Holton-Arms School • Founded in 1901 in Washington, DC • Moved from Washington, DC to current campus in Bethesda, MD in 1963 • Grades 3-12 • Enrollment 645 • All-girls Independent Day School

7. Holton-Arms Alumnae Association • Total Alumnae 7,505 • Living Alumnae 6,165 • Alumnae with accurate contact information 5,148 • Alumnae with valid email 2,634 • Holton-Arms FB group 1,031 • Holton-Arms LinkedIn Group 552

8. Holton-Arms Alumnae Programing • 2-3 Alumnae Events per month, 12 months a year • Local and Regional • Using Faculty: Book Club & Beer Tasting • Networking Events • Using Holton Alumna Expertise for events • 3 to 4 day Reunion Weekend

9. Today’s Goals • To look at Social Media strategically not technically • Help you see how it can be a serious tool to engage your alumni • To provide concrete take aways that you can implement into your own program

10. Holton Alumnae Group on Facebook for events, updates, and opportunities (1031 Members) Social Media Holton Groups

11. Facebook as a serious tool • Supplemental communication, “Cross Pollinating” • Providing School information where your constituents already are • As a database for contact information

12. Examples: Events • Post all of your alumni events on Facebook. • It’s okay to invite everyone Holton-Arms Networking Workshop • Include a survey • Respond to event posts

13. Event Tips • Post your events early • Click “Share” at least 8 times with a message to publicize your event • Record those who have RSVP'd on FB in your database or Excel • 1 week prior to event, send a targeted email to all who have RSVP'd to provide details such as parking & to serve as an additional touch

14. Event Follow Up • Post Photos • Tag your key volunteers • Public Recognition • Thank your volunteers by tagging them in a post

15. Recognizing your Alumni • Post Accomplishments

16. Recognizing your Alumni • Publically thank

17. Facebook as an Annual Fund Tool • 1000 donors by June 30th – 25 new gifts in 3 days

18. Facebook as an AF tool for your volunteers • Ask your volunteers to post the same message on Facebook • There is nothing easier or less intrusive for a Volunteer than to post on Facebook

19. Alternative Ways to Engage • Call for Volunteers • Ask for Feedback • If an alum comes to campus, snap a cell phone photo and post it • Allow alums to post and promote their businesses

20. Alternative Ways to Engage • Post a campus happening

21. Holton Alumnae group on LinkedIn for Job networking, job postings, industry advice, discussion forums, and a professional directory resource(552 Members)

22. Helping people help themselves with LinkedIn • Enable your alumni to use the resource • Discussions • Young alumna inquiry • ‘06 Alumna moving to London • Alumnae Self Promotion

23. Job Board on LinkedIn

24. The Search Function on LinkedIn • Enable your alumni to use the Member search function • Key words (ex: Public Policy) • Companies • Names

25. Engaging on LinkedIn • Ask Questions

26. LinkedIn as a resource for you • Accurate Employment Information • Accurate Contact Information • Easily Searchable

27. Using Facebook & LinkedIn Together • Post on Facebook to look at the new job postings on LinkedIn • Post the link to a new LinkedIn discussion on Facebook or vice versa • Link to events /discussions on your email signature • Link to your Social Media Groups on your email signature

28. My Email Signature

29. Ensure Continued Success • Create content • Creating can be as simple as posting a web story that is relevant

30. Ensure Continued Success • AND Digest content • It can be as simple as “Liking” a posting by an alum or reposting their content • Respond to group postings or to Event postings • Frequency • Goal: Create Content once a day

31. How am I going to do all of this? • Check your social media when you check your email and your voicemail • Remember: • We are putting content into the modes of communication our alumni are already checking • Their PDA is in their hand – they are checking it – we are just adding in our messaging to also be digested

32. Why it matters • “I didn’t know Holton did stuff” • Young alumna’s response to her first alumnae event in March 2010 • You can stay top of mind and remind without being intrusive – keep it out of the inbox • We kill ourselves to do it all, let Social Media support our daily work

33. It matters because we are. . . • Relationship brokers and connectors • We connect people with people, the School, emotions, things, and activities • We engage our constituency through events, programs, Reunions, relationship management, volunteer management • What better tools to have in our arsenal than Social Media; helping people help themselves.

34. My Contact information Abigail Sheridan Betts Alumnae Director Holton-Arms School 301.365.6005 abigail.betts@holton-arms.edu