Tom Torello Executive Director of Marketing Programs Ithaca College ttorello@ithaca.edu

1. Practical Personalization in Print: Digital Printing for Donor CultivationPresentation to the CASE District I/II ConferenceNew York CityFebruary 1-4, 2002 Tom Torello Executive Director of Marketing Programs Ithaca College ttorello@ithaca.edu Janet Hiser Director of Advancement Communications and Business Intelligence Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute hiserj@rpi.edu

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. One-Size-Fits-All Approach Potential Donor Potential Donor Case Statement/Campaign Brochure Potential Donor Potential Donor Potential Donor Potential Donor

6. Potential Donor Campaign Priority Brochure Potential Donor Campaign Priority Brochure Potential Donor Campaign Priority Brochure Potential Donor Campaign Priority Brochure Potential Donor Potential Donor Segmented Approach

7. 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

8. 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.

9. 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

10. Process • Rensselaer process: “End-user” “Control Valve” “Oversight” “Creative” 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

11. 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

12. 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.

13. Resources • Digital printing capabilities • High-end, networked, digital printer/copier • Desktop publishing software • Quark, PageMaker, Photoshop, etc. • Finishing • Cutter • Binding (Spiral, Velo, saddle stitch)

14. 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

17. Costs • Equipment Lease $17,500/yr. • Printer, binder • Supplies $ 1,500/yr. • Paper, misc. • Computer (startup) $ 3,500 • Software (startup) $ 1,200 • Salary ????

18. 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.

19. 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

20. Non-development Applications Critical Factors: • 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