Here’s to the universities that made the tassel worth the hassle! Whether you’re a recent graduate or getting ready to celebrate your 50th reunion, your chosen place of matriculation plays a huge role in your life. At SocialToaster, we’ve had the privilege of working with dozens of universities across the country. While we are able to assist schools with a variety of marketing needs, university Giving Days and SocialToaster have proven to be a winning combination.
Upon graduation, students thank Google, Wikipedia, coffee and whoever invented copy and paste for getting them to this day (we assume previous generations also thanked their little helpers, encyclopedias, card catalogs, coffee and whoever invented white-out.). A collegiate Giving Day helps return that favor by bringing together alumni, students, parents, and friends to support the future of the university.
As a leading resource for university fundraising, a SocialToaster program helps the university to organize their alums, and turn them into an army to drive awareness, excitement and (most importantly) donations during the weeks leading up to a Giving Day.
How To Support Your University Giving Days Using SocialToaster
So, for all those universities getting started with their SocialToaster programs, what’s the secret sauce for turning a SocialToaster program into a successful Giving Day marketing tactic?
Undergrad Tip: SocialToaster Posting
College is a marathon not a sprint (especially if you’re in it for an eight-plus year degree). Keep this in mind when crafting posts announcing/supporting an upcoming Giving Day. The goal is to gain as much excitement from the audience as possible, and then (the hard part) maintain that attention over the weeks leading up to the big day. Our clients see success by gradually increasing the post frequency leading up to Giving Day. Start off slow by posting at most 2 to 3 times per week. As the day gets closer, entice your audience to follow Giving Day festivities by raising that posting frequency to 3 to 4 times per week.
Grow the hype by sharing more than just a basic countdown. Incorporating mascots or activities such as quizzes in posts will prompt the audience to get involved. Wax nostalgia with your alumni, taking them down memory lane, or share what’s new with their alma mater since graduation (Whoa, we have a Domino’s now!?). The key is to capture their attention.
Organizational Tip: Here is where creating a content calendar will come in handy. SocialToaster allows universities to schedule content so that posts will automatically be shared at your chosen time. Reaching the audience at the right place and the right time will keep Giving Day top of mind throughout the countdown.
Graduate Tip: Don’t Be Stingy with The Points
Everyone loves to be recognized and thanked for their efforts and SocialToaster’s built in point system makes it easy. Much like a proverbial carrot, universities can utilize the awarding of points to boost users’ behaviors by customizing what actions award the user points as well as the actions’ point value.
Most excitingly, this includes awarding points for making donations during Giving Day! That’s right, program members can push donations directly from the SocialToaster platform and be rewarded for doing so. The bigger the donation, the more points the user can earn. To give further encouragement, donators can pick and choose where their money is going. SocialToaster provides universities with the opportunity to spotlight specific donation options, giving your alums even more incentive to donate.
Doctorate Tip: Prizing Can Play a Huge Role
“I love free stuff!” said every college graduate ever. SocialToaster program participants are the same way.
Strong prizing can be a powerful tool for creating a buzz among your alumni. When choosing a prize, consider what makes the University tick. For many Universities, the answer is often sporting events or owning a piece of the campus. Additionally, keep in mind who your target is: are you going after a large army of newly graduated twenty-somethings, or are you catering to a smaller, but more dedicated, group of alumni in their 60’s? The prizing should be something that encourages your primary audience to get involved. Not sure what that is? Ask your audience what would excite them the most? Tickets to a big-game, private events, sweatshirts, the list is endless when it comes to prizing!
SocialToaster Can Make a Difference in Your Fundraising Activities
Whether this is your first Giving Day or your hundredth, SocialToaster stands ready to support you in making it a record breaking year! See for yourself why dozens of universities and colleges choose SocialToaster as their marketing partner. Want to get started today? Send us an email, request a free demo, or give us a call at 855.62.TOAST today!
