Dont Forget Your Past Campers Alumni

1
Dont Forget Your Past Campers (Alumni)

• theyre more valuable than you think!

2
Alumni Overview

• Identify potential value.
• Is that valuable to you?
• Identify objectives.
• Choose your tool.
• Implement your plan.

3
Who are Alumni?

• Campers
• Parents
• Staff

4
What are Alumni?

• Current and future campers.
• Fundraising donors.
• Summer staff.
• Full time staff.
• Business contacts.
• Organizational champions.
• A resource for you.

5
Fundraising

• Alumni are willing to give back to a great
  organization.
• Not just for non-profit camps.
• Does not require full time staff to manage.
• As simple as you want.

6
Increase Enrollment Numbers

• Alumni want to send their kids to camp to get the
  same experience.
• Alumni are your best source of free marketing.
  Word of mouth.
• Recruit regional alumni representatives to
  volunteer time.

7
Staff Recruiting

• Who would make a better camp counselor than a
  previous happy camper?
• From summer staff to executive directors

8
What to do Next

• Are alumni are valuable to you?
• No valuestop.
• Determine what is valuable.
• Create a specific plan.

9
Alumni Plan

• Determine who your alumni are and what they can
  provide.
• Available time and resources for alumni.
• Does your plan make sense for the organization.
• Make changes if needed.

10
Management System

• Tool to see your potential.
• Removing the key player.
• Accounting for growth.
• Analysis of metrics.
• Organizational performance and accountability.

11
Storing Information

• Refer to your plan for what alumni are adding to
  your camp.
• Store the information needed for your plans.
• Raw data is not information.
• Cost upfront, ongoing and hidden.

12
System Options

• Paper systems.
• In House software.
• Commercial software.
• No system will be flawless.

13
Paper Systems

• SimpleYou already know how.
• Minimal cost.
• Data already in paper format.
• New system as simple as 3x5 cards.

14
Paper Systems

• Difficult to analyze.
• Impractical for large organizations.
• Slow access.
• Limited correlation.
• Little or no redundancy.

15
In House Software

• Exactly what you want.
• Total control.
• Ability to change as needed.
• Lower cost.

16
In House Software

• You do not run a software company.
• Spiraling costs.
• Enhancements and support.
• Limited analysis
• Your time.

17
Commercial Software

• Available now.
• Enhancements and support.
• In-depth analysis.
• Best ideas combined.

18
Commercial Software

• Does it really work?
• Does it fit in your structure?
• High costs.
• What are they not telling you?

19
We Have Information!

• Created a plan to use alumni to add value.
• Have a system to store data and create
  information.
• Now we need to put that information to work.

20
Communication Avenues

• A simple postcard.
• Phone calls.
• Traditional letters.
• E-Mail.
• Newsletters.
• Website.
• Reunions.
• Anything to reach out.

21
Put Your System to Work

• Renewed belief in your ideals.
• Spark interest in latest project.
• Raise alumnis awareness level of your
  organization.

22
Real World

• Need a new building but lack the funding.
• Use new found information to tap alumni
  resources.
• Send targeted mailing to alumni.
• Reap the benefits of your well laid plan.

23
You Can Do It!

• Its only as hard as you make it out to be.
• A good plan implemented today is better than a
  perfect plan implemented tomorrow.
• George S. Patton