A Quick Idea on Alumni Events: Tickets
February 1st, 2006 by tommerrihew. Popularity: 6%.I cannot remember where I heard this tip — so forgive me if I take a little of the credit for it. A few weeks ago in Texas at the Celebration of Brotherhood and Council of Presidents’ meeting, I sat at a table with a handful brothers from different parts of the country. I was also joined by Mark Bauer, CEO of the Education Foundation. We were asked several questions about how to successfully plan alumni programming, an issue that I am currently tackling and that encompasses much of Mark’s job for the Fraternity.
My tip was as follows. When sending announcements for an alumni event — such as a formal dinner — take the time and money to create tickets for the function. The tickets should look professionally designed, and can even include an individual number or the person’s name. The point of including tickets is to makes the alumnus (and his wife) feel specifically invited to the event, not just blanketed with a photocopy of flier. I do not know the statistics on success using this method, but I remember hearing that it can nearly double attendance by placing emphasis on the night. The tickets are something to be placed on a bulletin board or the refrigerator, and serve as a constant reminder of the upcoming function. If the alumnus has some previous plans or needs encouragement to attend, this might be the solution to counting on his presence at your event.
Leave a comment if you have used this method or something similar, and the results of your effort.
(I will be writing a fair amount on this topic in the next few months. Gamma Nu Zeta is celebrating its 80th Anniversary this April, and I am struggling to rebuild our alumni programming by using our Anniversary as a kick-start.)
February 1st, 2006 at 10:17 pm
Tom,
I agree with you regarding spending time and money on getting Alumni brothers excited about coming back to visit. Another tip I would give is to make sure you give your Alumni brothers proper notice on your events throughout the year that you want them to attend. Not just two weeks notice, I am talking a month or a couple of months if you can. Alumni brother’s schedules can get booked rather quickly and timely notice is always helpful for good turnout. Keep going down the path you are as it will build your alumni base in no time.
In ZAX,
Kevin Piket
Phi-Alpha 388
February 3rd, 2006 at 3:14 pm
This is an interesting thought with the Tickets. But, I wonder on the expense of getting them printed. Granted, it would be a much more professional approach.
We usually only have two major functions that are stressed for the return of Alums to come back to campus.
Homecoming.
We really try to get dates set so that there is enough time for Alums to make plans for time off and travel. We keep Alums notified via our Email base and keep trying to build it to get more and more Brothers involved.
In ZAX,
Tom Earp
LX Z
February 6th, 2006 at 6:32 am
Hi Tom:
Good point about printing tickets. But it’s not just a brother and his wife (”The point of including tickets is to make the alumnus (and his wife) feel specifically invited”). Gay and single brothers are sensitive to the automatic and often unsconscious assumption and if they think it’s just for brothers and wives, are less likely to attend. Also, you can buy perforated paper that you can print tickets on using an office color printer. Depending on the printer, the quality can be very good, and it’s less expensive than going to a commercial printer.
February 6th, 2006 at 6:33 am
Oh yea. AA 875. Butler ‘72