louisiana tech university alumni association

multi-channel campaign appealing to young alumni and previous donors

The Alumni Association at Louisiana Tech University was interested in an end of year multi-channel campaign that would increase the donations made to the university. Through audience segmenting and and the use of both a direct mail and email approach, the established messaging was able to have a farther reach while still remaining personable. 

For this campaign, we segmented the audience into two categories recognized as the highest prospective donors; new alumni of Louisiana Tech University, and alumni that have previously made donations to the Louisiana Tech Alumni Association. During our research of the university, a common theme was found throughout the campus and from input from alumni: a focus on the Louisiana Tech family. From the smaller campus size, to the warm, welcoming personalities of everyone on campus, one of the most noteworthy aspects of the university was that it felt like a home away from home. This idea was reflected in the messaging of the mailer — particularly in school motto “Ever loyal be,” printed on the inside of the piece, and through the unique Louisiana Tech icons and traditions highlighted in the imagery. Infographics were included to visually demonstrate the importance of alumni donations and the impact they would make in continuing excellence at their alma mater.

The photography and copy used were tailored between the two segments. The previous donors received a mailer acknowledging their past donation(s) and emphasized how they could continue to make a difference to keep the university thriving. Since this segment covered a broad range of alumni, the most significant and long-standing Louisiana Tech landmarks, such as the Lady of the Mist statue, with associations to both old and new campus traditions were featured on this mailer. The new alumni mailer on the other hand, served as an introduction and first impression to donating to the alumni association. The front of the new alumni mailer had imagery of the current university president, Les Guice, a well-regarded figure amongst student body who also served during the new alumni’s time at Louisiana Tech. The Lady of the Mist can be seen present in the background, calling attention to both current and older aspects of the Louisiana Tech experience for this particular group of alumni.

On both mailers, a tear-out donation card and return envelope followed the main messaging to make donating to the Alumni Association easier.

Click image to enlarge.

This campaign included an email component to ensure a larger reach among alumni, and to offer a way for alumni to conveniently donate online. The email contents were similar to the mailer, but were presented in a condensed format optimized for mobile devices.

Click image to enlarge.