Schools and Colleges all have their own websites and this may be the first place an ex-pupil will visit to re-establish contact and possibly offer professional services and/or wish to make a donation. Similarly, your alumni database is your school’s business and you must get to know all of your supporters/members. With the aid of the right software this can be achieved easily and efficiently.

ASI Europe have recently published their own white paper 3 keys to smart website. Jyoti Hull-Jurkovic advises how schools and businesses can easily conduct a sales and marketing review with the aid of the correct tools alongside the norm of their site being just ‘user friendly’.

Value your database

Proper planning and management of any fundraising activity will culminate in better results and managing your alumni database is no exception. What many schools often fail to recognise is that their Database is a vital business tool and it is also a core alumni fundraising asset. Regular maintenance will enable you to ensure that the correct data is retained and all relevant history and information to your supporters is easily accessible to your staff.

Your alumni database is also the driver for any PR or marketing campaign. Consider what actions are required to be carried out by various personnel which need to be taken into account. Ask yourself have I incorporated their role into my follow-up procedures? However, if you have the right IT hardware and software many of these administrative dilemmas can be eliminated, or, at the very least, be managed efficiently.