Keeping in touch, newsletters, etc..
 

I'm spending my last semester as an active trying to put together a decent program to keep track of alums and keep them up to date on the active chapter. My question is, what do ya'll do to keep your alumni interested and engaged in the active chapter (or what good things have you heard others do)?

One quick and easy thing to do is set up a !Yahoo group to get all of the alumni to keep their contact info updated. Also that way you just send out one email and everyone gets it, quick and free. Make them very well of any events that the undergrad may throw for them and let them know months in advance where and when it is going to be. They have families and work to get around.

We make sure that everyone knows about all of our events through the chapter website, extensive e-mail list, newsletters, and through the Alumnae Association. :)

i'm a pretty involved alumnae. my chapter was never really great at alumnal relations, so it was something i made a point to work on as an alum.

at first i worked at getting the alumnae together. i set up a chapter email account (free one thru yahoo) and then i took over (politely!) the database of our chapter membership. i just started networking, etc. to find everyone. the internet is a wonderful tool for that, as is my university's online alumni directory.

then i set up the yahoo group and worked on a (very) crude version of a website for our chapter. i happened to be serving on the board of directors at the time, so i was able to get the chapter involved little by little.

for the most part, still to this day, the group, etc. is used and appreciated (on a certain level) more by the alumnae than the collegians, but that's not a bad thing. it's an easy outlet to rally support for the chapter events and whatnot when you have such a large, supportive foundation. now, i'm not saying that everyone has jumped at the chance to help the collegians. it is a process, and it can be a slow-moving one at that. but it's so easy to do... send an email here and there to let an alum know that the chapter knows they exist, etc. really pays off in the end.

and if you have any luck, eventually the collegians will realize that it's really easy to do and will want to work just as hard at it.

so... with you wanting to start while you're still in school, you alredy have a jump start!

hope that wasn't incessant rambling...

wiss, welcome to G C!!! You have come up with many great ideas for the group!!!

I know I havve been working on doing an e-m address listing for the Brothers of LXA, LX Chapter for 3 years. Still want more!

Check the LXA Thread, JonoBN41, amy be able to help!

We had a yahoo account set up, then YaaHooo changed formats and no one gets on it. But again, check with Jono!

I wish I had the smarts to do it but alas, hell is hell to get Mature and have no clue how to do!

This is a neat tool to keep Alums informed and a need so that you can get Brothers/Sisters informed and interested!

We did for a long time our newsletter twice a year "LambdaGram". but it has dropped by the way side.

We are discussing, 2 Mailers, and 2 e-m mailers a year.

Kevin, once you get a format, then stick to it! This will make it easier for the new guys in the future!

1. Give information about some Alums.

2. Give some information about the events.

3. List or give what has been done, new Associates, New Active Brothers.

4. List awards, offices held on Campus, Officers with e-m address. Contacts if you will.

We as Alums like to know what is going on. We as Alums like to see names in lights. This will help show Alums that you are working to better the Chapter, and everyone likes to be with a winner!

Happy Alums are the ones who will give money and be a continuing part of the chapter!:cool:

Affording the mailings
 

Do you have any suggestions on being able to afford the mailings? I'd love to mail something initially to all of my chapter's alumnae to get started, and then go on from there. I know we've never had the greatest of alumnae relations, but I feel like part of it is the $$ money involved. I'm utilizing email addresses and Yahoo groups, but getting the email addresses is that hard part! I'd love to hear your ideas on this...

Heather
Delta Zeta

Check to see if you International has a or the most current address, phone #, e-m.

That is a start. I started there and because of the phone cards I sell at the store I used the hell out of them calling people! Did searches on line and found similar names and just started calling. Started with 10 local KC area and now have over 200. Still not happy as have more alums than that!

It is a lot of hard work, but when you get 60 to 80 Alums back for a Founders Day, it is well worth it!

Mailings, yep cost money! We have Alums who get together and have a Mailing night stuff and lick and stamp!

We originally kicked money in from each to help split cost.

Get the newest Alums e-m and address/phone #'s to start a base ASAP! If you find a few, they will know a few and it grows from there! Sometimes slowly later on!

Hang in and the best of luck!

We sent out newsletters for a long time, but last semester it just got too pricey. We are actually in the process of setting up a page on our webiste to have a rolling newletter, updated every month with announcements from alumni and info on what the actives are doing. This is a lot cheaper, and I bet you can find a really nice alumni to foot the cost of it.

Also, in order to make sure that alumni relations are being handled why don't you create a posistion soley for that. We have an alumni correspondent and it works great.

heather, why don't you just email all of your alumni a list of all the people that are MIA. you may not get everyone, but its a start.