Alumni Communication

Communication

Send mail, stay in touch

• birthday cards - Birthday cards are another excellent public relations move with alumni. To send birthday cards, a listing of alumni birthdays arranged by months should be prepared. On the first week of each month, birthday cards should be sent to alumni having birthdays in that month. Again- birthday e-cards are always an excellent option.
• holiday cards - Season's Greetings Cards: Season's greeting cards should be mailed in early December. If this is not cost efficient, create an e- card and distribute via e-mail.
• anniversary cards
• thank you cards (donations, participation)

Newsletters
see Alumni newsletters

evite.com
Consider using a tool such as [evite] which will allow your Alumni to see who is coming to an event ahead of time. Knowing some old friends will also be attending an event will make it a lot easier for your Alumni to commit to attending.

Alumni spokesperson
If you know certain Alumni will definitely be coming back for a big chapter event, consider asking them to send out some of the communications to their fellow Alumni. Receiving an invitation from an old friend may be more convincing than only hearing from the Alumni Committee Chair who they may never have met. Again, consider publicizing which Alumni have confirmed they are coming.

Timely invitations
Chances are your Alumni are living in various parts of the country which would require them to plan ahead of time how they will be traveling. Sending out invitations several months ahead of time not only gives them time to look into flights but also allows them to request potential time off from their job and schedule their work projects accordingly. Even if all the details are not set send out a "save the date" notice and follow up with location or cost details. Send out invitations and reminders 3 months, 1 month and one week prior to the event.

3 months (or earlier)

• send the invite with the date and as much information as possible
• include housing information; contact information for local hotels and ways to request housing with brothers
• tell them which Alumni are already planning on attending

1 month

• send the invite with the date and as much information as possible, hopefully all the details are finalized
• include housing information; contact information for local hotels and ways to request housing with brothers
• update telling them which Alumni have send in an RSVP

1 week

• let them know you are excited they are coming
• send out an event itinerary
• ask for flight or travel information and arrange pick-ups if necessary
• give them emergency contact information; cell phone numbers

Personal Communication
One way to personalize the alumni relations program is to assign each member to write one alumnus/a about the one thing they have in common: Phi Sigma Pi. This personal style may reconnect some alumni back to the brotherhood. Having members of their family line involved with the communications may provide an additional incentive for them to feel attached to the chapter and its growth.

Fish Bowling:
(Penpal/email exchange)
Alumni - Alumni
Alumni - undergrad