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ARA Strategic Plan
Communications and Marketing
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Build a comprehensive
marketing and communications program that promotes
the association to its internal and external constituencies,
strengthens the interchange of ideas and issues
between the university and its alumni, and informs
and enhances ARA programs and services through market
research. |
| I.
Message |
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A. Define
the overall message of the ARA to appropriately
complement the university's message. |
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1. Keep
ARA board and staff abreast of university
priorities and initiatives.
2. Revisit and revise the ARA's mission, strategies,
and objectives as needed to ensure that the
association's overall goals and priorities
are in step with those of the university. |
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| II.
Association Identity |
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A. Create
a consistent and powerful image of the association
by communicating the ARA's identity, involvement,
message, and accomplishments. |
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1. Develop
a consistent look to create awareness of the
ARA and its efforts.
2. Implement a branding strategy through alumni
programs and communication mediums.
3. Strategically market the ARA through all
available and appropriate marketing mediums.
4. Maintain the integrity of the ARA brand
and enhance its constituents' confidence and
pride in the brand, the ARA, and the university
through a consistently positive impression
of affiliated programs, services, representatives,
messages, or other contexts.
5. Limit the utilization of the ARA look through
legal and other means.
6. Ensure that ARA sponsorship, endorsement,
or other involvement is in keeping with the
mission, strategic plan, and objectives of
the organization.
7. Establish and maintain effective communications
with relevant campus offices and organizations
to keep them aware of the association's purpose,
programs, and progress, as well as opportunities
for ARA partnerships.
8. Strengthen existing, and cultivate new,
relationships with campus offices and groups
through joint programs and consistent communication.
9. Work to secure ARA space on campus that
enhances the association's visibility, is
suited to the physical needs of the association
and alumni staff, and acknowledges the ongoing
importance of alumni in the life of the university. |
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| III.
Communications |
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A. Create
a consistent and strategic communication infrastructure
and plan that effectively conveys the
intended image and message of Rice and the ARA. |
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1. Develop a comprehensive
communications approach that takes into
account the opportunities and limitations
of various communication mediums; the nature
of the program, service, or message being
communicated; and the needs of the audience.
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a. Continue
to work with the editors of the Owlmanac,
Sallyport, @Rice, Rice News, and the
university website to marshal communication
resources for marketing the university
and the ARA.
b. Enhance the ARA website into the
leading medium for alumni to receive
information about Rice, the ARA, and
other relevant areas. Develop strategies
that will drive such use.
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i.
Continue to work with off-campus
partners in the further enhancement
of the online community.
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c. Develop
a comprehensive email policy that
addresses the needs of university
offices and organizations, respects
the privacy of our alumni, and keeps
with best practices from both within
and outside alumni relations.
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i.
Explore the options for refining
bulk emailing procedures to
minimize loss to filtering.
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d. Utilize
events as strategic tools to communicate
messages.
e. Work with Public Affairs to more
effectively utilize classnote coordinators
to expand ARA programs and awareness.
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2. Ensure the efficacy
of alumni communications.
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a. Work with
divisional administrators to ensure
that the alumni/donor database is
up-to-date and accurate.
b. Evaluate communications on an ongoing
basis to ensure constituent awareness
of all ARA programs and services.
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i.
Continue to identify university
benefits available to alumni
and determine the best ways
to promote these benefits.
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c. Develop
protocols to ensure that all communications
convey quality, are error-free, and
are designed appropriately for the
event, service, or message communicated.
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i.
Seek appropriate training and
professional development opportunities
for alumni staff, and outsource
design and other communications
projects as needed.
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| IV.
Market Research |
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A. Develop
and utilize further constituent and market research. |
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1. Work with Resource
Development administrators to ensure that
the alumni/donor database is fully conducive
to the needs of an advancing alumni program.
2. Utilize generational and other demographic
marketing research to enhance and develop
programs and services.
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a. Forward
information to the alumni office for
consideration by the appropriate programming
arm, such as those that create community
and encourage lifelong learning.
b. Be a part of the most important
milestones of Rice alumni through
strategic, yet easily executed, recognition
means.
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i.
Send appropriate recognition
for important alumni milestones.
ii. Identify a volunteer team
that can meet quarterly to oversee
such a program.
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c. Build
an expanding and changing communication
and programming medium through technology
that prepares for and serves the new
generation of alumni.
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3.
Routinely survey and otherwise query
targeted constituencies to derive information
that will assist in refining and developing
programs and services.
4. Ascertain and capitalize on best
practices in constituent relations among
peer institutions and beyond academia
to develop programming and services
that constantly evolve to meet the changing
needs of alumni.
5. Develop a comprehensive measuring
system to determine programmatic and
communication success, then promote
such measurements to relevant constituencies. |
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Advocacy |
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A. Encourage
and equip Rice alumni as advocates in promoting
the university.
B. Provide forums for Rice alumni to voice their
issues, concerns, and suggestions to the university. |
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1. Evaluate
a website program through which alumni could
provide input on critical issues that would
be communicated to the university.
2. Pursue webcast technology allowing online
conversations with key university officials. |
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