The Full Story:
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Mocs Give Day, named after their mockingbird mascot Scrappy, is an annual campaign that strives to bring the entire UTC community together and raise money. Its continued success is a tribute to the planning and preparation of the UTC advancement team, along with their use of modern engagement practices and technologies.
The Plan:
The UTC team devised a comprehensive strategy for real-time stewardship. Outlined below, the plan provided all those involved in the execution of the day’s donor stewardship with a clear cadence to follow.
The Prep:
The key to the smooth execution of the Mocs Give Day strategy was extensive preparation. Prior to the selected date, students representing various featured areas and designations pre-recorded ThankView videos to send within four hours of a donation. The advancement team prepared content for emails along with landing pages for each of the ThankViews, and scheduled students to make personalized ThankViews on the give day itself. By completing as much as possible ahead of time, they were able to focus on execution during the actual event. This proactive approach helped mitigate the chaos that stems naturally from live events and ensures that the team can respond to any unexpected issues quickly.
The Takeaways:
UTC is a midsize university that relies on a modest but dedicated advancement team instead of the vast resources and staff that other universities’ advancement offices employ. Their strategy, not just for Mocs Give Day, but for their overall stewardship efforts, is grassroots in nature. By leveraging personalized video messages, the UTC team has managed to significantly increase engagement and fundraising outcomes. Their grassroots approach and willingness to adapt and learn have made their strategy a model that other institutions can follow, proving that with the right tools and strategy, any institution can achieve similar success regardless of size or budget.
Looking Forward:
Laura and Abigail are excited to see how else they can use ThankView by EverTrue to help them surpass their donor stewardship and engagement goals. Soon, they hope to expand their ThankView usage to include thank-yous to student donors, mid-year updates showing donors the impact of their gifts, and compilation videos featuring multiple students created with ThankView’s handy “Combine Video” feature. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for the UTC team!
