The First $2 Million: 3 Keys for Fundraisers Using Remote Donor Engagement with Student Ambassadors

In January of 2020 the idea of having student engagement ambassadors making calls outside of your engagement center (that thing we used to call phonathon) would have sent shivers up the spine of any fundraising professional, not to mention their leadership and data teams. Less than six months later, remote donor engagement has gone from an implausible practice to an everyday necessity for a number of institutions. It’s even more likely increasing numbers of institutions will need to adopt a this approach in the coming weeks as we begin the new normal of fall 2020.

Prior to the pandemic, RNL was already examining how to deliver a remote program that was on par or even surpassed the on-campus experience. This made it possible for us to quickly launch a remote solution for our partners that kept their programs thriving in the face of uncertainty. Student ambassadors have remained employed, and these institutions continue progress on their donor and dollar goals.

How institutions have raised millions with remote donor engagement

In the last three months, RNL’s remote-enabled solution has helped institutions raise more than $2 million in support. Here are three key things we have learned during the first wave of remote engagement.

1. Targeting makes a difference

With limited staff and time, every call counts more than ever. By shifting to a more selective model for prioritizing calling prospects and leveraging more high-volume channels such as texting and email to engage less-connected alumni, institutions saw equal or better results going remote than they did with traditional donor engagement operations. Moving forward, we anticipate this trend will not only continue but expand as institutions focus on smarter engagement and increased ROI.

“…one institution secured 68% of dollars and 55% of donors without taking a single credit card over the phone.”

RNL remote student engagement results July 2020

2. Remote donor engagement works best when it is omnichannel.

While RNL’s remote solution is PCI-compliant, not every institution is comfortable accepting created cards remotely. By including integrated, triggered fulfillment texting our partners averaged a 28.8% text reply rate, and one institution secured 68% of dollars and 55% of donors without taking a single credit card over the phone.

3. Remote engagement needs the right ambassadors.

Not every student employee is cut out for remote work. You’ll want the best, most motivated team to successfully execute your remote engagement program. You can see some recommendations about how to put together the right team to go remote in an excellent 60 Seconds to Success video from my colleague Brian Cass. He shares three key questions to ask when considering whether a student ambassador will work well remotely.

Remote donor engagement is likely here to stay

Remote engagement is one of the greatest shifts in advancement ever. While it was driven by necessity during the ever-changing landscape of the COVID-19 pandemic, remote engagement shows all the signs of being a permanent fixture in any advancement shop. The best recommendation is to get out ahead so you can be prepared to keep your donors engaged with integrated, omnichannel fundraising that you can manage from anywhere.