Harris Connect

“Our biggest challenge is getting alumni to see the value in joining the alumni association. Other types of organizations, such as a museum for example, have tangible benefits like free or discounted entry fees. For universities and colleges, it’s far more conceptual. As a result, our membership acquisition campaigns have to really focus on showing alumni how giving back to their alma mater benefits them directly.

Harris Connect’s highly skilled communicators were able to do just that for us – successfully securing more than 500 new members from this non-donor group. As pleased as I was with the result, I think what impressed me most was the fact that I did not receive one complaint during the entire campaign. Not one! That just speaks volumes about the depth of their experience and professionalism.”

Amanda Hodge, Director of Membership, Marketing, Student Programs, Auburn University

“Like many other organizations, our annual giving program was underdeveloped and dependent on events. We felt that it was stagnant and began to see a decline in results. We needed to change our approach and really think outside the box. Harris Connect introduced their Focus 360 program to us, which utilizes consulting and multi-channel methods to reach, communicate and acquire donors for Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. As an academic medical center, we obviously have multiple specialties, facilities and constituents. We needed a program to help us address alumni, patients and donors. Harris Connect worked with us to put together a complex and comprehensive program that addressed the unique relationships each of our constituent groups has with the Medical Center, and as a result has helped us acquire 2,740 new donors, over two years, for a total value of over $450,000. We continue to see great results from our continuing partnership.”

Audrey Stone, Associate Vice President for Development and Alumni Affairs, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center

“We recently contracted with Harris Connect for their PGConnect^SM services to help secure planned gifts for RPI. As with any higher education institution, we were a bit reluctant to hand over our most loyal donors to a third party. However, when Harris Connect shared the details of how they conduct this program, the tenure of their planned giving communicators who make those first phone calls, the background and experience of their planned giving specialists, plus their successes with other prestigious organizations, we felt we had to move forward with a program. After identifying 20 new or previously unknown estate gifts, we are thrilled with the results and delighted with how well Harris Connect’s communicators stewarded our donors. It was just like they were an extension of Rensselaer staff. We couldn’t be happier with this program!

“Even more - I’m following up with another 104 people who said they would consider including Rensselaer in their plans in the future. Based on our average gift amount, this could possibly lead to several million dollars in new gifts!”

Art Tracy, Director of Gift Planning, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute