FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY RECEIVES 2021 PARTICIPANT COMMUNICATION AWARD

“For DM at FSU, one of our main focuses throughout this year was segmented communication. This year, it was very important to remember our participants may be outside of Tallahassee. We pushed a concept of segmented communication where throughout the year we would text our participants based on a specific category they fit in. We realized that today’s participants can tell the difference between an automated text and one that is catered to them specifically, and we wanted to create that targeted approach to all of our messages in hopes that we were building relationships, even virtually. We received great feedback from this tactic and it was especially important during big push days. We also would include a link in most of these messages to a resource folder that included fundraising templates, DonorDrive tutorials, and more to ensure we were adequately equipping our participants with the tools to be successful. We used a communication document that auto-populated the text message based on the participant’s fundraising and activity throughout the day.

With our event being virtual, we found it very beneficial to communicate with our dancers throughout the weekend via personal text messages with in-event fundraising shout-outs and updates for upcoming performances. We established continued communication with dancers throughout the duration of the whole weekend, as opposed to just their shift.

In addition to segmented communication, we also created our first-ever internal Instagram account. We promoted openness and community with our internal team by creating an internal-only Instagram which we utilized for internal-only fundraising initiatives, events, and shout-outs. This page was proven very successful, due to the fun and relatable atmosphere that helped with bonding, despite the virtual year.

We also equipped our Executive Board with communication plans before each fundraising push. This outlined the schedule for the push in terms of social media posts when they should contact their team and an example of the messaging. This helped provide our chairs structure as the feedback we received was that it was hard to communicate during long push days.

Our communication efforts allowed us to remain personal and open with our fundraisers throughout the duration of the year. Our biggest concern during the virtual climate was that our retention rate for the future of DM at FSU would be impacted, and while we can not effectively measure that yet, all of the feedback we have received post-marathon was the community that they felt a part of throughout our marathon and entirety of the year.

We noticed a direct correlation between the effectiveness of communication and in-event fundraising. More specifically, while across the board Garnet Shift fundraising was lower than in previous years, our Garnet Shift Dancers were more active during Gold Shift. This was an impact of our efforts to focus our attention on communicating with all of our dancers throughout the duration of the weekend, regardless of shift.”