1. Growing your database
Andy Cooper
Head of Development Services
University of Sheffield, United Kingdom
www.shef.ac.uk/alumni

2. 24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

3. 24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

4. I aim to cover …
• What is a database?
• Why have a database?
• Types of database
• Information to hold
• Sources of information
• Resources
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

5. What is a database?
“A structured collection of data held in
computer storage; esp. one that
incorporates software to make it accessible
in a variety of ways” O.E.D.
It could be your most powerful resource:
collective memory, evidence and a working tool
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

6. Database examples
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

7. Without maintenance
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

8. Why have a database?
• Store our information in
one place
• Easily extract information
e.g. mailing lists, email
addresses, VIP’s
• Search for information
• Secure
• Reduces paperwork
• Collective memory
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

9. Types of database
Spreadsheet Relational Database (Access,
Oracle, SQL)
Pros
Pros
Cheap
Easy to manage
Easy to create
Easy to share
Cons
Easy to search
Hard to manage
Can be very complex
Difficult to share
Cons
Hard to query
Can be expensive
Limited in data
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

10. Information to hold
• Minimum of
• Name
• Contact details (home & work)
• Educational qualifications
• Work including salary
• Donation history
• Interests (while at University and now)
• Event history (mailings, email, visits)
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

11. Sources of information 1
• Existing Systems
• Current Databases
• Alumni Directories
• Paper Records
• Personal Knowledge
• Business Cards
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

12. Sources of information 2
• External Sources
• Business Directories
• Public Libraries
• Newspapers
• Research
Companies
• The Internet
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

13. Sources of information 3
• Pro-active sources
• Questionnaires
• Email-shots
• Adverts
• Website
• Business Cards
• Networks
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

14. Questionnaires
• Cheap to produce
• Easy to fill in
• Engage your alumni
• Can be used at all
events and with all
mailshots
• Gather a lot of
information quickly
• Need to be input
• Need addresses
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

15. Questionnaires
• In 2002, we sent 100,000 questionnaires
• 18,000 were returned with new and updated
information
• 9,000 were returned due to incorrect
addresses
• 25% response in some form on the first
contact for 8 years!
• Even received several donations
• 43 Weeks to Update the Database
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

16. Email
• Easy to create
• Cheap to send
• Very easy for people to respond
• Good response rate
• Need email addresses
• Need resources to update your database
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

17. Adverts
• Potentially reach a large
number of alumni
• Good Public Relations
for your institution
• Do not need addresses
• Get a news story and
you get a free advert!
• Can be expensive
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

18. Website
• Easy to set-up
• Easy to maintain
• Provide key
information
• Advertise events and
services
• Use forms to gather
data
• Have to be kept up-
to-date
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

19. Business Cards
• Easy to collect
• Up-to-date contact
information
• Have a Business
Card raffle at all
events with a prize
• Encourage
academics to send
you business cards
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

20. Networks
• Use personal and
professional
networks
• Encourage people to
tell you if they meet
alumni
• Encourage alumni to
tell you about other
alumni
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

21. Legal issues
• Before storing information check for any legal
issues
• In Europe the “Data Protection Act” defines
how we can store personal information
• Explain to people how you are going to store
and use their information
• Give them “opt outs” so they can choose not
to be contacted or removed from your
database
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

22. Data entry
• Huge job (mountain)
• Very important
• Need high accuracy
• Speed
• “Boring” job
• Most important job in
the office?
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

23. Resources – what you will need
• Database
• Data entry staff
• Researchers
• Database
administrators
• Money for mailshots
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

24. Data entry staff
• Students
• Hardworking
• Intelligent
• Appreciate why
• Can do “odd hours”
• Cost effective
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

25. Database screen shots
With Sample Data
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

26. Database screen shots
With Sample Data
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

27. Conclusions

28. Conclusions
• The database underpins all the work in your office
• It is a long-term investment which requires proper
funding
• Over time it will become a tailor-made resource of real
value
• We are blind and impotent without a database
• “Rubbish in = rubbish out”
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

29. Research
Andy Cooper
Head of Development Services
University of Sheffield, United Kingdom
www.shef.ac.uk/alumni

30. Research
• Why do research?
• Where to find information?
• How to record it?
• Sample profiles
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

31. Why do research?
• If you don’t know who your alumni are how can we ask
them to help
• Help provide quick briefings to senior staff
• To save embarrassment
• To understand who we are
• To provide evidence and statistics
• Help group our alumni to manage them
• To find our high flyers and influential alumni
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

32. Building a picture
• Name
• Photo
• Address
• What do they do? Biography?
• Do they have family?
• What are they interested in?
• Who do they know at the Institution?
• Who is in their network?
• What might interest them at the Institution?
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

33. Building a picture 2
• What are they worth?
• What motivates them philanthropically?
• What is their capacity to give?
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

34. Where to look
• Alumni Database
• News clippings and media stories
• “Tip offs” and personal updates
• Commercial databases (Compass, Companies House,
Nexis, Who’s Who)
• The Internet
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

35. All sorts of information
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

36. How to record information
• Alumni Database
• Drop down lists vs “Free text”
• Keep it simple and consistent
• Group information where you can
• Media stories and clippings as images and documents
• Create Profiles
• Regularly check and update
• Keep figures to show progress
24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications

37. 24/05/2011 © The University of Sheffield / Department of Marketing and Communications