From the Nominator

Like many of its higher ed peers, Dartmouth faced an email marketing problem. Dartmouth Advancement used two different platforms—Encompass iModules and HubSpot—and each department had the ability to send its own emails through iModules. Without a proper process, the advancement department was unable to consider email traffic holistically, implement consistent branding, or make strategic decisions based on email marketing best practices. Dartmouth had 10 different departments sending dozens of emails to a finite audience of alumni, with no sense of how many emails alumni were getting at any given time. Some alumni received up to 30 emails a month from Dartmouth, which hurt engagement. With 35% of alumni unsubscribed or unengaged, Dartmouth needed to stop the bleeding. In this project, Dartmouth successfully centralized the entire Advancement division (including Alumni Relations and Development) into one email marketing system, which offers fully integrated review and tracking capabilities. This new system enhanced the email experience for alumni, parents, and friends; improved click-through rates by 61%; reduced email volume by 23%; and reduced unsubscribes by 25%. The new system also opened up avenues for transparency and collaborations across the division. By consolidating the 10 institutional iModules communities into HubSpot, all emails could be managed by a small team of experts from the Marketing and Engagement department and Advancement Systems and Services department. The streamlined process--paired with HubSpot’s advanced contact data, design, and review capabilities--revolutionized the college's email marketing efforts.

From the Judges

Dartmouth attacked a problem familiar to advancement at many institutions: more than one email platform, with no holistic view on what different departments were sending to constituents. We praised the thorough approach, which involved making a strong case for change and centralizing the team onto one system. Dartmouth provided clear metrics on the project’s impact--reducing email volume--leading to reduced unsubscribes and improved click through. A "monumental effort to herd all the cats," said one judge.