Donor Focus: Parents — It’s Not Child’s Play

“It’s important to be integrated in your message and to have an ability to interact online,” she says. “Make sure everything you offer offline is also online. When developing Web content, you must simultaneously talk to two audiences — the parent and the child. Include one central place for them to land as a family. When you send a letter to a parent, include a worksheet or map inside. Respect parents’ rights and responsibilities as gatekeepers.”

Maura Condon Umble, director of parent programs at the Office of Col-lege Advancement for Franklin & Marshall College, finds a personal message most successful.

“I think highly personalized, segmented mail or e-mail is best,” she says. “Parents seem to read their e-mails from the college — and appreciate hearing from us in this way. Parents want to give toward something that’s really going to make an impact on their child’s experience.”

Christine Weiser is a freelance writer and publisher of Philadelphia Stories, a nonprofit literary-arts publication.