WEBINAR:
When the Plan Hits the Fan
How ETSU Saved a Campaign (and Beat Expectations)
Desmond Pierce
Jen Lesshafft
When a vendor issue scrapped East Tennessee State University’s print invitations just days before a key presidential donor event, the advancement team had two choices: panic or pivot.
They chose to pivot—and fast.
What started as a last-minute scramble turned into a major win. The ETSU team swapped their canceled print campaign for a personal video from the university president, creating a 60% open rate, donor mentions during the event, and a brand-new digital-first strategy embraced across campus.
In this session, you’ll hear how ETSU’s quick thinking turned chaos into clicks and redefined what modern donor outreach can look like.
You’ll learn:
How to transform last-minute setbacks into opportunities for stronger engagement.
Why personalization (done fast!) can outperform even the best-planned print pieces.
What it takes to align leadership and campus partners around a digital-first strategy.
How ETSU is carrying this playbook into future campaigns and events.
