Encouragement email to classmates that say, Yes, Maybe and No to coming to the reunion

I want to send 3 separate emails to classmate segments that say Yes, No or Maybe on their profile to the question: Attending the Reunion?.
Am looking for what others have written to each group encouraging them to come, change their mind or encourage others to come to the reunion.

All suggestions welcome.

Arnie

Arnie,

I am the administrator for our reunion and am in the same situation with the reunion coming up 8/13. Yours are good questions. I have maybe 50 maybes and 10 who did not indicate anything. Can you share with me what you hear back. I'm new to this process so maybe this will be on a message thread? Not sure!

Thanks,

Becky Helms
www.rockhill66.com

I posted this on our web site: www.aquinas71.com and also sent a mass email. It generated some activity but not a lot. I had modified a previous posting on this forum, with the author's permission.
To my classmates in the Aquinas Class of '71.
So few realize the treasure of the "moment" or how wonderful it is to see "new" old friends again. Unfortunately, those that choose not to attend do not get "do-overs", and the moments can never be recaptured. We have done our best to encourage any and all to attend. Seeing you at the grocery stores, phone calls, mass mailings, emails and follow-ups, all add to that personal touch that is missing today in many things. These personal interactions help others get over "reunion" anxiety they may be feeling. That dreaded "Fear of the Unknown". Many from our class, locals and those distant, may decide to pass on our reunion. However, once the word gets out "after" the weekend, there will be many regrets that they didn't take a few hours of their life to try both something "new" and also "old and comfortable"! Once it is all said and done, the fun and joy of reuniting will bring the realization, that the anxiety and fears were largely unfounded. The work (and even the "worry") will be worth it and the smiles and special moments, "priceless"! My thanks to the other committee members that helped so much over the last 2 + years. We will have a very special reunion that will never be forgotten (except with our "old-timerz" setting in!). Many will vow to be there "next time", the good Lord willing! Those that choose not to show up, whatever the reason, well, they will want "do-over" moments that do not exist. There will be some no-shows. I've been there-done that. You know what? This will be my first reunion. The 2+ years of planning meetings have been mini-reunions for me. Instead of stressing about those that stay away, we will celebrate those that show up. We are not promised to all be together again but we will have a most wonderful time! We could have made more phone calls or sent more emails. We tried our best, with no regrets.

Enjoy what is, Before it isn't!

Have you passed on the names of those attending or posted them somewhere? It's always encouraging to think about how might be there.
Great letter/reminder Paul!
Enjoy every crazy, chaotic,wonderful moment and look forward to the specialness of it all! There are treasures everywhere one looks, sometimes we just have to open our eyes in "childlike" expectation!
Have a most amazing Reunion all of you!
Thanks again for sharing your heartfelt letter and reminder to Enjoy what is!!!
Have FUN!

Arnold
If you use the Reunion Planner, at the bottom of it, your classmates can indicate if they are coming to the reunion. Then an icon will show by their names in the Classmate Profiles..
You can go ahead and send out emails telling them about the planner... I told my classmates, to keep checking the profiles to see who was coming to reunion. When they see their best school friends are planning to attend, then, hopefully, that will give them the incentive to come. I know my classmates appreciated knowing ahead of time who was coming.. And, if they saw a name that didn't have an icon beside it, they would contact them and encourage them to come.. We had our 50th class reunion last year and it was the biggest attendance we've ever had..

Great reminder, Lynda! Also you might have a running list of "possibles","confirmed" etc for folks to encourage to come. It improves site activity also.
Arnie,
I love your R message. You can also add a very Big R U Coming? "It won't be a ReUnion without U"
R U Registered? R U procrastinating?
R U Ready 4 some Fun? R U thinking up Reasons not to Join in the Fun?
Have you seen the Excuses that are not acceptable List? or the Reasons to Reunite? Lots of witty reminders to "Get Up,Get Dressed and Show Up" ideas, for the sake of levity and alleviating anxiety,etc
We had many "couch potatoes" that sat ours out, then found out that they missed a most memorable "Best Reunion Ever" moment, many had never been before, many couldn't wait to find out that we were going to have future reunions only "because" they had so much fun. WE had really considered this our "last one" due to lack of interest and apathy, but Class Creator made it all happen! Thanks again you guys!
A year later and they are still talking about the Fun they had and expressing thanks for the site! All thanks goes to you and the other admins who helped us pull off the previously believed impossible!
Have a reunion of a lifetime! And most of all,Have FUN!

Another classs I'm coaching has the problem of 3 weeks to go with about 30 people signed up. They thought they could wrangle 200 when they started working on their reunion website and planning.

The Admin and I put together a kind of last appeal that has a 'scolding' tone. You can see the graphic and the copy Click HERE. This hasn't been added to their home page yet -- and might not be. But your comments are welcome...

I'm assuming they also did mailings? This may sound odd in the web context, but every time we did a mailing we had a "surge" of new registrations. Plus we did the "cutoff" date which is advertised as a "discount".

Someone on our committee researched and discovered that almost 50% of our class does NOT have computers ( I know a few of them - they just don't miss what they don't have). So without the mailings, we would have missed 1/2 of the class. 1981 might be a bit better, but still that's before PCs really took off.

Now to the appeal. I would make it all very positive. The last paragraph is good. Add some more encouraging words about the events. I think we are all too old for scolding.

Quote:

Jack,
You are right. At least half of our attendees heard about the Reunion in other ways, not from the site. Many refuse to do the "computer thing", their loss, but i cannot argue at this point in time. But word of mouth,posting in the local paper, which is free for school reunions in most towns,personal phone calls, mailings,etc were very effective. Of course, we had a "pay at the door" option and flexibility which helped a great deal.
The 30th is a vulnerable Reunion, in my humble opinion. Kids are basically "grown" and many are at crossroads, personal,health wise careers,etc and the emphasis should be on the positive. Many make excuses not to come, but this one is one that makes it easier to avoid future reunions and cut off ties if it leaves a very bad impression that "nothing's changed" since high school, in the negative sense of course. My rebellious personality would probably stay away if i was "scolded" or shamed into coming, but that's just me. Emotions are very fragile, for everyone in these stressful days and it reminds one too much of "high school" authority,etc...but then again, what do I know? Just my opinion and observation.
Have an amazing Reunion, concentrate on those that show up and make the others wish that they had taken the time! Many have no idea what goes into the planning and pulling the reunion off, and they really do not care. So smile and do your own personal Best and Enjoy each moment. It is over before you know it and those that choose to enjoy the event will enjoy the benefits of all the hard work and your perseverance!
It is a battle to stay positive, but it is better for mental and physical health than being negative.
When in doubt, always try to take the high road. Not always easy, but it's the least regrettable. And the best of our overall wellness factor!
The Best is Yet to Come!

John,
I like what you put together and would like to know if I can get a copy to use for our 25th coming up in September.

Thanks for all your great ideas!