How can you build and maintain relationships with alumni stakeholders?

1 Identify your alumni segments

Not all alumni stakeholders are the same. They may have different levels of interest, involvement, and influence in your organization. To tailor your engagement strategies, you need to segment your alumni network based on criteria such as their role, industry, location, tenure, relationship quality, and goals. For example, you may want to reach out to former clients who are now decision-makers in other organizations, or former employees who are experts in a specific domain. By identifying your alumni segments, you can prioritize your outreach efforts and customize your messages.

2 Communicate regularly and authentically

One of the key aspects of building and maintaining relationships with alumni stakeholders is to communicate with them regularly and authentically. You want to keep them informed, interested, and involved in your organization's activities, achievements, and challenges. You can use various channels and formats to communicate with your alumni network, such as newsletters, webinars, podcasts, social media, or events. However, you should also personalize your communication and show genuine appreciation and interest in your alumni's perspectives, feedback, and achievements. You can send them thank-you notes, birthday wishes, congratulatory messages, or invitations to collaborate on specific projects.

3 Provide value and opportunities

Another way to build and maintain relationships with alumni stakeholders is to provide them with value and opportunities that align with their needs and goals. You want to show them that you care about their professional and personal development, and that you can offer them resources, support, and benefits that can help them grow. For example, you can provide your alumni network with access to training, mentoring, coaching, networking, or volunteering opportunities. You can also showcase their success stories, testimonials, or recommendations on your website, social media, or publications. By providing value and opportunities, you can increase your alumni's loyalty, trust, and advocacy.

4 Seek feedback and input

Another tip on how to build and maintain relationships with alumni stakeholders is to seek their feedback and input on your organization's performance, strategy, or direction. You want to demonstrate that you value their opinions, insights, and suggestions, and that you are open to learning from their experiences and perspectives. You can seek feedback and input from your alumni network through surveys, interviews, focus groups, or forums. You can also invite them to join advisory boards, steering committees, or innovation labs. By seeking feedback and input, you can improve your organization's quality, innovation, and reputation.

6 Monitor and measure

The final tip on how to build and maintain relationships with alumni stakeholders is to monitor and measure the effectiveness of your engagement strategies. You want to track and analyze the outcomes, impact, and satisfaction of your alumni network, and identify the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement. You can monitor and measure your alumni engagement through metrics, such as reach, frequency, retention, conversion, advocacy, or feedback. You can also use tools, such as dashboards, reports, or analytics, to visualize and communicate your results. By monitoring and measuring, you can optimize your alumni engagement and demonstrate your value proposition.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?