Creating Engagement and Networking Opportunities Between Students and Alumni with a Comprehensive Web Strategy

Creating Engagement and Networking Opportunities Between Students and Alumni with a Comprehensive Web Strategy

55% of alumni organizations are not focused on offering alumni any significant benefits * Community college alumni donations represent just 1% of giving to institutions of higher education.** Did You Know? Community Colleges tend to have less developed alumni relations and alumni giving programs than 4-year institutions.** Community college students tend to develop loyalties based on affinity groups, not their class year.** There is a statistically significant predictive relationship between the engagement factors and intention to donate. Colleges that put even minimal effort into relationship management with their alumni will likely reap the rewards of alumni donation. ** http://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2385&context=doctoral **COMMUNITY COLLEGE ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT: EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP OF SOCIAL MEDIA TO ALUMNI GIVING, Amy Jennifer Harrell Hall, Liberty University 2016 *http://blog.alumniaccess.com/stop-treating-alumni-like-atm

Elements in a Comprehensive Web Strategy 1. Your Own Website 2. An Integrated Online Community Platform 3. Social Tools 4. Email Email Email 5. A Plan

Why do I need an Online Community when I already have Facebook Groups?

I don t know where my alumni are I don t know where to begin I m a 1-person shop, I don t have time to manage an online community Our alumni range from single class takers to degreeholders Sound familiar? Admissions holds all the records and sometimes won t share. Our alumni relate to their 4-year school, not to us I m not sure if alumni are willing to help students Fundraising from alumni?

Key Takeaways 5 Step Plan to an Online Community Maximize Social Networks Talking to Your Constituents, Everyone is NOT the Same Creating the Network Antelope Valley College Guiding Principles to Think About

5 Step Plan to An Online Community Step 1: Identify your Engagement Goals. What Do Your Alumni/Students Want? Set Your Targets

5 Step Plan to An Online Community Step 1: Identify your Engagement Goals. Common Things Alumni Want From Their Alma Mater Start Here. 1. Career guidance/career advancement support 2. Affirmation that their degree is increasing in value 3. Connection with peers 4. Staying connected with their campus http://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2385&context=doctoral **COMMUNITY COLLEGE ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT: EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP OF SOCIAL MEDIA TO ALUMNI GIVING, Amy Jennifer Harrell Hall, Liberty University 2016

5 Step Plan to An Online Community Step 1: Identify your Engagement Goals. Initial Target Ideas: 1. 10 jobs posted by local/global business partners 2. 3-5 Events posted by your arts, athletics, transfer & career departments 3. Initial registration, year end target 4. Groups created related to interest/focus 5. Activated mentors 6. Updated data records 7. Email delivered & related actions

5 Step Plan to An Online Community 2. Pick your Platform

5 Step Plan to An Online Community 2. Pick your Platform 10 Things to Look For 1. Easy to Use. 2. Empowers your alumni no barriers to networking. 3. Integrated tools events, mentors, directory, social integration, crowdfunding, groups. 4. Great email marketing. Not good. GREAT. 5. Continuous platform evolution. 6. Responsive to their clients. 7. Marketing and coaching support, digital expertise. 8. Insights and analytics, if you can t measure it, think twice about doing it. 9. Access to data, integration capabilities. You need data. All of it. 10. Their mission. Ask and pay attention to it. Make sure they are in alignment with yours.

5 Step Plan to An Online Community 3. You are not alone. Line up your people.

5 Step Plan to An Online Community 3. You are not alone. Line up your people.

5 Step Plan to An Online Community Step 4: Work with whatever data you have. Build on it from there.

5 Step Plan to An Online Community Step 5: Prep your site with content. No one likes to be the first to a party.

Maximize Your Social Networks 78% of users watch videos weekly; 55% watch videos daily Use of Video in an Event. Imagery to tell a story. Did you know that Social Ambassadors are the ones most likely to bring in new donors?

Maximize Your Social Networks HOW TO: Use Facebook Events to Increase Your Event Registrations Use the Facebook Events feature from your organization's Facebook page to post the event. Use the 360Alumni Event URL (or URL for your online event) in the Tickets URL location. This can help increase RSVPs because Facebook Events show up on user feeds by several means: 1. a friend clicked they are interested in attending the event, or 2. clicked they are going to the event, or 3. they share the event. For more info see Creating & Editing Events Help on Facebook. Note: if you create from a user account, the tickets option will not display. Then use Description to post the link..

Talking to Your Constituents, Everyone is NOT the Same Career Guidance, Mentoring Family Growth, Family-Friendly Events, Re-Connecting Hiring Power, Executive Levels Nostalgia, Connections, Planned Giving Think about segmenting your audience and/or using dynamic content in your emails.

Creating Their Network How AVC got started Content sources Challenges and goals A look at their community in progress

How Antelope Valley College Got Started Took inventory of data Explored different platforms Found creative funding Hit the ground running

Content Sources Connect the silos How can we help each other? Some examples: Student Government Theater Athletics Community Ed Job Placement Career Center Transfer Center Involved Faculty Nursing Department Veteran Center Student Clubs

Challenges Goals Knowing Where to Start Educating on Alumni Definition Facebook Keeping Sources Active and Involved The WIIFM for Alumni Make Marauder Connect part of the Norm Continue to Connect the Silos Most Importantly. Don t let alumni forget us and don t forget them

A Look at Our Community in Progress

Guiding Principles to Think About 1. Put your constituents first keep in mind what they want, when they want it 2. Make it easy for them and for you 3. Empower them to create their own networks Get out of their way, help them remove obstacles to connecting 4. Empower your people go beyond your office/department 5. Communicate, communicate, communicate 6. Maximize and integrate with social networks 7. Measure everything

Deb Taylor COO 360Alumni dtaylor@360alumni.com www.360alumni.com Lisa O Leary Foundation/Alumni Director AVC loleary@avc.edu www.avc.edu