For most alumni associations, a primary goal is growing a membership base to ensure a constant supply of engaged alumni who are excited about networking, attending events, and continuing to support their alma mater’s educational mission and extracurricular activities.

Your marketing efforts will be critical to your ability to grow your organization. Here are a few examples of some marketing best practices you can use with your organization to achieve your membership growth goals!

• Determine who is part of your target audience: Know your target audience. Begin by analyzing who currently is a member of your organization based on demographics and interests, then develop your own original buyer persona that you will “speak to” in all your marketing messaging.
• Email marketing: Develop robust email marketing campaigns that showcase the benefits of being involved in the alumni association. Make these emails as personalized and benefit-driven as possible.
• Use social media: Your social media platforms should be a key part of your marketing and one of your best ways of driving engagement with your organization. Build up a strong presence on social media with regular updates, and share plenty of photos and videos!
• Host events: Organize a wide variety of events that bring your alumni together and provide them with ample opportunities for networking, learning, and socializing. Consider hosting events both online and offline to cater to different preferences and expand the number of alumni who may be able to take part.
• Team up with local businesses and organizations: Partner with other organizations, such as local businesses or other organizations with a stake in your mission, to increase the reach you have in the community and beyond and to give more potential value to the members of your organization. The word "local” is important here--try to keep your partnerships within the community!
• Offer incentives: Provide a variety of incentives for new members to join your alumni association. Some examples of potential membership incentives include discounts on membership fees, exclusive access to events or resources, or other perks that appeal to your target audience.
• Track data and analyze it: Why bother tracking data if you’re not going to use it properly? Use data and analytics to track your marketing efforts and measure their effectiveness. This will allow you to make informed decisions regarding how you will run your organization and how successful you are in attracting new members.

For more information about some of the best ways to spread the word about your organization and increase alumni registrations, contact us at Alumni Nations!