We recently ran a webinar where our panel of experts discussed current and future trends and challenges relating to alumni engagement metrics.
Meet the Panel
You can listen to the webinar in full here or keep scrolling to read some of the key takeaways!
Outcome Metrics are Essential
We are now witnessing an increasing focus on outcome metrics.
Outcome metrics demonstrate the impact of alumni relations activities on the overall strategy and mission of the institution.
Before many alumni relations offices focused on the low-hanging fruit of output metrics ie: did a person attend an event. Teams are now concentrating on outcome metrics and measuring how this action contributes to the institution's overall mission. For example, how did the person feel after attending the event? Are they now more likely to become a volunteer? Are they more receptive to making a gift?
Our panel are excited to see the development of this trend and stressed that clean, rich data is key to supporting outcome metrics.
Internal Sharing of Information is Critical
Close collaboration and seamless data sharing between alumni relations and other relevant departments enable institutions to increase engagement and drive better outcomes.
The value of data is reduced when it is not shared and/or coordinated between departments. Through collaboration, it is possible to develop targeted communication based on a person’s behaviors, preferences, and interests, and to make better solicitation decisions based on engagement.
Institutions must recognize the link between alumni relations and other departments such as student affairs and development and implement the technology and processes to optimize the flow of information on both sides.
The CASE Benchmarking Toolkit is a Step in the Right Direction
Alumni relations is all about relationship building with a long-term vision and investment. However, alumni relations activities are always up against the shorter-term metric of money.
The CASE Benchmarking Toolkit helps higher education institutions wanting to benchmark activities, staffing, budgets, and other aspects of their programs with peer institutions.
It is a great resource, especially for institutions starting their alumni relations activities from scratch. However, institutions need to develop their engagement strategies and metrics based on their individual needs and overall strategy.
Listen to the Complete Webinar
Listen to the webinar in full to hear the above points discussed in detail, as well as conversations around how metrics can be used as more than KPIs, what alumni relations can learn from corporate alumni relations, what US alumni relations can learn from European counterparts, and more.
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