Building relationship with the Alumni
Alumni have always been one of the most visible faces of an educational institution. However, most institutions, with a few exceptions, do not leverage this brand in a consistent manner. At a time when institutions are competing for resources and attenti0n at a global level, this is a trick that most of them are missing.
Companies like McKinsey do a fantastic job of reaching out to their alumni through their alumni portal. These alumni are often on to the next big thing. By associating with them, companies are able to leverage them, even if implicitly, as brand ambassadors and potential clients in the future.
Educational institutions can draw some lessons from their corporate counterparts in this regard – how to reach out to their large alumni network in a manner that makes the alumni want to associate with their alma mater. This relationship building, like brand building, is a process and cannot be achieved overnight or through advertisement alone. It takes time and effort, but the results, when they come, can be extremely rewarding for the institutions.