Alumni events are an effective medium through which institutions and alumni offices can engage their alumni. These events can flood alumni with nostalgia, facilitate new networking opportunities, rekindle old and lost friendships, and foster a sense of community between alumni. These events have the potential to project alumni and their achievements and can be a great branding exercise for the alma mater.
Planning an alumni event involves painstaking attention to detail, strategic thinking, precise timing, and a deep understanding of alumni’s needs and preferences. A successful alumni event has extensive planning behind it, and we are here to help you with that. So, here are detailed steps on how to plan and conduct a successful alumni event that will last years to come!
#1 Understanding the Objectives
Alumni events are of different types, and your school or college must define the purpose of the event you are planning to host. It is always better to have a clear vision of what your institution is hoping to gain through the event. Also, do bear in mind that events are beneficial for alumni as well. So, have clarity on what value you are keen on offering to the alumni.
For example, is your institution planning to host a global alumni reunion? Then, you would want to host the reunion in a big, grand venue as the alumni would be flying in from all over the world. You can also give awards to the successful alumni in this alumni event. A reunion can bring all your alumni together and also helps your institution to boost visibility in the education sphere by highlighting alumni through awards.
Finding it tough to identify which type of event to organize? A guide on different types of alumni events will do the trick!
Understanding the primary goals and strongly defining the purpose of the alumni event will shape every aspect of the same, such as guest list, venue of the event, program duration and structure, and so on.
Defining Target Audience:
If you can’t define your objectives, you can work it the other way around. You know who your target audience is, so work out ideas that will be useful to them. Alumni demographics can vary widely. Consider metrics such as professional histories, locations, interests, and graduation years.
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#2 Form an Organizing Committee
Organizing an alumni event is a double-edged sword. If planned properly, it becomes a memorable experience for both your institution and alumni. It increases alumni engagement as well. If something goes sideways, it hampers your alumni networking efforts and causes a significant dip in alumni turnout for future events.
Having a dedicated event organizing committee can streamline your college’s event planning and reduce the burden on the alumni office.
A team of 12-15 members can easily manage all the logistical aspects of the alumni event. Bring in alumni office staff who are alumni liaisons for better communication, rope in students who are enthusiastic, and bring in volunteer alumni who can represent the alumni’s preferences. Floating registration forms can select the volunteer alumni on the portal according to the event.
Make sure you define the roles and responsibilities of each member of the committee. For example, out of 14, the committee can have five event coordinators, a marketing subcommittee of 4 members, and a six-member logistic subcommittee. A committee head (preferably the alumni office chairman) can oversee all the operations.
Conduct regular committee check-ins to review progress, address issues, and change plans when needed. To save time, set the agenda well in advance and record the minutes for reference.
#3 Outlining Budgets & Spending
Setting up a realistic event budget can help your institution in hosting a successful alumni event. Once your college has determined which event to conduct, the alumni association office can begin identifying the budget required to host the event.Understanding your financial limits and sources can help you plan accordingly.
If the event you are conducting demands additional spending, put up a nominal entry fee for the alumni. This small token amount will not stop them from gracing the event.
Always categorize expenses into separate categories, such as venue and catering, marketing, decorations, staffing, and miscellaneous expenses. Your institution can follow these or set up new ones. Ensure you categorize the budget for analysis. Make the responsible ones accountable for all the incurring expenses.
Allocate a portion of the budget for contingencies. Unforeseen expenses are common, and having a financial reserve will help you run things smoothly. Review the budget regularly and make necessary adjustments if needed.
If certain aspects demand more money, reallocate the funds from those where unnecessary spending is happening. If expenses are higher than expected, consider mandatory trimming.
#4 Choosing the Right Venue
Your school or college can host many alumni events. Each event requires its distinct approach. Similarly, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to selecting a venue for alumni events. Choose a venue that is suitable for the event being conducted; it doesn’t have to be grand and pompous
For example, you can always host a career development session in college or university. But, if you want to host a silver jubilee reunion with huge alumni coming, you will obviously go for a place that is suitable for it.
Ensure that the alumni event venue is comfortable for the alumni attendees. The ambiance of the venue should align with the theme and tone of the event. Whether you are planning a reunion, a casual mixer, or a networking event, the venue should only enhance the experience.
Always choose a venue that is accessible to the alumni. Make sure that the alumni can easily reach the venue. Encourage inviting present and former VCs, chairman, principal, and old faculty members. Alumni will like interacting with them and jog their memorable moments.
#5 Event Promotions
Promoting your institution’s alumni event is a great way to maximize traction and familiarize the alumni as well. Make sure the event you are planning reaches every alumnus out there. Irrespective of the size and nature of the event, you should take it to the people for good alumni turnout rates. Send personalized invitations, emails and newsletters, and put up banners on the institution’s and alumni websites.
If you are organizing an alumni reunion, you can engage alumni through interesting posts like putting up old alumni photos, sharing events that happened during the batch’s timeline. You can show RSVP stats, highlighting alumni registrations for the event, and encouraging others to sign up. Ask your alumni to share their favorite experiences when they were students on their LinkedIn & Facebook profiles and tag the institution for better reach.
For a networking event, propagate about the top-tier alumni via their testimonials, achievements, and video bites, where they can give a sneak peek into what they can expect at the event. Sharing their profiles well in advance can increase the turnout as well. Putting up a well-planned itinerary beforehand can excite the alumni to visit.
Sending weekly reminders and sharing countdown posts on social media channels can grab alumni’s attention. Provide regular updates via emails and messages in social media groups about event logistics, program updates, and deadlines for event registration.
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#6 Event Execution & Management
This phase is where your institution’s event planning efforts come to fruition. Execution involves the smooth functioning of all the aspects of the event, and management takes up resolving issues if any arise. Your event organizing committee takes care of smooth movement and experience for all the stakeholders involved.
Make sure the organizing committee has a detailed timeline of the day covering everything from setting up to tearing down. Mention specific timings and shared responsibilities for greater efficiency. Create separate checklists for each department and ensure they complete all tasks on time
Establish a communication plan where the organizing members can get in touch with each other. Ensure all the event staff are easily identifiable with badges or ID cards to address issues and provide support to the alumni.
Ensure the check-in process is quick and easy. Opt for a digital check-in system through QR Codes if possible. Have a set of volunteers ready to assist the alumni with any queries.
Double-check that each part of the event is happening smoothly as per schedule. For example, if there are multiple speeches scheduled, make sure that the speakers are ready with notes and assign a volunteer to help them if needed.
Marketing team can post live updates such as photos and videos on social media channels to engage the alumni missing from the event. Prepare backups for common issues. Have extra supplies on hand for emergencies.
#7 Follow-Up & Feedback
Post-event communication is like a dessert after a good meal. This is a nice way to conclude the wholesome experience provided by the institution. Once your college or university wraps up the event, send thank you emails to all the attendees, volunteers, and sponsors (if any).
Personalized messages to the alumni from the top executives make an impression. Share candid photos, videos, and other highlights, and ask alumni to share their experiences and favorite moments from the events from their accounts. Put up event highlight banners on the website and alumni portal for better reach.
Collecting feedback from alumni attendees and sponsors is crucial to gauge the success of your institution’s alumni event. Distribute survey questionnaires to all stakeholders.
Encourage attendees to rate (out of 10) and give suggestions. Monitor social media posts where alumni will comment and repost with their thoughts. Ask them to use a hashtag created by your marketing team so that you can easily track it.
Have a meeting to retrospect any issues and make changes for future events. Your school or college can incorporate these insights into the next events, enhancing alumni’s experience and, in turn, alumni engagement.
Winding It Up!
Hosting an alumni event is not hard. It requires strategic planning, effective communication, and clear execution. By considering alumni preferences, having a dedicated team, and focusing on the value you are offering to the attendees, you can organize a memorable event.
The above-defined structure gives your institution an idea of how to plan for an event. You can use this as it is or make changes according to your institution’s goals and objectives.
Vaave helps institutions and corporate entities across the globe in realizing the power of alumni and offers strategies for engaging them. We offer a full-fledged alumni management ecosystem that helps you to leverage alumni to its fullest.
Drop in your details at hello@vaave.com & +91 91006 88850, we will get in touch with you at the drop of a hat!