Be it Rankings, Placements, Branding, or Fundraising, Alumni Networks have proven to have huge potential for Institution’s success. While every institution has been onboarded with the element of expansive benefits, they’re not aware of how to build a strong Alumni Network and leverage the same.
With the expertise of helping 1000+ institutions and hand-holding their Alumni relations, here at Vaave, we have worked on understanding the basic essence of it and created our very own BEHA (Build-Engage-Help-Ask) Framework that helps you build meaningful Alumni Programs.
Our main focus has been making the institution-alumni relationship two-sided because we believe that the poise of give and take is what makes any relationship healthy and sustained. We’ve considered everything that the institution can do relating to Alumni relations and devised the framework that basically constitutes four main pillars. Once all four verticals have been understood and built, it itself creates the structure for building a powerful Alumni Relationship Program.
What exactly is the BEHA Framework?
BEHA is the abbreviation for Build – Engage – Help – Ask. All four are equally important as the other and together combined.
Build
Building your Alumni Database and keeping it updated. Database building is a crucial undertaking for institutions to maintain a stronger community and a valuable tool that helps to stay connected. An updated database serves as a central hub for nurturing relationships, promoting engagement, leveraging the collective knowledge/experiences of Alumni, and supporting each other’s growth and success. Give your Alumni the access to keep their profiles up to date, it actually means branding them for their achievements.
A few of the best practices for building a database are
- Generic Marketing – The essential features of the portal, services that are offered through multiple channels like Social media, and connections of older Alumni.
- Identifying Batch Captains – A dedicated volunteer assisting the Alumni Office in the outreach of the Alumni Portal and its activities to his/her batchmates and takes the Responsibility of Building a Database. Know more about identifying Batch Captains HERE
- Student Alumni Cells – Communicating the message of connecting back to the Almamater by promoting the value of the Alumni Portal and Services.
Engage
Engaging Alumni stands as the key to any Alumni Program. It fosters a mutually beneficial relationship between the institution and the Alumni, creating a positive feedback loop where engaged alumni help in enhancing the institution’s reputation, while the institution provides opportunities to Alumni.
The starting point can be inviting them to special occasions which makes them feel connected to the Institution. Organizing events like batch-wise reunions, sports gatherings, guest lectures, and creating special interest groups, geographical-wise chapters, etc., can help in promoting Alumni engagement. Step up your engagement with these best practices. Read more HERE
Help
Help your Alumni with all their needs. This helps imbibe a strong sense of community among Alumni and plays a crucial role in maintaining a vibrant institution-alumni connection. Provide your Alumni with a networking opportunity that allows them to connect, these connections actually give a lot of value. Also, you can help them with Career Development by organizing one-day workshops or webinars and aid in upskilling.
Extend Alumni services like Portal login to promote networking, digital membership ID which enables Library and sports benefits, and easy access to generate and acquire required documents. Branding Alumni for their achievements is a great way to infuse pride and helps them market themselves with the help of the institution. This, in turn, inspires students and younger Alumni as well.
Ask
Ask Alumni for Guidance/ Funds. While we suggest not to ask too early, don’t shy away from Asking too. They would always want to give back but are looking for the right channels.
Mentoring can be a most important Alumni Engagement activity, where experienced Alumni give back to their Alma mater by sharing their experience and expertise in the career progression of Students and Young Alumni. With the on-field experience, Alumni have greater insights for students who are ready to embark on their professional journey. Also, plan fundraising activities where Alumni can actively engage by giving back aiding in the institutional development of their Alma mater.
These are the most important parts of any Alumni Program. Each pillar of this BEHA framework is as important as the other and not one can be excluded. Built on the bedrock of balance of these four pillars of BEHA framework, is a Thriving Alumni Community.
Interested to know more about how Vaave is helping institutions build a thriving alumni community? Drop us an email at hello@vaave.com