Strategic Relationships and Networks Ltd

Profit from your alumni network

Tue, 17 Oct 2017 05:06:44 -0700

In today’s economic climate, it is tougher to find and win new business.

Corporates adopt a range of business development initiatives to win new work and develop new relationships. One of the most cost-effective and invaluable sources of referrals and potential new business can come from the people who know your firm best — your former employees, your alumni.

Life-time employment rarely exists in today’s working environment and most organisations will find its ex-employee population outnumbers the number of current employees. Organisations are beginning to realise that employees who leave (even if they move to a competitor organisation) are not ‘traitors’ but are still valuable assets to the organisation.

You can look at this from another angle: when an employee leaves, they take with them the years of learning, development and knowledge that your organisation has invested in them. This applies to leavers of all levels and grades — from newly qualified staff to retirees and non-fee earners. If they had a good experience or if they move on trusting and respecting the organisation, they will serve as great brand ambassadors and could become a client or referrer in the future.

Who are your alumni?

A paper written by First Tuesday Zurich and sponsored by Xing, Powering Relationships, defines alumni networks as: “…organisations whose members are the former employees of a particular company. Beyond this basic characteristic, they vary widely in terms of size, longevity, origins, purpose, governance, authority, structure, activities and even membership criteria”.

On the point of membership criteria, in my experience, corporate alumni programmes sometimes focus purely on fee-earners. However, the holistic, inclusive approach can work better. By including all former employees (i.e. contractors, those in...Read More

Alumni at or moving to competitor firms

Tue, 21 May 2024 05:09:54 -0700

When employees leave a company, it’s natural to feel a sense of loss, especially if they move to a competitor. However, maintaining relationships with former employees, even those who have joined competitors, is more important than ever. Here’s why incorporating alumni who have moved to competitors into your corporate alumni programme is a strategic move that can benefit your firm.

1. Fostering a Positive Company Culture

A robust alumni programme that includes all former employees, regardless of their current affiliations, sends a powerful message about your company’s culture. It shows that your organisation values relationships and respects the career choices of its former employees. This inclusivity can enhance your company’s reputation as a supportive and forward-thinking employer, making it more attractive to potential hires.

2. Brand Ambassadors

Former employees can be some of your most effective brand ambassadors. If they had a positive experience at your company, they’re likely to speak well of it, even while working for a competitor. This can enhance your company’s reputation in the industry and attract top talent. Alumni who feel appreciated and valued are more likely to advocate for your brand and may even refer potential clients or employees to your company.

3. Potential for Boomerang Employees

It’s not...Read More

Alumni community platforms: to build or to buy?

Wed, 29 Sep 2021 02:53:40 -0700

Are you looking to develop or implement a secure online networking platform for your alumni community but don’t know where to start?

Look no further – here are some of my thoughts to help you and your company before you commit to an investment.

Building an alumni network platform solution in-house

Building a networking or community engagement platform in-house can involve a number of people as well as time and money. There are a couple of questions I’d suggest you ask yourself and your organisation before committing to this route:

Do we have market-leading community management technology to use for this product?
Are we agile in our approach and development?
Can we keep up to date with technology advances (and roll these out on the website regularly)?
Do we have access to ‘user experience’ and CRM experts?
Will our Internal IT/development team be a dedicated resource to the ongoing maintenance and development of your website?

If your answer is ‘no’ to more than three of these questions, you may be setting yourself up for failure before you begin!

I have seen alumni network platforms built in-house, which can, in the short-term, seem like a less risky and...Read More

An A-Z of Community Engagement Programmes

Fri, 02 Mar 2018 03:11:34 -0800

Over the past few months, I have spoken to a number of organisations about community engagement. Some are doing this really well; others need a little more help and focus.

Every community engagement programme will differ — it all depends on the purpose of your community programme, who your target audience is, understanding their needs and interests and making sure your programme is relevant to your audience.

Here is an infographic which highlights some of the key areas of focus for community engagement programmes.

If you are thinking about developing a community engagement programme, in the process of doing so, or reviewing your current programme, drop me a line. I’d love to hear more about your plans, the different engagement methods that you are considering and for those already managing such a network, understanding what engagement tools work well for you, as well as ones where you’ve struggled.

Or, if you'd like to talk more about your alumni programme and plans, book in for a 30min discovery call with Martine today.

5 Tips for setting up a successful alumni programme

Wed, 08 Nov 2017 07:47:24 -0800

1. Senior level sponsorship

It is important to have a senior sponsor, either at Board or Executive Committee level, who is engaged and supportive, and recognises the benefits and rewards for implementing such a programme. They will be instrumental in engaging and driving key messages to their peer group and within your organisation. As the 'face' of the programme, your alumni will know that your organisation is serious about the importance of this network. The sponsor will take this responsibility all the more seriously if they are appraised on it!

2. Dedicated resource

The most successful alumni programmes have a dedicated team or person who will drive the programme forward day-to-day; who will engage both internally and externally; who will develop the programme based on feedback. The role(s) will be varied - internal and external communications; business development and sales; relationship management; acting as a business advisor.

3. Clear objectives

Make sure you know what you are trying to achieve and what success looks like. Don't try to 'boil the ocean' in one go! Objectives will vary from organisation to organisation. Measurable objectives or KPIs are a must and could be developed around a number of different topics: new business leads, no of referrals, brand profile and recognition, engagement with the programme, percentage of leavers joining the programme and/or data accuracy.

4. Internal infrastructure

Engagement across the organisation is important to make the programme 'stick'. Think about how best to join up your IT, HR and marketing/business development teams, as well as how our internal...Read More