Voice of the Customer in Higher Education: Alumni Voices

In a previous post, I was exploring the concept of who the customers are in higher education. Students, parents, alumni, and even society at large were all identified. All of these people can share stories that support institutional marketing efforts.

Graduates of the institution are in a unique position. Alumni can share not only their experiences of when they were students, but also how those experiences have impacted their personal and professional lives after graduation. I would like to shine a light on how alumni voices can be leveraged to benefit the institution across departments—advancement, admissions, and marketing—all at the same time.

The process starts with an alumni survey. This survey might ask questions that inform alumni engagement strategy specifically. Additionally, other areas of inquiry pertain to collecting feedback for future students. Their observations are important to prospective students as they navigate the college selection process. As part of this process, alumni can provide testimonials.

Now, the institution possesses user-generated content from those who can best market it—happy, successful graduates. But, how can you make the most of having this authentic, unique content?

Essentially, using the alumni feedback from the survey. There is a way to leverage the collected stories and feedback to get more prospective students to institutional websites. We can showcase the tangible outcomes data which they’re seeking to justify their decisions to invest in degrees, and engage with them more effectively.

In light of these possibilities, are you ready to learn how to effectively use alumni voices to engage prospective students? If so, email us today for a free consultation.