As the air turns crisp and the sounds of marching bands fill the stadiums, there’s a palpable excitement in the air—football season is back! For many alumni, the start of football season is more than just a series of games; it's a time that stirs up deep nostalgia, school pride, and a sense of belonging. For Alumni Relations and Advancement Executives at higher education institutions and high schools, this period offers a golden opportunity to connect with alumni through effective alumni engagement strategies.
Football season is a time when high school/college spirit is at an all-time high, and leveraging this excitement with the right alumni engagement strategy can lead to increased alumni involvement, successful fundraising initiatives, and strengthened relationships that extend well beyond the final whistle. Here are 8 ways to harness the power of football season to build and cultivate active relationships with your alumni base through targeted alumni engagement strategies.
1. Kickoff the Season with Tailgate Events
There’s no better way to kick off your alumni engagement strategy than by hosting tailgate events. These gatherings are a staple of the game day experience and provide a perfect setting for alumni to reconnect with their alma mater.
Action Items
Host Alumni Tailgates: Organize pregame tailgates exclusively for alumni. These can be on-campus or at a designated location near the stadium. Provide branded tents, refreshments, and entertainment to create a festive atmosphere.
Virtual Tailgates: For alumni who can't make it to the game, consider hosting virtual tailgate events. Stream the pre-game festivities and include interactive elements like live chats, alumni shout outs, and trivia contests. Virtual events are a great way to expand your alumni engagement strategies.
Collaborate with Local Alumni Chapters: Another key component of a multi-prong tailgating strategy might be to partner with local alumni chapters to host satellite tailgate events in different cities, allowing more alumni to participate regardless of location.
2. Alumni Spotlights and Storytelling
Football season provides a natural backdrop for storytelling, and what better way to engage alumni than by highlighting their own stories? This story-driven content is one of the most powerful alumni engagement strategies, since it pulls on the emotional heartstrings and helps to create personal connections.
Action Items
Alumni Athlete Features: Spotlight former athletes who played football or other sports at your institution. Share their stories through social outlets, newsletters, and game day programs as part of your overall alumni engagement strategy.
Fan Memories: Invite alumni to share their favorite football memories from their time at the school. Feature these stories on your website, in email campaigns, or as part of a special halftime presentation during a home game.
Legacy Families: Highlight families with multiple generations of alumni who share a passion for the school’s football team. These legacy stories can be powerful tools for fostering a sense of tradition, continuity, and pride.
3. Engage Alumni on Social Media
Social media is an essential tool for keeping alumni connected and engaged, especially during football season. Using social media effectively is a vital part of a modern alumni engagement strategy.
Action Items
Game Day Hashtags: Develop a unique hashtag for the football season and encourage alumni to use it when posting about the games. This helps build a sense of community online and increases visibility for your institution.
Live Updates: Provide live game updates, behind-the-scenes content, and alumni shout outs on your social media channels. Possibly one of the best alumni engagement strategies, this keeps alumni who can’t attend the games in person engaged and connected.
Photo Contests: Launch a “Best Game Day Outfit” contest, where alumni can submit photos of themselves in school colors or team gear for a chance to win prizes. This type of interactive content is one of the more fun and engaging alumni engagement strategies.
4. Game Day Fundraising Campaigns
The heightened school spirit during football season is an ideal time to launch targeted fundraising campaigns as part of your alumni engagement strategy. Alumni are more likely to contribute when they feel a strong connection to their school, and nothing amplifies that connection like the camaraderie of cheering for the home team.
Action Items
Themed Giving Days: Create a "Game Day Giving" campaign where alumni can donate to their alma mater in the spirit of supporting their team. Tie the fundraising goal to something tangible, like upgrading athletic facilities or supporting student and/or student athlete scholarships—both excellent and very effective alumni engagement strategies.
Pledge Per Point: Introduce a "Pledge Per Point" initiative where alumni can pledge a certain amount of money for every point their team scores during a specific game - or the whole season! This creates a fun and engaging way to raise funds and ties contributions directly to game outcomes.
Matching Gifts: Enhancing your overall alumni engagement strategy by encouraging alumni to participate in matching gift challenges during games. Partner with key donors to match contributions made during the football season, doubling the impact of each gift.
5. Exclusive Alumni Perks
Offering exclusive perks during football season is a great way to reward your alumni and make them feel valued. These perks can help foster loyalty and ongoing support.
Action Items
VIP Game Day Experiences: Offer alumni the chance to purchase or win VIP game day experiences, such as sideline passes, access to the press box, or a meet-and-greet with the team. These exclusive opportunities can be tied to donation levels, encouraging more significant contributions.
Alumni Merchandise: Create limited-edition alumni merchandise, such as scarves, hats, or jerseys, that can only be purchased during football season. These items can be sold online or at alumni events, with proceeds going to support your institution—an excellent way to integrate fundraising into your alumni engagement strategy.
Discounted Tickets: Partner with the athletics department to offer discounted or priority game tickets for alumni. This not only drives attendance but also reinforces their connection to the school.
6. Host Networking Events
Football season is an excellent time to host networking events that bring together alumni, current students, and faculty. Networking should be one of the higher priority alumni engagement strategies employed, as it provides valuable opportunities for professional connections.
Action Items
Career Networking Mixers: Organize networking events for alumni before or after a game. These mixers can focus on specific industries or be open to all alumni, providing a platform for professional connections and mentorship opportunities.
Student-Alumni Meetups: Host meetups where current students can connect with alumni, particularly those who work in fields of interest. This is critical because it not only benefits students but also strengthens alumni ties to the institution.
Homecoming Receptions: Plan a special reception during homecoming weekend where alumni can reconnect with former classmates, professors, and school leaders. Incorporate elements of the football season, such as game highlights or a pep rally, to enhance the experience.
7. Leverage the Power of Homecoming
Homecoming is the pinnacle of football season and a time when many alumni return to campus. This event is ripe for alumni engagement opportunities that can foster long-lasting relationships.
Action Items
Class Reunions: Class reunions during homecoming weekend should be a focal point of a meaningful alumni engagement strategy. Offer special incentives for reunion classes to make collective donations, such as naming rights for a campus space or a scholarship fund in their honor.
Homecoming Parade: Invite alumni to participate in the homecoming parade, whether by marching with their class, riding on a float, or simply attending as honored guests. This involvement strengthens their bond with the school and with each other.
Alumni Awards: Also, use the homecoming celebration to honor distinguished alumni with awards or recognition ceremonies. This not only celebrates their achievements but also inspires other alumni to stay engaged and give back.
8. Follow Up with Personal Touches
The excitement of football season is a great way to re-engage alumni, but the key to long-term alumni engagement is maintaining that momentum with thoughtful follow-up.
Action Items
Personalized Thank Yous: Send personalized thank you notes or emails to alumni who attended events, donated, or participated in any of the football season activities. This small gesture is a vital part of your alumni engagement strategy and goes a long way in building goodwill.
Post-Season Recap: Create a postseason recap highlighting all the alumni activities, fundraising successes, and memorable moments from the football season. Share this through newsletters, social media, and your alumni website, keeping your alumni engagement front and center.
Ongoing Engagement: Keep the conversation going after the season ends by offering alumni opportunities to stay involved, whether through volunteering, attending future events, or joining alumni committees.
Score a 3-Point Conversion with an Alumni Engagement Platform
None of these alumni engagement strategies should be considered in a vacuum. They work most effectively in unison. Many of them, in fact, can be facilitated using an alumni engagement platform that is specifically designed with high school and higher education alumni relations teams in mind. From event management to fundraising to networking and beyond, an alumni engagement platform can be the key you’re looking for to communicate and engage with alumni, stoke the school pride flames, and continue the sense of belonging well beyond the campus borders and the “four short years.”
Conclusion
Football season is more than just a time for touchdowns and tailgates; it’s an invaluable opportunity to engage with alumni in meaningful ways that can lead to lasting relationships and increased support for your institution. By capitalizing on the excitement and school spirit that come with game days, Alumni Relations and Advancement Executives can create memorable experiences, drive fundraising efforts, and deepen alumni connections that will benefit their schools and institutions for years to come. Incorporating these into your overall alumni engagement strategy will ensure that your institution scores big this football season!
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