Career colleges that recognize the value of managing relationships from prospect to graduate and become early adopters of social media technologies, will position themselves to sustain a competitive advantage in the future.

1. Harnessing Alumni
Communities with
Social Media
By Robert Starks Jr., MaxKnowledge, Inc.
A lumni are the output of an insti-
tution; therefore, they are the ultimate
for career colleges because we see
how relationships are managed during
proof of success in an institution’s the buying cycle—moving prospective
ability to fulfill its mission. As such, students from awareness to enrollment.
alumni can be the greatest competitive How is your institution’s CRM strategy
advantage for an institution. Happy continued beyond the buying cycle?
alumni can become brand advocates. Does it end at enrollment?
We see career colleges embrace alumni Career colleges collect employment
partners as advocates when alumni data and conduct graduate satisfaction
are featured in commercials, show up surveys, but these activities are not
at Hill Day to lobby against Gainful
Employment legislation, and when they Career colleges that recognize
sign e-petitions in support of academic the value of managing relation-
choice. It is self-evident that alumni ships from prospect to gradu-
relationships are valuable and that ate and become early adopters
alumni, serving as brand advocates, of social media technologies,
create a competitive advantage for the will position themselves to
institution. Do career colleges, however, sustain a competitive advan-
fully understand the benefits of main- tage in the future.
taining alumni relationships?
Alumni are another label to categorize representative of an alumni CRM
a customer of the institution. The strategy. These surveys are simply
difference between alumni and students required activities for continued accredi-
is that alumni have completed their tation. The career college sector needs
training. Should the end of training, to see alumni as a critical part of its
however, be the end of the relationship? CRM strategy and focus on long-term
No. Career colleges need to view benefits of alumni partnerships. Perhaps
alumni as a representation of their institutions that realize the importance
brand as well as a customer. Customer of engaging their alumni just don’t know
Relationship Management (CRM) is where to begin. This is where social
what this is about. CRM is nothing new media can be a solution.

2. 22 Career Education Review • April 2012
Social media offers an amazing solu- stronger campus community, and uses
tion for several reasons. First, social a virtual social platform that students
media tools are designed to facilitate prefer. This type of network provides
collaboration and engagement. Thus, institutions with a true SCRM infra-
social media platforms are perfect for structure from which to continue
building and engaging alumni com- engaging students as they transition
munities. Second, social media is a to the alumni community. Alumni com-
preferred platform for millions to munities can be a source for new leads,
socialize as evidenced by the growth of graduate success stories, employer
social networks and the amount of time relationships, advisory board member-
they command in consumer consump- ship, guest speakers, mentorship
tion. According to comScore’s 2012 programs, and can even act as a talent
U.S. Digital Future in Focus report, pool from which to recruit faculty and
social networking accounted for 16.6 staff. These are just a few benefits.
percent of all online minutes at the end Career colleges that recognize the
of 2011 and was on track to become the value of managing relationships from
most engaging online activity in 2012. prospect to graduate and become early
Finally, social media is not only per- adopters of social media technologies,
vasive; it is also scalable. This makes will position themselves to sustain a
social media an efficient tool to be used competitive advantage in the future.
in a Social Customer Relationship The University of Phoenix recently
Management (SCRM) strategy for announced their own academic social
alumni regardless of an institution’s network, which already engages over
size or organizational framework.
150,000 constituents. It will be interesting
Leveraging social media to reconnect
to see how the career college sector will
with alumni is a smart beginning to
utilize social media in the future and if
adopting a SCRM strategy. Now, institu-
alumni communities will become a
tions need to consider how they can
manage the relationships with their growing part of organizational strategy.
students from prospect to alumni. For those wanting to learn more
Academic Social Networks can be a about social media or establishing an
solution to this challenge. alumni program, MaxKnowledge has
An Academic Social Network (ASN), two courses on these topics including
also referred to as an Academic Developing a Social Media Strategy
Engagement Network (AEN), is a private, for Career Services and Setting up
social network that transports the an Effective Alumni Association.
postsecondary education experience Both courses are listed at www.max
to the virtual space. The advantages knowledge.com.
of an ASN/AEN is that it centralizes
campus engagement, streamlines
campus communications, builds a