Why your alumni newsletter is the worst thing about your alumni strategy
When my wife receives her alumni newsletter (every sometimes) she immediately forwards it to me without even opening it.
That’s the extent of her alumni relationship.
To be honest, there’s nothing exceptionally bad about this newsletter. Its biggest sin is being painfully average, treating the content as if it isn’t published in a world full of legendary Substacks.
If your newsletter is akin to a PR news round-up, what value does it serve?
The model feels played out, especially with AI being able to churn out similar stuff with a single prompt.
The only reason I still regularly think of and contribute to my university (Falmouth) is because of the relationship I have with its alumni team.
That relationship did not start with a newsletter, publication or a call asking for money.
It started three years ago with a conversation on LinkedIn asking for my time.
Not in the generic sense of delivering a workshop and offering mentoring for students - but with stuff that’s playful, fun, and that directly impacts young talent.
Next week, I’m heading down to Falmouth University for its Dragon’s Den event.
I’m a Dragon.
I get to hear pitches from student entrepreneurs and invest in their businesses.
It’s not like Dragons are just providing mentoring and guidance either, the University puts up your £6000 investment. That’s a lot for a creative start-up and the difference between running out of runway and having assets to get your business off the ground.
This isn’t a special case.
I regularly see content from mid-weight Falmouth grads, not donors or the heads of large companies, but practitioners sharing how they are working with students.
Indeed, Falmouth’s tiny alumni function is delivering relationship-intensive engagement at scale.
Why?
Because it knows how valuable it is.
As AI continues to commoditise content - publications, newsletters, social media - relationship-focused activity is how universities will shine and differentiate.
Making your newsletter more personalised isn’t the answer.
Giving your alumni something to be part of and worth talking about is.
Do that and your alumni will do your engagement for you.
