In business, who you know can be just as important as what you know, especially when it comes to boosting your brand and accelerating growth.

You likely already know the value of tapping into your professional network, but you may be overlooking another excellent avenue for new opportunities: your alumni network.

Fellow grads from your college can be great resources for all sorts of business needs, from hiring qualified staff to identifying potential customers, and they may be more willing to help you thanks to your shared connection. Use this guide to discover how to get the most out of your alumni association membership.

Stay connected

Through their alumni organizations, colleges offer their grads access to thousands of people interested in linking with and supporting one another. For instance, Penn State’s association counts more than 775,000 members, making it one of the largest in the country. But you can’t take advantage of your alma mater’s network if you aren’t connected. What this entails can vary from college to college. Some associations may require registration and a membership fee, while others automatically add you once you graduate—or even after you attend a single semester of classes. (Remember, you don’t necessarily need to graduate from a college to be an alumnus of it.)

Upon joining or verifying your status, ensure that the association’s administrators have all your current information, such as your job title and profession, email address, and phone number. Also join related social media groups on platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn, and read and contribute to your alumni magazine, perhaps by writing a column or sending updates for the class notes section. These actions can open the door to potentially lucrative networking opportunities.

Find your niche

Alumni organizations often cultivate specialized groups based on factors like location, profession, and industry. These subsections can lead to particularly valuable connections since their members’ needs and interests may align even more closely with yours. To find and join such groups, visit your organization’s website, where they may be listed, or reach out to its administrators. Additionally, you could search for them on Facebook and other social media platforms, where you may come across unofficial groups you can participate in to meet fellow grads, such as ones for fitness enthusiasts, gardeners, and parents.

Attend events

Events held for alumni, including reunions, local chapter meetings, dinners, and career fairs, can be networking gold mines. At these get-togethers, you can converse with a wide array of entrepreneurs and business owners already inclined to trust, like, and be open to working with you because of your shared connection. Pick a few functions to attend this year, then prepare a short but compelling elevator pitch to use at them when mingling with other grads. Just make sure to ask for their contact information so you can follow up afterward with a quick text or email to continue building your new relationships.

Reach out directly

If you have a specific person you’d like to contact, a need or goal you could use some help with, or simply a desire to actively grow your professional network, you don’t have to wait for an excuse or an event. Alumni networks often have directories with members’ contact information, giving you a way to reach out to individuals personally. You could also peruse the discussions or lists of members on your association’s social media pages to find and chat with people, either by replying to their posts or messaging them. Or go to your alma mater’s LinkedIn page and click its Alumni button to get lists of fellow grads; the site will even sort the results for you, including by year graduated, geographical location, and profession.

Volunteer

Offering your services to your alumni network can produce many meaningful ties. For instance, you could put yourself at the heart of the action by working at an associated event, making it easy to converse with numerous attendees over the course of it. Mentoring current students or fellow alums would also allow you to both support your alma mater and recruit future hires. For greater exposure, consider earmarking a portion of your marketing and advertising budget for sponsoring an alumni event, which could bring in more clients, recognition, and visibility for your brand.

It’s never too late to connect with fellow alumni—stepping back into the past can support your business for years to come.

TAKE ACTION:
Plan to attend an upcoming alumni event to make the most of your college ties.