Challenges in Engaging the Millennials

Young Alumni Council Meeting Friday, Sept. 5, 2014

Presented by: Jill Smith

Who Are They?

O Millennials O Graduates from 2005 – present

(some studies refer to Millennials as born between 1980 – 2000)

O Also referred to as the echoes, the nexters, Gen Y, Generation WE, the Boomerang Generation and the Peter Pan Generation

O UK Millennial graduates = 44,532 (and rising!)

General Characteristics Of Millennials

O Expect instant gratificationO Sense of entitlementO Accepting of all races and ethnicitiesO Gravitate toward group activitiesO Technologically skilledO Short attention spansO Expect immediate feedback O May appear to be antisocial

Alumni Relations Trends & Challenges Pertaining to Millennials

O Unemployment/underemployment of graduates

O Mobile populationO Global thinkingO Reputation of school and equity of diploma

key motivators for connectivityO Electronic engagement in addition to

physical engagementO Desire to engage with those of shared

interestO Desire to know results of work if engaged

Alumni Relations Trends & Challenges Pertaining to Millennials

O Decline in alumni who want to attend eventsO Increase in social media connectionO Increase of new graduates with student loan debtO Decrease of those joining or giving it’s the right

thing to do”O Increase in consumer-driven alumni who expect

value-added benefits and accountabilityO Increase in negative perception of less value in a

college degree due to limited job opportunities

Challenges of Alumni Club/Event Engagement In Millennials

O Postal mail invitations and deliveryO Email address accuracyO Competition for timeO Mobile populationO Perception of decreasing loyalty to the

institution O Decline in some event attendance O Convincing Young Alumni to join, get

involved, stay involved

Challenges Of Communication To Millennials

O Maintain a balance of various desired communication channels. We must be everywhere!

O Text messaging is by far the preferred method of communication for Millennials. Phone calls are considered too invasive. Mail? Forget it. Their lives are centered around mobile devices.

Challenges Of Membership Marketing To Millennials O Messaging – These groups don’t

have the built-in loyalty and affinity of earlier generations.

O Establishing value of membership - Need instant gratification and to know “What’s in it for me?”

O Social media marketing – The association must meet these prospective members where they are.

Addressing The Challenges

O Different engagement approaches needed:O Text, cell phone contacts, meaningful

engagement, meet alumni where they areO Targeted generational marketing

O Different engagement approaches used:O Legacy, DanceBlue, Young Alumni – new

avenues to get alumni involvedO Utilizing various communication channels,

such as social media, to interact and engage these groups

O Generational messaging in recent membership solicitations

The Future O As student enrollment rises,

Millennials will become a bigger percentage of our total alumni base. Engaging this group based on number is crucial.

O We must keep up with technological advances and continue to seek input from alumni in these groups regarding communication, programming and membership marketing.

Young Alumni Council Feedback

O Personal experiences:O ClubsO Events O MembershipO Communications

O Thoughts regarding what the association is currently doing

O Suggestions for new things the association should be doing