The fall season is key when trying to reach alumni. Between the upcoming holidays and your organization’s homecoming activities, many alumni are back in town to visit friends and family.

A simple of an idea as inviting past graduates to your homecoming game, parade, pep rally, etc. or to your Thanksgiving weekend football game can help reinvigorate relations between you and your alumni.

Set up an alumni tent at your event and serve coffee and cake (or other light refreshments) and give alumni a place to mingle and hang out with others. Go even further and take a moment at half-time to congratulate all alumni in attendance and ask them to stand for a round of applause. These are small steps your alumni are sure to appreciate and can be the beginning blocks to starting a new alumni relations program.

Ask alumni to sign-in via a clipboard so you can note the names and class years of those attending your welcome event. This will help in comparing attendance at future events. Spend a moment thanking them and telling them about what’s happening in your organization and how well things are going. Finally, don’t forget to publicize your alumni web site so alumni can keep up-to-date with events, news and each other.