2009 Integrating Digital Tactics For Ning

Integrating Innovative Tactics withTraditional Yield Strategies

January 22, 2009

Eric Sickler Sabra FialaPrincipal Consultant Strategic Marketing Consultant

[email protected] [email protected]

Online Seminar Series

2.

3.

www.djerassi.org

4.

5 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

1. Angst

2. Research says…

3. Get creative already!

4. Innovative digital tactics5.

What yield isn’t

…the last chunk of the recruitment process

…a springtime initiative

…the responsibility of any single office or department

…the best measure of the quality of your financial aid strategy

…the definitive measure of any single variable, initiative, or department

6.

What yield is

• Largely a measure of the strength of your institutional brand

– Long before search begins

– Long, long, long before senior spring

• A function of relationship

– Hard data points open the door

– Softer human points define the relationship

– Tipping points (emotional) close the deal

• Bell curve

– 20% first choice; just don’t mess up

– 60% deciding (target)

– 20% you’re the back-up or safety school

7.

8 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

• Admit-to-enroll• Brand + Relationship • 2006 46% (NCES IPEDS)

• 2002 52% public• 2002 49% private

9 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

• $2,895 private (NACAC 2007) • $1,002 public• Brand + Relationship• 299 apps private (NACAC 2007)

• 756 apps public

10 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

• Yield management• Enriched prospect pool• 81% (Chronicle of Higher Ed Almanac)

• Sound yield strategy• 43% “stealth” (Princeton Review)

11 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

Yield-related findings from 2008 TeensTALK®

Most Helpful Information Sources

2008 StamatsTeensTALK®

12.

Determining “Fit”Key Emotional Indicators

2008 StamatsTeensTALK®

13.

Success After CollegeMost Important Predictors

2008 StamatsTeensTALK®

14.

• Sending letters through the mail• Sending publications through the mail• Sending a personal e-mail, written specifically for you• Sending mass, non-personalized emails• Contact through Facebook or MySpace• Contact via instant messaging• Text messages to cell phone• Phone calls• Phone calls to parent(s)• Personal home visits

Methods Tested

2008 StamatsTeensTALK®

15.

Funnel Stages Examined

16.

• Surprisingly, social networks, instant messaging, and text messaging don’t make the list

• This is cause for pause for schools who are fixated on transforming recruitment programming by making social media primary tools

Admitted StudentAcceptable Forms of Communication

2008 StamatsTeensTALK®

17.

Admitted StudentPreferred Forms of Communication

2008 StamatsTeensTALK®

18.

Admitted StudentSatisfaction With Communication

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Too much Too little Just the right amount

2%

17%

81%

During this stage, would you say colleges have communicated with you:

2008 StamatsTeensTALK®

19.

Better ways to communicate during the admitted student stage: (n=85)

– More contact, contact on a regular basis (9%)

– Contact me via mail (8%)

– Provide status updates (8%)

– More specific information, more details (7%)

– Contact me via e-mail (7%)

– Good customer service, be responsive (7%)

Admitted StudentImproving Communication

2008 StamatsTeensTALK®

20.

21 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.21.

22 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

QuickPoll & Questions

• Which of the following statements best describes your experience this year relative to last year?

1. Traditional undergrad applications and confirmations/deposits are generally even with last year; we anticipate yield will be very similar as well

2. Traditional undergrad applications and confirmations/deposits are up; we anticipate yield will be up as well

3. Traditional undergrad applications are up, but confirmations/deposits are down; however, we sense that students are waiting longer to make decisions and we’re hopeful

4. Traditional undergrad applications are up, but deposits are down; we don’t expect many more confirmations/deposits during the summer; yield will likely be down

5. Traditional undergrad applications are down, confirmations/deposits are down, and we’re still working like mad to generate more of both; send help

6. Our situation does not neatly fit into any of these scenarios; better luck next time

22.

23 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

Reasonable expectations

• Appreciate the difference between selectivity and yield

– Institutional action (admit or deny) determines selectivity

– Student choice (enroll or not) determines yield

– However, this does not mean yield is beyond influence

• Understand how your prospects balance prestige vs. practical considerations

• Track yield rates of your true competitor set (rather than an aspirant set)

– IPEDS http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/

– U.S. News & World Report premium Web edition

– Barron’s Guide, Peterson’s Guide, The College Handbook

• To develop benchmarks, think regionally rather than nationally

– Few schools can legitimately call themselves “national”

23.

Standard operating [yield] procedures

• Phone calls and phonathons

– Enrolled students-to-admitted students

– Local alumni-to-admitted students (by majors, geography)

• Regional alumni- or staff-hosted receptions for admitted students

• Summer send-off programs

• Highly personalized itineraries for spring campus visitors

– Faculty, coach, and director appointments

– Information sessions or, better yet, mini-classes

– Overnighters are invariably tipping points

• Faculty (program-specific) communication

24.

25 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

Standard operating [yield] procedures

• Continuous updates to admission staff, student staff, tour guides about issues and items of interest to admitted students

• Student life (orientation/transition) mailing sequence

• Yield-oriented videos and DVDs

• Publications specifically addressing mid-spring to fall timetables and tasks

– Print-on-demand to address intended major and co-curriculars

• Outcomes-focused publications

• Admission staff contacts (phone, e-mail) for selected populations

– Scholars

– Fence-sitters

– Prospects for under-enrolled programs

25.

26 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

Standard operating [yield] procedures

• Online chat events (one for all, all for one)

• Strategic (targeted) financial aid leveraging

• Mentoring/matching programs

• Middle and high-school relations

• Others?

26.

27 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

Innovative, audacious,

maybe outrageous

27.

28 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

What’s in your digital meal?

PRECISION

COLLABORATION

EFFICIENCY

28.

29 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

Successful integration begins with…

• Not replacing but integrating

• Selecting tactics that make sense for your institution

• Identifying internal champions

• Creating a sustaining plan

• Benchmarking current efforts

• Identifying a “Plan B”

29.

Taking inventory

30 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

E-MESSAGES

PICTURES

BLOGS

NETWORKS

FLASH & VIDEO

30.

Your Competitors Are Doing It

• A 2008 study by the UMass–Dartmouth Center for Marketing Research shows:– 26% Of colleges and universities are using search engines

to research potential students – 21% Are on social networks Facebook and MySpace– 61% Are using minimum of one form of social media– 33% Participate in Admissions blogging*– 55% Are very familiar with social networking

*Blog usage rate is 14% higher than Fortune 500.

• >700 institutional Facebook “pages” have been launched since December 2007

31 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.31.

An interesting note…

32 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

http://www.umassd.edu/cmr/studiesresearch/blogstudy5.cfm

32.

33 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

Innovative…

33.

34 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

INN

OV

AT

IVE

34.

http://www.ess.calpoly.edu/_admiss/congratsEDmov.html

35 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

INN

OV

AT

IVE

35.

http://www.ess.calpoly.edu/_admiss/Presidentmov.html

36 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

INN

OV

AT

IVE

36.

http://www.ess.calpoly.edu/_admiss/winterorientationmov.html

37 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

INN

OV

AT

IVE

37.

http://www.ess.calpoly.edu/_admiss/May1approaches.html

38 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.38.

http://www.ess.calpoly.edu/_admiss/vippagemov.html

39 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.39.

40 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.40.

http://www.ess.calpoly.edu/_admiss/viewbook/

A Space that Enables Participatory Culture

• Active versus passive users• A vehicle for self-expression that engages other people• A medium where content creates community

• A place where content belongs to everyone

• An open platform versus closed portal

41 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

INN

OV

AT

IVE

41.

42 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

Social Networking – 5 Basic Steps

• Start with Strategy – Social networks can strengthen a yield campaign even if they play only a secondary role. Your strategy is built on several factors:– Analyzing participation– Developing a listening strategy

– Establishing measureable criteria

INN

OV

AT

IVE

RELATIONSHIP

RESPONSIBILITY

REPEATABILITY

AUTHENTICITY

42.

43 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

Social Networking – 5 Basic Steps

• Create a Powerful Network Built on User-Generated Content – No matter what the form, the key to understanding social media is to remember that content is the key to all transactions in this world.

INN

OV

AT

IVE

43.

44 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

Social Networking – 5 Basic Steps

• Give the Network Content a Foundational Identity – Simply allowing user-generated content is not enough to turn a network into a source of power. Defining what the content will be and what form it will take is the crucial next step. Your goal is to develop networks people want to join.

INN

OV

AT

IVE

44.

Social Networking – 5 Basic Steps

• Multiply the Network’s Power – The bulk of social media tools and technology-RSS, blogs, podcasts, video-not only facilitate conversation, their predominance has created the expectation that you will engage members on a much deeper level.

45 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.45.

46 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

Social Networking – 5 Basic Steps

• Measure the Network’s Power – Your number one concern will be to find out how long it will take community members to have a positive impact on your marketing goals.

INN

OV

AT

IVE

46.

47 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

So how does this help your yield?

• Provides credibility• Distribution of talk value• Provides a meeting ground• Supports traditional marketing efforts

• Lets prospective students know you’re in the game

47.

48 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

There are few risks…

• The famous class of 2013 incident…

48.

49 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

What the “Class of 2013” taught us

• Monitor the Facebook groups associated with your institution

• Take control over your “official” groups• Promote the group among prospective students• Inform your counselors of potential inaccuracies

• Inform your counselors of the benefits• Reassure your audience that the group is developed to

provide a safe place to interact

To read more about this:http://squaredpeg.com/index.php/2008/12/18/facebook-pay-attention/

49.

50 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

http://stamats.ning.com

50.

51 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

I will work from a clearly defined strategy.

I will focus on people first and then technology.

I will improve my content.

I will focus on simplicity.

I will provide an experience.

51.

52 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

http://www.ning.com

52.

53 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

INN

OV

AT

IVE

Rachel Reuben is the Director of Web Communication & Strategic Projects in the Office of Public Affairs at the State University of New York at New Paltz, where she has worked in various Web, public relations, and marketing capacities since 1998. She is a member of the .eduGuru blogging team at http://doteduguru.com, and is a regular speaker at conferences.

53.

Café New Paltz

54 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

INN

OV

AT

IVE

• Developed to support a primary strategy: to increase the academic quality of the 2009 student body

• On January 2nd invited approximately 1,400 early action accepted students to the community

• By March 1st all general accepted students will receive an invitation• An established plan to keep content fresh

• Planned tactics will end with actionable requests to engage

Stay Informed on the Progress of Café New Paltz

http://doteduguru.com/id1717-online-community-fall09-accepted-students.html

54.

INN

OV

AT

IVE

http://admittedlydutch.com/

55.

Twitter

56 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

INN

OV

AT

IVE

56.

57 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

Twitter – How it’s changing…

According to Matt Herzberger,

Web Designer for Texas A&M University College of Engineering…

Twitter is not just about posts.

Twitter can be used as a customer service tool

with an established listening campaign.

INN

OV

AT

IVE

57.

58 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

Listening CampaignIN

NO

VA

TIV

E Google ReaderTechnorati

Google BlogsearchSummize

Link CheckerCrazy Egg

58.

59 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

Audacious…

59.

60 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

Going Mobile….

–

AU

DA

CIO

US

60.

61 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

Going Mobile….

EmailClasses

AssignmentsContacts

News

AU

DA

CIO

US

61.

62 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

http://www.hothand.com

AU

DA

CIO

US

62.

63 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

OU

TR

AG

EO

US

63.

64 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

Outrageous…

64.

65 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

Virtual Yield Events

OU

TR

AG

EO

US

Exhibit HallVideo Presentations

Student ChatResource Center

Show GuideStudent Lounge

65.

66 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

Let’s take this one step further…

OU

TR

AG

EO

US

Admissions LobbyFinancial Aid

AthleticsClubs

Counselor ChatsClassroom Visits

AcademicsRoommate Postings

“Family” Room(YOUR SCHOOL) ACCEPTED STUDENT

VIRTUAL EVENT

66.

67 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

Don’t hold us to it, but we predict…

1. As multiple applications multiply, yield will continue to drop nationally

2. As more schools employ predictive modeling and aid leveraging, all schools must increasingly recruit students they know have a better chance of enrolling

3. The more a school deviates from enrolling its "best fit" students, the greater the retention risk for those students

• Ultimately, yield doesn’t matter if retention is broken

4. Schools that over-promise and under-deliver will not be tolerated by increasingly "sophisticated" (impatient) consumers. 40+% of 2008 NSSE participants started college elsewhere

5. Schools that are reluctant to clarify and trumpet their brands, invest in relationship-building, segment, target and support probably won’t thrive

67.

68 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.68.

69 - © 2005 Stamats, Inc.

ObservationsRecommendationsQuestions

69.

Thank you!

Eric Sickler Sabra FialaPrincipal Consultant Strategic Marketing Consultant

[email protected] [email protected]

Online Seminar Series

70.