People ask, "If we have 7 billion people on this planet, why can't we find a few more students?" 1 Michael Hayes [email protected] Source: NASA
People ask, "If we have 7 billion people on this planet, why can't we
find a few more students?"
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Michael [email protected]: NASA
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Example: Chicago
• While typical recruiters followed the same old path, after meeting all prescribed criteria, we researched other data to identify emerging opportunities.
• This suburb in the Chicago area, with a surge of young people, went from having one high school to four in one decade.
• Our competitors had no presence here. It was new and therefore unnoticed. City Data
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Chess Shot
Many observers expect all that is necessary is for enrollment leaders is to sit down, and figure out a stategy that works, as if there is no competion.
Michael [email protected]
The truth is that there are many, many competitors owning the same technology, using the same software, and distributing through the same social media sites with the same capabilities to do outreach and recruit. Michael Hayes
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Capturing attention is not as easy as it is for well known, competing brands with high market saturation and a limited number of competitors.
Michael [email protected]
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It's more like this! You are one of hundreds vying for the attention of a declining audience.
Michael [email protected]
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So, what's the problem?
Michael [email protected]
Imagine a group of people at a small, rural college sitting around discussing
the challenges of increasing enrollment. Chances are they would say things like
the following:
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The steady increase of graduates that created expectations of consistently higher numbers is over.
Michael [email protected]
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It has gotten much harder for families to pay for a private college education.
Michael [email protected]
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The discount rate has continued to rise, reducing the impact and benefit of enrolling more students.
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0
12500
25000
37500
50000
$30,000 > $30,001 > $48,001 > $75,001 > $110,001 >
College A College B University A College C University B
This means there is very stiff competition, and colleges are competing too frequently on price.
Michael [email protected]
"If we try to play like the Yankees in here, we lose to the Yankees out there."
Think Differently.
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Salary vs. Wins !Major League Baseball
Enro
llmen
t
Marketing BudgetSource Unknown
Winning at enrollment for a little college is a little like the Oakland A's winning baseball games.
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The international surge has been great, but can we count on it to continue? Do you always know where it will come from next? Where it will rise? Where it will fall?
A little wisdom from Kevin Costner
So then, how will we create those wins? How will we create opportunities? How are we going to improve our "batting average"?
Getting flares, gorps, groundballs with eyes and dying quails.
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Reach Physical Outreach Campus Activity
Advertising/ Promotion Public Relations
Reputation Ratings
Graduate Outcomes Opinions (published by
students and alums)
Relationships Prospects & Parents
Influencers Strategic Partners
Relevance Career Interests
Lifestyle Fit Financial Situation
It begins here. !No matter the latest technology, or whatever the newest "thing" is, to generate sustainable increases in enrollment, we must always cultivate these four fundamental elements. They are not "old school" or "new school." They are timeless. Every action requires that we identify how to use each of the four elements in the mix. think of them of as colors on an artist's palette or ingredients in chef's kitchen.
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Reach
Reputation
Relationships
RelevanceValue (vs. Cost)
Access
Competitive Position
Trust
Capture Attention
Sustain Attention
Michael [email protected]
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Doing what has always worked in past doesn't necessarily work in the future. Just doing something that sounds good without understanding the enviroment leads to more problems. Along with tactics, you must have strategy.
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Roger Martin Former Dean of Rotman School of Business Top 10 Business Thinker in World Leading Proponent of Integrative/ Design Thinking
• What is our winning aspiration? • Where will we play? • How will we win? • What capabilities must be in place? • What management systems are required?
There is no better place than to start with the advice of the very best of all strategic thinkers.
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!
What did we aspire
to?
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Why
What
How
• Why do we exist? Our core beliefs. • How does we achieve our beliefs and goals. • What do we do? Watch Simon Sinek's "Start with Why" (Top 10 TED Talk)
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Where did we play?
Cultural Collective Beliefs,
Values and Practices
Psychographic Values
Personality Types Soft Data
Geographic Local, Regional,
State, National, Intl "Long Tail"
Demographic GPA, SAT, AP, IB
Transfer, Seniors, Etc. Hard Data
Economic Median Income
Trends in the economy Financial Aid Support
Identify common conditions and variables among your successfully recruited students, or for those you want to recruit. Research and identify where those conditions intersect in abundance. Focus your marketing and recruitment there.
Michael [email protected]
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!
How will we 'CONVERT' prospects into
students?
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Campus Open Houses & Workshops
Influencer Events Faculty/ Staff Involvement
Outreach Schools & Organizations
Industry Events Interest Groups
Network Feeders
Influencers Strategic Partners
Visibility !
Inbound Marketing Content/ Permission
Mobile & Social Website as Hub
By Interest/ Tagging
Research Where, How, Capabilities
CRM & Analytics External Data & Trends
Winning Formulas
Engagement Excite, Engage, Educate, Validate and Enroll
Segmentation College Wide Involvement
Training Academics Financial
Technology Sales
Michael [email protected]
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!
What Capabilities
must be in place? Market
At the intersections of "Where" will we
play
Message Communicate these:
Reputation, Relevance Why, How, What
Psychographic, Cultural
Means Of Delivery
Website YouTube, Social, Etc.
Mail or Email Events
Method Of Production
Photo, Video, Audio Viewbook, Brochure
3D or Exhibit Class, Presentation
Michael [email protected]
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STAGE vs
CONVERTProspect Inquiry Applicant Accept Deposit
Excite Engage Educate Validate Enroll
CampusOpen House School Visit HS Workshops
Campus Visit Visit + Class Accept Day Pre-Register Summer Gather
Outreach Class Present Portfolio Days Starbucks Gangs Off Site Accepts
Network Campus Visit Teacher Visits
Chairperson Call Priority Review Effectiveness
VisibilityPoster OH Postcard Tumblr-YouTube
Facebook Group
EngageEmail Blasts College Fairs Portfolio Days
Viewbook Telecounselors Int'l Chats
Confirm Call Pvt FB Groups
ResearchGen Z Psycho School Network
Geo OriginsMotivators Majors Incompletes
Yield by Major Decision Makers Aid Effectiveness
Capabilities Face to Face Calls/ Virtual Contact Print Digital Letters/ Email/ Texts
You can't always know where or how your prospects will enter the funnel, or what their preferred means of getting information are. So, cover all your bases. Create a web where they can follow their impulses. Wherever they go, there you are.
Michael [email protected]
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Campus Outreach Network Visibility Engage
August Post Event Schedule Open House Calls
September School Visits Open House Calls Send Posters DC PDay Calls
October Open House Portfolio Days Teacher Workshops International Chat - Inq
November Portfolio Development Fairs International Chat - INQ
December Christmas Cards
January Deadline Reminders Deadline Reminders
February Grad Open House Spring Open House Accept Day Invites
March Accepted Day
April Open House International Chat - ACC
May
June
Capabilities Face to Face Calls/ Virtual Contact Print Digital Letters/ Email/ Texts
Plot it all out on a calendar (by day), to create a flow of all actions leading to one another, utilizing all communication methods at your disposal. Also, integrate multiple channels, so they support one another.
Michael [email protected]
If you have more questions, or you are hiring, please contact:!Michael [email protected]