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10 Best Practices For Non-Traditional Student Recruitment Brad Johnson Art Stenmo Eran Goren A Guide For Post-Secondary Schools Competing For Non-Traditional Students

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Current Landscape <ul><li>Rapid growth of non-traditional student programs the last 20 years. </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Online enrollments more than doubled from 1.4 million to over 4 million from 2002-2007 </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>10 million enrollments today </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Significant increase in the number of competing institutions. Public, for profit & not-for-profit. </li></ul><ul><li>Schools struggling to compete against multi-national corporate education programs. </li></ul>

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Key Differences Between Online & Traditional Students <ul><li>Limited Brand Loyalty, Often Having Only Passive Interest </li></ul><ul><li>Difficult To Reach </li></ul><ul><li>Generally Ambivalent </li></ul><ul><li>Heavily Targeted Over Brief Period of Time </li></ul><ul><li>Often Influenced By Contact Strategy Versus Institutional Reputation </li></ul><ul><li>Generally Requires Coaching & Motivation </li></ul><ul><li>Obstacles </li></ul>

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1) Strong Marketing Plan <ul><li>Interactive </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Media Planning & Buying </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Search Engine Optimization (SEO) </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Search Engine Marketing (SEM) </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Social Media </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Mobile Marketing </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Traditional </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Television & Radio, Print, Direct Mail </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Direct Recruitment </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Military & Corporate Sales </li></ul></ul>

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Planning <ul><li>Make sure the leads you will receive are consistent with your programs and admissions requirements. </li></ul><ul><li>Many prospective students will inquire with 2-3 schools. </li></ul><ul><li>Be prepared to speak to prospective students after-hours. </li></ul><ul><li>Have a CRM tracking system in place so you can effectively track each lead and the effectiveness of each source. </li></ul><ul><li>Be ready to “sell” your institution and differentiate your programs. </li></ul><ul><li>Many prospects will need to be contacted multiple times via phone and email. </li></ul>

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2) Response Plan <ul><li>Responding within 5 minutes of inquiry via phone and email increases enrollments by nearly 300%. </li></ul><ul><li>Guide the process </li></ul><ul><li>Follow-up when you say you will </li></ul><ul><li>Utilize email communications and other technologies </li></ul><ul><li>Improve job satisfaction and admission staff retention </li></ul>

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3) Pre-Application Sales Process <ul><ul><li>Qualify the prospect. </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Build a rapport with each prospective student. </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Understand The “Why” Factor </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Connect The “Why” With Your Institution </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Present your school & program. </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Motivate prospect to apply. </li></ul></ul>

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4) Post-Application Sales Process <ul><li>The sales process is not over just because a prospect has applied. </li></ul><ul><li>Streamline admission process. </li></ul><ul><li>Award financial aid quickly. </li></ul><ul><li>Drive admits to enrolled. Enrolled to start. </li></ul><ul><ul><li>A prospect is not a student until after the drop period! </li></ul></ul>

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Recruitment Steps <ul><li>Prospect Qualification & On-Going Development </li></ul><ul><li>Recruitment - Presentations that highlight the features, benefits & outcomes of the educational experience </li></ul><ul><li>Assist students with completing the online application </li></ul><ul><li>Financial Aid Advising – How To Apply </li></ul><ul><li>Conduct Application Follow-Ups </li></ul><ul><li>Call to Congratulate Students on Admission to the University </li></ul><ul><li>Advise students on course selection </li></ul><ul><li>Register students for first term courses </li></ul><ul><li>Other counseling and advising as needed (Books, Payment Plans) </li></ul><ul><li>Assist with orientation, ensuring readiness for class, and login </li></ul><ul><li>Reminder Call to students prior to the start of the term </li></ul><ul><li>No Show Call to students who have not logged in after the start of the term </li></ul><ul><li>Welcome Call to Enrolled Students (2 weeks after start of the term) </li></ul>

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5) Retention Steps <ul><li>Single Point-of-Contact For Student </li></ul><ul><li>Provide Academic Support & Encourages Persistence </li></ul><ul><li>Proactively Checks In With All Students & Monitors Progress </li></ul><ul><li>Assists with Term-To-Term Registration & Course Selection </li></ul><ul><li>Ensures That Students Register and are “Administratively Ready for Class” </li></ul><ul><ul><li>All Financial Aid Documents Submitted </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Degree Audit/Transfer Evaluations </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Books Ordered </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Payment Arrangements Made </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Student Logs-In To Class </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Seamless Integration With Institutional Academic Advisors, Faculty & FA </li></ul>

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6) Use Technology <ul><li>Increase efficiencies by over 45%. </li></ul><ul><li>Increase conversion rates by almost 60%. </li></ul><ul><li>Minimum technologies required: </li></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Lead/customer relationship management software. </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>ACD phone system with multi-line phones & headsets. </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Email marketing software. </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Tracking system. </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><li>To generate larger volume: </li></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Predictive dialing system. </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Advanced contact center phone system & reporting. </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Integrated ACD. </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Professional CRM/LMS with phone system integration. </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Automated tracking system. </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Sales management systems. </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Dedicated IT resources. </li></ul></ul></ul>

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7) The Right Resources <ul><li>The difference between weak and strong conversion. </li></ul><ul><li>Segregate lead qualification and admission counselors. </li></ul><ul><li>Qualifiers: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Aggressive. </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Sales-oriented. </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Motivating. </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Comfortable with prospecting over the phone. </li></ul></ul>

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7) The Right Resources (cont.) <ul><li>Admissions Counselors: </li></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Solid understanding of your school, admissions process, basic financial aid, student services, and admissions counseling. </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Ability to provide life coaching and encouragement . </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Assertiveness, confidence and sales ability. </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Impeccable follow-up skills. </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Strong ability to position your school and its benefits above other schools prospects may be considering. </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Excellent phone and written communication skills. </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Knowledge and understanding of the competition. </li></ul></ul></ul>

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8) Setting Goals & Metrics <ul><li>Set realistic and measurable objectives: </li></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Dials Per Day. </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Contacts Per Day. </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Sales Presentations Per Day. </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Applications . </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Admits. </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Enrollments. </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Drop Rate. </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Overall Conversion Rate. </li></ul></ul></ul>

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9) Know & Abide By The Law <ul><li>FERPA, ED’s Safe Harbor Regulations, etc. </li></ul><ul><li>State, & federal telemarketing regulations including do-not-call. </li></ul><ul><li>E-mail marketing regulations. </li></ul><ul><li>Single violations $ 11,000+ and other federal sanctions. </li></ul>

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10) Your Online Presence <ul><li>Non-traditional students use the internet to research schools. </li></ul><ul><li>A strong “marketing” site for your non-traditional programs: </li></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Detailed program information. </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Financial aid information & resources. </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Student testimonials (video preferred). </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Online application form. </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Career information. </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Features & benefits. </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>School credibility (accreditation, awards/rankings, high graduation rates, etc.). </li></ul></ul></ul>

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enCircle Media <ul><li>Leading education marketing agency. </li></ul><ul><li>Privately owned. G&H sister company. Irvine, CA & New York, NY </li></ul><ul><li>Manage all student recruitment marketing </li></ul><ul><li>Proprietary technology to validate, score and optimize online media buys. </li></ul>

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Greenwood & Hall <ul><li>End-to-end enrollment management solutions for undergraduate and graduate online programs. </li></ul><ul><li>Founded 1997. Privately owned. 250 employees. </li></ul><ul><li>Best of education & contact management expertise. </li></ul>

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School Case Study 1 <ul><li>Large private, non-profit school. </li></ul><ul><li>Revenue constraints. </li></ul><ul><li>Expand online graduate program. </li></ul><ul><li>Generated 700 new enrollments per term. </li></ul><ul><li>Exceeded enrollment goals by 32%. </li></ul><ul><li>Exceeded revenue goal for term by $1.1mm. </li></ul>

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School Case Study 2 <ul><li>Situation: Traditional school with an Online MBA program was generating about 50 new enrollments per term and was achieving reasonable metrics but wanted to grow enrollments significantly. </li></ul><ul><li>Action: The school outsourced the marketing and enrollment management functions utilizing many of tools we have discussed today. </li></ul><ul><li>Result: Over the past six (6) terms, over 980 new enrollments have been generated at conversion rates that have increased by 29%. In other words, the school has scaled up while decreasing its cost per enrollment. </li></ul>

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School Case Study 3 <ul><li>Undergraduate Online Program exceeded the enrollment goal for the Summer 2 term by 45%. </li></ul><ul><li>Undergraduate Online Enrollment increased 276% from the previous year. </li></ul><ul><li>Undergraduate new student drop rate reduced from 29% the previous year to under 7%. </li></ul><ul><li>Total Retention Rate for the Online Undergraduate Program from Summer 1 to Summer 2 term was 67%, over 50% improvement. </li></ul><ul><li>Online MBA Program exceeded the enrollment goal for the Summer II term by 47%. </li></ul>

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Q&A

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<ul><li>Thank You! </li></ul><ul><li>We Look Forward To The Opportunity To Be Of Service! </li></ul><ul><li>Greenwood & Hall </li></ul><ul><li>www.greenwoodhall.com </li></ul>