May 9, 2013

13 Ways to Get Students on YOUR Campus This Summer

May. 9, 2013 at 08:00 AM | By Marlysa Connolly | Comment Count

Although the semester is coming to a close, for admissions teams everywhere the frenzy of campus visits is about to begin. In just a few short weeks, troves of high school students, parents, and virtually every make and model of minivan will be on the road searching for the perfect college or university. But, making sure these globetrotters with a cause stop at your campus isn’t always easy.

Using your institution's education CRM to identify student interests and pain points is a chance for your admissions team to highlight value and establish your brand. When doing so, make sure your messaging and tour call-to-actions, whether print or digital, are tailored to students individually. For instance, if a student has shown interest in your chemistry program from a recent mail-out, don’t insist they schedule a visit with your resident poet laureate. They either won’t care or feel like your school no longer meets their search criteria.

These suggestions may seem obvious and likely require time you don’t have, but believe me, they go a long way in making a student feel valued and a part of your campus community. Before sending campus visit invitations to prospects, weave personalization into copy by not only matching interests with your school’s offerings but by also providing resources students and families can use during there visit.

Academic area/program of study.
Extracurriculars. DO they plan to play varsity or intramural sports? DO they volunteer or hope to join a student interest group on campus?
Are they interested in fraternities or sorority life?
Local hotels, transportation, restaurants, shopping and points of interests to check out during their visit.
Don't forget to provide links to schedule overnight visits, meet admissions staff and faculty, or attend other admissions events.

Still need more ideas on how to tailor messaging to prospective students?

We did a little digging and came up with 13 Ways to Get Students on Your Campus During Summer Break:

Hobsons Helful Hints: SMS Marketing
4 Don'ts of All #EdTech Implementations
From Dud to Superstar using Google AdWords
Tailoring Campus Visits Using Digital Technology
Making a Proactive Shift in Recruitment Management
25 Reasons Why Colleges and Universities Should Blog Smartly
7 Ways to Use Digital Tools for Student Outreach
The Power of the Blog: Formatting and Optimization
How Higher Ed Can Use Social Media to Attract the Right Students
Hobsons Helpful Hints: SMS Marketing
How-to: 5 Tips to a Successful Google Search Campaign
Students are consumers, so make their college search a tremendous shopping experience
Creating a Social Media S.T.R.A.T.E.G.Y. that Even Baby Boomers Can Understand

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