Yield Events Do’s & Don’ts: Lessons Learned from the enrollmentFUEL Yield Roundtable

Yield Events Do’s & Don’ts: Lessons Learned from the enrollmentFUEL Yield Roundtable

Enrollment management departments have wrapped up another yield season. Hopefully, for you and your team, it has been fruitful—that things went right, and you discovered new ways to connect with admitted students. As you kick off the new academic year, however, it’s not too early to start thinking about next spring when yield will once again be at the forefront of our minds. Early planning can yield early results (pun only slightly intended).

Lucky for you, we are here to share some Yield lessons, specifically about yield events, from EM leaders who gathered at our REV Roundtable event earlier this spring. The discussion, which also featured topics such as deposit incentives, timing of deposits, and admitted student communication, was attended by a broad spectrum of enrollmentFUEL partner institutions. 

A big focus in all of the breakout rooms was the efficiency and efficacy of yield events or, as many of us lovingly refer to them, Admitted Student Days (ASD). When asked in a poll, 95% of Roundtable participants said they have held or would be holding on-campus ASD events this year, and only 5% responded that they do not have any yield events planned. That being said, everyone around the Zoom table expressed concerns or doubts about whether the way they have always conducted these events is the best way.  

Ideas about improving on-campus admitted student events were buzzing on the Zoom screen, and since we are all about sharing, we wanted to pass along some of them so you, too, could make your next Yield Season pop.

DON’T USE A GENERIC, NONDESCRIPT NAME FOR THE EVENT—DO MAKE IT DIFFERENT; GIVE IT A MEMORABLE NAME!

Most events will, in fact, be called Admitted Student Days, but what if they are something different? Give your event an exciting name that tells students and their families what they should expect. Make it specific to your campus by using your mascot or another recognizable feature in the name. Below are a few examples:

• A Lion For a Day: An event that takes admitted students behind the scenes of what it’s like to be a student on your campus. 
• One-on-One with the Dolphins: An individualized experience that gives admitted students the chance to meet in person with financial aid, athletics, their future academic department or advisor, etc.
• Meet Your Quad Squad Day: Introduce admitted students to all the hangout spots around campus where they can engage with each other, potentially finding their future roommates.

Whatever name or theme you choose, make it memorable and make it yours! 

DON’T AIM FOR A LARGE CROWD—DO MAKE IT SMALLER

As EM professionals, we tend to measure success in volume. Yet, when it comes to events for admitted students, maybe there is a way to flip the script and rethink the ASD experience to make it as small and personal as possible. Instead of one four-hour block of time with a large group, have 1-1 events for admitted students over the period of a week. Engage them individually, roll out the red carpet (literal red carpet wins a bonus gold star!), or create the event around their personal interests. You will never hear students or their families complain that something was too personalized, so go all out! 

DON’T HOST THE TYPICAL ACADEMIC SESSION—DO RETHINK HOW OUTSIDE DEPARTMENTS CAN BE INVOLVED

Setting up rows of tables and having faculty staff them during an hour-long academic session at the gym is all right, but how about showcasing what your academic departments can do in a different way? Do an on-screen newscast for your Comms department, a speed-dating session for your Psychology department, an escape room organized by your Theatre department with all of their props, lift some fingerprints off of desks with your Chemistry department, or have an egg drop challenge with the Physics faculty. Imagining their academic experience as exciting and out-of-the-box will create lasting memories and attachments for the students and their families. 

DON’T FORGET TO ASK FOR COMMITMENT—DO MAKE THE ASK CONSISTENTLY AND PERSISTENTLY

Outside of size, the number of commitments collected is the other measure of a successful ASD event. So, plan for how you will make that ask, make it as easy as possible for the families to pay the deposit while at the event, and create a celebratory moment for all whenever a student says “Yes” to the College! Set up a photo booth station with a backdrop and the mascot standing by, call out the names of committed students during various events (with their permission, of course), hand out gift bags to deposited students AND have some ready to hand out to ones who make the decision during the event—all are great ways to provide fun incentives. Additionally, communicate the urgency behind deciding soon in various ways to all audiences: to students, to families, to students and families together. Make the ask and give them the chance to respond. 

DON’T LIMIT YOUR COMMUNICATIONS WITH ADMITTED STUDENTS—DO TREAT THEM LIKE INQUIRIES AGAIN

Yes, they have been through the entire funnel. They have filled out the application, received the acceptance letter, and reviewed their financial aid award letter. They have done all the transactional tasks that apply. Now, it’s time to bring them back to transformational messaging once again. Remind them why they looked at your campus in the first place. Show them how they will be welcomed and embraced by the campus community. Introduce them to who they will be working with/studying with/living with so they can see it in their mind. When you have them as a captive audience on campus, don’t just focus on their next steps; make the main message their next four years. 

Whatever direction you choose to take your next admitted student event or yield event, now is the time to rethink how to make it more COMPELLING. Our industry often becomes complacent, and it is hard to change or think outside the box. Yet, change and think outside the box we must! Students and families have been progressively becoming savvier consumers, and they expect more than a tour of campus and a session in an overcrowded auditorium before cafeteria lunch, especially if they are to do the same all over again next week at another college. While resources and budgets can be tight, and large portions of funds, time, and effort are often dedicated to the top stages of the funnel with Search, generating applications, and completing applications, yield should not be an afterthought. Planning ahead for your yield events and setting things in motion now for next spring can give you the advantage you need to convert your admitted pool into the class you would like to see on your campus next fall. 

Ring Ring! Automate Standardized Communications to Save Time & Money

Ring Ring! Automate Standardized Communications to Save Time & Money

Many colleges and universities face continuing staffing shortages and are finding themselves neck-deep in the struggle to maintain necessary but time-consuming standardized recruitment communications. When you’re in dire need of a few extra sets of hands, not all processes and operations can afford to come to a screeching halt. This is why automation has arguably become more necessary now than ever.

The first question that may come to mind is, “What areas can be automated?” For higher education institutions that understand the finite nature of their team’s available time, the first solution to consider is telecounseling. 

Let’s talk about some of the ways implementing a telecounseling service could take a huge weight off your staff’s shoulders and leave them more time to make valuable connections.

NO TIME? NO PROBLEM.

Automated processes can free up much-needed bandwidth for your staff to not only connect meaningfully with prospective students but also to think strategically about how best to recruit those students who are most likely to enroll and succeed at your institution. 

Every hour counts when you’re responsible for encouraging prospects to apply and shepherding applicants through the admissions process so they deposit and enroll. When an institution is tight on help, they may feel they have to choose which area of their operations is neglected. 

Telecounseling is not just a solution for lightening the load, but also for aiding in reducing the margin of error for missed opportunities and improving timeliness of responses.

When your staff is working hard and has a lot on their plates, mistakes will occur in their communications from time to time. Automating your telecounseling services means your dedicated call center team is wholly devoted to making sure the right calls and texts go to the right people at the right time. 

This leaves room for the one thing that automation can’t replace: fostering personal relationships with prospective students! Telecounseling helps keep the busywork to a minimum and gives your staff more face time!

ENOUGH TO GO AROUND

You may find strain on staff in various departments of your school, but telecounseling services are often versatile enough to provide relief to more than just your admissions and enrollment management teams. Improving operations is always an excellent goal, so why not start with a win-win?

Telecounseling is a great tool to expedite those necessary transactional processes, such as financial aid for pre-awarding scholarships, sharing standard information, answering frequently asked questions, and even connecting with students regarding missing information you still need from them. 

The more tasks you and your team can identify as “repeating yourself,” the more those time-consuming tasks can be pared down. Using automation leaves the rest to professionals, equipped with your approved scripted messaging, who dedicate their time and experience to you and your institution’s goals.

BOLSTER YOUR ADVERTISING & MARKETING

While it’s still best to save the customized and personal communications for conversations in person or over the phone, telecounseling is a terrific solution for general updates and simple broadcasting.

Automated calling and texting are perfect for spreading the word about a new program, event, or offering; sending reminders to campus residents without the message getting buried in their inbox; and notifying internal and external audiences about important content that deserves just a little extra personalization and attention. Telecounseling is ideal for various forms of calls-to-action, like a text message with a link to a quick survey, event registration, and deadline reminders.

If your institution is finding itself in the throes of the Great Resignation staffing struggle, remember: not every process has to face the deliberation of which engines get to keep running full throttle. Telecounseling is an excellent way to give more time back to your valued staff so they can do what they do best: make meaningful connections!

Reach out to us if you’re ready to put automation to work for you. enrollmentFUEL’s very own Telecounseling solution may be just the right approach for you! Our enrollment experts develop scripts, provide training, and monitor quality so your team will have more time and energy to keep recruiting!

Extend Your Recruitment Reach

Extend Your Recruitment Reach

Whether you are at a campus that feels like a ghost town in the summer or at one with a thriving summer enrollment, summer is always a great time to extend the reach of the enrollment department by partnering with your colleagues across campus.

TIPS TO BOOST SUMMER RECRUITMENT EFFORTS

Faculty

Before they leave campus in May, spend time talking with your faculty to see where they may be traveling in the summer or which virtual events they will be attending. Make sure those faculty have the resources they need (brochures, web links, PowerPoint presentations, etc.) and that you have developed a game plan with them about how they can assist with the recruitment process.

In the performing arts and science areas, you may have faculty judging competitions and/or attending camps or offsite auditions. Coordinate your efforts, so you are working as a team to get the information needed to successfully recruit students.

While international travel may be limited, faculty may spend their summer where they grew up or researching in another town that could open up opportunities to interact with college-bound students.

Coaches

Like faculty, coaches are active in their field in the summer, attending tournaments or hosting summer camps. Make sure when they are traveling to tournaments, they collect information on students and passing it to your office and taking brochures that may interest the parents in the stands.

If your coaches are hosting summer camps, ask if you can send an admission counselor to talk to the campers at least once each week. No need to talk for an hour or even 30 minutes. A five to 15-minute talk and a brochure in their camp bags are sure to drive some interest.

Events

Consider adding short opportunities to visit campus in the summer. Some campuses are lovely in the evening. Think about adding an evening tour option where families can tour and meet with an admission counselor once a month. For many campuses, this provides a cooler part of the day for tours in the summer and also an opportunity for families from out of town or those whose parents can’t get off work during the day.

Another event idea is to host a monthly summer tour in the afternoon along with an information session where students make various stops to take photos. Use a hashtag for the event to spread your reach on social media. Hand out sunglasses, fanny packs, and cool treats.

Camps & Conferences

Outside of athletic camps, your campus might host other camps and conferences. These may include church groups, Boys or Girls State, or STEM camps. Talk with the camps and conferences in your area to ensure you are in the loop with all external events coming to campus to determine if there are opportunities for soft recruiting.

Digital

Finally, consider how digital marketing can play a part in your summer recruitment. Use channels like TikTok and Instagram to showcase “day-in-the-life” videos of students, activities they participate in during the summer, or special events you host. Students are actively using social media as search engines, so having an active presence over the summer is crucial!

If you have the budget, pushing ads may also help in building your funnel and creating brand awareness about your school.

Regardless of your strategy, don’t miss these opportunities to grow your reach over the summer.

The World of Email is Changing: What You Need to Know & Why

The World of Email is Changing: What You Need to Know & Why

To rephrase Mark Twain, the reports of email’s death have been greatly exaggerated—for now. It remains one of the most widely used marketing communication tools, especially when we talk about list marketing, which, in higher education, includes both the search strategy many of us employ to build up the top of the enrollment funnel, and any communication flows going to inquiries, applicants, or accepted students. 

In a year when the FAFSA filing deadline has been postponed and many colleges and universities are ramping up their student and parent communication to ensure everyone has the information they need, it is crucial to be aware of any changes happening in the world of email. 

In late 2023, Gmail released a number of product changes, which included account management. At the beginning of this year, email providers Gmail and Yahoo—with more expected to follow suit—announced the enforcement of spam and deliverability regulations that are likely to affect email marketing for years to come. As a teaching-learning organization, we wanted to bring you a summary of the above changes and the impact we anticipate them to have on higher education email communications.  

CHANGES & SUGGESTED ACTIONS

First and foremost, here is a summary of the upcoming changes and the ones that have already happened, along with some suggested actions you can take in response to them:

Gmail Changes on Account Deactivation

December 1, 2023, Gmail began deactivating any account that has been inactive for 2+ years. This move could affect a list-based email campaign’s ability to reach its audience if a certain number of the emails included in it have been deactivated. Emailing deactivated accounts will result in a higher percentage of bounce-backs, which, in return, could erode the email domain reputation, preventing emails from reaching active accounts.

Your Takeaway

Your marketing and communications team, as well as CRM managers, should closely monitor bounce back activity for your internal campaigns. We recommend that you promptly remove any bounce back emails from all flows to prevent future communications from going out to them. If you do not, there is a very real possibility that your main .edu domain and any subdomains’ reputations will be affected negatively, resulting in any emails coming out from them going straight to spam. 

Gmail & Yahoo! Changes for Bulk Senders (February 1, 2024)

BULK-MAIL SENDERS

Gmail and Yahoo! have defined bulk-mail sender as “anyone sending the same content to more than one recipient.” Gmail is additionally specifying that they are defining bulk-mail sender as someone sending 5,000 or more emails a day, while Yahoo! will not quantify “bulk-mail sender.” Regardless, even someone sending 4,998 emails on Gmail should still closely monitor the email performance and comply with the rest of the changes below. 

SPF, DKIM, AND DMARC REQUIRED

If the abbreviations look scary, don’t worry, we will explain. These Domain Name System (DNS) records are responsible for ensuring communications coming in and out of your domain are validated and secure. SPF confirms that the sender is verified and trusted through the sending domain; DKIM guarantees the sender is who they are and the contents of the message; and DMARC gives senders the option to define how the sending domain treats any discrepancy between “from” address and “sender” address—it can either delete unaligned emails, quarantine them until further action is taken, or allow them to leave but provide reporting on where the problem occurred. While the existence of all three of these DNS records has previously been required by email providers, this requirement will be strictly enforced beginning February 1, 2024. 

YOUR TAKEAWAY

You and your team will need to coordinate with your IT department to ensure that you have SPF and DKIM records in place for all marketing platform(s)/CRM that you use to send emails from your main domain and any subdomains. Additionally, you need to have a DMARC record in place to protect your domain. If you do not already have a DMARC record in place, you will need to create a valid DMARC with the help of your IT department. Once created, you can set the policy to “reporting only” (p=none) to get things started but keep in mind that this does not protect your domain. Gmail and Yahoo recommend that you move your DMARC record to enforcement (p=quarantine and ultimately p=reject) within 30 days. You don’t really need to know what it all means, but we are giving you all this information so you can grab this paragraph and copy/paste it into an email to your IT department and all current partners for confirmation or instruction. 

ONE-CLICK LIST-UNSUBSCRIBE HEADER—RFC: 8058

Beginning in February, Gmail and Yahoo! will require any bulk-mail sender to include a list-unsubscribe header (formal document title of RFC8058) in their email campaigns. This feature is completely separate from your normal unsubscribe process and does not pertain to it at all. While unsubscribing from an email list typically involves several steps like clicking on the Unsubscribe link, being redirected to a new page, and confirming desired recipient options, the one-click unsubscribe headers simplify the process a great deal. Having the list-unsubscribe header enabled will allow users to more quickly and efficiently opt-out from any campaigns from the top of their email, ideally using this option instead of marking the email as spam, which will hurt the deliverability more.

YOUR TAKEAWAY

You or your marketing/IT team will need to confirm with your marketing platform(s)/CRM that the list-unsubscribe header is enabled. You might be able to see the unsubscribe option on emails when viewed in Gmail or Yahoo, although that is not always the case. Both providers have a complex algorithm, which takes into account user engagement, sender reputation, and the email content that determines when the option is displayed. In other words, while the option is available and enabled, it might not be visible to recipients. The important thing is that it is enabled to meet the new requirement. 

Additionally, you should confirm that you are suppressing anyone who uses the feature to unsubscribe within two days. This is a crucial step—leaving opted-out records in your communications will not only hurt your domain reputation at that point, but it could also endanger the entire email campaign, resulting in students who wish to see the emails not actually receiving them. 

Example of what the list-unsubscribe header looks like in Gmail:

SPAM RATE LIMIT

Arguably the biggest change, beginning in February 2024 Gmail and Yahoo! announced that they will now enforce a spam rate limit of 0.3%. That’s three emails reported as spam per 1,000 sent. Gmail and Yahoo! define a “good sender” as having less than 0.1% spam rate, which is less than one in 1,000 recipients marking the email as spam. They will issue warnings and begin monitoring the communication if it hits a 0.1% spam rate, but take action if the sender consistently stays at a 0.3% spam rate. At that point, Gmail and Yahoo! will stop delivering the mail, and you might see a drop in domain reputation as well. If the spam rate is left unmonitored, this change will likely result in more of your email campaigns being marked as spam, disrupting their deliverability to user’s inboxes. 

YOUR TAKEAWAY

This cannot be understated, you will need to closely monitor your communication flows to ensure that reported spam rates do not exceed 0.3%. Anything at 0.1% or above should be reworked, and any opt-outs or contact records who have marked the email as spam should be removed from all communications moving forward. As you finalize your email content, make sure to run the copy, subject line, and preview text included, through spam checks and modify as needed until the spam check is telling you the content passes with flying colors. In other words, take no chances.

While the above are changes that will affect marketing efforts in all industries, we are thinking ahead specifically about the impact they will have on higher education and enrollment management in particular. As always, enrollmentFUEL will continue to provide information to you as it becomes available. Our internal data shows that about half of the emails we process for partner campaigns are Gmail accounts, and another quarter are school emails that are often on a Gmail-based platform. Gmail has become a leader in the space, and any changes it introduces are soon after adopted by other email clients, as evidenced by Yahoo!’s participation. Since the changes above are coming on the heels of Apple Mail’s shift in policy in regards to email opens from November of 2022, we anticipate the introduction of more email regulations in the near future as well. 

WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT ALL

Changes on this massive scale to one of the most important communications tools at our disposal can be pretty overwhelming. Hopefully, the somewhat intimidating list above has you rallied up and ready to make some positive change. So, we leave you with some final words of wisdom on that front. 

Consider Conducting a Thorough Communication Flow & Email Deliverability Audit

You should go over your communication flow on an annual basis, but we recognize how challenging that could be for a team where many members wear many hats. This is why starting with an outside audit that can pinpoint areas for immediate improvement is a good way to gain valuable insight on how to take action until you have the chance to put routine audits in place. 

Partner Up

Find a knowledgeable partner who understands the changes and can advise you and your teams through rebuilding your communication flow accordingly. 

Pay Attention to Copy

Continue placing significant emphasis on copywriting in order to provide not only content that is unique to your institution, but also running all copy through best-in-industry spam testing services and focusing on the three elements where we can make the most difference to open rates: sender, subject line, and preview text. 

Use Other Channels

Expand on digital and print channels, favoring them over email campaign elements for any list-based campaigns. Additionally, exploring stealth visitor tracking campaigns that target students who have already shown interest by visiting your website should be on your radar. Employ an omnichannel approach and stray away from over-dependence on email to ensure that your message reaches its intended audiences. 

CONCLUSION

Whatever action steps you choose to take, it is imperative for higher education institutions to adapt and stay ahead of the curve as the landscape of email marketing continues to undergo significant shifts. The impact of the above changes on communication flows, spam regulations, and sender reputation necessitates a proactive approach. Making sure you have taken steps to monitor bounce back activities, implement the necessary DNS records, and embrace the list-unsubscribe header are vital steps to safeguard your email campaigns. Additionally, the enforcement of a spam rate limit strengthens the need for meticulous scrutiny and adjustments to maintain a positive domain reputation. 

In the face of these challenges, don’t forget to conduct regular audits, seek expert guidance on further changes and actions, and diversify communication channels as well. Focus on key strategies for success, such as emphasizing unique content, rigorous spam testing, and exploring alternative channels. Taking proactive actions will ensure that your institution’s message not only reaches its intended audiences but resonates with them as well in the ever-evolving email landscape.

5 Reasons All Colleges Should be Active on TikTok

5 Reasons All Colleges Should be Active on TikTok

You may know TikTok as the all-in-one platform where users can find videos related to anything and everything. With over one billion monthly active users, TikTok was the most downloaded app of 2022¹. At enrollmentFUEL, we think TikTok shows promise in helping schools improve yield. Building community is critical to improving yield and we are excited about how TikTok makes students feel like they are a part of your campus community before and after visiting your campus.

Here are five reasons ALL colleges should be using TikTok to enhance their enrollment efforts:

1: ORGANIC POSTS PERFORM EXTREMELY WELL—NO MARKETING DOLLARS NEEDED!

On this platform, organic content is the way to go. Most TikTok users quickly identify and scroll past paid advertising posts, yielding little to no results for the companies pouring money into these ads. 

The secret is that TikTok offers a unique opportunity for organic posts: you can easily go viral and reach a substantial audience without needing to spend a dollar. 

With the right content, hashtags, and strategy and regardless of follower count or previous successful posts, anyone can go viral. 

2: GEN Z HAS THE BIGGEST PRESENCE ON TIKTOK

Gen Z is responsible for 60% of TikTok’s users, and 947,778 users 18+ join the app daily—the exact age demographic that universities target for enrollment! 

Unlike Meta Business, which has prohibited targeting of users under 18 years old (AKA incoming college freshmen!), TikTok is one of the best platforms for targeting this audience. 

TikTok has trends (videos that are followed by the majority of users and gain traction VERY quickly) that immediately resonate with Gen Z and are instantly recognizable to them, making this platform, out of all platforms, the one that is definitely speaking this generation’s language.

3: TIKTOK IS THE PLACE TO REACH A HUGE AUDIENCE

TikTok’s main feed is called the For You Page (FYP), a personalized feed with curated content for each user. This page recommends content based on what users interact with. The FYP is the app’s home screen and the first thing people see when they log in, so successfully getting your videos on this page provides a unique opportunity for schools to reach millions of users (primarily Gen Z) quickly. 

On any other platform, reaching millions of users is only possible if you’re willing to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars. 

4: STATISTICS INDICATE TIKTOK PROVIDES A SENSE OF COMMUNITY FOR YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE

What is something that all incoming college freshmen consistently seek? To feel like they’re a part of a community, club, or group. 

Well, guess what? 70% of TikTok users say that they feel like they’re part of a community and 7 out of 10 users feel TikTok communities can affect real change in culture. 

Not only that, but the average scroll time per user is 19.6 hours per month. This means you have 19.6 hours of opportunities to show your university off to prospective students. 

5: YOU HAVE MORE CREATIVE FREEDOM TO SHOW WHAT YOUR INSTITUTION IS ALL ABOUT

TikTok is the perfect platform for really showing users what your university is all about—the ideal place to showcase your core values, financial aid opportunities, general college tips, and more! 

While other platforms (like Instagram and Facebook) encourage a mixture of casual and serious content, TikTok is praised for its fun, catchy, and, most important, authentic videos. There are thousands of unique ways to illustrate your college’s message and brand on this app without the pressure of trying to make everything fit into a specific standard. 

These five reasons only scratch the surface of what TikTok is capable of doing for your college or university. It is a fast-growing app that every single university, regardless of what their goal is, should use to expand their reach and brand awareness.

5 Reports You Should Have in Your Slate Instance

5 Reports You Should Have in Your Slate Instance

Enrollment Management leaders need data to share with campus partners, set goals, and motivate staff. Determining which reports your campus should consider can be overwhelming. We’ve created a list of reports that can and should be built in Slate to help your campus thrive.

1: FUNNEL & CLASS PROFILE REPORT

Build this report on the person base to show current prospects, inquiries, applicants, admits, and deposits. This report gives you a quick snapshot of your current numbers to see how your class is coming together. 

This report should also include data on specific populations you are trying to recruit. If you have goals related to student athletes, diversifying your applicant pool, or increasing your academic profile, include sections showing how those areas perform for the current class. The vice president and admission director can use this report. There may be times when you share the funnel and class profile report with others on campus, but create it with enrollment management leaders in mind.

2: COMPARATIVE REPORT

A three-year comparative report can help campus leaders compare the current status with the last two recruitment cycles. Build this report on the application base to show applicants, admits, and net deposits. 

With a bit of simple math, you can add a formula to display the percent gain/loss compared to the last two years. You will likely share this report with campus partners like the cabinet and sometimes Board members, so I recommend breaking it down by first-year and transfer students and academic areas.

3: COUNSELOR INTERACTION

At most institutions, admission counselors’ primary objective is building relationships with their prospective student pool. No matter how your admission counselors log their interactions in Slate, you can create a report to display counts by week or month. This report can help you set goals and gauge your team’s progress.

4: TERRITORY REPORTS

Use a territory report to help staff members identify trends in their individual territories. Territory reports can include the top ten high schools, majors, hometowns, academic profiles, and other data that will help your team. 

One report can work for all recruiters when you filter on the current user = staff assigned. Like the class profile report, a territory report can display demographic information related to enrollment goals.

5: EVENT REPORTS

Event reports will help you measure the success of your events by displaying the number of visitors by month, comparative number by type of visit, and yield rate on visits. 

Remember, there are two ways to look at campus visits. You can show the number of prospective attendees or the total number of campus visitors. What’s the difference? When you show the number of prospective attendees, each student is counted only once, even if they have visited multiple times. Each visit will count if you show the total number of campus visitors. Both types of reports are useful, so you may want to consider multiple event reports.

This is just a brief list of reports that can help your enrollment management team. If you would like a hand building any of these reports, please contact us!

Maximizing Admissions Yield: Strategies for Boosting College Enrollment

Maximizing Admissions Yield: Strategies for Boosting College Enrollment

Discover effective strategies to boost college enrollment and maximize admissions yield.

UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF ADMISSIONS YIELD

Admissions yield refers to the percentage of admitted students who choose to enroll in a particular college or university. It is a crucial metric for institutions as it directly impacts their overall enrollment numbers and financial stability. Understanding the importance of admissions yield is essential for colleges to develop effective strategies to boost enrollment.

A high admissions yield indicates that the college is successful in attracting and convincing admitted students to choose their institution over others. On the other hand, a low admissions yield can be a cause for concern as it may indicate that the college is failing to meet the expectations or preferences of admitted students.

By understanding the importance of admissions yield, colleges can focus on implementing strategies to improve their yield rates and ensure a strong and vibrant student community.

ENHANCING MARKETING & BRANDING EFFORTS

One of the key strategies to boost admissions yield is by enhancing marketing and branding efforts. Effective marketing and branding can help create awareness and generate interest among prospective students, increasing the likelihood of them choosing the college.

Colleges can invest in targeted advertising campaigns that highlight the unique aspects and strengths of their institution. This can include showcasing successful alumni, state-of-the-art facilities, innovative academic programs, and vibrant campus life. By effectively communicating the value proposition of the college, prospective students are more likely to be attracted and consider enrolling.

Additionally, colleges can also leverage digital platforms and social media to reach a wider audience and engage with prospective students. Creating compelling content, such as videos, blog posts, and testimonials, can help showcase the college’s culture and community, further enhancing its appeal.

By continuously enhancing marketing and branding efforts, colleges can increase their visibility and attract more prospective students, ultimately boosting admissions yield.

OPTIMIZING THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS

The admissions process plays a significant role in influencing a student’s decision to enroll in a college. By optimizing the admissions process, colleges can streamline the experience for prospective students, making it easier and more efficient for them to complete their applications and accept offers of admission.

One way to optimize the admissions process is by simplifying the application requirements and providing clear instructions. This can reduce confusion and ensure that prospective students have a smooth application experience. Colleges can also consider implementing an online application portal that allows applicants to track their progress and submit required documents electronically.

Another aspect of optimizing the admissions process is providing timely and personalized communication to admitted students. This includes sending regular updates, reminders, and important deadlines. By keeping admitted students informed and engaged, colleges can increase the likelihood of them accepting their offers of admission.

By continuously evaluating and improving the admissions process, colleges can create a positive and efficient experience for prospective students, ultimately boosting admissions yield.

IMPLEMENTING TARGETED RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES

Targeted recruitment strategies involve identifying and reaching out to specific groups of prospective students who are more likely to enroll in the college. This can include targeting students from certain geographic regions, underrepresented minority groups, or specific academic programs.

Colleges can collaborate with high schools, community organizations, and college access programs to establish relationships and actively recruit students from these target groups. This can involve hosting information sessions, participating in college fairs, and providing personalized guidance and support throughout the application process.

Additionally, colleges can also consider offering targeted scholarships or financial aid packages to attract students who may have financial constraints. By addressing specific barriers to enrollment, colleges can increase the likelihood of students choosing their institution.

By implementing targeted recruitment strategies, colleges can effectively reach and engage with prospective students who are more likely to enroll, ultimately boosting admissions yield.

BUILDING STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH ADMITTED STUDENTS

Building strong relationships with admitted students is crucial to increasing admissions yield. By fostering a sense of belonging and connection, colleges can make admitted students feel valued and supported, increasing their likelihood of enrolling.

Colleges can organize admitted student events, such as campus tours, overnight stays, and orientation programs. These events provide an opportunity for admitted students to experience campus life firsthand, interact with current students, and envision themselves as part of the college community.

Additionally, colleges can assign dedicated admissions counselors or student ambassadors to admitted students. These individuals can provide personalized guidance, answer questions, and address concerns, helping admitted students navigate the transition to college.

Regular communication through personalized emails, phone calls, and social media can also help colleges maintain contact with admitted students and keep them engaged throughout the enrollment process. By building strong relationships, colleges can create a supportive environment that encourages admitted students to choose their institution.

By implementing strategies to build strong relationships with admitted students, colleges can increase admissions yield and cultivate a thriving and engaged student community.

Admissions & Financial Aid Collaboration for Yield Season

Admissions & Financial Aid Collaboration for Yield Season

While most training is done in the fall, it is never too late for a quick refresher on important information.

• Meet with the admission and financial aid staff to make sure they all understand any changes to the financial aid award letters. Show examples and encourage questions so everyone can learn from their peers.
• Admission staff are often trained on value and marketing messages. Be sure your financial aid officers are also able to speak to those points when counseling students.
• Have you spoken to the Business Office, coaches, and other campus stakeholders about changes to awarding and financial aid packaging documents? Make sure you are all on the same page when students call with questions. Don’t forget your IT department if emails are also being assigned at the time of acceptance or deposit.

PACKAGING SEASON

Hold a weekly progress meeting, because having a designated time to talk encourages collaboration to meet your goals. This may also be a good time to talk via phone with your leveraging consultant (if you have one) and discuss any reports they are providing.

Topics for the meeting should include:

• Who has submitted a FAFSA but not yet replied?
• Who has applied, but not filed a FAFSA?
• Where are you running ahead or behind compared to your model?
• What steps should be taken by team members to adjust to the results you are seeing?
• What are you hearing about competitors’ awards?
• Are there strategic goals you should be tracking closely and reporting to your President and Board?

Is the staff at your school calling students to discuss their financial aid award letter and ranking students based on their reaction to their award letters?

Discuss the feedback you are getting from students and families, and then review your communications. Are you addressing concerns heard by your team as the awards go out? Should you send text or voice reminders for families to complete documents or let them know the letter is on the way or in their inbox?

If Admissions and Financial Aid are not using the same CRM, are both teams able to see notes made by the other on a prospective student and conversations that have occurred?

REVIEWING RESULTS

At the end of the cycle, it’s wise to review the process. Take a day to sit down once the class is in and analyze what worked and what didn’t. By reviewing your financial aid strategy, you can adjust and be ready to meet the next enrollment goal.

The New Year is the Middle of the Cycle

The New Year is the Middle of the Cycle

The holidays can arguably be considered one of the best times of year! But they also represent a point that is the middle-of-the-road in admissions.

END OF THE YEAR, YET, MIDDLE OF THE ROAD

The days leading up to the break are usually jam-packed and chaotic. There are application reviews, senior-level meetings, in-house processing mishaps and the day-to-day office grind. Although there was plenty to do, some of the staff probably shifted into break mode before it even began.

Vacation flew by, and now you’re back in the office. If your team seems a little sluggish, here are two ideas to shake-off post-holiday slow-downs.

CONDUCT A MID-YEAR RETREAT

If you aren’t already doing this, press pause on the frantic pace and conduct a mid-year retreat. Take a day (or a half-day) to create a snapshot of the recruitment season. No, this isn’t another “to-do” mark on your checklist. It’s really a group project. Each counselor would be responsible for providing a brief review of his/her territory. This gives each teammate a sense of ownership. It’s also a great way for first-year counselors to hear from others, share ways to improve travel, and, more importantly, begin the process of learning how to decipher data. Those extended morning chats can now become data driven!

Use this time to have an open discussion. You can address hard conversations head-on. What has worked? What needs revision? What needs reconsideration? These concerns often relate to office programming and structure. It will allow you to facilitate dialogue, encourage solutions and stop the complaining. Teams are enhanced when people are heard while feeling empowered to provide suggestions. The responsibility falls on everyone.

This event also serves as an opportunity to recognize staff members’ accomplishments (such as presentations selected for conferences, graduations, engagements, marriages, etc.).

SET GOALS

This event also serves as an opportunity to recognize staff members’ accomplishments (such as presentations selected for conferences, graduations, engagements, marriages, etc.).

• Write three goals for the first month upon returning.
• Write two goals for the semester.
• Write one goal for the calendar year.

The goals are usually programmatically or territory-related. The “goal of the year” can be a personal one, such as getting into grad school, presenting at a conference, or successfully leading a campus program for the first time. This big goal often focuses on professional development.

As the year progresses, bring up the 3-2-1 Punch! during staff meetings to keep people focused on progress and celebrate wins. Recruiting life influences our inner-competitor, and people like winning. When they’re winning because they’re challenging themselves and the team is rooting them on, it creates a situation where everyone benefits.

The holiday break gave you time to recap, rethink and recharge. Now, 2018 is here, and you’re ready to go. Here’s to a great year ahead, and success in achieving your goals.

Top 5 Action Items for Successful Cycle Planning

Top 5 Action Items for Successful Cycle Planning

Enrollment planning is a little like automobile maintenance. Sometimes all you need to do is tune up the process. Sometimes things are broken, and you need an overhaul and new parts.

The trick is being able to distinguish when to do what, so you get the results you want.

Here are my top 5 actions items for effective planning for a successful cycle.

1: WHAT WORKED & DIDN’T WORK LAST YEAR?

Analysis sheds light on problems and opportunities. Seek insight from both qualitative and quantitative data to answer take a deep dive into who your recruits were and how they acted.

• Where did your enrolled students come from?
• Did they act as you expected and had planned for?
• Were there any market shifts?
• Were there any notable changes in the incoming student profile – academic quality, diversity, financial need, legacy, denominational ties, co-curricular and academic interests?

During this stage, you are opening a Pandora’s box. Let your experience guide you on the most important problems to solve, because you can’t always fix everything.

2: EXPERIENCE ENGINEERING

Visits take more time, require a greater investment, and involve more people than anything else in the recruitment process. There is also a huge pay-off for campus visits, so paying close attention to this is one of the most important things that admissions leaders can do.

A few years ago, I realized that the campus visit experience didn’t start when the visitors arrived in the guest parking spot. It started when the prospect (or the prospect’s mom) began setting up the visit – the call to the admissions office, the web form to set up the details of the visit or an email exchange with my admissions staff.

Investigate to eliminate friction. Was the process to schedule easy or awkward? Was it intuitive and fast? Was my team responsive? Did we ask the right questions? Were we welcoming? Was the visit memorable? Did we follow through with our brand promise? Did we allow changes to be made? Could the visitors tell the difference between my college and others being considered? And finally, is the campus tour telling our story or giving lots of factoids? There’s a huge difference!

3: HOW IS YOUR CRM PERFORMING?

The days are gone that having a CRM is optional. Your CRM is an essential communication tool. When this tool does not perform, you could be operating with a competitive disadvantage.

• A CRM performance assessment helps you understand if it is working for you – or if you are working for it!
• Is the CRM being used by your recruiting partners across campus?
• Does it play nice with your SIS (data migration)?
• Is it helping you communicate effectively with my prospects?
• Does it track your students so you can identify the deeply interested prospects from the “just looking”?
• Can you get accurate information when you need it?
• Do you have access to the right data dashboards?
• Is the data easy to interpret?

The answer to the last question is critical to success. There is nothing worse than having an abundance of data that no one can understand. Information is only useful if people know what it means.

4: COMMUNICATION PLANNING—ARE YOU SAYING THE RIGHT THINGS TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE AT THE RIGHT TIMES?

An effective communication plan begins early in the life of the prospect and builds over the course of time. Every recruitment cycle, it pays to review letters, emails, texts, postcards and brochures. Pay close attention at message progression, message intentionality, and institutional brand voice.

Parents are important, so have a solid communication plan for them, as well as students. You will need to inform, woo, celebrate and convince them that your institution has value for their students. Along with often paying the bills, parents can also be gatekeepers and agenda-setters in the college search process.

5: IS EVERYONE ON BOARD?

There is nothing more exciting – and effective –when recruiting a class as when the entire institution communicates the same brand message to prospects. Whether it’s a tour guide, a professor, a coach or an admissions counselor, when everyone says the same thing, students and parents are more likely to hear, understand and retain messages about your institution’s value.

I call it “ringing the bell.” When an institution knows who they are, what makes them different from others, and can communicate that clearly, there is purity of sound in communications. It is essential enrollment leaders do whatever they can to bring that harmony to the messages throughout the recruitment cycle. Often, this means training your colleagues in other departments on new programs, athletic teams, facilities, delivery models, outcomes and so forth, because it is a vital step in ensuring authenticity and transparency – two attributes sought by today’s students and their families.

LAST THOUGHTS

Two decades of enrollment management experience has taught me that planning is not a perfect science, but there is tremendous value in taking a structured approach to the planning process. Before you start another cycle, there is value in understanding what worked and where there are opportunities for improvement.