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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.