Did you know that there are more than 3,600 colleges and universities and more than 35,100 high schools in the United States? That means that every year, academic institutions are competing for admissions at high volumes. universities and colleges often do so by promoting themselves as how they compare to other schools, instead of focusing on what really sets them apart. The problem is, with everyone utilizing this same strategy, those prospective students don’t really know who to believe, and as a result, sometimes overlook the marketing strategy altogether.
Having said this, many high schools Focusing on promoting “more” ends up failing schools instead of helping them, because instead of focusing on differentiating yourself as an academic institution, you are simply providing your prospective audience with information that they don’t need. As discussed in last week’s blog entry, “Frequency and Personalization When Marketing To Prospective Students,” when marketing to prospective students, it’s important to remember to see them as an individual instead of just another number. Marketing to your prospective students with personalization not only makes them feel like you are speaking directly to them, but helps to achieve better admissions results as well. Robert Sevier of University Business Magazine states Rather than “more,” consider an understanding of strategy that focuses on the idea of “different.” In this view, the purpose of strategy is to differentiate yourself from your competitors in ways that target audiences will value.” In order to differentiate yourselves, utilize what you already know about personalized marketing techniques, and capitalize on the use of personalized URLs (PURLs) to directly target your prospective students. Keep in mind that prospective students only want material and information that applies to them, so the use of PURLs and direct personalization is essential and will be sure to provide you a standout return in measurable results. Setting yourself up to be the key provider of this information will get you farther with your prospective students. In addition, follow these summarized tips provided by Sevier to guarantee that your school stands out amongst its competitors: When your competitors zig, you must zag. Offer something your competitor does not and be great at what it is that you provide in regards to academia. Differentiate yourself with the notion of value. Make your differentiation applicable to your prospects. If it’s not, they won’t notice your efforts, and you will surely be overlooked. Know your competitors. Knowing what you’re up against can only work in your favor. Be armed with a wealth of information so that you can be sure to provide your prospective students with as much differentiation as you can when competing for admissions. Follow these suggested tips on how in combination with the utilization of personalized marketing techniques and you will be sure to provide your prospects with a clear sense of how your school supersedes its competitors.
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Recently, I was talking to a friend of mine who has decided to go back to school to be able to further his career. He told me about how difficult it was to find a school in the area where he lives (in a small town north of Cincinnati) that was able to fit classes around his work schedule and still offer the courses. He needs to find tutors to teach him how to write an essay in the time frame he prefers. This got me to thinking, is he alone when it comes to the pains of being a non-traditional student, or is this a problem for many others too?
Meeting the demands of non-traditional students is becoming a bigger trend now more than ever. According to Daniel Fusch of Director of Publications and Research at Academic Impressions.com, “three-fourths of today’s college students are nontraditional, 49 percent are enrolled part-time, 38 percent work full-time and 27 percent have dependents of their own at home.” This is an extremely large percentage and is continuing to grow. What this also means is that the demand for higher education is becoming much more prevalent, and as a result, marketing techniques are changing to target this specific demographic. Fusch goes on to explain, “For many traditional students, the campus experience and the process of gaining education is an event, a rite of passage. For adult learners, it is more likely a step into getting something else—a better degree, a better job.” Many adult learners are looking to better themselves in order to obtain something to help provide for themselves and their family, and marketing needs to convey exactly that. When marketing to non-traditional students, I’ve found through conversations with peers and a bit of my own research, that it is important to focus on a few key factors : Flexibility: Being able to offer required classes at a time that works with your non-traditional students is a definite selling-point. When marketing, make sure that the ability to work with their schedules and busy lives is a priority. Not only will this attract them to want to learn more about your university, but it will convey to them that you take into consideration their ultimate goals and obstacles, and will help to build a strong relationship that will only help your reputation as a university. Acceleration: For adult learners, as Fusch previously mentioned, the desire to obtain higher education is to achieve something greater so that they may be capable of obtaining a better job or just further their degree for their own personal fulfillment. Marketing to non-traditional prospects by focusing on the speed in which you can obtain your degree is a major draw for these prospects, as many of them want to be sure that they can complete their programs in as short amount of time as possible. Capitalize on what you have to offer: Whether it be financial aid, transfer credit evaluation, online programs, help from an advisor, or amenities such as child care, capitalizing on the extras that your university has to offer adult students is the one of the best ways to market your university and provide them with the tools that they need to succeed. Focus on these suggested factors when marketing to your non-traditional prospects and you will be sure to receive a high return in fulfilling both your admissions goals, and the success of your students. It is commonly known that in order to remember something, we must see it repeated multiple times before we are able to commit it to memory.
That same ideal goes for anything- whether it be memorizing math facts, learning a new language, or being able to recall a catchy marketing jingle. Therefore, you can only imagine that as students are being flooded with mailers, emails, phone calls and information packets on a daily basis throughout their already busy school year that it would take a lot more than just one attempt to really resonate with your prospective student audience. 19th Century author Thomas Smith wrote a guide titled “Successful Advertising” where he said that it takes 20 concrete touches to capture the attention of your audience. While 20 may seem like a large number, the reality is that in order to stay fresh in the minds of your prospective students, you must make it clearly known to them that you want them to be a part of your school and that you have a multitude of things to offer them. In order to ensure you are marketing to your prospective students effectively, communicate with them from multiple mediums. Social media, internet advertising and email are essential when dealing with the teenage demographic, as many of them would rather communicate via internet instead of receiving generic direct mail pieces. However, if you do decide to go the direct mail route, be sure to hone in on the aspect of personalization. Personalization can be the single deciding factor that determines whether or not you catch the attention of a prospective student. Not only will this catch the attention of your prospect and maximize your results, but it will help to build a relationship with your target audience as well. Through the use of personalized URLs (PURLS) as your call to action, you can gather specific interests of your prospective students and get a better understanding for what it is they are looking for in a school. Your marketing can then better address their needs, supplying you with a higher return on quality admissions. Utilizing different and memorable avenues of communication, such as PURLs and social media, will not only stick with your prospects, but will create measurable results for you as well. Whatever your communication route may be, Remember the importance of personalization when targeting prospective students for the upcoming academic year. It may take you twenty times to make an impression, but the successful return and relationships you build with your prospective student audience along the way will be worth your efforts. |
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