But What Catches the Eye of a Prospective Student… Really?

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by Terry Rawls
Published May 20, 2024
Marketing strategist Terry Rawls

Catching the eye of a prospective student is a bit like getting them to swipe right on a dating app. It’s all about making a memorable first impression that screams “pick us!” From that initial spark of interest to keeping the flame alive through the enrollment process, successful higher ed institutions have to master the art of connecting, or prospects will swipe right on another college’s profile.

But how do you accomplish this, and what are today’s students looking for anyway? What’s “sexy” in today’s higher ed market?

Start With Your Past Victories

I’ve got an activity for you that—if you actually took the time to do it—would get you the answers you need. You’ve already won the hearts of prospective students before, right? This isn’t your first rodeo!  

Your staff is both smart and talented, and your students have lived the experience of becoming a student. So why not tap into their collective experience to demystify this puzzle?

Here’s what you do. Schedule a half day activity and gather your core team somewhere in the heart of your campus. You’ll know who you need to get this started when you see the activity. Give ‘em some snacks while you set up the longest whiteboard available. Or maybe it’s a long glass wall in the union, or a roll of butcher paper taped to a wall. Ideally, you need at least thirty feet of workspace. 

Make it clear that this isn't just any ordinary day; it's the day you map out the entire student journey at your institution, from the initial spark of interest- maybe a banner ad or a mailer or whatever- to the proud moment of enrollment.

Draw a long, horizontal line across the board. At the starting point, write "Brand Management Activities," and at the end, mark "Enrolled New Student." 

Oh yeah, and you’re going to need a bunch of Post-It Notes in a variety of colors. 

And here's where the fun begins. We need to pinpoint and chronologically arrange the pivotal moments of a student's path into the institution. For each significant moment use a sticky note to detail the form of that communication. Emails, texts, calls, any hard-copy materials, media, visits, every communication point is important. 

Stick those notes on the wall and then use markers to denote dependencies, including triggers and both automated and policy-driven decision points for next contact. Capture everything; no detail is too small.

Include everything that shapes their experience with your school.

Once your core team has entered their input (which will likely take all morning), invite everyone - staff, faculty, students, and administrators- to join the party. Maybe you missed something, or maybe a new set of eyes, and perspective, will identify connections and mis-connections in your pathway. 

Pro Tip: Use different color notes to organize the information you’re gathering. Maybe yellow for the first round, and then give students blue notes to tell you which communication they liked and which they did not like. Give the administrators green notes to capture their thoughts, and reserve red notes for very important observations and future-activity items.  

By now, you've not only heightened awareness of the student experience but have also crafted a powerful tool for enhancing student acquisition. With the "Big Picture" now visible, your institution can better align its efforts around the student experience, breaking down silos and smoothing out any communication mishaps. This clarity ensures a concerted effort towards student recruitment success.

Of Course There’s No Need to Reinvent the Wheel

The thing I didn’t tell you is that this can take a lot of time. As different groups add their input, someone has to summarize and synthesize the new information. And data, without action, is simply not a sustainable enterprise. So time needs to be set aside for key people to chart action steps as the project unfolds. If you don’t have the time or energy to do this exercise, there’s always the good old practice of relying on the experiences of others. 

I’ve done this exercise several times at a variety of institutions; some of them small-scale and others lasting months, and I’m happy to share what I’ve learned. So let’s dig into what we’ve seen come out of this exercise, and if it makes sense to you feel free to download the document and use it as a roadmap. But be sure to adjust the directions to your local circumstances, because everyone knows we are all unique– and above average.

Pivotal Moments for Prospective Students

Focusing on the journey of prospective students as they work through the decision and enrollment processes offers a unique opportunity to understand, and improve, engagement. My experience has proven time and again that engagement leads to enrollment. So by meticulously tracking each touchpoint and smoothing the process, institutions can craft a path towards application that is both supportive and persuasive. 

We’ll work through some common first-impression scenarios, offering suggested communications. You likely have better solutions that are tailored to your situation; these are just illustrations. The important thing is that you have in place consistent, reliable, prospect-friendly messaging for each scenario. When you do, prospects feel seen. They believe you want them, and you’re going to need to follow through on that promise! 

Let’s start at the beginning, by exploring some typical early contact points:

First Time Hearing About the School

Moment: A prospective student sees an online advertisement.

Example Communications:

  • Social Media Post: A targeted ad on social media platforms introducing the school’s ethos and standout programs.
  • Email: If they follow a link to learn more, an automated welcome email outlining key aspects of the school and inviting them to explore further.
  • Pro Tip: At NC State we incorporated career data into the process. We then used that information in retargeting campaigns that moved the needle on applications. Given the number of Stealth Prospects these days, this is a small investment with a promising ROI.

First Interest in a Program

Moment: Discovering a program that aligns with their career aspirations.

Example Communications:

  • Program Brochure: A detailed PDF brochure sent via email, highlighting program benefits, career outcomes, and faculty profiles.
  • Follow-Up Text or Call: A text or call from admissions to discuss the program in more detail and answer any questions.
  • Pro Tip: Have consistency in the program information that is offered on your website. Stealth Shoppers may look at any number of programs, and when the information they need is not consistently provided, they get frustrated. THAT is not a recipe for success. 

First Football Game Attendance

Moment: Attending a football game or other major school event as a prospective student.

Example Communications:

  • Event Email: When possible, send an email before the game providing details about the event and highlighting the community aspect of the school.
  • Text Reminder: A text message on the day of the game with start time, location, and where to meet for a special prospective student tour.

First College Visit

Moment: Their first visit to the campus for a tour.

Example Communications:

  • Welcome Packet: A hard-copy welcome packet received upon arrival, including a campus map, schedule for the day, and swag items like a branded water bottle or notebook.
  • Follow-Up Email: A thank-you email after the visit with a survey on their experience and next steps for applying.
  • Pro Tip: Individualize these communications, whenever possible. It’s the little things that count. 

First Nurturing Email After Requesting Information

Moment: The first email received after indicating interest in the school.

Example Communications:

Personalized Email: A personalized email from an admissions counselor introducing themselves and offering resources for exploring the school further, such as links to virtual tours or upcoming info sessions.

First Intriguing Social Media Post

Moment: Seeing a post that highlights an aspect of the school life, an academic strength, or some other element of interest.

Example Communications:

  • Interactive Social Media Campaign: An invitation to participate in a social media challenge or Q&A session with current students or faculty, providing a direct line to experience school culture.

Realization Moment

Moment: Don’t overlook advising as a tool to retain prospects in the process. A note from a program director in response to a question or action is just one part of a conversation.

Example Communications:

  • Career Outcomes Email: An email linking to testimonials from alumni who have succeeded in their careers, including details on how the program contributed to their achievements.
  • Webinar Invite: An invitation to a webinar focusing on career outcomes and industry connections facilitated by the program.

For each scenario, identifying the trigger—whether it be visiting a website, attending an event, or interacting on social media—is key to understanding what prompts prospective students to engage further. Documenting these moments with sticky notes allows for a visual and dynamic representation of the prospective student's journey, making it easier to identify gaps, opportunities for improvement, and the most effective strategies for nurturing their interest.

Your Turn

For each of these examples provided above, ask your staff the following:

  • What sorts of communications do we currently have in place? 
  • What evidence do we have that they are effective? 
  • What could we lean into, or perhaps personalize more, or improve upon?
  • Is there any way we can digitize or automate some of these communications in a way that still feels personal?

By capturing every detail of these communications and their triggers, institutions can not only ensure that their messaging is cohesive and compelling but also tailor their approach to meet prospective students exactly where they are in their decision-making process. This comprehensive mapping exercise is an invaluable tool for enhancing recruitment strategies and building meaningful relationships with future students from the very first touchpoint.

I have found it very helpful to follow a prospective student through the experience. Where did it start in the timeline? What was the timing and content of the first response? What happened next? How was the prospect feeling as the conversation unfolded? Did we under-communicate? Over-communicate? 

THE BIG QUESTION: If I was a prospective student would the pattern, timing, content of the various communications from our institution help me to feel wanted? Do I know what’s going to happen next, and when? Are promises kept? Do I get quick answers to my questions? All of these add up to a supportive and persuasive experience. 

We’re Not Done Yet

We did this exercise at a fully online school some years ago. There was a glass wall that was over sixty feet long, and it became our canvas. And it remained in-use for many months, because every time I thought we were done, someone would come to me with another insight, another opportunity to get better. 

So we’ve looked at first-impressions, now turn your attention to other aspects of guiding prospects through the process of becoming a student. And don’t limit yourself to communications here. Do you require applicants to secure multiple signatures from school staff or instructors? Could that be automated?

How is the Financial Aid experience? Books are written on this subject, and some might help with assuring policies and procedures do their part in providing a supportive, and persuasive, experience. 

For the very brave, why stop at admission? They move to Student status and are with you for years, in most cases. How can you continue to manage communications, policies, and procedures to help them feel wanted, and to achieve their ultimate goal? This is a never-ending process, and that’s OK. 

Short Cuts

At Invisible Us, we understand the critical role of streamlined communication in student recruitment. Our WordPress plugins are designed to revolutionize how higher education institutions engage with prospective and current students. Just like the exercise above helps visualize the student journey, our plugins—Program Marketing Essentials, Career Profiles Pro, and others—serve to digitize and optimize these interactions, making meaningful, consistent, and timely communication easier than ever.

We have technology-based solutions, we aim to address these challenges:

  • Program Marketing Essentials provides all the information a prospective student needs to feel comfortable applying, all in one spot. The plugin creates what looks like a microsite for each program (but it’s still on the main site, improving website SEO).
  • Career advancement and ROI are the primary drivers of student enrollment in academic programs, so schools now need to make career information (salaries, jobs, etc.) readily available to prospects.
  • Career Profiles Pro provides a clear program-to-career pathway, providing everything a prospective student needs to know about specific careers - and linking those careers to the appropriate programs.
  • Career Profiles Pro also protects the college or university from liability (of overpromising) since the Careers data comes from a third-party source, plus it saves the college time and money updating the data.

Until Next Time

This mapping exercise, while insightful, is just the beginning. It's a continuous journey of improvement, made easier with regular feedback from students, graduates, and prospective students. I’m working on some follow up pieces that dive deeper into the insights we’ve gained, and I’ll be sharing them here, so stop by again soon to see what we’ve got for you.