For most people, choosing a new technology ranks right up there with getting a tooth pulled. It is not fun. How do you set up your criteria? How do you narrow the choices? How do you know you made the right choice? These and other questions will be addressed in this session by Cyndy McDonald and Katie Andersen, two technology geeks.

1. Friday Forum
Tips for Adopting or Changing
Technology Tools (Part 1:
Evaluating Business Needs &
Wants)
January 7, 2022
Katie Andersen | Cyndy McDonald

2. Cyndy
McDonald
• University of Colorado, Williams Woods, Westminster (UT)
• BS, Behavioral Science
• MA, Education with School Counseling Emphasis
(Fresno Pacific University)
• Founded 2 consulting services/1 technology company
• UCLA College Counseling Instructor
• Started MIndful Coaching Experiences 2020:
www.cyndymcdonald.com
• Member of WACAC, NCAG, NACAC, IECA and HECA
College Planning Software
• Mycca.net (2005-2012)
• GuidedPath (2014 – present)

3. Katie
Andersen
• Duke University (1992)
• B.A. Sociology, Markets & Management Studies Certificate
• Women’s Soccer Team
• Worked in Marketing and Project Management in B2B and B2C
software/web-design in Southern California, The Netherlands, and
Norway (1993 - 2012)
• UCLA College Counseling Certificate (2012)
• Started College Fit – www.CollegeFitOC.com (2013)
• Started The Student-Athlete Advisors –
www.TheStudentAthleteAdvisors.com with David Stoeckel (2015)
• Member of IECA and HECA
College Planning Software
• College Planner Pro (2013 – 2014)
• GuidedPath (2014 – present)

4. How can we
help you?
Cyndy McDonald
• cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com
• www.CyndyMcDonald.com
Katie Andersen
• Katie.Andersen@CollegeFitOC.com
• www.CollegeFitOC.com

5. Welcome to
Friday Forum
Today’s Agenda
1) What to Consider When Moving to a
Technology Platform
2) Tips from a Power User
Questions?
1) Put questions in Question/Answer box
2) We will forward to all the providers
3) We will put together an FAQ and post
it next week

6. Polls
• What drives your decision the MOST when
deciding which college planning software
to adopt?
• What is the size of your organization?
• How do you promote your business?

7. Tips for
Adopting or
Changing
Technology
Tools
IDENTIFY YOUR
NEEDS
PRIORITIZE
EXPLORE THE
MARKET
VET THE
PROVIDERS

8. Prioritize
MUST HAVE NICE TO HAVE
DON’T CARE SCALABILITY

9. Drivers for my
decision making
(Katie)
• 25 clients – comprehensive
(applications/essays + athletic
recruiting)
• 45 clients – athletic recruiting only
• I am a 1-woman show for sales,
marketing, consulting, accounting
• I co-counsel with other IECs on
student-athlete clients
• 50% of my students are “regular
students” and 50% are student-
athletes
• I communicate everything
electronically (avoid paper)
• I like to keep my costs under control,
but having a robust college planning/
CRM (Customer Relationship
Management) tool is mission critical

10. Drivers for my
decision making
(Cyndy)
• In the past, had up to 55 seniors per
year (as a team of 3)
• Currently have up to 10 seniors per
year (as a team of 1)
• I use technology extensively
• I love to connect my technologies
• Having systems that talk to each
other is important to me
• Must be easy to use
• Must be affordable

11. Audit Your
Business
Processes
(Technology, Automation &
Scalability)
Building your Authentic Brand
Prospect Management
Client Management
Counseling Process Management

12. Building your
Authentic
Brand
Marketing
• Social Media
• Email
Educating
• Blog/Vlog
• Newsletters
• Presentations
• Panel Discussions
Relationships
• Clients: Word-of-mouth
• IECs: Networking orgs
• Communication
• Promotion
• Building Trust
IMPORTANT FACTORS
• Size of your business
• Technical skills
• Growth goals

13. Prospect Management
Lead Automation
* Ask prospect to complete form that feeds into my database
* Ask prospect to book an appt with online booking tool (auto-
generates a Zoom link and sends reminders)
Zoom, phone or in-person
* I prefer Zoom, but I do in-person meetings when requested
* Limited notes about
PDF e-signature
* Adobe Acrobat DC
Generate Leads
Text, email, phone, website form
Free 30 min call
* Learn about the prospect
* Present my services
Send Contract
* Comprehensive contract
* Athletic Only contract

14. Client Management
POTENTIAL AUTOMATION
* Convert Prospect to Client
* Google Drive folder, add parents and student to Google
Contacts
* Set up and send invoicing (hour, contract, other)
* Client books Initial Meeting using online booking tool
(auto-generates Zoom link and sends reminders)
Zoom, phone or in-person
* I prefer Zoom, but I do in-person meetings when
requested
* Limited notes about
Set Up and Billing
Administration
Initial / Intake Meeting

15. Counseling Process Management
Inputs
•Student background
•Surveys
•Transcript
•SAT/ACT Scores
•Major/Career Assessments
•Financial Assessment
•College Preferences
Research
•College Search
•List building
•Evaluate college fit
•Prioritize and assign
admissions expectation
Application Management
•Application requirements
•Application deadlines (ED,
EA, Regular, Rolling)
•Honors College, Portfolio,
Supplement
•Essays
•Letters of
Recommendation
•Transcript (high school,
CC, online)
•Test scores
•FAFSA/CSS Profile
•Interviews
•Admissions results
CONSIDERATION
• How do you like to
work?
ADMINISTRATION
Email, Appointments, Reminders, Summaries, To Do Lists

16. My Business
Applications
• Email: Gmail
• Calendar: Google Calendar
• Cloud Storage: Google Drive
• Online Booking: YouCanBook.me
(change to Calendly)
• Virtual Meetings: Zoom
• Accounting: QuickBooks Online
• Mileage tracking: QuickBooks Online
• Website: Wix.com
• Social Media: Facebook, Instagram,
LinkedIn
• College Counseling Software???

17. How can we
help you?
Cyndy McDonald
• cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com
• www.CyndyMcDonald.com
Katie Andersen
• Katie.Andersen@CollegeFitOC.com
• www.CollegeFitOC.com

18. Questions?