This document discusses strategies for disrupting recruiting in higher education through digital transformation. It notes that traditional recruiting methods are failing with tight budgets and recommends alternatives like online programs, micro-credentials, and partnerships. It emphasizes developing a strategic marketing plan using data and segmentation to innovate programs, optimize value, and create engaging experiences across all touchpoints of the student journey from research to enrollment. The goal is to efficiently market to and convert a large pipeline of prospective students through personalized campaigns and an omnichannel approach.

1. A Syllabus for
Disruption in
Higher Education
Recruiting

2. • Traditional methods fail with underfunded budgets
• Current undergrad and grad degree value props are weak
• Alternatives: Continuing Studies, Micro-Credentials, Certifications,
Online, Google, Coursera, edX
• Trends: International students, Business, Biological and Agricultural
Sciences and Minority Groups = UP
• Engineering and Computer Science programs = DOWN
NOT A SITUATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY!
GROWTH IS SLOWING
REF: COUNCIL OF GRADUATE SCHOOLS (CGS)

3. • Put it out there - own it! Vision / Mission? Be one of the _____’s
premier advanced education schools; 5 or 10 yr plan?
Partnerships with other leading int’l institutions?
• Attract / retain new students cost-effectively w/higher yields
• Build a geographically diverse applicant pool to grow out-of-
state enrollments if part of enrollment plan
• Roadmap it - Exec Education, Continuous Learning, Masters
and MBA programs
DISRUPT RECRUITING STRATEGY
1) Dynamic MBA curriculum + 2) outstanding PhD programs + 3) intensive
executive education (Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern U.)

4. AN OPPORTUNITY FOR DIGITAL
TRANSFORMATION!

5. INNOVATE, GROW & SUSTAIN SCHOOL
BRAND VIA DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
IN THE NEWS “The
world’s leading
educator actually
owns few facilities!"

6. • EVERYONE related to recruitment and enrollment growth
• Develop, implement and evaluate strategic IMC plans
• TAM? Research, data, micro segmentation
• Thought leadership and external collaboration
• Use cases, personas and student journeys
ALIGN STAKEHOLDERS
Discover Distinct
Competitive
Advantage
7i’s OF MARKETING WORKFLOW PROCESS FOR GA&R
School Leadership, University Relations, Office of Registrar, Institutional
Research, Global Affairs, Graduate Education & Life and External Constituents

7. • MBA and Masters – Highly distinctive (IP), tighten brand extensions
• Continuing Studies programs and Executive Education
• Multi-disciplined In-field Program: Center for Leadership, Innovation
and Marketing Best Practices (CLIMB) Wildland Fire Leadership
• OTT mobile curriculums or programs that travel
• Post-MBA peer review / mentor-Protégé central community
• Back-To-School workshops ; Mentors for Life @ 6mos, 1, 5yrs
TRANSCEND EDUCATION
7i’s OF MARKETING WORKFLOW PROCESS FOR GA&R
Fact-based and Data-driven Program Decisions
Innovate
Programs

8. • If branding around rankings then control it
• Leverage big constituents with the schools – some stand on own
• Brand equity in segments but also leveraged holistically, globally
• School brand experience and statement (tag, mantra)
• Dept. / main school and program value propositions
EDUaaS - REDEFINING
7i’s OF MARKETING WORKFLOW PROCESS FOR GA&R
Brand – Vision, Role, Voice, Promise, Leadership and Statements
Today’s Brands
Travel!

9. • ROI / TCO or TVE (total value of education)
• Market share objectives – ties to your brand / image
• Price / Margin objectives – ties to your brand / image
• Competitive pricing analysis – choose your competing schools
• How to use online as pull-through to grow top line
VALUE OPTIMIZATION
7i’s OF MARKETING WORKFLOW PROCESS FOR GA&R
Cost Up or Market Metrics Down
BI & Data
Analytics

10. • Define experience to painful granularity and flesh out backwards to
determine channels, partners, support and training needed to make
it happen.
• Training centers of excellence
• Resource plan and recruitment plan
• Curriculum channels = Teach To, Teach Through and Teaching With
EXPERIENCE IS EVERYTHING!
7i’s OF MARKETING WORKFLOW PROCESS FOR GA&R
Real-time Engagement & Monitor, Nurture and Grow
Think Holistically.
Experience is
EVERYTHING.

11. • Multi-lingual Awareness, education and lead-gen recruiting
campaign series or micro campaigns
• Target microsegments, use cases and personas
• Platforms and programmatic…yes – but it’s ALL about content
• Leverage your BI and data analytics
• Be creative and double down all in on SOCIAL
PURSUASION TO BUY-IN
7i’s OF MARKETING WORKFLOW PROCESS FOR GA&R
Leverage Your Innovation and Branding Value
Microsites, eBooks, life-time ROI case studies, day-in-life
experience videos, out-bound + in-bound elements. Create
original rich content with CTAs w/viral triggers, SEO and ad-
words management (impression/click/conversion)

12. • New student quota revenue, example = $25M for
Fall/Spring’19
• $25M divided by per student annual revenue worth of
$25K = 1,000 students
• Conversion % from SQL (completing application) to
attending = 10%
• So we need 10,000 applications completed
• Conversion % from MQL (students expressing
interest + motivated + qualified funding) = 10%
• So we need 100,000 qualified students
• Conversion % from leads to MQL = 5% = 2M
prospective students needed in funnel on day 1
CAMPAIGN DEFINEMENT
Funnel & Pipeline Objectives – Define Success & DO THE MATH
WHAT IS THE MOST EFFICIENT METHOD AND MIX TO MARKET TO 2M LEADS?

13. THE CUSTOMER’S JOURNEY
Prospective Students and Peers, Parents and Mentors
REF: HubSpot
RESEARCH APPLY ENROLL

14. TOUCHPOINTS & TIMELINES
PLATFORMS & BUYING | Drupal, Marketo, MindMatrix, WordPress,
Elementor, MailChimp, HubSpot, Hoote Suite, Meltwater, Everyone’s
Social, Adobe CC w/Lighttable or Visual Studio (site coding)

15. ENGAGE & CHALLENGE
Strategy + Thought Leadership +
Campaign Messaging = Storyscape

16. • How do students move between digital and in-person buying
channels?
• Sales automation and personalization will separate wheat from
chaff
• Give students an entry point on their terms
• Signal programs in student’s language
• Help students do what they are on your sites to do [NLP and AI]
ON-GOING TRANSFORMATION
7i’s OF MARKETING WORKFLOW PROCESS FOR GA&R
Lessons Learned, Establish Best Practices, Measure, Iterate, Rinse/Repeat
KPIs/Measurement: CPSL & lead-gen, Opens,
Clicks, Conversions, Acceptance/enrollment
rates – growth, Brand share, Market share
and Social currency

17. AS YOU RETHINK RECRUITMENT,
WHAT WILL BE YOUR ROLE IN
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION?