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Jumpstarting Your Recruitment in China: A Beginner's Guide
- 1. Jumpstar)ng Your Recruitment in China: A Beginner’s Guide NAFSA 2011 Annual Conference June 2, 2011
- 2. Today’s bias • USA > Other countries • Undergraduate > Graduate • Unknown brand > Famous brand • Beijing / Shanghai > Smaller markets • Changing very fast • No one can be 100% expert • Teach, compare notes AND learn ourselves 2
- 3. Two Ps for China • Prepare – Context – Target audience – Decision criteria • Promote – One-‐pager – Student videos – China specialist – Chinese media – Educa)on fairs – Agents – High schools – Others: pathways programs, 1+3, 2+2, 3+1 3
- 4. Rela)ve market growth Students from China are the largest group of foreign students in the US, and are also growing the fastest. Origin of students in the USA Change in number of students Thousands – 2009/2010 school year Percent – 2009 vs 2010 China 127 )*+,-$ !"#$ India 104 .,/+-$ %#$ South Korea 72 0123*$4156-$ &'#$ Canada 28 )-,-/-$&(#$ Source: Institute for International Education (IIE) Open Doors Report 4
- 5. China market growth Thousands of Chinese students in the US ')%# +*# *'# ($# (&# ()# ($# ($# (*# &!# ("# !%# &'# !"# !$# (# %# *# +# "# '# )# $# !# # (# %# *# +# "# &# ,+ ,+ ,+ ,+ ," ," ," ," ," ," ," ," ," "' ," +& +( +% +* ++ "" "' ") "$ "& "( "% "* ,) "! '+ '+ '+ '+ '+ )" )" )" )" )" )" )" )" "+ )" )" • Mostly government • Hard to get visas • Huge growth in sponsored a`er 9/11 self-‐funded • Almost en)rely grad • Strong growth school in undergrad 5
- 6. Two views of “too” Too many Too few 6
- 7. Two Dis)nct Sub-‐segments Sub-‐ • Need different segment Key differences marke)ng materials From • Use “Tradi)onal” Chinese • For Mainland China Taiwan characters applicants, carefully and explain key concepts, • Much more Hong knowledgeable about the such as: Kong U.S. − “Liberal” educa)on − “Fraterni)es and From • Use “Simplified” Chinese Sorori)es” Mainland characters China − “Pep rallies” • Need much more educa)on about the U.S. 7
- 8. Very Different Timeline High school China (for Chinese senior year USA university) August Take SAT December Apply April Get offers May Make decision June Take “Gao Kao” August Get one “match” September Start freshman year Start freshman year • Chinese process is incredibly fast and compressed • Similar to how U.S. medical residency “matching” works 8
- 9. Very Different Timeline – So What? • Need to educate Chinese applicants to apply “one year in advance” (versus 2 months in advance for Chinese universi)es) • Programs with “late admissions” have a great opportunity – Star)ng in March/April of senior year, many Chinese students are just star)ng to look at overseas schools – Late (or rolling) admissions programs in the U.S. are rela)vely scarce and hard to find 9
- 10. Different applica)on process Apply to USA Apply to China When Typically 1 year in 1-‐2 months in • U.S. process is very advance advance complex What • SAT “Gao Kao” test • Taking the SAT is a • TOEFL huge challenge • Transcript • Recommenda)ons • Need to explain the • Essays process in detail – • Applica)on don’t assume familiarity How • Test prep courses Fill out a form • Leave China to take • Programs that don’t the SAT require the SAT have • Work with agent, or parent-‐driven a major advantage applica)on process 10
- 11. Different Decision Makers USA China In China: Who leads Student Parent the process? • “6 pockets” dote on the one child Who Parent Grandparents • Parents lead the supports the en)re process with process? no apologies • Typically make Who follows Student American “helicopter the process? parents” look )mid 11
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- 14. Different Decision Makers–So What? • Need to focus your marke)ng on parents and use their child as a “marke)ng channel” • Parents have different evalua)on criteria (more on this in a moment) • Parents typically don’t speak English or surf the web, so printed materials in Chinese are important • Parents like working with agents, since parents think agents add value 14
- 15. Dis)nct Evalua)on Criteria • Most American students and parents weigh many factors, and make complex trade-‐offs, when choosing schools • Most Chinese families focus on a simpler set of criteria based on their experiences in China 1. Brand awareness 2. Ranking 3. Safety 4. Outcomes 5. Student demographics • Many other factors considered important in the U.S. are not important in China 15
- 16. Criteria #1: Brand Awareness • Foreign brands are s)ll rela)vely new in China • Famous American programs are well known • Less-‐famous programs have successfully built major brand awareness in a rela)vely short )me, typically via agents and joint programs – University of Maryland MBA program – UC Riverside • Most Chinese consumers don’t have any real basis to evaluate adver)sing claims 16
- 17. Criteria #2: Ranking • The Chinese government ranks Chinese schools authorita)vely • Chinese parents are therefore condi)oned to pay apen)on to rankings and are not used to considering other factors • Within the rankings, the “Na)onal Universi)es” list really mapers, as do graduate program rankings • Conclusions – If you are ranked within the top 100, play that up – If not, focus on other ranking-‐like sta)s)cs, even if they are unique to your program – Chinese parents like and expect rankings and sta)s)cs 17
- 18. Criteria #3: Safety • China is a safe society: Violent crime is rare • Chinese news reports tend to showcase American violence, while American films and TV shows glorify it • Conclusions – Highlight student safety features – Turn your current Chinese students into ambassadors 18
- 19. Criteria #4: Outcomes • College is a means to an end – Pres)gious grad school – Good job – Pres)ge • Outcomes really maper – Grad school placement – Internships – Job prospects – Alumni network – Pres)ge 19
- 20. Criteria #5: Student Demographics • Although they won’t admit it, many Chinese parents are nervous about large numbers of non-‐Caucasian students • Generally, Chinese parents prefer fewer Chinese students (“I want a real overseas experience for my child”) • Conclusions – If you have it, explain the benefits of diversity – Don’t assume that low numbers of interna)onal students is a problem 20
- 21. Summary: What Does Maper? • Most American students and parents weigh many factors, and make complex trade-‐offs, when choosing schools • Most Chinese families focus on a simpler set of criteria based on their experiences in China 1. Brand awareness 2. Ranking 3. Safety 4. Outcomes 5. Student demographics 21
- 22. What Doesn't Maper? Many other factors considered important in the US are not important to Chinese families 1. Educa)onal philosophy 2. School size 3. Students clubs and sports teams 4. School “culture” 5. Religion 6. Financial aid 22
- 23. Two Ps for China • Prepare – Context – Target audience – Decision criteria • Promote – One-‐pager – Student videos – China specialist – Chinese media – Educa)on fairs – Agents – High schools – Others: pathways programs, 1+3, 2+2, 3+1 23
- 24. Typical small college “About Us” 24
- 25. Not for Chinese applicants Rankings? Safety? China story? Internships? Scholarships? 25
- 26. Homework for you • Brand • Ranking • Safety • Outcomes • Demographics • China story • Other 26
- 27. Student videos • Chinese, not English • Students, not professionals or professors • Real, not fake • Less is more 27
- 28. China specialist – key issues • When: worth having for 10+ Chinese students annually • Key tasks: recrui)ng, reading applica)ons, yield management • Background: Mainland Chinese vs. Overseas Chinese vs. Chinese-‐speaking “foreigner” • Level: Professional vs. Amateur vs. Student • Commitment: Full-‐)me vs. part-‐)me • LocaIon: on-‐campus vs. in-‐China 28
- 29. Chinese media – online “news” Best pracIces • All “ar)cles” are paid – “journalism” is different in hpp://)eba.baidu.com China • On a limited budget, focus online, not on print • Use current your Chinese students when you can hpp://edu.qq.com/abroad/ • Remember to focus on key decision making criteria Tips for arIcles • Success stories about Chinese alumni hpp://goabroad.sohu.com/ • Famous graduates, especially if they are well known • Interes)ng internships • Interes)ng professors in business, engineering or science hpp://edu.sina.com.cn/liuxue/ 29
- 30. Chinese media -‐ Zinch Free Paid • Detailed school lis)ng • Targeted message delivery • School videos posted inside China • Phone valida)on • Announcement of China events • Brand catalyst & Brand monitoring 30
- 31. Educa)on Fairs hpp://www.chinaeduca)onexpo.com/ hpp://www.cieet.com/ • October • March • Larger audience (50,000) • Smaller audience (30,000) • Standard admission cycle • Late admission cycle • Mostly agents, but that’s good if you’re not an agent • About $3,000 per city. Need to be in the “US sec)on” • Smaller ci)es have smaller audiences, but fewer schools • Do PR interviews and events in parallel • Call Zinch for bi-‐lingual interns 31
- 32. Agents • 80% of Chinese families use an agent – Like hiring H&R Block to do your taxes – High-‐stakes decisions with lots of unknowns – Useful way to hand-‐wave about fraud – Most parents don’t understand business arrangements • Typical business arrangements – Charge parents $5,000 -‐ $7,000. Fee varies on school’s ranking – Charge school 10 – 15% of tui)on – Demand kickbacks on financial aid packages • Best prac)ces to engage with agents – Hiring: word of mouth / reputa)on – Training: tell them about your school, but beware of photos – Monitor your brand 32
- 33. High schools • China’s high school landscape is rapidly changing – Top public high schools remain off limits – Private “school within a school” programs are booming – Private high schools are flourishing • Focus on private schools first, then school within a school • Visi)ng high schools has a low ROI – Small number of students – Lots of travel )me involved – Parents are usually not there – Only some schools have guidance counselors – Most high schools are affiliated with agents • However, great to “get a feel” for China 33
- 34. Others • Pathway programs • Joint degree / transfer programs – “1 + 3” – “2 + 2” – “3 + 1” 34
- 35. Two Ps for China • Prepare – Context – Target audience – Decision criteria • Promote – One-‐pager Ques)ons? – Student videos – China specialist tom@zinch.com – Chinese media – Educa)on fairs – Agents – High schools – Others: pathways programs, 1+3, 2+2, 3+1 35