The document discusses strategies for improving student recruitment in higher education through effective communication and engagement. It emphasizes the importance of maintaining connections with prospective students over time and utilizing guided questioning to better understand their motivations for returning to school. A structured recruitment process with consistent follow-up and personal engagement is recommended to enhance enrollment success.

1. Communication to Grow Enrollment
Brenda Harms Ph.D. – Senior Vice-President
April - 2015

2. Converge Consulting is a higher education marketing firm.
We use research, Google Analytics, inbound marketing, and strategic
communications practices to positively impact student recruitment and alumni
engagement for colleges and universities around the world.

3. April, 2015
Recruitment Today…
• Competitive – we all need to grow
• Decisions to return to college are made over
time
• Our ability to partner with a prospect and stay
connected to them over time will impact our
overall enrollment success
• There are lots of false starts in the inquiry pool –
engaging with them over time shows your
genuine interest in partnering with them on their
educational journey (if not right now – maybe
later)

4. April, 2015
“Talk to me about what matters to me, not about
what matters to you.”

5. April, 2015
Assuming No Engagement…
• Most recruitment professionals are easily able to engage
with the individual they actually get on the phone or have
an email exchange with
• Our process today focuses on engagement over time with
those who are less engaged or not engaged past the
point of initial inquiry
• The suggestions around engagement being shared today
focus on scripted interactions – nobody is as good, off the
cuff, as they believe themselves to be
• If you are relying on your people to just “come up with” the
right things to say on voicemail or in email you are
missing an opportunity

6. April, 2015
Preparing for the Conversation
Framing Engaging Questions

7. April, 2015
The Guide…
• Emphasis
• Experience
• Employment
• Earnings
• Education
• Economics
• Environment

8. April, 2015
What are Engaging Questions…
• Questions that guide the conversation and allow for the
gathering of key points of information
• A reminder to intentionally highlight key points of
differentiation
• A means of preparing the prospect for your conversation
with them
• Method of encouraging prospective students to discuss
with you some of the most important elements of their
educational decision making process
• A set of engaging questions serve as a guide that allows
everyone to do their job better

9. April, 2015
Guiding Questions
Emphasis:
• What’s going on in your life that made you
decide that now is the right time to go back to
school?
– New job
– Success at work
– Want my kids to be proud
– Finish what I’ve started

10. April, 2015
Guiding Questions
Experience
• What (field, career, job) are you interested in?
How long have you been interested in it? What
makes you interested in it? Do you know
anyone who has this degree?
– Continues to build your knowledge base about them
– Provides clues as to the type of program they may be
a good fit for

11. April, 2015
Guiding Questions
Employment
• Where are you currently working? What do you do
there? How long have you been working there?
What type of hours are you working? What do you
like most about your job? What do you like least?
What other jobs have you held? What did you like or
dislike about those jobs?
– Provides information about the types of skills they may
be good at
– You can link what they know now + a degree = a great
new job
– Give you clues as to possible opportunities for credit
for work experience

12. April, 2015
Guiding Questions
Economics
• How familiar are you with the various ways that adult
students fund their education? Have you heard about our
tuition discount program and our special scholarships for
adult students? Are you aware of your employers tuition
discount program?
– The elephant in the room is money – lead into the
conversation with information

13. April, 2015
Guiding Questions
Earnings
• Is your current income meeting your needs? Is income a
motivator for you?
– It might feel awkward but understanding how motivated
someone is regarding the financial benefits of earning a
degree is a crucial piece to overcoming the money barrier
– This may not be the right thing to ask in an email or phone
message but you can prep this question with information
about paying for college

14. April, 2015
Guiding Questions
Environment
• Who knows you are looking at going back to school? Who
do you talk to about your interest in going back to
college? Do you know someone who is currently going to
college?
– Is this person doing this (considering school) without
anyone’s knowledge?
– Who is supporting this – a co-worker, boss, spouse,
friend, parent?
– Acknowledgement of the “support system” is critical to
building relationship – no adult goes to school alone

15. April, 2015
Guiding Questions
Education
• Tell me about your past educational experience.
When/where did you last attend school? What did you
like? What did you dislike?
– Presents the opportunity to discuss transfer policies (in ways
that seem more meaningful)

16. April, 2015
Recruitment
Developing a Process

17. April, 2015
The Process
• What are we doing now when a lead comes in?
• Are all leads responded to in the same manner?
• How is a lead tracked in our system?
• Is every lead tracked in our system?

18. April, 2015
Nothing Happens by Accident….
• Process
• Process
• Process

19. April, 2015
Suggested Recruitment Approach…
• Adult inquires – Day 1
• Personal connection (email, phone, personal note) Day
1/2
• Follow-up contact (call) – Day 3
• Follow-up contact (email) – Day 6
• Follow-up contact (call) – Day 10
• Follow-up contact (email) Day 14
• Follow-up contact (call) – Day 18
• Follow-up contact (email) – Day 21
• Follow-up contact (call) – Day 26
• Follow-up contact (email) – Day 33
• Follow-up contact (email) – Day 45
• Follow-up contact (call) – Day 60
• Follow-up contact (maintenance) –
holiday/newsletter/special announcements

20. April, 2015
Your Recruitment Approach…
• Things I’m guessing you need to consider
– Add intentional points of contact
– Have a purpose (script) for each point of contact
– Development – don’t make it harder than it needs to be
– Follow the process

21. April, 2015
Suggested Recruitment Approach…
• Inquiry – Day 1
– Take a look at your message - add some personality
“Thank you for your inquiry. Someone from our admissions
office will be getting in touch with you”
“Thank you for your interest in XYZ University, we are
delighted you have considered us as you are looking for an
affordable and flexible evening program for adults. Brenda or
Nancy from our admissions office will be following up with you
within the next day to further discuss your goals. We look
forward to working with you as you make this important
personal and professional decision.”

22. April, 2015
Suggested Recruitment Approach…
• Personal connection (email/phone) Day 1 or 2
– Get honest – can your recruitment staff write a good
personal email?
“Thank you for taking the time to inquire about XYZ University, my
name is Brenda and I will be assisting you throughout your process
with us. I’m anxious to hear what is happening in your life right now
that has gotten you started thinking about returning to school.
If possible I would like to speak with you to discuss what you are
looking for in an educational experience. Please let me know if you
are available by phone at any time this week, my schedule is flexible
and I am able to call any time before 7:30pm.”

23. April, 2015
Suggested Recruitment Approach…
• Follow-up contact (call) – Day 3
– Call with purpose (why are you dialing the phone, what
are you hoping to accomplish)
– Have a message prepared
“Good afternoon, this is Brenda and I am with XYZ University. You
may have received my email yesterday and I was hoping we might
be able to set up a time for me to hear about your professional
goals and what interests you most about returning to school. I am
available at 111-222-3333 until 7:30 tonight – I look forward to
hearing back from you.”

24. April, 2015
Suggested Recruitment Approach…
• Follow-up contact (email) – Day 6
– Use email to plant the seeds of your institutions benefits
“As you consider returning to school to earn your degree I
wanted to mention to you that XYZ University places a
premium on your current and past work experience. Many of
our students have already gained valuable knowledge in their
professional roles and we are anxious to explore with you if
you may be eligible to earn college credit based on your
experience. Where you work, what types of positions you
have held, and what skills you have gained in those positions
are all important to us.”

25. April, 2015
Suggested Recruitment Approach…
• Follow-up contact (call) – Day 10
– Call at different times of day
– Prepare the message
– Have the engaging questions handy (just in case they
answer)
“This is Brenda calling from XYZ University, so sorry I have
missed you, I’m guessing like most of our students you are very
busy with work and other obligations. We know time is important
which is why XYZ is so committed to accepting credit from the other
colleges you may have attended. We value the educational and
professional experience our students bring to the classroom and
award credit to help move you toward your goal of graduation more
quickly. I would value the chance to speak with you further about
your previous educational and work experience.”

26. April, 2015
Suggested Recruitment Approach…
• Follow-up contact (email) Day 14
– Paying for college – we have got to talk about it
– Give some examples – use personas
“Paying for school is top of mind for anyone considering
returning to college. Please know we are sensitive to the cost
of higher education and wanted to share with you some of the
ways our students are making their education attainable”
***Use 3 student personas – include how much money they
make, their financial aid award, employer tuition
reimbursement, grants or scholarships, and samples of
repayment based on a typical amount borrowed to complete
your program.

27. April, 2015
Suggested Recruitment Approach…
• Follow-up contact (call) – Day 18
– Set an appointment
“I’m sorry our schedules don’t seem to be matching up easily.
Perhaps it would be better if we set a time to speak by phone.
I will send you an email with an appointment for a phone call
and you can just let me know if that won’t work for you. In the
meantime feel free to call me at…”

28. April, 2015
Suggested Recruitment Approach…
• Follow-up contact (email) – Day 21
“If part of what is motivating you to consider returning to
school is a promotion or increase in your salary I wanted to
share the following resource with you. As you can see,
those that take the plunge and finish their degree are
making significantly more than those who don’t. While I
know the idea of squeezing school into your already busy
schedule is daunting I’d really like to discuss some of the
ways we move students quickly to graduation. I’m
planning to call you on Monday, the 13th at 6pm. Please
let me know if you would like to change our appointment.”

29. April, 2015
Suggested Recruitment Approach…
• Adult inquires – Day 1
• Personal connection (email, phone, personal note) Day
1/2
• Follow-up contact (call) – Day 3
• Follow-up contact (email) – Day 6
• Follow-up contact (call) – Day 10
• Follow-up contact (email) Day 14
• Follow-up contact (call) – Day 18
• Follow-up contact (email) – Day 21
• Follow-up contact (call) – Day 26
• Follow-up contact (email) – Day 33
• Follow-up contact (email) – Day 45
• Follow-up contact (call) – Day 60
• Follow-up contact (maintenance) –
holiday/newsletter/special announcements

30. April, 2015
Suggested Recruitment Approach…
• You must create what makes sense for your school
• One school that was recently secret shopped has a
process that has a phone call/electronic message/text
message/or pre-recorded reminders being sent out
EVERY DAY for 38 days in a row……

31. April, 2015
Suggested Recruitment Approach…
• Other Ideas
– Offer to let students speak with other students – YOU make
the connection
– Create a special “sit in class nights” and use this as an
excuse to send out a “special bulletin” email to students
announcing this option
– Create tools that students can click on and monitor – those
who click are more engaged than those who don’t – make
follow-up calls
– Do a call blitz – set up an evening every month where
recruitment staff work until 8:30pm and have them make
calls and try to connect with folks – the goal, setting up
appointments

32. April, 2015
Next Steps
• Have an honest conversation
– What is your current process or is it “as I get to it”
– Can you afford to continue to allow recruiters to “follow-up”
as they personally see fit (knowing full well everyone is
doing something different and with different levels of
frequency)
– Are your recruitment staff charged with building a
relationship or sharing information about your program?
(there is a way to do both)

33. April, 2015
Next Steps
• Agree on a process
– Let me be clear – most recruiters will not welcome this
(regardless if it is just a new process – yikes change! OR if it
is something that has not been done before – yikes stop
telling me how to do my job!)
– Start small – just start – even 5 scheduled “must do” touch
points in your process is better than “as I get to it”
– Follow the new process for 6 months minimally – there will
be bumps, it might be frustrating

34. April, 2015
Next Steps
• Review your current communications
– How are you using your CRM
– How customized are the various options
• Those who engaged but dropped off
• Those who never engaged beyond point of inquiry
• Customized to academic program
• Customized to delivery mode

35. April, 2015
Next Steps
• Review your written communication
– CUT!
– If your electronic communications are all about you – please
stop
– “small class sizes and faculty who really care” are about as
exciting as buying a car that comes with tires….. We’ve all
got it folks……
– Identify some points of pride and discuss them in ways that
matter to prospective students (you may need to tell me why
I should care)

36. April, 2015
Next Steps
• Fight the urge to form a committee
–  caught you – you were already thinking about it
– Make it good and get it out the door – how long it takes you
to re-write your written communications is a direct reflection
of how serious you are about growing enrollment
– The “review process” should take an hour (for all written
communications) not a semester
– Do Not let these be driven by academic language

37. April, 2015
Monitor
• People and Data
– People
• Track actions in your CRM and as a supervisor monitor the
activity of your recruitment staff (accountability)
• Listen in – whenever possible listen in on phone messages and
phone conversations being had by staff. Modifications to
scripted messages are good – keeps it authentic. Going way
off script is dangerous and creates an opportunity for poor
quality messages.
– Data
• Know the % of Day 6 emails that have been opened over the
last 3 months – try some A/B testing of subject lines
• Provide lists on Day 15 of those who have opened both Day 6
and Day 14 emails – these can become a hot list for phone calls

38. April, 2015
Thank you!
Please Join Us
Thursday April 23, 2015
At 2pm Eastern
Retention: Communication to Assist
Students to Completion