Personalized student recruitment critical to success
Posted by
Bob Mootz on Thu, Dec 15, 2011 @ 09:33 AM
Did you attend last summer's STAMATS conference? A highlight was the live TeensTALK broadcast with a panel of 15 college-bound students from the Chicago area. These students emphasized the importance of personalized communications in student recruitment efforts. They want timely, relevant communications and don't want to feel they are just being processed from a list. One student reported receiving 2,400 emails from colleges! Another stated that she was still receiving communications about events that had long passed, such as wishing her well on the ACT.
Students especially appreciated efforts on the part of college Admissions counselors who built personal relationships with them and made them feel connected to the college.
Timing is critical, too. Most of the panel reported that they start thinking about college in their junior year, and that is the best time for colleges/universities to start their student search efforts.
Mail pieces should be personalized, and should reflect specific student interests; these are more likely to be opened, read and retained. Another great idea is a follow-up handwritten letter from the Admissions counselor after a conversation with a student, a nice touch in this all-too-digital age.
But students also want to be contacted via more than mail. Email is terrific if it is relevant and not too frequent. Find the right balance. Students also reported that they appreciated contact on Facebook from their chosen college, and that they use Facebook during the selection process, looking for information from current college students on Facebook “class of” groups and Facebook Pages.
Strategies for success in student recruitment are as dynamic as the Internet-enabled world we live in today. The feedback from these students is a valuable addition to the knowledge base of Admissions Marketing professionals as they continually refine their student search processes.