Do You Use Student Ambassadors in Your Student Recruitment Efforts?
As 2011 winds down and student recruitment heats up, it's time to consider the role student ambassadors can play in your recruitment efforts. Are you using student ambassadors in your recruitment efforts? If not, now is a good time to explore this option. If you already use them, and I am sure most of you do, consider additional ways to leverage these valuable resources.
Student ambassadors are being used in a number of ways in the world of social media. Of course, they can be of valuable assistance during college visits and other traditional recruitment efforts. But there is much more they can do to help in your Admissions Marketing efforts.
Today's students appreciate relevant and personal communications. Student ambassadors can play a huge role in this regard. Consider having one or more student ambassadors record a video welcome displayed on your web site, touting the benefits of your institution, and what it has meant to them to be a member of your student body.
These video welcomes can also be used on personalized microsites designed specifically for individual prospective students. As you build a library of these videos, you can populate an individual student's microsite with a video of a student ambassador that is speaking about his or her specific areas of interest, whether it be physics or phys ed.
Student ambassadors are also great on Facebook, Twitter, blogs and other social media venues. They can start a meaningful dialog with prospective students that can make your recruitment efforts even more personal and relevant.
Some cautions, however. Be sure to select your student ambassadors and their respective roles carefully. Not all bloggers are great on camera, and not all video rock stars can blog.
You will also want to ensure that student ambassadors understand what is--and is not--allowed in the role. Be careful about censoring, but also be sure that student ambassadors are reflecting the right image for your institution. This requires careful selection and management of these valuable resources.
Materials that are created for one enrollment season can often be used for subsequent seasons and for other marketing purposes. Be sure you have a solid plan in place for how these resources will be used over time.
Social media venues offer a terrific opportunity to extend the role of your student ambassadors and to increase the relevance and effectiveness of your admissions marketing efforts. Make 2012 the year of social media for Admissions Marketing at your institution!