Recruitment 2016: Playing the Long Game with Your Lead Pool
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Transcript of Recruitment 2016: Playing the Long Game with Your Lead Pool
Recruitment 2016
Playing the long game with your lead pool
Brenda Harms, Ph.D.Harms Consulting
Starting the Conversation
Thank you!
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Higher Education – Our Time in History
Enrollment is one of the single most critical issue right now in Higher Education…
Recruitment – Then • Historically recruitment was a very passive interaction • Less than 20 years ago many adult and graduate
programs didn’t even track the names of leads• Little follow-up • Assumed self-motivation by the prospect• Prospective graduate students were assumed to be able
to navigate the process themselves – almost as a right of passage
Recruitment - Now• Highly interactive process• Great investment of finances to get the “lead” (someone
to turn over their name to indicate interest)• Technology invested in for the single purpose of tracking
leads• Human resource intensive approach at contact• Intense outreach (up to 30 points of contact in 30 days)• Increased focus on customer service throughout the
process
Great progress has been made…
and yet…
We all need MORE LEADS!!!
More “leads”
what do we really mean
We really mean
more “engaged leads”
That being said the MAJORITY of your lead pool is not at the stage yet of being an engaged lead.
And we ignore them.We ignore their enrollment potential.
We ignore their interest in our institution.
There is no clear “point in time” when it makes sense to return to complete a degree or go to graduate school.
Many adults will engage in the “shopping process” and engage several institutions via RFI’s on websites or digital
ads but will not take next steps.
Staying “with” these prospects over time can create solid results but this will not be without work.
Recruitment
Developing an Initial ProcessAND
Developing a Long Game
Defining a Lead• Lead (or inquiry)
RFILead card at an eventCall in ReferralANYONE who turns over contact information
• Lead PoolAny lead who does not complete and submit their
application within a reasonable window (30-60 days)
Recruitment 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?
• Is every source code tracked in our system?
Recruitment Process
• How does each source code convert?
% that covert to apps% that convert to admits% that convert to enrolled
Recruitment Process
• How does each source code convert in 60 days? (100 referrals)
% that covert to apps (70% convert to apps)70 applications
% that convert to admits (90% of apps are admitted)63 applicants are admitted
% that convert to enrolled (80% of admitted enroll)50 admits are enrolled
Recruitment Process
• How does each source code convert in 60 days? (100 referrals)
% that covert to apps (70% convert to apps)70 applications
% that convert to admits (90% of apps are admitted)63 applicants are admitted
% that convert to enrolled (80% of admitted enroll)50 admits are enrolled
??? What about the other 30 leads?????? The 13 admits that did not enroll???
Recruitment Process
Suggested Recruitment Approach… First 60 days…• Prospective student inquires – Day 1• Personal connection (email, phone, personal note) within
24 hours• Follow-up contact (call) – Day 3• Follow-up contact (email) – Day 7• Follow-up contact (call) – Day 10• Follow-up contact (call) – Day 15• 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
Messaging – First 60 Days• Evaluate messaging for “student focused” messages. • Go light on the features and benefits of your program
unless they are VERY related to a benefit for the student (like accelerated time to completion).
• Inquire as to why the prospective student is interested in returning to school at this time?
• Do messages invite a further conversation or simply overload prospects with everything they could ever possibly want to know about your program?
Recruitment Process• Your initial recruitment process in those first 60 days will
begin the process of sorting out who is ready to move forward and who will take a bit more time.
• Movement forward - started application/completed FAFSA/attended meeting - are all good indicators of engagement but these leads can not be abandoned when they do not convert quickly.
Recruitment Process
Returning to school is a huge financial and time commitment.
Most people will not make this decision quickly.
Long Game Recruitment
Long Game Recruitment
Determine your institutions definition of an “old lead”
NOTE: Needs to have been a solid recruitment effort made with prospects in the first place.
“I mailed the packet and they never called” is not a solid recruitment effort.
Long Game RecruitmentBatch “old leads”
Timeframe (leads between July 1, 2015 – January 1, 2016)
Programmatically Applications started not completedEngaged with recruiter but did not move in funnelMade appointment but did not showKept appointment but did not progress
Long Game RecruitmentDevelop re-engagement strategy for each “batched old lead pool”
Long Game RecruitmentExample re-engagement strategy
Past Appointment Kept
Personal hand-written note mailed to the lead from the recruiter they met withFollow-up call from that recruiter within 10 days of sending the cardEmail invite to a “Financing Your Education” session or webinarFacebook upload of email addresses with an invitation
Long Game RecruitmentExample re-engagement strategy
Application Started Not CompletedFollow-up call when a started application is not completed within 14 days Email communication flow (3) – topics to include Financial Aid, time management, employment after graduationFollow-up phone call from recruiter identifying the incomplete applicationEmail invite to a “Financing Your Education” session or webinarFacebook upload of email addresses with an invitation
Long Game RecruitmentExample re-engagement strategy
No Contact – EVERMonthly newsletter/announcements of new programs/expanded deliveriesQuarterly phone blitz – “If you are still considering graduate school we hope you are still considering the MBA at Harms University or one of our other 20 graduate programs. I’d be happy to explore options with you. “ Tracking – who is still opening email? Who is clicking on CTA’s? Invite to “Graduate School” event – track who opens invite and do follow-up phone calls
Long Game RecruitmentExample re-engagement strategy
Entire Lead PoolEmail series related to new program offerings and new deliveriesFollow-up phone calls to those that open the communication or engage with a linkOversized postcard to leads from the last 3 years announcing new programs or deliveries
Long Game RecruitmentExample re-engagement strategy
Stop-Outs
Hand written note from advisor/recruiter inviting the former student to connect to determine what it would take to completeIdentify former students within 15 credits of graduation and make personal calls indicating you are emailing them with information about the courses they need to complete their degreeEmail information related to number of credits needed and anticipated time to completion
Long Game RecruitmentThe Return on this Investment
1000 leads – 10% re-engage (100)100 re-engaged leads – 10% enroll (10 students)You attempt this twice per year – 20 students
Long Game Recruitment• Long game recruitment is a compliment to persistent and
consistent initial recruitment.
• Many schools need to start thinking about lead conversion rates over the course of a year.
• How many of your leads you are able to convert is dependent on the skills and knowledge of your team.
Questions?
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