The secrets of successfully converting students

Universities are allocating more time and money to marketing open days, engaging with students on social media, improving their prospectuses and developing their websites in order to attract applications from students. Those applications are now in, students have made their five choices, and are now tying down which of these will be their firm and insurance options. But what are the factors that influence this decision? How should marketers focus their efforts at this crucial time to swing the decision in their favour?

The Student Room conducted a survey asking students about the things that matter most to them at this stage in the university selection process. These are the key findings, together with conversion advice from some of the specialists here at The Student Room.

Introduction

Key �ndingsWe asked 500 students who were deciding their �rm and insurance choices a range of questions, including:

What separates their firm and insurance choices?

Who are the main influencers on this decision?

What sources of information do they use to make up their mind?

How well do they think universities are communicating with them?

Setting the sceneThe main application window has closed for 2015 and students will now have received offers from all or some of their chosen unis. Jack Wallington, Director of Community at The Student Room, gives the insider view on what students are up to on our forums post-application.

It’s not over yetWith five months until A- Level results day, students haven’t downed tools. They’re still busy researching their chosen universities in detail, chatting to undergrads on The Student Room for the insider lowdown. They’re busy choosing and you too should be busy trying to influence that choice.

Students are shopping around like never beforeWith a greater flexibility in available places in recent years and more info available online, students’ hearts can still switch between their top unis. Now is the time for you to offer more detailed assurance that your applicants have made the correct choice.

Students want you to build rapport, so do soApplicants want you to dive in and chat to them. Be a friendly face. Ask them questions and give them useful, informative answers. Encourage applicants to talk to you and get to know each other. And don’t forget to wish them luck in their exams!

Students are looking for reassurance Going to uni is increasingly being seen as nerve-wracking and the thought of independence both exciting and scary. Why not calm nerves by sharing information about the way your uni teams support students while settling in. Point out the fun things about your uni, local shopping, entertainment and perhaps ask existing students to share their stories (with photos of videos to show future students).

Build course excitementEven now, students are getting excited about their course and what brilliant new things they will be capable of. Spread the love by reassuring students they have made the right choice with your course: share case studies, offer insights into upcoming lectures, encourage some ‘light’ preparatory reading, include some stats about student success rates and job prospects.

The main application window has closed for 2015 and students will now have received offers from all or some of their chosen unis. Jack Wallington, Director of Community at The Student Room, gives the insider view on what students are up to on our forums post-application.

It’s not over yetWith five months until A- Level results day, students haven’t downed tools. They’re still busy researching their chosen universities in detail, chatting to undergrads on The Student Room for the insider lowdown. They’re busy choosing and you too should be busy trying to influence that choice.

Students are shopping around like never beforeWith a greater flexibility in available places in recent years and more info available online, students’ hearts can still switch between their top unis. Now is the time for you to offer more detailed assurance that your applicants have made the correct choice.

Students want you to build rapport, so do soApplicants want you to dive in and chat to them. Be a friendly face. Ask them questions and give them useful, informative answers. Encourage applicants to talk to you and get to know each other. And don’t forget to wish them luck in their exams!

Students are looking for reassurance Going to uni is increasingly being seen as nerve-wracking and the thought of independence both exciting and scary. Why not calm nerves by sharing information about the way your uni teams support students while settling in. Point out the fun things about your uni, local shopping, entertainment and perhaps ask existing students to share their stories (with photos of videos to show future students).

Build course excitementEven now, students are getting excited about their course and what brilliant new things they will be capable of. Spread the love by reassuring students they have made the right choice with your course: share case studies, offer insights into upcoming lectures, encourage some ‘light’ preparatory reading, include some stats about student success rates and job prospects.

1. What separates �rm and insurance choices?

Locals 9% Institutionalists 18%

Specialists 12%

Graders 11%

Campusites 5%

Focused on a single driving factor

64%

It's all about distance from home

The prestige of the university is what counts

How they rate the campus and facilties

Location, location - the appeal of the city is

what matters

Weighing up the probabilities of success - focusing on

grade difference

It's the quality of the specific course that counts

Course, location, lifestyle… It's a mix of academic and other factors

It's a mix of quality of life factors including friends,

appeal of the city, social life

Looking at university reputation, course quality, facilities and

teaching approach

Complete balancers 26%

Lifestylers 2%

Studiers 7%

Focused on mutiple factors

36%

Tourists 7%

We began by asking our students an open-ended question about what separated their firm and insurance choices. Their answers showed they are split down into a number of different types – some of which can be readily influenced by marketing; some with far more difficulty.

2. Which channels have the biggest in�uence over their choice?Students battle with the decision to choose a university, and are seeking information like never before. But what is the biggest source of influence on their decision?

University marketers work hard across all channels to build the image and reputation of their institution, and reputation is the key factor for students – with 68% of our respondents saying it shapes their decision on who will be their firm choice.

The single largest channel in influencing this, for 55% of students is the information they find online – overshadowing the 41% who mention they are influenced by the communication and engagement they had from the university.

The advice of parents and teachers at this stage in the post-application process is not to be underestimated. They represent an influencing channel with strong potential (and 9 in 10 parents agree with their son or daughter’s choice of university).

What influenced/will influence your firm choice?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

How the experience of applying to uni made me feel

Advice from parents/teachers

Advice from peers/friends

Advice from current students/alumni

Information found online

Reputation and image

Communication I had with the university

Other (please specify)

Pete Langley is a teacher with 37 years’ experience. He is our Study HelpProduct Director and oversees relationships with the 80,000+ teachersengaged with The Student Room. He sees teachers as a much under-utilised coversion channel. How are they best nurtured to influence their student cohorts?

Teachers want to be used!As the survey shows, teachers are a key influence on student decision making – even though we often don’t have the tools to inform students as well as we would like. Recognise this and a world of marketing opportunities opens up.

It’s easy to keep us up to date, but most unis don’t Often teachers’ personal knowledge is way out of date and there is pretty much zero communication at subject level with the vast majority of universities – so there’s an opportunity there to be picked up on – both immediately and over the longer term.

Don’t let your best assets sit idle One of the most powerful information channels for teachers is former pupils - and social media should make this easy and fast for unis to use. Encourage undergrads to stay in touch with their teachers - and support them with ideas and advice

Use your subject strengths to engage usUniversities that are active in engaging teachers and students in all aspects of the subjects they offer - whether this is information updates, workshops, or online events – are generally the ones that tend to be recommended.

Get to the pointTeachers need to know in simple terms why your course is so compelling, how you inspire undergraduates and the exciting options available. It’s easy for us to get lost in reams of information; make sure your key messages stand out clearly so we can pass them on.

Who influenced you?

Not at all in�uential

Not very in�uential

Quite in�uential

Very in�uential

Parents

Teachers

Peers/friends

Career services

16%

22%

17%

46%

18%

10%

8%

6%

26%

30%

38%

28%

41%

37%

37%

20%

3. Students are still deciding… The majority of students aren’t making light of their decision when it comes to narrowing their firm and insurance offers down to two universities. Although around 60% of students said they feel very confident they will get into their chosen university, only 27% of them have confirmed their choices by February 2015, compared to 73% who are yet to do so.

On a scale of 1 (not at all) to 5 (very) how confident are you that you will get into your chosen uni?

Have you confirmed your firm and insurance choices yet?

Our research found that universities are generally making a good job of the quality of communication they have with students (though with no room for complacency as the OK/Poor scores show). However, they don’t perform as well in terms of how often they communicate, suggesting students are keen for universities to step up their engagement with them at this crucial stage in the decision-making process.

4. Universities are communicating well – but should communicate more

Yes

No

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

5

4

3

2

1

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

How do you rate the amount of communication you've had from universities during the application process?

How do you rate the quality of communication you've had from universities during the application process?

Unsurprisingly, the vast majority of students have checked out their chosen uni in person. More surprisingly, is the lack of contact they’ve had through any channel with admissions and course tutors. Over half of students (52%) who took part in the survey didn’t speak to an admissions tutor or course team before making a decision.

5. There’s no substitute for personal experience of a uni – but there’s scope for tutors to engage more

Poor

OK

Good

Very good

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Poor

OK

Good

Very good

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Did you speak to the admissions tutor or course teams before you made your decision?

Have you visited the universities you have applied for?

More than a third of students don’t rate the advice they received from careers services when it comes to making the choice between one university and another. It’s the advice from universities themselves that they value most.

6. Careers service advice is lacking – but universities are performing well

Yes

No

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Yes

No

No, but I still plan too

Very helpful

Somewhat helpful Poor N/A

From teachers

From parents

From peers

From close friends

From universities

25%

26%

18%

26%

47%

16%

17%

17%

14%

8%

45%

45%

50%

48%

41%

15%

12%

15%

11%

4%

From career services

From education websitesfocusing on higer education

From The Student Room

17%

33%

34%

38%

21%

17%

25%

39%

47%

20%

6%

2%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Summing it all up – how should marketers be thinking in the conversion period? Rob Hardy has over 14 years’ experience is student marketing and is Head of Education Sales at The Student Room. What does he see in summary as the key imperatives for converting students post-application?

Being seen means being considered It’s crucial to keep your foot on the pedal right through Extra and Clearing. Maintain high levels of visibility to applicants – and don’t forget the large number of other students who may still consider you (as our study shows).

Being interesting hooks them inSharing information on what they will experience when they arrive on campus, new technology or the latest piece of research to come out of the faculty they have applied to really helps get them bought into the idea of choosing your university.

Being helpful counts more than you might think Be happy to give answers to what may seem low value questions; these can swing a surprising number of applicants. Even questions such as “What are the crime rates?” and “Is there room for my food in a shared fridge in halls?” have made a difference.

Show them what they have to look forward toWho will they meet? What events and activities will be on when they arrive? Can the Students’ Union offer any support here? Make students excited and enthusiastic at this point in their decision-making process.

Use every channel students use To do all these things effectively, you’re going to have to need to use a wider range of communication channels than ever. Students are promiscuous in where they’ll look for information, and you’ll need to be too if you want to influence them.

www.tsrmatters.co.uk

Want to know how we can help connect you with applicants, parents and teachers through the conversion period?Email us on hello@thestudentroom.com or call us on 0800 999 3222