[Part 6 of the Counselor Training Blog Series provides you with valuable information to help you communicate more effectively with prospective students.]
What do you say when a prospective student or parent asks, “Tell me about your school”? If you’re like most people in admissions, you’re going to tell them about all of the things that make you special.
You might say, “We’re a small school and, because of that, we’re able to give you a high level of personal attention.”
Or,
“We’re a large school and, because of that, you’ll enjoy a diverse student population and a wide choice of academic programs.”
You might talk about your highly respected faculty, or your sports teams, or the student spirit, or the internship possibilities – you name it.
You could list many things. And they would all be legitimate reasons to attend your school.
The problem is this: the students and parents you’re talking to are hearing the exact same thing from every other college they are considering.
THAT’S THE HARD TRUTH!
It is very difficult for students and parents to differentiate one college from another when they’re hearing the same things from all colleges.
Here’s a fun exercise that will bring focus to your ability to differentiate your institution. Think about all of the things you say about your college and all of the reasons you know that a student might select your school. Write every one of them down. Now, look at each item on your list and ask yourself: “Are my prospective students hearing the same thing from any other college?” Be brutally honest.
If you think other colleges are likely to be saying the same thing that you’re saying about yourself, then cross it off your list. At the end of the exercise, count how many items you have left.
We frequently do this exercise in our Interactive Counselor Training Workshops at college campuses all over the country. And, I can tell you that, in most cases, the big list of “reasons why to attend” gets whittled down to nothing. Then, we challenge the counselors to identify those characteristics that are genuinely special about their school.
This exercise serves two purposes:
First, it forces you to realize the differentiators that you profess are not really distinguishing you at all.
Secondly, it forces you to be introspective and discover what truly makes you exceptional among the many choices available to prospective students and parents.
I guarantee that in many ways your college is truly distinctive. You just have to recognize those attributes and effectively articulate them so that students and parents will see you as being unique and desirable.
Continue the conversation on Twitter @LongmireCo. For more information about Longmire and Company’s Interactive Counselor Training Program, click here.
[In the next installment of the Counselor Training Series we’ll discuss how taking an entrepreneurial approach in your job will make your entire team more successful. Subscribe to Versions of Conversion today so you don’t miss any of this highly-valuable information.]
Karen Full is a successful higher education professional who has held positions in enrollment management at large and small, public and private institutions including Kettering University, University of Tampa, Marian University, and other institutions. She is now an Enrollment Strategist at Longmire and Company.
