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Six Ways You Can Relieve Prospective Student Stress

November 15th, 2016

Right this minute, all over the country, college-bound students are in the throes of making what is most likely THE biggest decision they have ever made: “Which college is right for me? Will the college accept me? Can I afford it?”   Their parents are offering guidance and counsel because they know this is a crucial decision. Certainly, they too have a hugely vested interest in being certain that the final decision is the “right” one. Let’s face it: For nearly every student and their parent this is a period of high-anxietystress-baby.

No college would want to do anything that would ADD angst to an inherently stressful process, right? No college would do so intentionally but as an industry we do it all the time.

Through our pre-enrollment research, we communicate with hundreds of thousands of prospective students and parents every year and they have been very specific about the things colleges do that add stress to the selection process. Here are the 6 stress-inducing actions most often cited about the college admissions industry:

  •  That we communicate poorly
  •  That we’re slow to offer or reject admission
  •  That we have burdensome processes
  •  That admissions people are not responsive
  •  We are poorly organized, and,
  •  In some cases, they believe we’re being DISHONEST

Are you ready for some good news? Since these things happen more than you can imagine it gives you an opportunity to differentiate your college or university by doing the opposite. You can differentiate your institution by RELIEVING rather than ADDING stress to the college selection process.

Here’s how.

Students and parents have told us what you can do to help. Here are 6 stress-relieving actions:

  1. Communicate often and artfully. Students want information that’s relevant to THEM.
  2. Provide helpful advice and counsel throughout the college shopping process.
  3. BE RESPONSIVE. Return calls and emails promptly.
  4. Make decisions promptly.
  5. Treat each prospective student as you would expect and hope to be treated.
  6. Above all, show a sincere interest in the student.

These may seem obvious but it’s amazing how many colleges fail to practice these proven behaviors that will serve a prospective student and parent well.  Every student has a unique combination of needs, preferences, perceptions and motivations. Identifying and dealing with all of them enables the college to have a deeper and stronger relationship with the prospective student. Uncovering them requires that the college focus on the student rather than the institution.

There are communication techniques your staff can learn that will help them feel confident about reaching out to prospective students to ask the right questions. This is one of the core techniques we teach in the Interactive Counselor Training Workshops we hold on college campuses throughout the country.

Longmire and Company’s on-campus Interactive Training Workshops improve the performance of counselors and staff in areas such as effective communication with students and parents, applying creative entrepreneurship to their jobs, validating past and planned actions against outcomes, and discovering and leveraging the motivations of students (and themselves).

The end result is improved service to prospective students and families, measurable increases in yield, increased counselor and staff job satisfaction, enhanced teamwork, and innovations in work process within the department.

We help colleges with their recruiting efforts every day. If we can help you please call or shoot me an email. Continue the conversation on Twitter @LongmireCo. For more information about Longmire and Company and the tools we have to offer, click here. Be sure to subscribe to Versions of Conversion today so you don’t miss any of this highly-valuable information.

RickMontgomery_100x100Rick Montgomery is as an Enrollment Strategist at Longmire and Company. With over 20 years in higher education marketing, he brings an innovative and dynamic approach to helping colleges and universities meet their enrollment goals. Rick can be reached at 913/492.1265 x.708 or via email at rmontgomery@longmire-co.com.

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Posted in Closing the Sale, Conversion and Yield, Counselor Training, Organizational development, Parents, Research, Uncategorized

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Asked and Answered: Building Relationships that Lead to Enrollments

September 28th, 2016

We just returned from Columbus where we teamed up with Jeff Fuller, University of Houston Director of Student Recruitment, to present the results of our nationally co-sponsored study, “The Relationship Dynamic,” to an enthusiastic crowd of enrollment professionals at the NACACRelationshipDynamic_300x172 Conference.  NACAC’16 drew thousands of participants and I suspect that most returned home feeling like our team; newly energized and proud to be part of the profession of college admissions.

“The Relationship Dynamic” defines specific actions colleges can take to build stronger relationships with prospective students that will lead to enrollments and it was great to be able to share those with the 500+ admission professionals that attended our presentation.  Often, the most constructive part of any presentation comes from the questions asked by the participants and we want to share some of the best Q&A’s to share with you.

Q: “We have a huge volume of prospective students in our pool. How can I determine if we have “moved the needle” with individual students when it’s impossible to talk to all of them individually?”

A:  “Build a feedback loop into every channel you use to communicate with prospective students. For instance, when you send an email include a link to a one question survey that finds out if they are more or less excited about your college, if they plan to take a particular action, or some other indicator that tells you if you are, or aren’t, moving their needle.”

Q:  “You recommend recruiting parents much like we do students. At our college, we are often trying to separate parents from the student so they don’t dominate the conversation. Are we wrong to do that?”

A:  “We recommend creating a separate track for parents, assuming both the parent and student agree that it’s OK. Find out what a parent wants and how they’re going to arrive at their college choice independent of the students. We know that parents are influencers but the Relationship Dynamic study shows just how much they are facilitators. We need to enable them.”

Q:   “We do a lot of texting campaigns but your data shows only 16% of students say texts played a significant role in building a relationship with the college. Should we abandon texting as a recruiting tool?”

A:  “Absolutely not. However, you can give your text communications far more impact when you make them personal and relevant to the individual student’s interest. Use the data and info you have about the student to personalize it and make it compelling. The technology available to you these days makes that possible.”

Q:  “The study shows that contact frequency has much less influence on building a relationship than contact relevance. How do you uncover what is relevant and how do you leverage that information?”

A:  “If it’s possible to have conversations with each of your prospective students then use those to explore the issues that are relevant to them. I’m talking about asking a diverse and penetrating set of questions much deeper than “what do you want to study?” Once you’ve gained an understanding of the student’s motivations, interests and fears, the info must be recorded in a CRM or other data warehouse where you can pull it to drive future communications.

If you are one of the many colleges who have enormous pools of prospective students making it impossible to have individual conversations, we advise you to ask for feedback and information from students with each and every communication. Make it a two-way instead of a one-way flow of information. 

It can be done.  For many years, we’ve been uncovering students’ needs, preferences, fears, plans and motivations without talking to them face-to-face. The information you gather should then drive your messaging through each and every communications channel.”

Q:  “Are you still signing up co-sponsors for your current co-sponsored study [he is referring to our study currently underway called “Hidden Influences”] ? Can colleges still get in on it?”

A:  “Yes and yes. [Click here for full details.] This study is doing a deep dive into uncovering the things students hold back from colleges during the college shopping process and, more importantly, the findings will provide colleges with strategies and methods to uncover hidden influences and deal with them before the student solidifies his or her enrollment decision. We welcome all colleges to participate.”

Want to see the full “Relationship Dynamic” report? Click here for an instant download.

There are communication techniques your staff can learn that will help them feel confident about reaching out to prospective students to ask the right questions. This is one of the core techniques we teach in the Interactive Counselor Training Workshops we hold on college campuses throughout the country. It is also a key component of YES, our Yield Enhancement Tool. Let me show you how we can help you. Please call or email me for more information. Continue the conversation on Twitter @LongmireCo. Be sure to Subscribe to Versions of Conversion today so you don’t miss any of this highly-valuable information.

RickMontgomery_100x100Rick Montgomery is as an Enrollment Strategist at Longmire and Company. With over 20 years in higher education marketing, he brings an innovative and dynamic approach to helping colleges and universities meet their enrollment goals. Rick can be reached at 913/492.1265 x.708 or via email at rmontgomery@longmire-co.com.

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Posted in Behavior, Campus Tours, Campus Visits, Closing the Sale, Conversion and Yield, Counselor Training, Organizational development, Parents, Research, Worthwhile Reading, Your Value Proposition

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Take These Actions to Build Stronger Relationships with Prospective Students

June 1st, 2016

In our recently released co-sponsored study, “The Relationship Dynamic,” over 12,000 college-bound students opened up to us about the factors that contribute to building a bond with a college that leads to their enrollment. (Click here to download a copy of the full report.)

Research, of any kind, typically yields data that falls into one of two classifications. There is “nice-to-know” data that provides context and there is “need-to-know” data that drives action. Our Higher Ed co-sponsored studies are designed to get need-to-know data that will change a college’s approach, process, and bottom-line.

The Relationship Dynamic study findings definitely yielded need-to-know information. The study defined specific actions colleges can take to build stronger relationships with prospective students that will lead to enrollments.

Here are some of those actions:

Work constantly on building the relationship

It’s common for colleges and admission counselors to think of recruiting students as a progression of steps. Has the student completed this action or that Relationship_Makeaction? Are they progressing down through the funnel? In many cases students are being pulled through the process. It’s difficult.

Focusing on relationship building rather than process can make it easier. Students will willingly take the necessary steps. Every interaction with a student, in any form, should be measured on the basis of, “Does it make our relationship stronger?”

Explore every facet of the student’s preferences

Every student has a unique combination of needs, preferences, perceptions, and motivations. Identifying and dealing with all of them enables the college to have a deeper and stronger relationship with the prospective student. Uncovering them requires that the college focus on the student rather than the institution.

Find out if you have “moved the needle”

With every student interaction find out if you have changed or enhanced the student’s perception of your institution. At the end of a campus visit, for example, ask, “Did we show you how we are different from other colleges? If so, tell me how you see us as being different. Does it make us any more or less attractive to you?”

Open a separate but equal parent recruiting track

Parents are not just influencing the college selection process, they are facilitating it. Help them. Establish a separate but equal relationship with them, provided the student and parent are comfortable doing so.

A strong relationship with a parent can provide the guidance and help you need to better understand the value propositions that will be attractive to the prospective student.

Get personal and be prepared to answer every question

Do everything you can to understand what is important to the prospective student and how they can be best served through their college selection process. After learning what is important to them be prepared to provide any and all information they need.

Get On Board Our Next Co-Sponsored Study!

Hidden_Influences_ProspectusWe know that prospective students don’t always tell us what they really think. Sometimes they don’t want to be completely honest about their REAL first-choice college because they think they’ll hurt our feelings. They often say one thing and do another. Why?

We will answer that critical question in our next co-sponsored study, “Hidden Influences: Revealing the unspoken perceptions that prospective students have about your college and why it matters in your ability to grow and control enrollment.” This unprecedented study will break new ground in exploring the hidden perceptions and opinions that influence students in choosing your college or another. Unlike any other higher education research or non-matric studies, Hidden Influences will dive deeply into the emotions and perceptions that factor into the college selection process. This study will provide you with actionable information you can use immediately and effectively.

For more information or to reserve your participation in this study, contact me at (913) 492-1265, ext. 708 or by email at rmontgomery@longmire-co.com or Bob Longmire at (913) 492-1265, ext. 709, blongmire@longmire-co.com. Colleges are signing up now so we encourage you to contact us soon if you are thinking about participating. CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION.

We help colleges with their recruiting efforts every day. If we can help you please call or shoot me an email. Continue the conversation on Twitter @LongmireCo. For more information about Longmire and Company and the tools we have to offer, click here. Be sure to subscribe to Versions of Conversion today so you don’t miss any of this highly-valuable information.

RickMontgomery_100x100Rick Montgomery is as an Enrollment Strategist at Longmire and Company. With over 20 years in higher education marketing, he brings an innovative and dynamic approach to helping colleges and universities meet their enrollment goals. Rick can be reached at 913/492.1265 x.708 or via email at rmontgomery@longmire-co.com.

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Posted in Behavior, Closing the Sale, Conversion and Yield, Counselor Training, Organizational development, Parents, Research

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Prospective Students Reveal Who Facilitates Their College Selection Most

May 18th, 2016

In our latest co-sponsored study, “The Relationship Dynamic,” we asked over 12,000 college-bound students, “Who played a significant role in helping you form a relationship with your chosen college?” Many mentioned the current students who attend the college. Others mentioned their high school counselors and teachers. College admission counselors played a significant role for many. But topping the list? Parents.

We all know that parents influence college selection. That’s not news. But they are much, much more than influencers.

Parents not only influence, they facilitate the relationship between the student and the college of choice.

Are you fully leveraging the influence these facilitators have in shaping the college selection decisions of their sons and daughters. Are you fully serving parents? Have you focused on what’s important to them? Their feelings and emotions? Have you made them part of your recruiting team? If not, you are missing out on the support of possibly your biggest champions. Imagine the impact of turning these key influencers into your college’s top advocates.

Relationship dynamicIn a separate Longmire and Company co-sponsored study, “Your Value Proposition,” we measured the relative influence of parents and students in driving the college selection decision. Both parents and students agreed: the student has the most influence. Parents want their child to be happy and, if that lays the foundation for their success in college, then parents are willing to subordinate their own preferences and concerns.

However, parents are not shy about influencing the college selection process before the final decision is made. In our “Study of Parents,” we uncovered numerous examples of mothers and fathers hiding or disposing of college marketing material before their child would see it. Conversely, the same parents advocated for specific colleges even though the student had not expressed an initial interest in the school.

Results from the current “Relationship Dynamic” study make it very clear: Parents are not just influencing the college selection process, they are active facilitators in leading their child to or away from colleges. influencer graph

In light of this, more colleges are building a separate but equal marketing and “recruiting” track aimed at parents. It’s an acknowledgement that parents can and should be served during the college selection process, and that they can be an important conduit to facilitate the relationship between the prospective student and the college.

Laura Hamilton, associate professor of sociology at the University of California, and author of Parenting to a Degree: How Family Matters for College Women’s Success, has researched this in great detail. In The Atlantic, “The Partnership Between Colleges and Helicopter Parents,” she writes “…parents typically bring more than funds alone. They often help promote the university; conduct admissions interviews; interface with donating alumni; assist with their own students’ emotional, cognitive, and physical needs…. Competition to attract these parents is stiff—and administrators’ complaints about parental ‘meddling’ are now tempered with interest in a ‘partnership relationship’ with parents.”

We couldn’t agree more! And so do many of our college clients. A growing number of colleges are building communications flows and ongoing conversation streams with parents. If you want to begin doing the same or enhancing what you already do then take these steps.

The Parent Track: Quick Start Guide

  • Ask permission first.  Establish a separate but equal relationship with them, provided the student and parent are comfortable doing so. Admission counselors tell us that most prospective students are happy to give permission for direct communication with their parents, and that parents often consider the request evidence of a higher level of service from the college or university.
  • Seek opportunities for one-on-one interactions.  Call the parent while the student is at school, for instance.  Structure your campus visits so that you have some time with both the student and parent, separately.  In every conversation with the parent ask open-ended questions that will help you gain insight to the student: “What attributes are most important to Jamie in a college?” “What do you think should be most important?” “Has Jamie developed strong relationships with any colleges in particular?” “Is there anything I can show her about our college that would help her decide?” “What do you think would get her excited about our college?” Parents will often share details that students will not.
  • Identify their communication and content preferences. Find out what information they need and want from you. Find out when they need it. Find out how they would like it delivered (email, mail, text, phone call, campus visit, etc.).
  • Make connections.  Connecting the parent to “third-party” supporters can go a long way toward building your relationship. Some colleges have established parent “mentor” programs to introduce parents of prospective students to those to parents who have successfully navigated the process.  Your goal is to network the parent to someone with a shared perspective that they trust; look for parents of successful students or graduates or alumni that live in the same city.

Creating relationships is a multifaceted, nuanced and crucial part of student recruitment A strong bond with a parent can provide the guidance and help you need to better understand the value propositions that will be attractive to the prospective student. Ultimately, you and the parent both share the same objective: A successful, productive, happy college experience for the student.

Engaging with parents to this degree involves an investment in time and money. But it’s an investment you and your team need to make. If you elect to invest in this effort then you’re effectively doubling your recruiting team. You are enlisting the help and support of someone “on the inside” who has the full faith and trust of the college-bound student.

The soon-to-be released “Relationship Dynamic” report is loaded with powerful information that will help you build stronger bonds with the students you are recruiting. If you want a copy of the full public report, you can CLICK HERE to place your name on the distribution list.

Become a co-sponsor of our next study and get insight into YOUR pool of prospective students!

Click to learn more! Hidden_Influences_Prospectus

 Prospective students don’t always tell you what they’re thinking. Or they don’t want to be completely honest about their REAL first-choice college because they think they’ll hurt your feelings. Or they say one thing and then do another.

Their hidden perceptions and motivations impact your ability to effectively communicate with and ultimately recruit them. This new study is going to do a deep dive on the hidden perceptions that influence students in choosing a college.

Colleges get involved in our co-sponsored studies because they capture fascinating and actionable data specific to their pool of prospective students. As a co-sponsoring institution you will receive comprehensive and customized reporting that compares your data with national data. In addition, Longmire and Company will create and deliver a customized webinar for you and your staff to make specific recommendations for acting on the findings.

 

RickMontgomery_100x100Rick Montgomery is as an Enrollment Strategist at Longmire and Company. With over 20 years in higher education marketing, he brings an innovative and dynamic approach to helping colleges and universities meet their enrollment goals. Rick can be reached at 913/492.1265 x.708 or via email at rmontgomery@longmire-co.com.

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Posted in Behavior, Closing the Sale, Conversion and Yield, Counselor Training, Parents, Research, Worthwhile Reading, Your Value Proposition

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