Versions of Conversion

A blog on managing enrollment and yield

Posts Tagged ‘EMChat’

Prospective Students Describe Counselor Traits that Create Relationships

May 11th, 2016

“Our college is investing so much in CRM automation and social media that I sometimes wonder if my role as an admission counselor is becoming less important,” Joseph said to me during a break at a recent conference. “What’s your opinion?” he asked.

I told Joseph that more important than my opinion is that of the more than 12,000 prospective students that recently shared their thoughts with us. They were very clear on the importance of the admission counselor in the college selection process. They even weighed in on the effectiveness of social media marketing. Moreover, they were very specific about what traits and attributes make an admission counselor most effective.

We will soon be releasing a comprehensive report of the findings from our most recent co-sponsored study, “The Relationship Dynamic,” with more than 40 private and public colleges and universities joining forces to explore how prospective students form a relationship with a college, and why it matters in a college’s ability to grow and control enrollment. If you would like a copy of the full public report as soon as it is released, you can CLICK HERE to place your name on the distribution list.

How influential is the relationship building process? Very!

Over 80% of students say that the relationship they formed with their chosen college was influential in their decision to enroll. Nearly half of this group says it was “significant” in their decision. When asked to rate the strength of the relationship they formed with their chosen college (on a 10 high scale) leading up to their final decision 45% rated it 8 or higher.

Students often remember with specificity the circumstances and interactions related to the moment they felt they had formed a relationship with their chosen college. “The first time I met my admissions counselor,” one student said. Another said, “There was a part of the campus tour when we played games as a group and I felt like I was part of a family.” Yet another said, “I began receiving e-mails that were directed to my interests and not just in general for all students being accepted.”

Students were asked to identify and quantify the relative influence of specific interactions on their relationship with the college they selected. Across the board, social media scored in the neutral range whereas interaction with admission counselors ranged much higher, demonstrating a far greater influence on enrollment.

What qualities do top-notch admission counselors have that lead prospective students to bond with a college?

They are knowledgeable and responsive. They know the answers to every question about their school, campus, costs, loans, scholarships, etc… And, if they are asked a question that they don’t have an answer for, they promise to find out fast.
They demonstrate a sincere interest in the student. They get to know the prospective student as an individual and understand his or her particular needs, preferences and motivations.
They connect the student to people, places and activities that will create excitement about the college. Because they have mastered #2, they know just who those people, places and activities should be.
They make sure to let the students know that the college is interested in them. They stay in touch and are responsive.

We all know that a student’s college selection is tied closely to the strength of the relationship they build with a college over time. And we know that creating relationships is a multifaceted, nuanced and crucial part of student recruitment. What Joseph, and all admission counselors must know is this: Your role is crucial. You are a powerful motivator when you use all of the tools available to you.

We help colleges and universities with their recruiting efforts every day. If we can help you, please let me know. If you’ve thought about helping your staff with professional development, now is the ideal time to train and motivate your staff. Email or call me if you are interested in how we can help. Continue the conversation on Twitter @LongmireCo. For more information about Longmire and Company and the tools we have to offer, click here. We will be sharing more key insights from this study so be sure to subscribe to Versions of Conversion today so you can stay up-to-date.

We recently launched a series of free video training tutorials on our website and YouTube channel aimed at making your counselors even better at their jobs. On our website you’ll find an ever growing list of admission counselor tutorials. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more tutorials, powerful data from national co-sponsored studies and interviews with some of your peers.

Rick 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.

Comments Off on Prospective Students Describe Counselor Traits that Create Relationships »

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

Tags: admission counselor training admissions counselors admissions customer service admissions success brand management college college admissions college branding college enrollment college presidents college recruiting college recruitment college yield EMChat enrollment management finding the right college fit higher education marketing higher education value longmire longmire and company Longmire and Company study value proposition yield enhancement

7 Ways to Deal With Objections and Concerns

May 4th, 2016

For most colleges “Yield Season” extends all the way up to the day new students show up for class. While the majority of prospective students may have made their college selection decision at this point a sizable number are still considering their options. They are still looking at you and other colleges.

As they get to know you and other colleges better they naturally develop positive and negative perceptions. They develop concerns. Even objections. Who knows if those perceptions and concerns are rooted in facts. But they exist. And you have to uncover them and deal with them. Here’s how.

Create well crafted questions, memorize them, and use them verbatim over and over

As you circle back to your admitted student pool it is important to have a strategy for building a relationship in 30 minutes or less. Use highly focused questions that show empathy and reflect your sincere desire to help. “What can I do that would be most helpful to you?” “How are you feeling about this whole college selection process?” “Do you mind if we stay in contact? What’s best for you? Email? Text?”

Put the student at ease

Give the student permission to be open, honest and frank. “I promise you won’t hurt my feelings by telling me …” “To help you I need to ask a few questions. Is that okay?”

Explore the student’s potential fears and motivations

Students may be conflicted about sharing this information until you assure them that it is a natural part of the process. “For a lot of students, picking a college is like riding on an emotional roller coaster. They say that it’s both exciting and stressful. What’s it been like for you? How can I help?”

Dealing with indifference

Students and parents often need to be educated about what they SHOULD consider in selecting a college. “Let me tell three things I see students and parents overlook in college selection that comes back to haunt them later.” Then, present your institution’s strengths in those areas.

Uncovering other colleges in consideration

If you don’t already know, you must find out now both where and why the student is considering another school. Your conversation with the student may go as follows. “A lot of students I talk to say they want a college that provides [name an attribute] and makes them feel [name a feeling]. Would that describe you or do you want different things? Have you found a college yet that offers that to you?” If yes, ask which one(s)? “That’s really interesting. I’m happy for you. Out of curiosity, which colleges are they? And you won’t hurt my feelings if it’s not us.”

Ask how the student discovered these attributes in the college. “How did you come to know or feel that about them?”

Gauge the student’s emotional commitment to one or more colleges. “At this point, where is your heart leading you?”

Turning reluctance into commitment

When a student tells you that they’re still making a decision, respond by asking for more insight into his or her decision-making process. “It’s not uncommon for students to still be considering their options at this point but many say that they’ve narrowed down what’s going to be important to them. What’s going to be most important to you?”

Handling the root causes of “buyer” reluctance

Lack of information: “I sense you’re a little uncomfortable taking the next step. When that happens it’s usually because the student needs more information or some assurance. How about you?” Find out what information or assurance is needed.
Hidden objections or concerns: “Some students don’t take the next step because there is something they don’t like or they have a concern about something. Is that so for you – I promise you won’t hurt my feelings but it will help me understand.”
Withholding their true feelings/plans from you: “Of course, I want what’s best for you. And you can be honest with me because I’ll help you even if we aren’t your chosen school. What are you thinking at this point?”
Fear of the unknown: “Some students don’t take the next step just because it’s kind of scary. They’ve never been through it before. However, once they do they feel a huge relief and look back and think ‘That wasn’t that hard after all.’”

In conclusion

In no way do we ever advocate trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. If the student is not a fit for your school, and they’d be better served elsewhere, then by all means it’s your duty to help them find that school. You want students who will be comfortable, happy and successful. Unfortunately, many conversations between counselors and prospective students never reach a depth where the the student WILL be best served. For that to truly happen you have to be prepared to artfully ask penetrating but necessary questions to better understand where the student is in his or her decision-making process and why.

We help colleges and universities with their recruiting efforts every day, especially now during yield season. If we can help you, please let me know. If you’ve thought about helping your staff with professional development, now is the ideal time to train and motivate your staff. Email or call me if you are interested in how we can help. 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 can stay up-to-date.

We recently launched a series of free video training tutorials on our website and YouTube channel aimed at making your counselors even better at their jobs. On our website you’ll find an ever growing list of admission counselor tutorials. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more tutorials, powerful data from national co-sponsored studies and interviews with some of your peers.

Rick 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.

Comments Off on 7 Ways to Deal With Objections and Concerns »

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

Tags: admission counselor training admissions admissions counselors admissions customer service admissions success college college admissions college branding college enrollment college presidents college recruiting college recruitment college yield EMChat enrollment management finding the right college fit higher ed higher education marketing higher education strategies longmire longmire and company value proposition yield yield enhancement

Actionable Data to Increase Yield NOW!

April 18th, 2016

No matter what you call it, Yield Season, Crunch Time or The Finish Line, it’s NOW. Take a deep breath and keep on reading. We have new actionable information that will guide you toward greater success in the days and weeks ahead.

Our new research reveals that a student’s college selection is tied closely to the strength of the relationship they build with a college over time. Contributing to the overall relationship are interactions a prospective student has with current students, professors, admission counselors, and even people in points across campus and beyond that are unknown to the admission office.

The more than 12,000 college-bound students nationwide who participated in our most recent co-sponsored study, The Relationship Dynamic, offer insights on what will, and will not, lead them to selecting your college. Study results will be released next month but we are sharing some key findings with you today.

When is the bond with a college sealed?

Over 70% of students told us that the relationship they built with their college of choice had a major influence on their enrollment decision. For the purpose of this study, we defined “relationship” as the student’s emotional connection to, affinity with, or excitement about attending.

In the graph on the right, you will note that more prospective students identify April as the month they bonded with a college. In a previous study, The Excitement Factor, we asked students to tell us the month they made their final college selection decision. That chart looks exactly like the one on the right. Their final decision is in perfect alignment with the realization of a relationship. Clearly, when a student feels their connection with a college, they are quick to claim it as their own.

Another interesting thing about this chart: about 20% of students will develop a bond with their chosen college after May. That suggests how much potential there is to connect with students and win their enrollment during the summer. It also suggests that the lack of a relationship may foreshadow melt.

Now is the time to ask each and every student in your pool this crucial question: “At this point, how strong a bond do you feel with us?”

If you get the answer you want, terrific. But, if not, follow-up with questions that will help you better understand the student and lead to a successful conclusion for both the student and your college:

“Do you feel you’ve developed a relationship with any college?”
“What about that school is exciting to you?”
“What can I show you here that you really want to see?”
“Who can I introduce you to that will tell you what it’s like to attend here?”

Yes, these are very direct questions. Counselors often hold themselves back from asking penetrating questions because they’re concerned that students will perceive them as being intrusive. That’s unfortunate. For both the counselor and the student.

Admissions counselors who employ the direct approach tell us that they are often surprised by the depth of the answers they get when they specifically ask about a student’s level of excitement and the bonds they have with one or more colleges.

Not only do they get a real-time assessment of what the student is feeling, but they frequently uncover the ONE THING that will turn an admitted prospect into an enrolled student. It’s simple, effective and a WIN-WIN for all.

Now is the time to present your college’s value in a way that has meaning to the individual student you are addressing.

If you have been creating a relationship with the prospective student, you already know a great deal about his or her specific interests, goals and personality traits. In truth, at this point in the cycle you may only be half way to understanding what is going to drive the student to select you.

You still need to know how their feelings and emotions are going to influence their college selection. The only way to do that is by having a conversation in which you can ask questions that will reveal what is important to them emotionally.

Try this: The next time you’re talking to a prospective student, ask this simple question, “On a 10-high scale, what’s your excitement level about coming to our school?” Give them permission to be honest by telling them that they won’t hurt your feelings. If you get an answer that’s anything less than a 10, follow up with the sincere and honest question, “What would get you to a 10?” Listen to what they say. Listen for how you can help them.

We help colleges and universities with their recruiting efforts every day, especially now during yield season. If we can help you, please let me know. If you’ve thought about helping your staff with professional development, now is the ideal time to train and motivate your staff. Email or call me if you are interested in how we can help. 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 can stay up-to-date.

Rick 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.

Comments Off on Actionable Data to Increase Yield NOW! »

Posted in Campus Visits, Closing the Sale, Conversion and Yield, Counselor Training, Research, Your Value Proposition

Tags: admission counselor training admissions admissions counselors admissions customer service admissions success brand management college college admissions college branding college costs college enrollment college presidents college recruiting college recruitment college yield EMChat enrollment enrollment management finding the right college fit higher ed higher ed marketing higher education marketing higher education strategies higher education value longmire longmire and company Longmire and Company study value proposition yield yield enhancement

It’s Okay to Ask for the Order [Video]

March 29th, 2016

We recently launched a series of free video training tutorials on our website and YouTube channel aimed at making your counselors even better at their jobs. On our website you’ll find an ever growing list of admission counselor tutorials. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more tutorials, powerful data from national co-sponsored studies and interviews with some of your peers.

Let’s take a moment and focus on the critical final step in the model of communication that will lead to higher yield for your college or university: CLOSING.

Did you cringe? Some readers may be thinking, “I am not in sales. I work for a highly-respected college.” I agree! That’s not what closing is about.

In the college admissions process, closing simply means getting the student to take the next logical step on the path to enrolling. That might mean asking the student to schedule a campus visit. Or complete an application. Or agree to meet students of like mind and interests on your campus.

In admissions we’re not in the business of imposing something on someone. We’re in the business of understanding how the student can best be served and suggesting the next logical step in providing the service we know they’ll benefit from. Many prospective students and parents have never been through this complex process of selecting a college. They need us to tell them what a good next step would be and why. And if we don’t do that for them then we’re not serving them well. If we don’t take charge then we’re not doing our duty for them or our institution.

There are many milestones on the path to enrolling. But in every conversation you have with a prospective student or parent, whether it is the first or the fifth, you should end with a suggestion that the student take the next logical step.

If the student indicates that a roadblock exists, you have to uncover his or her objection or concern. You may find that the objection or concern is rooted in a lack of information or a false assumption that the student or parent may have about your institution. You will never uncover that without asking for the next step and, if they resist, asking why. (You wouldn’t believe all of the funny false assumptions that counselors have told us they’ve heard from prospective students who didn’t want to take the next step. One Florida counselor told us a student didn’t want to move forward because she’d heard alligators sometimes get in the women’s dorm. The counselor assured her that she’d be safe from that.)

Many counselors tell us they are apprehensive about closing. They feel as though they are being intrusive or pushy by asking the student to take some action.

In truth, closing is a natural part of the dialogue. For the student, it signals the college’s desire to recruit them. They expect counselors to ask them to take action so it’s no surprise to them when they do. As a matter of fact, we have found that some students are disappointed when they are not asked to make some kind of commitment to the college. It signals a lack of desire on the part of the college.

Have you ever heard the expression, “Don’t get in your own way?” That is exactly what you are doing if you fail to ask for the close. Most counselors say that once they got into the habit of closing they were surprised at how many times prospective students happily agreed to take the next suggested step.

Closing, like the three other elements we have outlined in the model of communication, ensures you the most productive conversations with students. Embrace the model, and you and the students you serve will be more successful.

Longmire and Company’s on-campus Interactive Training Workshops dramatically 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.

If you’ve thought about helping your staff with professional development, now is the ideal time to train and motivate your staff. Email or call me if you are interested in how we can help. 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 can stay up-to-date.

Bob Longmire is President of Longmire and Company, Inc. He is a recognized expert on the topic of how prospective students and parents form their college selection decisions – and how colleges can use that knowledge to grow and control their enrollment. He can be reached at (913) 492-1265, ext 709 or at blongmire@longmire-co.com. Connect with Bob at Linkedin/in/boblongmire.