Enrollment Management and Marketing: Implementing Strategic Planning and E-

technology to Attract Millennial Students to Your Institution

Connect University 2007Hobsons EMT User’s Conference

July 11, 2007Boston, Massachusetts

Randall LangstonDirector of Undergraduate Admissions

The University of Findlay

Graphics Designed By Student Horizonswww.studenthorizons.com

This session is developed for seasoned admissions professionals and is intended to examine E-communications strategic planning as a critical component of enrollment management design. We will analyze the role that market research, predictive modeling, and population segmenting has in managing a complex E-communication plan. We will investigate how clearly articulated and detailed action planning along with pro-active follow-up with prospective students is crucial in managing an integrated E-communications plan

Key Suppositions

1. Enrollment management which guides admissions planning = Success

2. Strategic planning = Success

3. On-going and sustained statistical and data analysis = Success

4. Multi-tiered complex e-communication plans = Success

5. Effective and visionary leadership = Success

6. Admissions counselors who are EMPOWERED and ENGAGED in the enrollment management process = Success

7. Marketing = Success

Enrollment Management

• Enrollment Management is essentially the compilation of detailed plans that are developed after considerable research and assessment of the admissions landscape.

• Enrollment Management is a coordinated admissions effort that encompasses E-communications, statistical data analysis (Predictive Modeling), and solid communication plans.

• Enrollment Management is all encompassing in that it is predicated on the philosophy that recruitment is a collaborative effort. Multiple constituents on and off campus work in tandem to recruit a strong class of students. Such constituents include: faculty, staff, coaches, alumni, parents of current students, statisticians, and the numerous vendors that we do business with.

Campus CultureConsider the campus culture PRIOR to developing a strategic

enrollment management plan

• Institutional mission (have you developed a admissions mission?)

• Institutional priorities

• Academic wish-list

• Diversity

• Gender parity

• Constituents at your school (faculty, staff, senior administration, president)

• Outside constituents (board of trustees, guidance counselors, parents)

Link Your Plan to Aggressive Enrollment Management Strategy

• Think Strategically

• Think Big Picture (what are your goals and visions?)

• Think Globally (macro)

• Think Compartmentalized (micro)

• Think Short and Long term

• Articulate your vision to everyone!!

• Take risks!

Data Analysis

The Art of Math

• Let the data guide you!

• Throw out assumptions (We have always done it this way or visited this territory)

• Communicate to others your success and utilize mathematics when you talk to constituents. “We have a yield percentage of X” versus “We are having a good year”

Data Analysis at UF

• Historically approached admissions with the “kitchen sink” model

• Kitchen Sink model worked well in the 1980’s but with the introduction of technology yield began to fall

• In 2004 deposits had begun to fall (-4%) at UF

• Enrollment management introduced for the Fall 2005 cohort

• Data is an absolutely critical component of UF’s enrollment management plan (predicative modeling, statistical analysis, multiple mathematical reports, data mining)

• Predictive modeling has revolutionized the way we co about assessing the inquiry population at UF

Predictive Modeling

• Predictive modeling involves the gathering of a great deal of data in order to arrive at a statistical number that indicates the probability of a student to enroll at a college or university.

• Predictive modeling assigns scores from .01 to .99 to INQUIRIES whereas .01 indicates a low likelihood of enrolling and .99 a high likelihood of enrolling.

• Predictive modeling takes all admissions data and through bivariate analysis compares the independent variable to the dependent variable (last year’s applicants vs. this years applicants).

• Predictive modeling is extremely useful for many admissions assessments including: what print publications to mail and at what point of the funnel to mail specific pieces

UF Predictive Modeling and Print Strategy

• Predictive model score .01-.29 – Profile with a BRC

• Predictive model score .30 - .59 – Search piece (scaled down version of viewbook). Fall 2008 cohort will receive “personalized” search piece

• Predictive model score >.60 – Viewbook

Population Segmentation and Predictive Modeling

• As an enrollment management specialist your task is to weave predictive modeling data into your communications plan.

• As an enrollment management specialist you can utilize population segmentation and predictive modeling in tandem to help guide your budgetary allocations to print or e-communication

Benefits

A. Budgetary – less money to recruit students

B. Enrollment management – clarification of applicable sub-population to send materials

Predictive Modeling Score & Confirmation rate

Score Confirmation Rate

≤ .30 .49%

.31-.59 7.33%

≥.60 92.18%

≥.60

.31-.59≤ .30

Multi-tiered Communication plan with Predictive modeling

Fall 2006 Students: Forecast Plus score within a range of .01-.30

• These are inquiries when assessed statistically were the most LEAST likely to enroll. At UF, of the inquiries scored .01-.29, .49 of 1% enrolled

• These students received minimal print pieces and all E-communications

• Should a student express additional interest in the university, the students score would rise and subsequently receive materials assigned for the .31-.60 cohort

.

Multi-tiered Communication plan with Predictive modeling

Fall 2006 students:Forecast Plus score within a range of .31-.59

• These are inquiries when assessed statistically were the next most marginally likely population to enroll. Of the inquiries scored .31-.60, .49 of 7.33% enrolled

• These students received a search piece (scaled down version of the viewbook), color postcard from the college of their prospective major, and all E-communications

• As was the case with the .01-.30 population, should a student express additional interest in the university, the students score would rise and subsequently receive materials assigned for the .61+ cohort

Multi-tiered Communication plan with Predictive modeling

Fall 2006 students:Forecast Plus score ≥ .60

• These are inquiries when assessed statistically were the most likely to enroll. Of the inquiries scored ≥ .60, 92.18% enrolled

• These students received a viewbook, color postcard from the college of their prospective major, mini-viewbook by college, and all E-communications. These students were also contacted frequently by telecounselors

• **Note: Those students above a .80 were also contacted by counselors as part of their territory management responsibilities**

Predictive Modeling and Enrollment Management Success

• 2005 Deposits increased by 4.4%

• 2006 Deposits increased by 12.6%

• All Academic indicators increased (GPA, SAT, ACT, Class rank)

• Increases in number of inquiries received

• Yield rate increased

• Clear and concise communication plan is now very well developed

Measure Everything!!

• Prospective students seen at College Fairs• Prospective students seen at School Visits• Business Reply Card (BRC) conversions• ROI on advertisements with vendors (Inquiries,

applications, deposits)• Direct Mail prospects • Visit Days prospects• First Contact source• Geography (macro approach)• Walk-in visitors• Telephone Inquiries• Outside referrals

**This list is not exhaustive and your institution may have many more variables to assess**

Leadership

Leadership

• Successful enrollment management leaders empower their staff

• Successful enrollment management leaders push their staff to be even better

• Successful enrollment management leaders motivate their staff to attain higher levels

• Successful enrollment management leaders promote an environment of “sustained engagement” in the office

• Successful enrollment management leaders assign tasks (or delegate) and let the staff “run with” ideas

The Value of an “Engaged” Staff

• Engaged staff members look at their role holistically

• Engaged staff members clearly understand the role and mission of your office

• Engaged staff members understand comprehensively what the what the end goal looks like

University of Findlay Office of Admissions missionstatement

“The mission of The University of Findlay Office of Undergraduate Admissions is to provide the best customer service and to recruit the highest quality student. Our goal is to achieve the best possible fit for the student and university alike”

The Value of “Empowering” your Admissions Staff

• Researching, planning, and articulating must be augmented by an “empowered” and excited admissions staff

• Blended hand’s-on (articulation of goals and tasks) and hand’s-off approach (let your counselors be territory “managers”)

• Have admissions counselors brainstorm which approaches to recruitment worked versus those which were not as successful and have THEM work through the issues

• Guide your counselors through the enrollment funnel and recruitment cycle

• Dividends!!

Marketing

UF’s approach to marketing

• Marketing is an evolving and fluid process

• Successful marketing is achieved only after successful research and analysis

• Marketing is EXPENSIVE!!!

• Marketing is the “carrot”

• Marketing involves a BLEND between print and e-communications

• Marketing means communicating not simply to the student, but rather the whole family

Macro Marketing

• As a way to shore up interest in the University of Findlay, the Undergraduate Admissions office began a MACRO approach in marketing the institution holistically to a broad spectrum of interest.

• For example, publications would stress what there was to do at the school (student life), information about activities and intramurals, and academic highlights.

• This macro-marketing approach was successful in coordination with e-communications and predictive modeling in turning around a decline of 4% in deposits the previous year into a positive yield of 4% the following year.

Micro Marketing

• It became very apparent that a more coordinated and targeted approach to marketing the university was needed beyond simply promoting the institution holistically.

• This gave rise to a blended macro/micro-marketing approach. Instead of speaking in broad terms about the institution we incorporated this message with information on each college and department on campus.

E-Communications Analysis

• E-technology is essentially all those efforts on an electronic medium that are made by the admissions office in an effort to positively influence prospective students

• E-communications involves a great deal of time to develop the message and then determine where the message plays on the enrollment management funnel

• Call to action!

• Content Management and Analysis (opens, unique opens, histograms)

• Follow-up (do you send a follow-up email to those who open your email?)

• Are you communicating with prospective students, parents, guidance counselors, teachers?

• Are you communicating with your own staff? Do they know when and what messages are being sent?

Types of E-communications

• Emails (one time on a particular topic such as visit days)

Example: Student Horizons with statistical analysis

• Email campaigns (pre-populated emails with narrative that is scheduled to be sent to students over a specific time period)

Example: Hobson’s Engage including statistical analysis

• Email newsletters to prospective students, counselors, parents, alumni

• Email postcards (Holiday card)

• Hobson’ s E-brochures (200 inquiries in first 48 hrs!)

• Hobson’s Virtual Advisor (over 600 questions answered!)

Campaign Planning with Student Horizons

• E-Campaigns are ideally planned well in advance. Through Student Horizons, Campaign Planning is as easy as deciding what types of messages you want to send, and when you want to send them.

• However, Student Horizons is also flexible enough to accommodate unplanned e-mails that come up on short notice.

Example: E-communications with Student Horizons

Reporting and Tracking with Student Horizons

Sending out marketing communications is undoubtedly valuable. However, without the ability to track the effectiveness of your messages, there is no way to know if you are getting enough value for your budget expenditures.

For every message, Student Horizons provides detailed information including open and click-through rates.

Through their e-mail platform, Emaillabs, it is also possible to download the lists of students who open and click on specific messages. This feature is very helpful when sending follow-up communications.

Example E-communications from Hobson’s Engage Product

Example E-communications from Hobson’s Engage Product

Print Postcard for College of Education for The University of Findlay

Print Postcard for ESOH Program at The University of Findlay

Final Notes

• Enrollment management is complex and transpires along several “planes”

• Enrollment management requires pro-active and engaged leadership

• Enrollment management is a campus wide effort

• Enrollment management requires an individual with strategic and technological insight

• Enrollment management is customer service

• Enrollment management is what we do!!

• Questions?