The enrollment game has shifted dramatically in the last few years in higher education. Lead flow is sluggish, conversion rates are soft, and overall enrollment is not on a strong upward trajectory anymore. Many colleges and universities are struggling to understand why they aren’t getting the same strong results they used to. The most common answer to that question is that the institution is not doing anything different than they have in the past. Like it or not the enrollment game is getting far more complex and schools have to push themselves to critically analyze many aspects of their current recruitment practices. Participants will learn more about: Evaluating the messaging of your communication flow Expanding your touch-points after an initial lead is generated Developing a long game with your lead pool Reinvigorating your past leads If you are interested in learning more about what it takes to effectively recruit in the 2016 adult and graduate market in higher education, recruitment expert Dr. Brenda Harms of Harms Consulting shares insights and best practices.

1. Recruitment 2016
Playing the long game
with your lead pool
Brenda Harms, Ph.D.
Harms Consulting

2. Starting the Conversation
Thank you!

3. Upcoming Webinar
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4. Higher Education – Our Time in History
Enrollment is one of the single most critical issue right now
in Higher Education…

5. Recruitment – Then
• Historically recruitment was a very passive interaction
• Less than 20 years ago many adult and graduate
programs didn’t even track the names of leads
• Little follow-up
• Assumed self-motivation by the prospect
• Prospective graduate students were assumed to be able
to navigate the process themselves – almost as a right of
passage

6. Recruitment - Now
• Highly interactive process
• Great investment of finances to get the “lead” (someone
to turn over their name to indicate interest)
• Technology invested in for the single purpose of tracking
leads
• Human resource intensive approach at contact
• Intense outreach (up to 30 points of contact in 30 days)
• Increased focus on customer service throughout the
process

7. Great progress has been made…
and yet…

8. We all need MORE LEADS!!!

9. More “leads”
what do we really mean

10. We really mean
more “engaged leads”

11. That being said the MAJORITY of your lead pool is not at
the stage yet of being an engaged lead.
And we ignore them.
We ignore their enrollment potential.
We ignore their interest in our institution.

12. There is no clear “point in time” when it makes sense to
return to complete a degree or go to graduate school.
Many adults will engage in the “shopping process” and
engage several institutions via RFI’s on websites or digital
ads but will not take next steps.
Staying “with” these prospects over time can create solid
results but this will not be without work.

13. Recruitment
Developing an Initial Process
AND
Developing a Long Game

14. Defining a Lead
• Lead (or inquiry)
RFI
Lead card at an event
Call in
Referral
ANYONE who turns over contact information
• Lead Pool
Any lead who does not complete and submit their
application within a reasonable window (30-60 days)

15. Recruitment Process
• What are we doing now when a lead comes in?
• Are all leads responded to in the same manner?
• How is a lead tracked in our system?
• Is every lead tracked in our system?
• Is every source code tracked in our system?

16. Recruitment Process
• How does each source code convert?
% that covert to apps
% that convert to admits
% that convert to enrolled

17. Recruitment Process
• How does each source code convert in 60 days?
(100 referrals)
% that covert to apps (70% convert to apps)
70 applications
% that convert to admits (90% of apps are admitted)
63 applicants are admitted
% that convert to enrolled (80% of admitted enroll)
50 admits are enrolled

18. Recruitment Process
• How does each source code convert in 60 days?
(100 referrals)
% that covert to apps (70% convert to apps)
70 applications
% that convert to admits (90% of apps are admitted)
63 applicants are admitted
% that convert to enrolled (80% of admitted enroll)
50 admits are enrolled
??? What about the other 30 leads???
??? The 13 admits that did not enroll???

19. Recruitment Process

20. Suggested Recruitment Approach… First 60
days…
• Prospective student inquires – Day 1
• Personal connection (email, phone, personal note) within
24 hours
• Follow-up contact (call) – Day 3
• Follow-up contact (email) – Day 7
• Follow-up contact (call) – Day 10
• Follow-up contact (call) – Day 15
• Follow-up contact (email) – Day 21
• Follow-up contact (call) – Day 26
• Follow-up contact (email) – Day 33
• Follow-up contact (email) – Day 45
• Follow-up contact (call) – Day 60

21. Messaging – First 60 Days
• Evaluate messaging for “student focused” messages.
• Go light on the features and benefits of your program
unless they are VERY related to a benefit for the student
(like accelerated time to completion).
• Inquire as to why the prospective student is interested in
returning to school at this time?
• Do messages invite a further conversation or simply
overload prospects with everything they could ever
possibly want to know about your program?

22. Recruitment Process
• Your initial recruitment process in those first 60 days will
begin the process of sorting out who is ready to move
forward and who will take a bit more time.
• Movement forward - started application/completed
FAFSA/attended meeting - are all good indicators of
engagement but these leads can not be abandoned when
they do not convert quickly.

23. Recruitment Process
Returning to school is a huge financial and time
commitment.
Most people will not make this decision quickly.

24. Long Game Recruitment

25. Long Game Recruitment
Determine your institutions definition of an
“old lead”
NOTE: Needs to have been a solid recruitment effort made with
prospects in the first place.
“I mailed the packet and they never called” is not a solid recruitment
effort.

26. Long Game Recruitment
Batch “old leads”
Timeframe (leads between July 1, 2015 – January
1, 2016)
Programmatically
Applications started not completed
Engaged with recruiter but did not move in funnel
Made appointment but did not show
Kept appointment but did not progress

27. Long Game Recruitment
Develop re-engagement strategy for each
“batched old lead pool”

28. Long Game Recruitment
Example re-engagement strategy
Past Appointment Kept
Personal hand-written note mailed to the lead from the
recruiter they met with
Follow-up call from that recruiter within 10 days of
sending the card
Email invite to a “Financing Your Education” session or
webinar
Facebook upload of email addresses with an invitation

29. Long Game Recruitment
Example re-engagement strategy
Application Started Not Completed
Follow-up call when a started application is not completed
within 14 days
Email communication flow (3) – topics to include Financial
Aid, time management, employment after graduation
Follow-up phone call from recruiter identifying the
incomplete application
Email invite to a “Financing Your Education” session or
webinar
Facebook upload of email addresses with an invitation

30. Long Game Recruitment
Example re-engagement strategy
No Contact – EVER
Monthly newsletter/announcements of new
programs/expanded deliveries
Quarterly phone blitz – “If you are still considering graduate
school we hope you are still considering the MBA at Harms
University or one of our other 20 graduate programs. I’d be
happy to explore options with you. “
Tracking – who is still opening email? Who is clicking on
CTA’s?
Invite to “Graduate School” event – track who opens invite
and do follow-up phone calls

31. Long Game Recruitment
Example re-engagement strategy
Entire Lead Pool
Email series related to new program offerings and new
deliveries
Follow-up phone calls to those that open the
communication or engage with a link
Oversized postcard to leads from the last 3 years
announcing new programs or deliveries

32. Long Game Recruitment
Example re-engagement strategy
Stop-Outs
Hand written note from advisor/recruiter inviting the
former student to connect to determine what it would take
to complete
Identify former students within 15 credits of graduation
and make personal calls indicating you are emailing them
with information about the courses they need to complete
their degree
Email information related to number of credits needed
and anticipated time to completion

33. Long Game Recruitment
The Return on this Investment
1000 leads – 10% re-engage (100)
100 re-engaged leads – 10% enroll (10 students)
You attempt this twice per year – 20 students

34. Long Game Recruitment
• Long game recruitment is a compliment to persistent and
consistent initial recruitment.
• Many schools need to start thinking about lead
conversion rates over the course of a year.
• How many of your leads you are able to convert is
dependent on the skills and knowledge of your team.

35. Questions?

36. Upcoming Webinar
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37. Thank You!
bharmsconsulting@gmail.com
641-529-3535