7 AI-Powered Strategies to Supercharge Your Yield Season

Welcome to AI for Yield Season, a special mini-series of The Application hosted by Allison Turcio. Each episode is packed with actionable insights on how AI can help enrollment professionals optimize their outreach and engagement strategies during the busiest time of the year. 

During the four episodes, Allison dives into seven ways AI can enhance content creation, personalize student interactions, and drive better results—without sacrificing authenticity.

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AI Strategies for Smarter Enrollment Marketing

1. Optimize Email Outreach Without Losing the Human Touch

AI tools can quickly draft follow-up emails for admitted students, saving valuable time. However, AI-generated emails often sound generic. The key is to refine the draft with a personal touch—adjustingthe tone, incorporating specific student details, and making it feel authentic. AI should assist with efficiency, not replace meaningful engagement.

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2. Use AI to Prepare for Student Meetings More Efficiently

Instead of manually reviewing student files, AI can summarize key details, such as intended major, past interactions, and event attendance. This allows counselors to enter meetings with relevant talking points, ensuring more personalized and engaging conversations. AI provides the data, but human connection makes the difference.

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3. Scale Personalized Outreach with AI-Generated Content

AI can help institutions make mass outreach feel personal by:

• Creating handwritten-style notes at scale while maintaining warmth and authenticity.
• Matching students with the most relevant university content, such as research opportunities, scholarships, or student organizations.
• Customizing digital ads and email campaigns based on student segments (e.g., first-gen students, STEM majors).
  This approach ensures students receive relevant, targeted communication without overwhelming marketing teams.

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4. Improve Underperforming Landing Pages Using AI Analysis

If key landing pages—such as deposit portals or financial aid pages—aren’t converting, AI can help identify problem areas. By analyzing clarity, persuasion, and engagement, AI tools can suggest improvements like simplifying messaging, adding social proof, or strengthening calls to action. This data-driven approach helps optimize digital content for better results.

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5. Repurpose Content to Maximize Reach and Impact

AI can transform existing content into multiple formats, ensuring broader engagement:

• A student testimonial can become a LinkedIn post, Instagram caption, or blog feature.
• A long-form success story can be condensed into a short-form video or email snippet.
• AI can adapt key messages for different student segments, increasing relevance and resonance across platforms.

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6. Track and Optimize Enrollment Marketing Performance

AI can help enrollment teams analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) to refine marketing strategies. Important metrics to track include:

• Email engagement: Click-through and response rates (rather than open rates).
• Ad performance: Identifying which digital campaigns drive deposits.
• Event attendance: Understanding what attracts admitted students.
• Deposit trends: Assessing how AI-personalized outreach impacts enrollment decisions.
  By leveraging AI for data analysis, institutions can adjust strategies based on real-time insights rather than assumptions.

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7. Enhance A/B and Multivariate Testing with AI

AI can generate multiple variations of messaging, making it easier to test different approaches:

• A/B Testing: Comparing two versions of an email subject line—one emphasizing urgency, another highlighting a student success story.
• Multivariate Testing: Analyzing combinations of subject lines, CTAs, and images to determine the most effective mix.
  AI-driven testing allows institutions to refine outreach continuously, ensuring messaging resonates with students at every stage of the enrollment process.

AI as an Enhancement, Not a Replacement

AI is a powerful tool for increasing efficiency, but it cannot replace human relationships in the enrollment process. The most successful institutions will be those that leverage AI to streamline operations while prioritizing authentic, meaningful engagement with students.

For a deeper dive into these strategies, listen to the full episodes of the AI for Yield Season mini-series on The Application and explore more ways AI can support smarter, more effective enrollment marketing.