Maximize Your Prospect Data with a Two-Step RFI Process

Jackie Vetrano, the Assistant Director of MBA Prospect Management & Marketing at Kenan-Flagler Business School at UNC, shares how the school implemented a clever two-step request-for-information form to get more data from prospects. This simple tactic had an extraordinary impact, tripling the data points for 60% of organic leads and amassing over 7,000 new data points for close to 3,000 potential students.

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Key Takeaways

• Start Small, Then Dig Deeper: A two-step RFI form asks for basic information first (name, email) before requesting optional additional details in a second step. This lowers the barrier for entry while allowing prospects to provide more data if they’re interested.
• Only Ask for What You’ll Use: Every question should have a clear purpose tied to a follow-up communication or action. Avoid asking for data you won’t act on.
• Be Transparent About Data Collection: Let prospects know why you’re asking for certain information and how it will benefit them—this builds trust and increases completion rates.
• Track Intent, Not Just Data: Prospects who complete the second part of an RFI form demonstrate higher intent, making them more likely to apply. Segment and tailor follow-ups accordingly.
• User Experience Matters: Streamlining the process to keep prospects engaged is critical. While technical challenges may arise, staying on-brand and user-focused can mitigate potential drop-offs.

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What Problem Was the Two-Step RFI Form Solving?

Jackie and her team at UNC Kenan-Flagler faced a common challenge: their original RFI form only collected basic information (name, email, optional phone number), leaving them with little actionable data early in the funnel. Without this information, segmentation and personalization had to wait until much later in the prospect journey, potentially delaying or weakening engagement.

The goal was clear: gather more meaningful data at the top of the funnel without overwhelming prospects or reducing conversions. The solution? A two-step RFI form inspired by practices commonly used in other industries.

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How the Two-Step Form Works

The first part of the form remains simple, asking for first name, last name, and email, with phone number as optional. After prospects complete the initial step, they are directed to a second, optional form with five additional questions. These questions are highly relevant to the MBA program and tailored to inform both segmentation and personalization.

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Questions Included in the Second Form

1. Concentrations of Interest: Prospects can select up to three concentrations, such as healthcare, corporate finance, or energy.
2. Partnerships of Interest: Prospects are asked if they’d like more information about specific partner organizations, such as Forte (for women) or Reaching Out MBA (for LGBTQ+ individuals).
3. International Student Status: A simple yes/no question to identify international students.
4. Desired Start Year: This helps the team understand the prospect’s timeline for enrollment.
5. Identity Terms: Prospects can identify with gender-related terms, such as man, woman, non-binary, or self-identified.

All questions are optional, and transparency is key: each question includes an explanation of why the data is being collected and how it will be used to provide value to the prospect.

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Overcoming Obstacles During Implementation

Jackie shared several challenges her team faced and the creative solutions they developed:

• Technical Limitations: Since UNC uses HubSpot for CRM and WordPress for the website, the team was unable to make the second form appear seamlessly on the same page. Instead, they created a new landing page for the second form to maintain branding and user experience.
• Required Email Field: Because HubSpot matches contacts based on email, prospects were required to re-enter their email in the second form. While not ideal, this step ensures accurate data matching. To reduce friction, the email field was placed last, and autofill functionality was enabled for users who allowed it.
• Unintended Page Indexing: Initially, the second form’s landing page was indexed by search engines, allowing prospects to find and complete it independently of the first form. The team quickly resolved this by ensuring the page was hidden from search results.

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The Results: A Data Goldmine

The two-step RFI form exceeded expectations, delivering:

• 58% Completion Rate for Step Two: Over half of the prospects who completed the first form went on to fill out at least one question on the second form.
• 3X More Data Points: The team collected over 7,000 new data points for nearly 3,000 prospective students in one year.
• Higher Application Rates: 15% of prospects who completed the second form submitted an application, compared to just 1% of those who only completed the first form—a clear indicator of higher intent.
• Engagement Metrics: Prospects who completed the second form showed higher email open rates (66% vs. 54%) and similar click-through rates (15-16%), reinforcing their interest and engagement.

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Lessons Learned

1. Relevance Is Key: Questions like “What concentrations are you interested in?” or “Are you an international student?” are directly tied to follow-up communications, making them valuable for both prospects and marketers.
2. Keep It Short: Five questions struck the perfect balance—enough to provide actionable insights without overwhelming prospects.
3. Demonstrate Value: By explaining how the data would be used (e.g., sending invitations to local events or sharing relevant program details), the team built trust and encouraged participation.

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What’s Next?

Jackie sees potential to further refine how her team uses the data:

• Segmenting by Intent: Prospects who complete the second form could receive a completely different nurture strategy to reflect their higher level of interest.
• Enhanced Collaboration with Admissions: Sharing detailed data, such as career goals or concentrations of interest, with admissions counselors could improve one-on-one outreach and drive higher conversions.

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Why This Tactic Works

The two-step RFI form balances simplicity and depth, meeting prospects where they are while giving the marketing team critical insights for personalization. By collecting optional data in a low-pressure way, UNC Kenan-Flagler effectively segmented and nurtured leads, boosting both engagement and application rates.

For institutions with limited resources, this tactic is a low-cost, high-impact solution to improve lead generation and communication strategies.

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