About the Episode
About the Episode: Cade was stumped. After doing all the traditional work to get applications in, he saw that applicants to the First Class Dental Assisting School of Nashville were not converting. After doing some research, he realized speed was key. When he tried an immediate and personalized conversation with one student, they became the new dental school’s very first enrollee. But how to do it at scale? In this episode Cade shares his ingenuity, connecting his CRM to ChatGPT via Zapier, training his GPT as an admission counselor for his school, and seeing the school’s incoming class go from zero to full.
Key Takeaways
- Speed-to-Lead is Key: Responding to inquiries immediately increases conversion potential by capturing interest at its peak.
- Use AI for Personalization: ChatGPT, combined with automation tools like Zapier, enables scalable, personalized responses that feel human and authentic.
- Test, Refine, and Optimize: Continually adjust prompts and workflows to ensure that AI responses remain engaging and relevant.
Episode Summary
The Challenge: Converting Applications into Enrollments
First Class Dental Assisting School of Nashville faced a common but critical challenge: they could attract applications, but struggled to convert them into enrolled students. Competing against long-established programs with strong reputations and numerous five-star reviews, the new school needed a way to stand out and reassure applicants about the program’s quality. Cade first tried a typical email follow-up, followed by calendar scheduling links to encourage personal meetings. However, these methods fell short; most applicants didn’t respond or failed to show up to scheduled appointments.
To gain insights, Cade researched how other successful trade schools converted leads, discovering that immediate, personalized follow-ups were crucial to securing student interest. His next step was to test this approach by responding personally to each new applicant within five minutes, initiating an engaging text conversation. This quick and personalized touch proved highly effective, leading Cade to the next step: automating this process using AI.
Building an Automated, Personalized Response System with AI
Cade created a system to replicate the high-touch, immediate engagement that had shown success by integrating tools like ChatGPT and Zapier with the school’s CRM. Zapier connected new applications in the CRM to ChatGPT, prompting the AI to respond immediately to prospective students with a customized text message, as though it were Cade himself. The AI-driven conversations could engage applicants, answer basic questions, and ultimately guide them toward booking a campus tour.
This setup allowed for fast, round-the-clock communication with each applicant, preserving the natural, conversational tone that had proven effective in early tests. Cade also programmed the AI to respond with empathy, keep responses brief, and avoid repetitive elements, such as using a person’s name too often, which could make the AI seem robotic. By defining these conversational boundaries, Cade ensured that the system felt genuinely personal and engaging.
Transformative Results and the Value of Speed
Implementing the AI-powered speed-to-lead system led to remarkable results: a 100% enrollment rate from applicants, converting each lead into a committed student. Cade emphasized that immediate, personal engagement meets applicants at their highest point of interest. By responding when curiosity and motivation were strongest, the school could secure enrollments ahead of competitors who took hours or even days to follow up.
With this method, Cade could scale his approach without sacrificing the personalized touch that resonated with applicants. He believes that while many institutions rely on generic automated emails for initial follow-up, there is tremendous value in using AI to make responses feel individual and relevant.
Challenges and Refinement
One of Cade’s challenges was ensuring that the AI responses felt genuine. Early versions of ChatGPT’s responses were sometimes overly formal or relied too much on template elements, which made them seem scripted. Cade quickly adjusted, refining the AI’s prompts to limit overused expressions and keep responses conversational and natural. Additionally, the prompt setup required consistent testing and fine-tuning to ensure that the responses met applicants’ expectations and didn’t deter engagement.
By consistently iterating on this prompt engineering, Cade has developed a robust AI that could be further scaled to handle additional aspects of enrollment, such as answering FAQ-style questions or sending event reminders.
For institutions interested in adopting a similar approach but concerned about privacy, Cade confirmed that the system only uses general data, such as name and preferred contact details, keeping sensitive information secure and compliant with privacy guidelines.
A Winning Strategy: Personalization, Speed, and Scalability
Cade’s experience with First Class Dental Assisting School of Nashville highlights the importance of immediate, meaningful follow-up in enrollment management, particularly in competitive fields. His innovative use of AI has paved the way for small institutions to maximize their enrollment efforts by responding to applicants quickly and on a personal level. By streamlining the follow-up process, institutions can increase their chances of turning prospects into students.
About The Enrollify Podcast Network
Talking Tactics is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!
Some of our favorites include Mission Admissions and Higher Ed Pulse.
Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.
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