Untraditional Strategies for Traditional Recruitment

About the Episode:

Hosts Seth and Mallory discuss untraditional strategies to enhance traditional undergraduate recruitment and enrollment marketing. As the new recruitment cycle kicks off, they explore innovative approaches that go beyond the basics of list buying and email marketing. From using paid social media to drive campus visit RSVPs to creating shareable milestones in the admissions process, Seth and Mallory provide actionable insights for enrollment professionals looking to stay ahead of the curve. They also highlight the rising trend of behavioral and psychographic targeting in marketing and discuss the potential game-changing role of a Chief Revenue Officer in higher ed institutions.

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Key Takeaways

• Alternative Calls to Action: Leverage digital marketing to drive specific outcomes, like campus visit RSVPs, and quantify the impact with cost-per-action metrics.
• Video in Direct Mail: Stand out by combining video content with direct mail, a strategy successfully implemented by the University of Idaho, enhancing engagement and social buzz.
• Targeted Awareness Campaigns: Focus on increasing perceived quality among parents with highly targeted awareness marketing, using streaming platforms to reach specific demographics.
• Behavioral and Psychographic Segmentation: Move beyond demographic segmentation by targeting based on behavior and implied psychographics to better align with prospective students' interests and concerns.
• Socially Shareable Milestones: Create moments in the admissions process that are not only memorable but also encourage social sharing, like personalized scholarship notifications.
• Chief Revenue Officer Role: Consider the strategic importance of a CRO in higher education to oversee and integrate recruitment, marketing, and retention efforts, ensuring a holistic approach to revenue generation.

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Tune into Kin’s final Pulse Check series of 2024, “Finding Your Why”

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Episode Summary

Digital Strategies: More Than Just Clicks

Seth kicks off the discussion by sharing a game-changing tactic: using paid social ads to drive campus visit RSVPs. By tying ad performance directly to tangible actions, institutions can calculate the cost-per-conversion and make smarter marketing decisions.

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Elevating Direct Mail with Video

Mallory highlights an award-winning strategy by the University of Idaho: video-embedded direct mail for admitted students. This creative approach makes a lasting impression and generates organic buzz among families and social media users.

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Expand the Funnel with Free Certificates

BYU Pathway’s unique approach—offering free, non-credit certificates—serves as a perfect example of turning prospects into enrolled students. These programs attract global interest while gently nudging participants toward degree programs.

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Targeted Awareness Campaigns for Parents

Seth suggests creating ads focused on perceived quality metrics like awards, outcomes, and rankings. By targeting parents through streaming platforms or digital ads, institutions can directly address their concerns and build confidence.

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Socially Shareable Moments in Admissions

Creating branded moments, like naming scholarships or enhancing admit packages, can encourage students to share their milestones on social media. It’s not just about awarding funds—it’s about packaging them in a way that feels prestigious and memorable.

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Behavioral Targeting: A New Era of Personalization

Behavioral segmentation enables marketers to understand prospective students’ unique objections and interests. For example, ads targeting financial concerns can differ significantly from those addressing work-life balance.

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Leadership Innovation: The Rise of Chief Revenue Officers

Mallory introduces the concept of a Chief Revenue Officer in higher ed, highlighting the need for a unified approach to admissions, marketing, and retention. This role could help institutions align strategies and stay competitive in a challenging landscape.

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Connect With Our Hosts:

Mallory Willsea
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/
https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea

Seth Odell
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethodell/
https://twitter.com/sethodell

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About The Enrollify Podcast Network: The Higher Ed Pulse 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 Generation AI and Confessions of a Higher Education Social Media Manager.

Enrollify is produced by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.