developing a conversation plan

Developing a Conversation Plan

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

3:45 – 5:00 PM

Text 33233: copelandconverse

Tim Copeland

DemandEngine

2014 CALEM, All Rights Reserved.1

A systematic approach to exchanging information and ideas with

students across institutional departments and communication touch

points that helps students make decisions, while driving desired

behaviors and maximizing enrollment results.

2014 CALEM, All Rights Reserved. 2


Contains information and facts

about the institution, but a few

hours later…

Execution snafus


While the copy notes that

the Enrollment Counselor

is sending the message,

the signature is still that

of the Executive Director

Ken Abert

Content snafus


Sent to no one

Sent from no one

“Just the facts”


Follow-through snafus


Master conversations and you will

stand out from your competition.


Agenda

1. Let’s establish the “problem”

2. Let’s ground the problem

3. Let’s fix the problem


What makes customers sticky …

• What makes consumers “sticky” – that is,

likely to follow through on an intended

purchase, repurchase, and recommend?

– Price?

– Brand perception?

– Interaction with the brand?


Source: To Keep Your Customers, Keep it Simple. Harvard Business Review

Decision simplicity


Building relationships (social sites)

• Consumer reasons– Discount

– Purchase

– Reviews and rankings

– General information

– Exclusive information

– Learn about new products

– Submit opinion

– Customer service

– Event participation

– Feel connected

– Submit ideas

– Be part of a community

• What Business think– Learn about new products

– General information

– Submit opinion

– Exclusive information

– Reviews and rankings

– Feel connected

– Customer service

– Submit ideas

– Be part of a community

– Event participation

– Purchase

– Discount


Source: IBM Institute for Business Value

Takeaway 1 – Help students navigate “U”

• What makes the path to enrollment confusing?

– Departmental admission decisions

– Central admission decisions

– Advising

– Supplemental applications

– Financial aid

• Help students gather and understand information about your

programs and institution

• Make the information accurate and thus trustworthy

• Help them weigh their options


Takeaway 2 – Build trust

• What erodes trust with students?

– Inaccurate or outdated information

– The campus “swirl”

– Inconsistent messaging

– Don’t you know me already?


Takeaway 3 – Help students weigh options

• What actually happens once they are admitted or registered?

– Inconsistent communication

– We’ve lost that “warm and fuzzy” feeling

– Procedural

• Your goal is to reinforce a student’s decision across the enrollment

journey.


Agenda





Students want information … that is

relevant to them at their stage of the

“relationship”.


We tend to start at the wrong point …


1. Students make considered decisions


Think Reach, (a) Depth, (a) Relationship

(RaDaR)


1. Reach

2. Depth

3. Relationship

Reach (Acquisition)

• Get into the consideration set – SEO &

web

• Target through direct mail

• Focus on credible and valuable

storytelling, not getting lost in the

academic catalog


Depth (Applicant/Registrant)

• Improve the signal-to-noise ratio

with content personalization.

• What we tend to do …

• What should we do …


Relationship (Enrolled)

• Targeted within their context

• What do we do …

• What should we do …



Type of information 2011 n 2013 n

Costs 3.76 2303 3.79 2285

Academic information 3.74 2304 3.78 2286

Career outlook for the program I am interested in 3.49 2302 3.46 2284

Deadline reminders 3.46 2305 3.44 2283

Financial aid information 3.40 2307 3.43 2286

Incentives to apply/register 3.33 2302 3.40 2284

Name, phone number, and email of a ‘real’ person 3.37 2301 3.35 2284

Information from program faculty 3.33 3.33 3.30 2281

Career planning 3.29 2304 3.28 2284

Key reasons to consider the institution 3.32 2294 3.28 2275

Student ratings of degree/program 3.24 2304 3.23 2284

Information about successful program alums 2.90 2301 2.82 2285

Information about successful current students 2.85 2298 2.81 2279

Source : DemandEngine's Adult Learner Communication Pre ferences Research

2011 - 2013 C omparison: Information Preferences D uring the R ecruitm ent C ycle

"W hich of the following types of information do you/would you find useful when considering a college or

university program or course?"

Respondents ages 22-50. Ratings based upon a scale of 1 (Definitely not) to 4 (Definitely).

3. A messaging architecture is required


Agenda





DemandEngine’s 7-step architecture

1. University brand book or guidelines

2. Institutional declarative statements and proof points

3. College or program-level declarative statements and proof points

4. Related content

5. Conversation schematic

6. Conversation plan

7. Conversation workflow


Example Institutional Declaratives and Proofs

• Develop confident, success-driven citizens who want to

contribute and make the community…and the world…better for

all.

– At Anywhere University, there is more to college than attending

classes and taking exams. Through our 270 student

organizations and countless events, students have a constant

opportunity for engagement, exploration and personal growth.

Our mission is for students to experience learning both in and

out of the classroom.

– Anywhere University is all about community. The Center for

Community Engagement supports and coordinates students to

serve and learn in their surroundings.

– We prepare citizens of the world. We boast of a diverse

population with a total of 69 countries represented.


Example Program Declaratives and Proofs

• Give motivated and committed students anywhere in the

country, access to a respected, nationally-recognized academic

degree.

– The power of Anywhere Online learning is that it is accessible

from any location. The University gives students access to

excellent curriculum from one of the country’s top educational

institutions, no matter where they live or when they study .

– Students enrolled at Anywhere Online have access to five

award-winning colleges and 35 career-rich programs .

– Students learn from an impressive faculty, most of whom have

doctorates. These seasoned academics not only know how to

teach, they are experienced at teaching in an online format.


Related content

• Industry statistics

• News items

• Quotes

• Stories


Example


Conversation Schematic

• Triggers

– What initiates the

conversation? (e.g., Timing,

web form, entry)

• Filters

– How will the conversation

change? (e.g., behavior,

status, intent, demographics)

• Actions

– What actions should be

taken? (e.g., change status,

increase qualification score,

send message)


EduConverse


Summary

Master the conversation and surpass your competition.

1. University brand book or guidelines

2. Institutional declarative statements and proof points

3. College or program-level declarative statements and proof points

4. Related content

5. Conversation schematic

6. Conversation plan

7. Conversation workflow


Contact


Tim Copeland

CEO

DemandEngine

[email protected]

912-354-8007, ext 725

developing a conversation plan

Marketing

academic information

outdated information

information accurate

type of information

students decision

financial aid information

enrollment results

communication touch