integrating print and electronic communication for recruitment

Integrating Print and Electronic Communication

for RecruitmentTwo Case Studies:

Fairleigh Dickinson University

The University of Tulsa

and consultant

GDA Integrated Services

Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment

John Corso Assoc. VP for Enrollment and Student Moderator Services & Dean of Admission

Jonathan Steele Associate Vice President

Earl Johnson Senior Associate Dean of Admission

Bernetta Millonde University Director of Undergraduate Admissions

Becky Wiseman Admission Communications Coordinator

Panelists

A private university affiliated with the Presbyterian ChurchLocated in Tulsa, OklahomaTotal enrollment: 4,072 students (2,672 undergraduate, 763 graduate, 637 law)Average class size: 19; Student-faculty ratio: 12:160% of 2003 freshman class graduated in the top 10% of their high school class49 National Merit Scholars in 2003 freshman classBachelor’s degrees in 58 areas of study, in addition to 33 master’s degree programs, 10 doctoral degree programs and the Juris Doctorate degreeNCAA Division I athletics and a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC)


FDU is New Jersey's largest private university with 6,514 undergraduate students and 3,550 graduate studentsFairleigh Dickinson University has campuses in

Teaneck, New JerseyMadison, New JerseyWroxton, England

The student/faculty Ratio is 14.1, and the average class size is 18The University offers over 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programsFDU has both Men's and Women's Division I and Division III athletics


GDA Integrated Services is a market research, consulting and services firm specializing in customized, integrated marketing solutions to aid colleges and universities compete successfully for students, funding and visibility in the competitive twenty-first century.

Services include:


Market Research Telemarketing Integrated Marketing

Plans Direct Mail

Integrated Communications

Website Design

Electronic Communications

“Guaranteed Visibility”

Printed Communications

Public Relations Counsel

Video Production Fundraising Communications

Come visit us in booth 124

Prospect Management“A process or activity that influences the size, shape and characteristics of a student body by directing institutional efforts in marketing, recruitment, and admissions as well as pricing and financial aid. In addition, the process exerts a significant influence on academic career advising, the institutional research agenda, orientation, retention, and student services.”

–Don Hossler, Creating Effective Enrollment Management Systems


Essentially, enrollment management is, as Hossler states elsewhere, “an integrated, systems approach to influencing college enrollments.” Enrollment management focuses on the entirety of the student’s collegiate experience – from initial inquiry through graduation and post-graduation. It is student-sensitive; student-responsive. It views the collegiate experience as the STUDENTS perceive and experience it…Its purpose: to recruit satisfied and successful

alumni

Prospect Management“The guidance and direction through the admissions process of those students most likely or most desirable to apply and enroll.”.

–GDA Integrated Services


The emphasis is on increasing the inquiry-to-application

yield.

Student are categorized according to their likelihood to enroll early in the recruitment cycle, then, using techniques and strategies targeted to find out more about them, these prospective students are “managed” through the admissions process to achieve a high yield.

10 Keys of Prospect Management

1. The campus visit is the only real predictor of enrollment

2. The only contacts that count are those made by the student

3. An admissions staff cannot work effectively with all the inquirers it receives

4. Knowledge is power 5. You cannot count on the admissions

staff alone to recruit students


10 Keys of Prospect Management

6. The emphasis should be on customization as well as personalization

7. A single message is more effective than multiple messages

8. Admissions is a management information driven business

9. Recruitment is directive counseling, not hard sales

10.Professionalism is critical


How Students Like to Communicate

GDAIS conducted an extensive survey of college-bound high school students from the applicant and search pools of six different institutions.

We asked them about how they approach the college search process.

This is some of what we learned…


GDAIS ResearchWhen do students begin their college search?

Before their senior year: 95%Before their junior year: 55%Before their sophomore year: 20%Before entering high school: 2%

How have students received most of their information about colleges?

Information mailed to their homes: 53%Internet: 46%College fair/night: 12%Visit to campus: 9%High school guidance counselor: 6%College guide book: 6%


GDAIS ResearchWhich format, paper or electronic, is more useful to college search:

Paper: 57%Electronic: 32%Both equally: 9%

Which format do they prefer to use in the college selection process:

Paper: 48% Electronic: 45%Both equally: 5%


GDAIS Research


Students described how they were most likely to contact a college in which they became interested: Very

likelyLikely Not

likelyThrough a college's Web site

42% 47% 11%

A college search Web site 39% 40% 21%

E-mail to the college 28% 46% 26%

Mail a letter or postcard to the college

25% 41% 34%

A telephone call to the college

6% 29% 65%

Research Interpretation

Prospective students are starting the college search earlier than ever beforeMore students are using the Web as a research toolThey still like to read print publications


Research Interpretation

Colleges need to develop a series of multi-media (print and electronic) communicationsAt each stage of this communication flow, colleges need to collect informationColleges need a way to measure their success


Dialog Process

Implementation of an automated sequence of emails beginning at the sophomore year that spans through the senior yearSophomores are served exclusively with email and internet strategies to maximize budget and stay in front of student for longer period of time


Marketing PhilosophyPrint marketing and electronic communication strategies are designed with two stages of the search process in mind:

1. Investments Benefits – quality of education, % of students going to graduate school, major area of interest, etc.

2. Consumption Benefits – student body make-up, personalities, extracurricular life, residential offerings, etc.

Dialog is specifically designed with these benefits in mind.

Our traditional mail and email strategy is geared toward the prospect management approach – strategic approach to measuring self-initiated contact and responses from various sources of mailings/emails.


Dialog E-mails & Sites

Introductory E-mail & Mini-Website – focuses briefly on consumption and investments benefits; captures student information for subsequent contacts (Academics, Student Life, City of Tulsa)Academic Site – defines investments benefits such as majors and quality of faculty, research experiences, etc.Student Life – consumption benefits are identified City of Tulsa HTML E-mail – provides overview of Tulsa’s cultural, shopping and entertainment outletsFacilities HTML E-mail – highlights campus facilitiesOrientation HTML E-mail – encourages committed students to register for New Student Orientation activities


Tulsa Dialog Intro Site E-mail Tulsa Dialog Intro SiteTulsa Dialog Intro Site Registration FormTulsa Dialog Intro Site DatabaseTulsa Dialog Follow-upTulsa E-mail City of TulsaTulsa E-mail New FacilitiesTulsa E-mail Freshmen Orientation


Virtual TourPhilosophy:

Facilities needed to be a major marketing toolAllows prospective students to preview campus facilities

Goals:Create an online prospect management vehicle for the admissions office capable of collecting information about prospective studentsProvide information about campus life and Tulsa’s emerging campus facilities through an engaging, interactive experience


Tulsa Virtual Tour Introduction

Tulsa Website Virtual Tour Page

Tulsa Dialog Virtual Tour Database

Tulsa Website Admissions Home Page


Statistical Impact of Dialog on Admission

Web site

Number of Visits +33%Average Length of Visits +26.4%Number of Repeat Visitors +42.8%Admission Counselor Page +323.7%Online Requests for Information +70%Campus Visits Scheduled Online +25.6%Online Application for Admission+194.5%


Fall Class of 2003

FDU: Using the Research

Undergraduate prospective students were getting confused by the two campusesEach campus has a very unique character:

College at FlorhamMetropolitan Campus

We had to make sure prospects learned about the right campus earlier in the search process


FDU’s Integrated Search: Print

Develop a consistent messaging theme: One University – Two Great LocationsUse a series of contacts in three distinct mediums:

Print direct mail letterVisual print brochure


FDU’s Integrated Search: Electronic

E-mail invitation to online surveySurvey mini-website


How the mini-site works:Which campus is right for you? Which campus surveyData collectionCampus Description

FDU: Other Electronic Communications

EmailText messages with academic informationHTML FDU NewsletterFlash messages

Additional Mini-WebsiteIt will provide more of an introduction to the UniversityIt will come before the survey site in the communication flowIt will have messages for other key prospective student constituencies


FDU: Gathering Data

FDU captures names and contact information of Web inquiriesThey also capture the prospective student’s intended majorThey also know in which campus the student will most likely be interested


FDU: Follow-upThe prospect receives a series of integrated print and electronic communicationsThe prospect is assigned to a territory manager The admissions counselor follows up with customized information relevant to the student's interests


Integrating Print and Electronic Communication

for Recruitment

Thank You!

integrating print and electronic communication for recruitment

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