Insights from the Higher Ed Experts

BY Anthony Campisi | July 31st, 2023

Optimizing Your Top of the Funnel Recruitment Marketing Strategy

As an institution of higher education, attracting and recruiting new prospects is always top of mind. To do this, you first need to build awareness for your graduate school and MBA programs in a way that reaches your target audience efficiently and effectively. But what’s the best way to do just that?

Fortunately, there are many top of the funnel (TOFU) marketing channels and strategies at your disposal, each of which offers its own unique advantages and niche. With these strategies, your graduate program can generate awareness, provide information to your target audience, and bring in leads to nurture. Let’s examine a few of them in detail and learn more.

Increase your blog output and take search engine optimization (SEO) into account

First and foremost, your blog is a great tool when it comes to boosting your TOFU marketing strategy to build awareness and pique the interest of prospects. By blogging consistently and frequently, you can boost awareness for your graduate programs in search engines, convey valuable information to your audience, and boost your school’s authority and brand recognition.

As you ramp up blog post output, remember to keep SEO front and center as a way to optimize your content for search. That means researching and incorporating keywords into your blog posts, optimizing each blog post’s metatags, breaking up the content into brief paragraphs, bullet points, and numbered lists, and the like. By incorporating SEO best practices into your blog posts, you can supercharge your SEO and increase your grad program’s brand awareness very effectively.

Get active on social media

Social media is an outstanding tool for building brand awareness and engaging with potential prospects.

As today’s prospective grad school students are more digitally-engaged than ever, social media has become one of the most effective ways to reach them quickly and cost-effectively. When using social media marketing, it’s important to use an omnichannel approach that reaches as many social platforms as possible in order to reach your target audience. In other words, don’t just rely on LinkedIn, for example. Instead, leverage not only LinkedIn, but Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and more to maximize your reach.

That being said, altering your messaging and content can also be very useful based on which channel you’re using. For example, video platforms like YouTube and TikTok can be great for testimonials and alumni stories given their visual format, while Instagram and Facebook are more often effective when it comes to conveying more general information about campus activities and events, career fairs, and the like.

Leverage video marketing effectively

Video marketing is a powerful but sometimes-underutilized tool for higher education institutions when it comes to TOFU marketing. Video is an excellent channel to communicate with your audience, especially on social media, and can be used to convey information about campus events, alumni testimonials, your institution’s recruitment process, and much more in an engaging way.

Optimize your top of the funnel strategy to build awareness

From blogging to videos, there’s plenty of great ways to build up your top of the funnel marketing channels and increase awareness for your graduate school programs. Interested in optimizing your marketing funnel and boosting recruitment? GPRS has the resources to do all that and more. Contact us today to learn more.

Insights from the Higher Ed Experts

BY Anthony Campisi | July 20th, 2023

How to Convey Value to Prospects

When prospective students start looking at graduate schools, they’re not just seeking any place to further their education. They’re seeking an experience that they hope will further their educational, career, and financial goals in life. So, how do you convey value to prospects to make your program stand out as an attractive place for them?

The key is to convey your value clearly. By effectively communicating what sets your program apart from so many others and what it has to offer prospective students, you can increase engagement and ultimately boost recruitment.

Here are a few ways to communicate value to prospects more effectively for your graduate school program.

Clearly convey what sets you apart

Every graduate school has its own unique value props – don’t shy away from using them as a key selling point!

Prospective students always want to see what makes your program unique. To that end, clearly describe what your program has to offer that others don’t, how it can help them achieve their career goals, how flexible it is, and how financially attainable it is. Be sure to highlight any unique learning opportunities, specialized areas, and important partnerships that can help convey its value and stand out above the rest.

Tell your story in a unique way

While communicating your unique value proposition is crucial, telling your story in an engaging way is also important as a way to set your program apart.

In simplest terms, that means focusing on your graduate school’s history, culture, and lifestyle to pique prospects’ interests. Just saying your program offers a good way to advance your career in a certain field isn’t enough to successfully engage prospects. Instead, focus on creating a captivating narrative, not just a laundry list of selling points. In particular, alumni success stories are a great way to do just that, as it humanizes your program and allows prospects to imagine themselves achieving the same success as your alumni have.

Use digital media and marketing

Finally, make a point to utilize your digital media and marketing resources effectively when communicating your value to prospects. It’s no secret that today’s prospective grad school students are the most digitally connected in human history. That means you need to reach them with digital media and marketing first and foremost.

Social media, email, blog posts, and your website itself are all effective channels to communicate with prospective grad school students these days and can also be used to host Q&A sessions, informational webinars, recruitment events, and much more. They’re also a great way to communicate alumni stories and student testimonials, campus events, and local career fairs to prospects.

However, paying attention to emerging trends and what works best for specific platforms is key. For example, video-based social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube are typically best suited to feature alumni stories and student testimonials, while email newsletters and blog posts would probably be a better way to communicate an extensive roundup of campus news and events.

Convey value to boost enrollment today

Need help conveying your grad school’s value to prospects? GPRS has the experience and tools you need to do just that. We can help convey your unique value proposition, craft your story in an engaging way and leverage your digital resources to reach prospects quickly and effectively. Contact us today to kick off the conversation.

Insights from the Higher Ed Experts

BY Anthony Campisi | June 27th, 2023

Drive Success for Your Graduate Program: Consistent Marketing Strategies

Unlock the full potential of your graduate program by implementing consistent marketing strategies that yield impressive results. Discover how to establish a strong foundation with a consistent marketing plan, optimize your platform selection for maximum impact, and avoid reactive mistakes that can undermine your efforts. With these powerful techniques, you’ll attract more leads, achieve higher conversions, and secure the success of your graduate program.

Develop a Solid Foundation with a Consistent Marketing Plan

Create a comprehensive marketing plan at the beginning of each academic year, well before the semester starts. Emphasize the importance of consistency and utilize a marketing and social media calendar. By planning your posts at least a month in advance, you ensure a steady and engaging online presence. Incorporate targeted marketing efforts, such as events, networking opportunities, newsletters, speaking engagements, and deadlines, into your plan. This proactive approach creates a sense of immediacy, attracting leads and driving conversions. Don’t delay; include upcoming events in your marketing plan as soon as they’re scheduled.

Focus Your Efforts on the Right Platforms for Maximum Impact

Avoid the common trap of spreading your efforts too thin across multiple social media platforms. Instead, adopt a focused approach that maximizes impact. Start with one platform and gradually expand your presence. Consider your audience personas and choose platforms that align with the preferences of your prospective students. Keep these widely accepted guidelines in mind:

Facebook: Raise awareness effectively
LinkedIn: Build valuable professional connections
Twitter: Quickly spread the word to a wide audience
Instagram: The majority of users are 18-44 years old
TikTok: Users are primarily under 25 years old

By directing your efforts to platforms that resonate with your target audience, you can optimize engagement and achieve better results.

Avoid Reactive Mistakes and Maintain a Strong Marketing Strategy

Don’t fall into the trap of knee-jerk posting. Reactive posting can be detrimental to your marketing plans. Be aware of these common pitfalls:

Don’t neglect ongoing marketing efforts when faced with a surge in inquiries. Sustained marketing is essential for consistent results.
Avoid random posting across various platforms if you’re not achieving the expected ROI. Maintaining consistency is crucial, and haphazard actions confuse your audience.
Plan ahead for upcoming events and deadlines to avoid last-minute, scattered postings aimed at increasing exposure. These reactive measures undermine your overall marketing strategy.

Value your meticulously crafted marketing plan and stay committed to it. By avoiding knee-jerk reactions, you establish trust and reliability with your audience.

Thrive with Consistent Marketing Strategies

Inconsistent marketing can frustrate and confuse your audience, potentially eroding trust in your graduate program. To overcome this challenge, implement a well-structured and consistently executed marketing plan. Focus on the right platforms that align with your target audience, and avoid reactionary mistakes. By embracing these optimized marketing approaches, you’ll attract more leads, achieve higher conversions, and ensure the ongoing success of your graduate program. Drive your program forward with confidence and watch it thrive under the power of consistent marketing strategies.

If you need help developing consistent marketing strategies to drive success for your graduate program, GPRS can help. Our strategy team has worked with many schools to develop solutions to increase lead activity and grow enrollment. Start the conversation today.

Insights from the Higher Ed Experts

BY Anthony Campisi | June 15th, 2023

Unleashing the Unique Selling Proposition of Your EMBA Program

Are you looking to make your Executive MBA (EMBA) program truly stand out from the competition? While many EMBA programs may share similar attributes, it’s crucial to identify the unique selling proposition (USP) of your EMBA program to attract prospective students. This blog post will guide you through effective strategies to differentiate your program and capture the attention of potential candidates.

Key strategies to highlight your EMBA

Exceptional ROI: Achieving Maximum Value
- Highlight the exceptional return on investment (ROI) offered by your EMBA program. Showcase its affordability compared to other programs in your city, region, state, or even nationwide. Emphasize the long-term career and financial benefits students gain from investing in your program, making it a highly attractive choice.

Renowned Faculty: Learning from the Best
- Distinguish your EMBA program by showcasing your faculty’s notable research, publications, awards, and industry experience. Students seek to learn from experts who possess practical knowledge and insights. By featuring renowned faculty members, you enhance the reputation and appeal of your program.

Innovative Curriculum: Empowering Future Leaders
- Go beyond business fundamentals and highlight your EMBA program’s innovative curriculum. Showcase diverse elective courses and specializations that cater to student’s specific areas of interest. Demonstrate your program’s commitment to providing a comprehensive and tailored educational experience that equips students with the skills needed to thrive as leaders.

Impressive Cohorts: Learning from Peers
- Highlight the exceptional caliber of your EMBA cohorts. Emphasize the opportunity for students to learn from each other, as well as from their professors. Fostering a diverse and high-achieving cohort creates a unique and enriching learning environment, setting your program apart from others.

Brand Equity: Partnering with Excellence
- Leverage the reputation and brand equity of your program’s parent organization. Highlight any rankings, exclusive accreditations, etc., within the school and college or university. The achievements enhance the perceived value and prestige of your EMBA program.

Flexible Program Formats: Adapting to Professionals’ Needs
- Tailor your program schedules to meet the needs of working professionals. Highlight any unique features, such as hybrid learning environments or formats that allow students to balance their professional commitments with their education. Emphasize the convenience and flexibility of your program, catering to the busy schedules of potential students.

Leadership Development: Nurturing Exceptional Leaders
- Differentiate your EMBA program by going beyond basic executive coaching. Showcase how you provide extensive support in career development, placement opportunities, and comprehensive leadership development programs. Highlight any distinctive initiatives or resources that take leadership development to the next level, attracting ambitious individuals seeking growth.

Global Reach: Expanding Horizons
- Highlight any international components within your EMBA program that differentiate it from others. Showcase unique opportunities such as global study trips, international residencies, or collaborations with renowned institutions worldwide. Emphasize the advantages of gaining a global perspective and cross-cultural experiences for future business leaders.

Influential Alumni Network: Extending Value Beyond Graduation
- Demonstrate the value of your EMBA program beyond graduation through a strong and influential alumni network. Highlight the achievements and positions held by your alumni, both geographically and within their respective industries. Capitalize on success stories within specific industries to showcase the potential for career advancement and industry-specific connections.

Your USP will differentiate your EMBA

To make your EMBA program more enticing to prospective students, unleash the power of your unique selling proposition. By highlighting exceptional ROI, renowned faculty, innovative curriculum, impressive cohorts, brand equity, flexible program formats, leadership development, global reach, and influential alumni network, you will effectively differentiate your program and attract ambitious professionals ready to excel in their careers.

If you need help unleashing the unique selling proposition of your EMBA program, GPRS can help. Our strategy team has worked with many schools to develop solutions to increase lead activity and grow enrollment. Start the conversation today.

Insights from the Higher Ed Experts

BY Anthony Campisi | May 31st, 2023

Questions to ask about your funnel

At any point in your admissions process, you may need to examine your funnel to determine the best path toward finalizing your class enrollment. Are your marketing efforts balanced to ensure that top, middle, and bottom funnel leads are getting the proper attention? As your prospects enter into the information-gathering phase and continue their decision-making process, your team’s efforts are pivotal in converting them.

Here are a few ways to think about your funnel and questions to ask as you hone your marketing strategy to address leads at all stages.

Do you have the right people in your funnel?

Perhaps one of the most challenging questions regarding enrollment is in regard to how you fill your funnel and what you do with the leads once they enter. Any solid marketing strategy will include elements that address your leads at the top of the funnel, the prospects in the middle, and the seated students that end up enrolling. To ensure that you’re meeting each segment with the information they need to make a decision, there are many tactics you can use to strengthen the likelihood that they select your school. Learn more about questions you can ask about your prospect pool.

Is your funnel top-heavy?

Did you ever think it would be a problem if you had too many leads? If you have generated a large number of leads but your enrollments haven’t caught up, your funnel may be top-heavy. As you are thinking about ways to maximize your marketing efforts to target qualified candidates, consider a strategy to dislodge your stalled leads, move them through the process and refill your funnel with qualified prospects for the upcoming admissions cycle. Find out what could be causing the backup and some solutions for ensuring an easier flow toward enrollment.

Have the leads in your funnel stalled out?

If you’re like many schools, you’ve got a group of stagnant leads that you’re wondering about. Did they decide to pursue another program and forgot to let you know? Did they decide to delay their degree due to career progression or life circumstances? Or is it possible that they may show up at the last minute to enroll? Stagnant leads are tricky for many reasons. Here are a few ideas on dislodging stalled leads through a re-engagement campaign.

If you need help evaluating the quality of your leads, the effectiveness of your current marketing campaign, or ways to dislodge stalled leads, GPRS can help. Our strategy team has worked with many schools to develop solutions to increase lead activity and grow enrollment. Start the conversation today.

Insights from the Higher Ed Experts

BY Anthony Campisi | May 18th, 2023

How CRM can help with the final enrollment push

One of the many benefits of a well-designed, strategic email communications flow is that it can mostly function on its own throughout the year, serving to shepherd leads within your CRM from the prospect phase to seated student.

When you create your audiences, filters and messaging at the beginning of the year, it is likely that you have spaced out your communications to avoid overload with a messaging framework focused on critical actions throughout the process. This plan works great for the prospects that funnel in during your key recruiting season because there is enough time to give them the relevant information they need, when they need it. But what about the leads that enter in the funnel toward the end of your recruiting season?

Here are a few ways you can utilize your CRM to maximize communication efficiency and encourage action for late-entry leads.

Simplify your messaging

When prospects are considering your program, but have entered into the information gathering process later than others, they need the most critical details quickly so they can make decisions. Consider creating a condensed 3-4 email communications flow that introduces your program and its benefits, answers their questions, connects them to the admissions team and clearly outlines an action plan.

Within this type of condensed messaging framework, think about including links to key program features like residencies, curriculum and faculty vs. fully explaining each in detail. Be sure to address the question, “Is it too late to apply?” by providing simple checklists and resources to help them through the process.

Focus your CTAs

When you have a limited amount of time to convey your message and encourage a prospect to act, it’s important to simplify. Consider including a standard set of CTAs aimed at spurring action, like: apply now, contact admissions, get answers to FAQs, etc. Ensure your CTAs are displayed prominently and consistently so prospects don’t have to search.

Create a new, condensed version of your commflow

When you have reached the “3 months to go” mark for enrollment, it might be a good time to switch any new leads over to your condensed commflow. Although it may be a semi-manual process on the backend, if you set up a weekly scrub designed to port over new leads, you may find the process to be simpler.

When you find ways to put your CRM to work for you, it can do a lot of the heavy lifting and take the weight off of your admissions staff.

If you’re looking for an agency that is well-versed in email communications, lead generation and enrollment marketing, GPRS is your partner. We can help you create a strategy to track leads and create action so you can fill your class. Give us a call to start the conversation.

Insights from the Higher Ed Experts

BY Anthony Campisi | April 27th, 2023

What does diversity look like within your funnel?

It’s never been more important to construct a plan for attracting a diverse student body. In addition to creating more access and social mobility for students of varying backgrounds, a diverse class prepares your students for success in their chosen career fields.

Defining diversity

As you are determining what is the right mix of students within your upcoming class, it’s important to define what diversity means to your school. The word diverse is defined by Merriam-Webster as “showing a great deal of variety.” Not only does this apply to social and ethnic backgrounds, but it can also be extended to gender, age, work experience, educational background or even future career goals.

Targeting diverse audiences

Once you have defined what diversity means to your school and what mix of students you’re seeking, it will be easier to target your marketing campaigns. Creating personas that fit your ideal student can aid you in selecting what media to use and crafting the right messaging that will resonate with your audiences.

Your funnel

If you find that your funnel isn’t fitting the profile of the student body you are seeking, it may be time to narrow your focus. Typically, a well-strategized and wide-reaching campaign can get you the leads you need to seat your class. However, layering on a hyper-targeted campaign can improve your ability to attract your ideal student and create your intended diversity.

If you’re looking to build a well-rounded class at your school, GPRS can help. We specialize in building personas, developing audience segmentation, and creating customized messaging. Contact us today to start the conversation.

Insights from the Higher Ed Experts

BY Anthony Campisi | April 17th, 2023

Constructing a landing page for conversion

Regardless of how impactful the messaging within your digital marketing campaign is, if your leads don’t have an optimized and user-friendly place to land, you risk losing them. If it’s the first time they are engaging with you, you’ve done the hardest job which is to grab their attention. But the next step is to make sure that experience is consistent when they click on your link so that you can secure their interest and action. Here we cover why it’s important to invest the time it takes to build a solid landing page and ways to optimize it for success.

Why invest in a landing page?

While you have spent a lot of time building and optimizing your school’s website and it may be seen as the primary source of information for your prospects, it’s not always the right place for them to land after they’ve seen one of your ads. Custom landing pages can offer you and future students a simple solution to the specific information they seek and create a gateway to the information-gathering stage. Not only is it helpful to your prospects, but a landing page that routes to your CRM can quickly build your funnel and help you track the ROI of your marketing campaigns. Read more about how to optimize your prospects’ experience with a customized landing page.

How to construct a robust landing page

When you’re creating your landing page, think about it from your prospective student’s perspective. What are the 2-3 key takeaways you want them to know about your program? And what is the action you want them to take? These critical questions can help you in making your information hierarchy user-friendly and your call to action clear and simple. In addition, make sure that you are not overwhelming them – keep it short and sweet and allow them to request information without filing in too many fields (a good balance is a maximum of 3-4). Read more about tactics to ensure a smooth user experience on your landing page.

If you’re looking for an agency that is well-versed in digital campaign planning, set-up, tracking, and real-time optimizations, GPRS is your partner. We can help you create a strategy to collect data and track leads so you can fill your funnel with qualified inquiries. Get in touch to start the conversation.

Insights from the Higher Ed Experts

BY Anthony Campisi | March 30th, 2023

Storytelling: Help Your School Connect Better with Prospects

By now, you’ve heard the buzz about how storytelling can impact your brand. For years, marketers have been using stories to show consumers how a product or service can improve their lives or solve a problem. But it wasn’t until recently that the advent of new social platforms and influencer marketing brought real stories to the forefront. While standard testimonials are one form of conveying outcomes, the true power of storytelling provides a face, a persona, and an authentic connection that people can relate to.

So how can your school use stories to reach prospects and encourage them to apply to your program? Here, we’ve compiled some of our favorite tips on bringing your brand to life through the use of stories.

Leveraging storytelling

When creating your storytelling strategy, be sure to select the right representatives of your brand so they can accurately convey your key messages. Although anyone can be a storyteller, it’s important to lean on your marketing and admissions department to identify which stories need to be told and by whom. Your greatest impact can be found with authentic, original content that conveys realistic perspectives and often vulnerability.

Regardless of how you construct your stories, there are multiple ways to showcase your final product. You can post them on your website, utilize them on social media or include them on your blog. You can also include snippets in email campaigns and marketing materials. Learn more about leveraging storytelling to enhance your school’s digital online presence.

Alumni stories

Prospects want to see real people that they can relate to and stats that predict desirable future outcomes. This is where the stories of students who have benefited from your program and have gone on to do great things can help. Using alumni at large recognizable corporations with notable titles is great. People who have won awards contributed to significant industry innovations and are in the news are other good candidates. However, you do not have to use famous alumni to make an impact. And in fact, having the right mix of alumni is important to reduce the risk of intimidating prospects. Try profiling those with inspiring stories, career-switchers, or even students who have made significant contributions to their communities. Learn more about leveraging alumni stories to boost your digital strategy.

Blogs to tell your story

Your website is a formal space to highlight your programs, benefits, outcomes, and faculty. But no matter how inviting your content is, there is no substitute for the informal conversation that invites questions and exploration. What’s the real story? How will I really feel when I’m on campus? Will I fit in? Will I get the job? Will it be worth it? With a blog, you can address these concerns and barriers in an honest way and in a format that lends itself better to real talk. Not to mention, blogging boosts your site’s SEO value, increasing the chances you will be found through searches that relate to the keywords prospects are targeting. Learn more about using blogs to tell your school’s story and increase traffic.

While these are just a few ways to tell your story, the sky is the limit when it comes to how you market your stories. You can utilize podcasts, videos, photos, articles, and testimonials in a variety of ways like social media, in email campaigns, and on your website. Regardless of which method you choose, your stories will lend credibility and create a more personal feel for your prospects.

If you need tips on creating a storytelling roadmap to elevate your school’s brand, GPRS can help. We’ve consulted with over 70 institutions on crafting the right messages to meet prospective students where they are in their journey and remove barriers to decision-making. Contact us today to start the conversation.

Insights from the Higher Ed Experts

BY Anthony Campisi | March 16th, 2023

How well are you communicating about financial aid?

Financial aid. It’s a critical piece of the admissions process and a key deciding factor for many, if not most, students. Learners today—both undergrads and post-graduate degree seekers—are looking for solid information upfront about the cost of attendance and financing options before they commit to exploring a school. They have less time for complications and a strong desire to chart a path that will lead to accomplishing their goals with less debt.

Our team visited 10 different college and university websites searching for information on financial aid, just like a prospective student might do. Here, we’re including some trends and tips about how your school can craft useful content and a clear communication strategy around financial aid to help create more accessibility for your prospects.

Make it easy to find

Ensure that financial aid is housed within 2 clicks from the homepage. Many schools include this information under the Admissions menu. It is critical that students can easily access both the cost of attendance and ways to pay for their college experience so they can reference this information during their decision-making process.

Differentiate aid sources

Although it may be second nature for many admissions professionals who are well-versed in financial aid, it can be confusing for students, especially if this is their first time navigating the complex web of information. Be sure that you include a brief explanation about the differences between financial aid, merit-based aid, loans, grants, scholarships, and additional sources like military veteran benefits. Include as much eligibility information as possible to combat assumptions and clearly outline your school’s unique offerings.

Eliminate too many external links

While some links like FAFSA may be required, try to eliminate the number of links away from your site. Ideally, your informational page should serve as a one-stop shop for anyone seeking financial information so they can bookmark it for future use.

Provide a step-by-step guide including clear deadlines

For many students, financial aid can be overwhelming. The more information you can provide in a simplified step-by-step guide, the better. This reassures students that their education can be affordable and accessible while reducing their frustration during the research process.

Provide detailed tuition information

In today’s economy and society, transparency is key. Make sure that you provide the clearest possible picture for your students about the cost of attendance. This includes tuition and all additional fees. And while you may not have specifics about variable items like lodging, food, and the cost of travel for residencies, it’s great to provide a checklist so they can see the full view of their anticipated financial responsibility.

Communicating about financial aid is not only critical on your website, but it’s also important to include in your admissions materials and emails. Encourage conversations with the recruiting team and make financial aid an easy topic to discuss by offering support and resources.

If you need tips on creating a web presence and targeted communications surrounding financial aid at your school, GPRS can help. We’ve consulted with over 70 institutions on crafting the right messages to meet prospective students where they are in their journey and remove barriers to decision-making. Contact us today to start the conversation.