In this Industry, it takes a lot more than just leads to become a successful school. The process begins with a professional, well-trained admissions department. At Paradigm Digital Group, we are as committed to admissions improvement as we are to lead generation. To help our clients, we start on the inside.
Contacting a new lead takes special care and understanding. A potential student often has some anxiety about contacting a school, whether that stems from intimidation about going to school, paying for school, etc. In many cases, their self-esteem can be low because they are not accomplishing what they want to in life. One of the most effective things you can do is reassure them that they are making the right choice by contacting your organization. It is a subtle way to remind the candidate that they had in fact contacted you – not other way around.
Many admissions make the mistake of letting a caller take control of the conversation too early. Most prospects have three main questions in mind: How much is it? How long does it take? When does it start? Instead of letting a prospect ask questions that are irrelevant, we try to get to the “meat” of the situation right away. We want to know about them, their situation and how we might be able to help them.
A lead source can tell you a lot about the individual you are going to be working with. The lead source can tell you where they are in the enrollment cycle, how they want to be communicated with and what is most important to them. Understanding these differences can help to develop quicker relationships and higher conversion numbers.
Email and texting are great tools for an admissions professional. Great services like Mail Chimp, Constant Contact, Campaign Monitor, and CRM’s have made communicating with your prospects easier than ever before. However, too many people continue to send the same basic types of messages – CALL ME! OPEN HOUSE! JOB FAIR! These are great events – but hardly what builds a relationship.
A crucial link in your admissions process is to develop, schedule, and implement a long-term strategy to cultivate a relationship with your prospects. Therefore, having and using the right tools is essential.