In today’s competitive landscape, it can be challenging to stand out and stay top of mind for admission.
As an educational institution, one of our primary goals is to attract and enroll the best and brightest students.
This is where enrollment strategies come into play. In essence, the strategies for managing school enrollment are all about creating and maintaining strong relationships with prospective families.
The goal is to ensure that when families are ready to make a decision, your school is the first place that comes to their mind. This requires patience, consistency, and a genuine concern for the families you want to reach.
In this article, I will delve into the importance of staying top of mind for admission and provide actionable tips on how to master enrollment strategies for this year.
Financial Considerations: The cost of education is a significant factor for many families. They may be saving money, seeking financial aid, or comparing the costs of various schools to make the best decision for their child’s education.
Timing: Sometimes, circumstances prevent families from enrolling their children in school at the ideal time. Reasons may include moving to a new location, changing jobs, personal situations, or waiting for the right academic year to start.
Exploring Options: To find the best fit for their child’s unique needs and interests, families often explore multiple schools before making a final decision.
Regardless of the reason, it’s crucial to establish long-lasting relationships with families and create a sense of connection.
When prospective students feel like they are a part of your school community, even if they are not enrolled yet, they are more likely to consider your school as their first choice when they start exploring their options.
How can a school increase its chances of enrolling more students in the future?
Importance of Staying Top of Mind for Admission
In the competitive world of admissions, the first impression counts. With countless options available, it’s crucial that our institution stands out and remains top of mind for prospective students.
By doing so, we increase the likelihood of attracting enrollments and staying ahead of our competitors. We must remain on the radar of prospective students throughout their decision-making process.
This way, we can ensure that our institution is the one they choose over others.
Understand Your Target Audience
Your marketing and communication strategy should focus on three key ideas to reach out to families effectively.
Understand Your Target Audience
Your marketing and communication strategy should focus on three key ideas to reach out to families effectively.
These include personalized messaging, supportive resources, and keeping an open line of communication.
It is important to remember that even if someone is not ready to enroll this year, their situation may change in the future, and you want to be the first option on their mind.
Personalized Messages: It is important to send personalized messages to families, addressing their concerns. For instance, if a family is worried about the cost of education, providing information about financial aid in emails can be helpful.
Regular Check-in: Regular check-ins with families are also necessary to keep in touch with them, though it is important not to overwhelm them.
A friendly email or call periodically shows that you care and keep your school in their minds.
Helpful Information: Providing helpful information that answers their questions or eases their concerns is crucial.
If families are exploring options, sending materials that highlight your school’s strengths and what students enjoy most about being there can be helpful.
Build Long-Term Relationships
Consider this as the process of establishing a long-lasting relationship with prospective families through:
Regular Updates: To keep your audience informed about the happenings at your school, you can use various mediums such as monthly newsletters, blog posts, or social media updates.
This approach allows you to showcase the full experience of your students.
Community Activities: Another way to engage your audience is by inviting them to participate in community events, even if they aren’t enrolled in your school.
Events such as community service days, school plays, or big sports games are great opportunities to get your audience involved.
Providing valuable resources: It can be a great way to help your audience. For example, if they’re concerned about boarding life, you can offer information on mentorship programs or student life activities.
You can also showcase student success stories and the value of their investment in your school.
Automated Email Workflow Ideas to Engage Students Who Haven’t Enrolled
Here are some guidelines for sending emails to families who have decided not to enroll in your school:
1. Thank You and Stay in Touch Email: Send an email to thank them for considering your school and let them know that you are always available to answer any questions they may have.
Also, express your interest in staying in touch with them.
2. School Highlights and Success Stories: Send emails that highlight exciting news and success stories related to your school. These could be about student achievements, new programs, or special events.
3. Informational Updates: Keep the families updated with any changes or improvements in your school, such as new facilities, updates to existing programs, or the introduction of new extracurricular activities.
4. Invitations to School Events: Even if they haven’t enrolled, families might still be interested in attending school events. Inviting them to activities keeps the door open and allows them to experience your school community.
5. Reminders for Next Year’s Enrollment Process: Towards the end of the year, send reminders about the enrollment process for the next academic year.
Include important dates, steps in the application process, and contact information if they have any questions.
Person-to-Person Moments
Creating personal connections is crucial for leaving a lasting impression on families. This can be achieved through one-on-one interactions.
It is important to communicate personally when sending emails or messages. This includes using their names, referencing previous interactions, and demonstrating that you understand their interests.
Hosting special events can also be an effective method to engage with families who have shown interest but have not yet enrolled. For instance, open houses, webinars, or small meet-and-greet sessions are great ideas.
It is equally important to follow up with a personal message after any event or interaction. You can ask for feedback, answer any questions they may have, or simply check in to see how they are doing.
Focus on Enrollment Management
If you’re trying to keep track of families who have shown interest in your school but haven’t enrolled yet, it might seem like a lot of information to handle.
However, using our system can simplify this process.
By keeping a detailed record of families who have applied, and been accepted, but have not yet enrolled, you can send customized communications and keep them informed about your school’s programs and offerings.
You can personalize information and share news about new programs, facility improvements, student and staff achievements, and upcoming events—everything to keep the conversations going in a meaningful way.
Conclusion
Stay in touch with families who haven’t enrolled. Build a relationship and use effective tools to make sure your school stays on their minds. They’ll think of your school first when they’re ready to decide.
