Post on 11-Nov-2014
description
TxGAP WebinarSizing up a Monumental Task: Building
Your Recruitment Funnel and Measuring the Flow
Presented by:Marcus Hanscom, M.B.A. (@MarcusHanscom)Associate Director, Graduate Recruitment& Outreach, University of New Haven
Overview
• Assessing the present
• Building the funnel
• Engaging your prospects
• Measuring and utilizing results
• Determining ROI and “selling” it
Learning Outcome for Today
• We will recruit more efficiently and deliver higher ROI if we:– Evaluate our current student base
– Use student information to make educated decisions on marketing channels and relevant messaging
– AND track student data throughout the funnel including activity on our website, social media
The “Informed” ROI Process
Assess Incoming/Current Students
Lead Generati
on
Funnel Management/Marketi
ng/Recruitme
nt
Tracking
THE FOUNDATIONSJust the basics. Where are we now?
Consider leadership…
“Know thyself… and others.”
Your current students
• Assess the demographics and needs of current students– Average age?
– Male/Female ratio?
– Previous major?
– Referral Source?
• In an ideal world, assess by program– Easier for decentralized admissions
A Case Study: M.S.E.D.
Age 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
M.S. Education Applicants by Age and Gender
Three-Year Analysis: AY08-09 through AY10-11
MaleFemale
A Case Study: M.S.E.D.
Referral Source n % of nFair/Expo/Tour 15 1.6%Internet 169 18%UNH Mailing/Email 6 0.6%Newspaper Ad 3 0.3%Other 142 15%Print/Web Directory 16 1.7%Word of Mouth 506 55%Empty 63 6.8%Totals 920
M.S. Education Applicants by Referral Source and GenderThree-Year Analysis: AY08-09 through AY10-11
Gender % of n nFemale 71% 653Male 29% 267Total --- 920
Assignment #1
• Conduct a program demographic assessment– Age/Gender
– Location (In/Out of State, International)
– Referral Source
– Previous Major
– …and others
• Present to program faculty– Engage faculty in process if not already
– Faculty buy-in is crucial
BUILDING THE FUNNELWe all want our cake, and we want to eat it, too.
Generating Awareness
• That’s so 2001…– Printed Directories
– Bulk Snail Mailings
– Cold Calling
– Newspaper tombstoneads
Generating Awareness
• …but this is so 2011– Directory Sites (Gradschools.com, Petersons.com,
GraduateGuide.com…)
– University Website
– Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, FourSquare…)
– Google/search engines
– Blogs
– Virtual Information Sessions/Chats
– Open Houses
Lead Sources
• Purchased Lists
• Directory Sites
• Social Media
• University Website
• Search Engines (Paid and Organic)
• Graduate Fairs/Visits
• Open Houses
• Webinars / Chats
• Word of Mouth
• Click-thru campaigns
• Mailings/BRC
• …and more
Key Questions
• What is the total budget allocated to generating leads?
• Are lead generation techniques/processes customized by program?
• What role do faculty members play? Administrators?
• How do you manage your prospect leads versus your inquiries?
Assignment #2
• Do a lead generation audit– List all current lead sources and costs
– Identify financial goals: spend more or less?
– Are you doing some things because “that is what we always do?”
– We have a collective groupthink problem. Does your institution suffer?
– Just the basics: How many students are applying or enrolling from each source?
ENGAGING PROSPECTSSo, the funnel is flowing. Now what!?
Keys to Success
• Communication Plan (Automated)
• Relevant Messaging
• Cross-channel messaging
• Regular social media participation
• Personalization whenever and wherever possible
Communication Plan
• CRM is key
• Automation = efficiency– Particularly for small offices
– Does not necessarily mean impersonal
• Integrated marketing opportunities– Letters, emails, personalized portal pages
– Phone call management
• Ensure communication consistency to all audiences
Relevant Messaging
• Graduate students want personalization
• Avoid the fluff communications
• Provide program information as soon as possible– Preferably through multiple channels – mail,
email, phone
• Clear, succinct, “What’s in it for me?” communicationsInitial Email Communication
Interaction Rates
General 4% Program-Specific
20%
Social Media
• Not a “set it and forget it” process
• Engaging students on SM means exactly that– Regular interactions
– Go beyond the “press release” posts
– Offer contests
• Remember the audiences for each platform
• Create opportunities to request information, learn more, “see” your experience
• Integrate with your website
Where are you sending prospective students?• Generic page on your site?
• An inquiry form?
• A specific landing page for just the leads from a particular source?
• A specific inquiry form?
Assignment #3
• Set up Unique Source Pages – Set up landing pages or inquiry forms unique to
each lead source
– Create vanity urls (ie. www.newhaven.edu/nytimes) for print advertising
– Create pages for your generic lead generation and for event advertising management
– Use QR codes on mailings and advertisements with a unique landing page
Assignment #4
• Create a referral source policy– How do you accurately report where students
came from?
– Identify how the created source versus a “How did you hear about us?” question will vary in your data
• Create one data set/attribute to collect this data– Greatly reduces reporting headaches
MEASURING AND UTILIZING RESULTS
They came, we talked, but I have no idea what happened!
Measuring Results
• CRM System Results– Email Results (Open rate, interactions)
– Personalized portal results
• Source Coding (Referrals)– Create definitions/guide
• Unique Landing Pages w/tracking
• Google Analytics (or other software)
Email Interaction Rates
General
4% Program-Specific
20%
Personalized portal results
• 9% of all visitors clicked an “Apply Now” link• 69% of those completed and submitted an application
• Average visits per user: 4.9• Average login time: 20 minutes• 4,408 active visitors in last six months• 675 engaged visitors (15%)
Google Analytics
• Great for assessing website effectiveness
• Learn what content works
• Determine how students get to your content
• Determine which content is generating the most leads
• Determine information paths
• Be mindful of where you are sending students– If sending to external sites, can affect your
Analytics efforts
Google Analytics
Assignment #5
• Become a user on Google Analytics– Learn how to find your specific site content
– Evaluate metrics as a whole
– No single metric on its own is helpful
• Use metrics to make educated decisions about page content– Do you need to adjust content on your admissions
pages? Program pages?
– Would new landing pages help?
Campaign Tracking
• Google URL Builder– Other tools are available
– Ease of use for beginners and advanced users
• Use for web ads, landing pages, social media links, blog posts, etc.
URL Builder
Campaign Tracking Results
Assignment #6
• Use the URL builder to create a tracking URL– Try it with a social media ad
– Assess the results in GA after two weeks; a month; two months
• Advanced option: create two ads that link to two different pages on your website– Use two separate unique tracking URL’s
– Evaluate which pages/ads have better results
• Bounce rate, time on site, pages per visit, etc.
Tips on Tracking
• Minimize options on how students get to your site– Tracking does little good if you have too much to
track
• Use vanity URL’s for ease of use or hidden tracking URL’s
• Use short inquiry forms if directing students there first
• K.I.S.S.
• All tracking involves a grain of salt
Utilizing Results
• Allocation of financial and human resources
• Development of new channels/expansion of current ones
• Strategic advertising timing
• Strategic planning for links/awareness
• Restructure/rewrite existing content
A Starting ROI Argument
• Avg. Rev/Student x # enrolled from source = Estimated Total Revenue/Source– Can simplify numbers by funnel status
– Determine the “value” of a given inquiryor applicant
• Compare revenue to annual spend per source– Is your return worth the investment?
ROI Example
Directory Listing• Avg. Total Revenue/student =
$25,000
• Students enrolled = 10
• Total revenue from source= $250,000
• Annual Directory spend: $32,000
• ROI: 681%
**Remember this is using a gross revenue figure.
College Fairs• Avg. Total Revenue/student
= $25,000
• Students enrolled = 2
• Total revenue from source= $50,000
• Annual Travel Spend: $30,000
• ROI: 67%
Assignment #7
• Assign revenue to lead sources and determine estimated ROI– Gross revenue is a start
– Determine average revenue/student
• Can be most helpful at program level
– Can compare to other sources by percentage return on the dollar
Assignment Review
1. Conduct a program demographic assessment
2. Do a lead generation audit
3. Set up unique source pages
4. Create a referral source policy
5. Become a user on Google Analytics (and use it)
6. Use the URL builder to create a tracking URL
7. Assign revenue to lead sources for ROI
Final Thoughts
• None of this happens overnight
• Need commitment of human (and in some cases, financial) resources
• Involve faculty if not already doing so
• Be adaptable
If you enjoyed this session…
“Not Everything is Bigger in Texas: Small Things That Make a Big
Impact on Recruitment Efforts”
NAGAP 25th Annual Conference
Thursday, April 26, 2012
10:45am – 11:45am
THANK YOU.Questions?
Marcus HanscomMHanscom@newhaven.edu203.932.7277Twitter: @MarcusHanscom
View this presentation and the sample referral source guidelines online at www.slideshare.net/mhanscom