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.

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.