Today’s prospective college students know that college has become expensive, not all college majors are created equal, there are plenty of alternatives to a four-year degree, student loans can be incredibly burdensome…
And, as a result, many have chosen to forego college altogether.
It’s unfortunate. We all know that skipping out on college could be a big mistake for many, but the decade-long decline in college enrollment, along with hundreds of articles and interviews with high school students and adult learners proves a point:
Prospective students don’t believe the return on investment is good enough anymore to pursue a college degree – online or otherwise.
However, these perceptions don’t have to limit enrollment at your college. In fact, Conversion Media Group, a nationwide leader in enrollment initiatives, will show you a way to better market your school to prospective students.
It’s an emotional, yet logical method that can help boost your school’s enrollment (online or in-person), especially with students that are “on the fence.”
In a moment, we’ll show you precisely how we do it. But first, we’ll show you (if you already have proper staffing) how you can do it yourself.
Let’s start with this quote:
“Students need professional guidance on the economic outcomes of college and career pathways before they make one of the biggest decisions of their lives.”
– Ban Cheah, the Center on Education and the Workforce[1]
Mr. Cheah is dead on.
See, because there are so many career-path options available today, too many four-year colleges haven’t properly adjusted, nor have they “guided” prospective students on the potential economic outcomes of earning a college degree.
Instead, many schools still “promote” themselves, their sports teams, the accomplishments of staff, their on-campus or online culture and courses, etc…. rather than speaking to the true desires of their prospects.
And many schools still believe they’re the student’s only “real” choice for a good career outcome.
Clearly, they’re not.
Change Your Messaging, It’s About Them, Not You
Now, by switching your marketing message to focus on potential outcomes over “self-promotion”, you just may find that many more students will be interested in enrolling.
How? Well, let’s start with logic.
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York notes that recent college grads who work full-time earn about $24,000 more a year than people who have only a high school diploma.[2]
So, clearly, this would be an important economic point to use when marketing to prospects.
Further, after finishing college, a student would be on track to earn about $2.8 million over their lifetime. This is compared to $1.6 million if they stuck with just a high school diploma.
That’s $1.2 million more in career earnings.[3] Yet another fantastic economic number to highlight.
Of course, you can’t simply promise a great career and a huge paycheck to a prospective student, but you can share the economic facts. And doing so in a way could help alleviate some of your prospects’ biggest concerns, namely their return on investment.
Simply put, your marketing messages should be all about the prospective students, highlighting economic and career earnings facts where you can, helping them overcome barriers and giving them a glimpse into their potential future.
It’s all about them. And by keeping it all about them, they’ll do the emotional work for you.
Now, as Forbes magazine put it, “One of the most compelling reasons to attend college is to earn more money.”[4]
Prospects already know this but aren’t sure about the ROI. Your enrollment department should make an emotional, perhaps personalized connection with every prospect they speak with, while being clear about the economic facts.
Like this fact:
If an online college degree costs $50,000, and career earnings with a degree could average $1.2 million more than without one…
Earning that degree could result in a 24X return on investment.
How’s that for ROI?
Yes, we know. This may not be the “normal” way your enrollment department approaches conversations with prospects, and you do have to be careful about what you say and how you say it…
Especially when using emotional triggers…
But it’s how we, Conversion Media Group, carefully approach all our conversations. See, we talk with hundreds of prospective students every week, many of whom are “on the fence” when it comes to attending college.
But we talk with them about their needs, about their desires and about their futures. We talk with them about what could potentially become of them when they graduate… we share the economic facts and present them in a way that they can really connect with.
In a nutshell, we market your school to them; in a way they can better understand.
How do we do it?
Well, we’re a performance based digital marketing agency that just so happens to own and operate US-based contact centers. Real people talking with real people.
And during a regular workday, our expert agents chat with a truly impressive number of prospective students on the phone.
These are real prospects, with real educational goals. And we have real conversations about their future with them. Again, it’s all about them.
Now, once they show a genuine interest in your institution or its programs, we can transfer them directly to your enrollment department, live on the phone.
See, with live transfers, we could potentially increase your enrollments by 50, 100, 1,000 new students or more. It all depends on how many new enrollments you’re looking for, or how many calls with real prospects your enrollment department can handle.
We know you may be experiencing challenges with it comes to college enrollment. Almost every college is, online or otherwise.
But addressing your challenges, and helping you reach your goals…
It’s what we at Conversion Media Group do.
So, if you’d like us to drive qualified Edu-leads, live transfer leads, applications and enrollments to your institution – simply call one of our education specialists today at: (+1) 800 419 3201.
Or feel free to contact us HERE, and an enrollment expert will get back with you ASAP.
[1] Here are college majors with the highest and lowest rate of return (cnbc.com)
[2] The Labor Market for Recent College Graduates – FEDERAL RESERVE BANK of NEW YORK (newyorkfed.org)
[3] More education doesn’t always get you more money, report finds (cnbc.com)
[4] 7 Compelling Reasons Why Should You Go To College – Forbes Advisor