Marketing in private education requires overcoming a series of challenges, in order to create a successful reputation for the institution, both online and offline.
In this article, we will focus on seven strategies that will help strengthen your tactics when implementing a comprehensive marketing campaign, and we will emphasize the importance of highlighting the value of your brand at all times.
Marketing strategies to increase the number of students
1. Manage a marketing strategy comprehensively
One of the basic errors in the marketing of the education sector is that marketing efforts are decentralized. Generating expenses whose effectiveness has not been defined, or excluding vital processes to generate a significant impact on sales.
This may not be feasible in all institutions, but standardizing KPIs and creating a centralized place to measure the effectiveness of marketing campaigns is a step in the right direction.
Without centralized reporting, it’s easy for different departments to fall into a pattern of using the same strategies year after year, just because that’s what they did the year before.
Departments are often resistant to change, the only way to sell new tactics is with data that comprehensively reflects the combined results of all strategies.
2. Automate interactions
If your institution is sending very cold and depersonalized emails to potential students, there is a good chance that many will go directly to “spam”.
Using a tool to personalize and automate outgoing emails is one way to improve deliverability when sending mass emails.
In addition, automating all interaction systems such as chats, or telephone service channels, will ensure that your reputation remains high, which will also increase the confidence that potential clients have in your institution.
Marketing automation can also be used outside of the digital realm. Many platforms allow marketers to track traditional marketing efforts, such as physical mail sent, events attended, and interactions with recruiters or sales executives.
3. Strengthen your brand identity
Branding has always been an important part of marketing in education, but many colleges and universities are finding that they need to update their branding to work on digital devices.
The secret to remain firm over time is that a brand must associate its identity with a constant quality education, and know how to represent the success of students.
Show the quality of your institution with facts, student testimonials, faculty endorsements, and figures that guarantee why they exist and what their mission is .
Many times, increasing the number of students is achieved simply by reinforcing the motivation of the students, and showing them an environment where they can confidently develop their passion.
4. Seek to achieve the right goals
While your ultimate goal is to increase enrollment, if that’s the only metric you measure, you may not be able to see results quickly enough to make adjustments.
An effective strategy is also nourished by achievable goals, in order to achieve an ultimate goal.
Measuring and setting goals for the number of users who enter the website daily, or the number of interested parties who use the telephone, are indicators that will give you answers and valuable information, and necessary to achieve your main objective.
5. Social Media Marketing
Do you have an attractive campus or facilities? Show it on social networks. Many students say that the study environment is an important part of the decision-making process.
Showcasing student activities is a great way to help them envision a bright future and a social life at your school.
Using students as micro-influencers is another strategy that many universities are using to increase their reach on social networks, since most millennials are more influenced by real users.
6. Personalized website for mobile devices
Today more than ever, the website of an educational institution is its main business card. Most students start their search online, and your website is likely the first impression they’ll get of your brand.
And this detail is key, if what you are looking for is to increase the number of students. Having a website adapted to phones, and that invites users to generate a registration, in exchange for information or educational content, is the first step to follow up with your prospects.
Once you obtain information such as their email, name and telephone number, you will be able to start a much more direct sales strategy tailored to the interests of each student.
7. Implement chatbot tools
To make sure that student queries are answered quickly, many educational institutions are making use of chatbots.
By implementing a chat on your website, and using programmed artificial intelligence, the bots can respond to questions immediately, and generate genuine conversations, which provide valuable information to be channeled by the sales team.
Conclusion
Marketing strategies in the educational sector can be adapted according to the needs and objectives of each institution. The secret to increasing the number of students is based on making assertive decisions that take into consideration the resources and qualities that the organization possesses.
If you manage to generate a comprehensive strategy that involves the most successful campaigns, and allow the entire system to be automated and generate immediate results, you will have a greater competitive advantage, while leaders and managers will obtain a new vision to carry out all the changes. and improvements that your brand requires.
