Effective measurement of Student Recruitment Marketing

“what does a person gain from all his labour and toils under the sun?” - King Solomon

■ Quality and scope of your PQM ■ Quality and scope of institutional services ■ Student life and services ■ Institutional leadership ■ Brand equity – awareness, loyalty, perceptions and experiences of quality ■ Unique selling points Factors impacting on success

■ A university for tomorrow. ■ A university where leaders learn. ■ Your knowledge partner. ■ A university that gives you the edge. ■ A university where you can rethink education and reinvent yourself. ■ A place of Quality – A place to Grow. ■ A university for innovation through diversity. ■ A university at the heart of technology education and innovation in Africa. Are you convinced to switch brands?

■ Marketing / student recruitment budget ■ Human resources - staff component ■ Strategic positioning of marketing & corporate communications within the institution – credibility ■ Marketers’ level of institutional knowledge and insight ■ Marketers’ understanding of HE Marketing ■ Level of professionalism and credibility ■ Marketing planning / effective strategies / action plans Factors impacting on success (cont.)

Any other factors? ■ Factors impacting on success (cont.)

Top ten most effective marketing & student recruitment practices E-expectations of students and parents Student satisfaction and priorities trend report Parents satisfaction and priorities report What matters most to international students? Retooling the enrolment funnel Institutional brand and parental influence on college choice Factors influencing college choice, etc. etc. etc.

Noel-Levitz – on marketing plans Survey items4-year public institutions (65 resp.) My institution has a written long-term strategic enrollment plan 52.3% My institution as a written annual marketing plan29.2% My institution has a written annual recruitment plan56.9% My institution has a written annual integrated recruitment/marketing plan 26.2% My institution regularly evaluates the effectiveness of marketing & recruitment strategies and tactics and makes changes accordingly 46% My institution has a standing, campus-wide committee that addresses coordinated marketing and recruitment planning and implementation across all units 21.5%

Noel-Levitz – Top 10 recruitment practices: private inst. Practice % effective% using meth 1 Open house/days77%98% 2 Campus visit days76%93% 3 On-line application65%98% 4 Use current students in recruit. 57%95% 5 Weekend visits to campus 55%85% 6 Routine contacts by recr. staff re: fin aid 54%84% 7 Weekend campus visits 53%69% 8 Routine contacts by fin aid office re: aid 44%29% 9 Full-time tele- counselling 43%70% 10 High school visits42%98%

Noel-Levitz – Top 10 recruitment practices: public inst. Practice % effective% using meth 1 Campus visits74%94% 2 Open Days68%98% 3 Use students in recrui68%86% 4 Weekend visits to campuses 57%95% 5 Encourage on-line applications 63%99% 6 Community college articulation agreemnt 53%62% 7 Website use to schedule cmp visits 52%97% 8 Stat appr to determine fin awards 48%44% 9 Campus visit days47%79% 10 Admis decisions on spot during cmp visits 47%49%

Five least-effective public universities Practice% min effective% using method Tel directory ads88%25% Podcast advertising 81%25% Listings in commercially published directories 77%48% Ads in school yearbooks/news- papers 77%46% Ads in college magazines 69%55%

The role of the sales representative

In the corporate world ■ more sales … ■ more profits … ■ greater brand recognition … what if the goal was ■ to build trust? ■ marketing decisions with the best interest of the customer in mind instead of what is often viewed as the best interest of your business? Measuring marketing success

Student recruitment marketing in South Africa – An exploratory study into the adoption of a relationship orientation Justin Beneke & Gert Human in African Journal of Business Management, Vol 4(4), April Student recruitment and relationship marketing – convergence or contortion? Justin Beneke in South African Journal of Higher Education, Vol 25(3), 2011 HE and Relationship Marketing

According to authors and references, situation pre-2005: “It would appear that at present, marketing is at best executed on an ad-hoc basis … when higher education institutions use the term marketing, they actually mean promotion – brochures, direct mail, advertising, PR efforts, etc...The sustained myth that surrounds institutions is that branding is not needed when the institution has a solid reputation and long tradition…” The marketing landscape in HE …

■ Marketing not necessary – such institutions claims to exist “in the name of science”. ■ Marketing will be necessary in the foreseeable future – currently receiving an abundance of applications and seek competitive advantage in finding primarily quality students. ■ Marketing is fundamental and integral to recruitment strategy…enjoy a favourable reputation, yet are still building their brand …perceive all staff members as marketers Three mindsets/attitudes towards SRM

Tracking of core marketing functions: ■ More marketing events = offering services and building relationships / community engagement ■ More school visits, personal appointments = value of a personal approach ■ Expansion of geographical catchment area = establish a national footprint ■ Attendance of more national expo’s = national brand awareness ■ More visitors to your Open Days = popularity, demand, relevance SRM measurement – a numbers game?

Tracking of core marketing functions (cont.): ■ Market segmentation in line with institutional enrolment goals = focused and targeted approach ■ Customised strategies = focused and targeted approach ■ More first call resolutions by contact centre agents = better customer service ■ Larger print runs of printed material = promotional value, demand creation ■ Cost and scope of advertising campaigns = brand awareness ■ More market & marketing research = to inform strategies and expenditures SRM measurement – a numbers game?

Tracking of core marketing functions (cont.): ■ Website traffic tracking = popularity and demand ■ Media coverage tracking = popularity and relevance ■ Popularity and interactivity levels on social media platforms = relevance of marketing approach ■ Evidence of best practice benchmarking = competitive edge of marketing approach ■ Number of queries generated = demand ■ Number of application forms sent = demand SRM measurement – a numbers game?

Tracking of core marketing functions (cont.): ■ Number of completed application form received = behavioral change / achieved buy-in ■ Number of applicants with an APS above 46 = successful attracting top achievers ■ Difference between applications and registration figures = quality of applicants attracted ■ Number of applicants for SET, Business Studies, Education = targeted approach ■ Meet enrolment targets regarding diploma and degree intake = targeted approach ■ Number of black and female M & D applicants = meet National Plan of HE goal SRM measurement – a numbers game?

1.The goal of Relationship Marketing is to keep consistent engagement going. 2.Decide upon your RM taxonomy: vehicles/tools for one-to-one, one-to-few, and one-to-many interaction and engagement 3.Track your spend – weekly, monthly 4.Track engagement – the actual interactions with customer groups 5.Give marketers frequent updates on their efforts (motivator/indicator for success) 6.Track attitudes and perceptions 7.Track behavioural changes 8.Track word-of-mouth recommendations Measure the value of Relationship Marketing?

“what gets measured gets managed… “ PS. Setting goals and measuring progress towards them is the smartest way to get there without wasting a ton of time and energy along the way… Back to the numbers game …

Student Recruitment & Enrolment Planning

Parameters guiding an institution’s student enrolment projections: ■ Academic “size and shape” of the institution ■ Student intake profile, access routes and admissions ■ Total headcount enrolments ■ Full-time Equivalent (FTE) enrollment calculations ■ First-time entering students ■ PG enrolments ■ Enrolment distribution per major fields of study ■ Sustainable infrastructure development Student Recruitment & Enrolment Planning

Setting student recruitment targets The University of Western Ontario – International base line = 147 Sept -11Sept-12Sept-13Sept-14 Recruitment target Incremental annual increase % increase55%15%20%30% Enrolment target: By 2014 approximately 6% of our UG enrolment will be comprised of international students.

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THANK YOU. Christelle Feyt Senior Manager Student Recruitment Marketing