The One Enrollment Marketing Channel You are Not Using …

Are events part of your annual enrollment marketing efforts? IDo you use campus visits and receptions as part of your undergraduate recruitment arsenal? Do you use information sessions for adult learners?

Regardless of the type of student you are responsible for enrolling, chances are events play a significant role in prospective student acquisition and cultivation.

Since the recession of 2000, Webinars, or online presentations or meetings  have been a viable alternative to in-person field events for business. And today, a number of higher education vendors (including DemandEngine) use webinars as a strategy to uncover demand and generate leads using thought leadership to sell products and services.

Yet, for some reason, colleges and universities have not added webinars to their enrollment marketing mix … to date.

Let’s look at some of the advantages of webinars.

Webinars can reduce travel and event costs, engage a wider audience of prospects, and provide a medium to start enrollment dialog.

1) Reduce Costs

There are several webinar platforms on the market today that make it easy – and cost-effective – to promote and manage your own webinar events. DemandEngine uses GoToWebinar – and at $1,000 per year – it easily pays for itself when you consider the potential travel expenses for a single trip.

2) Engage Prospects

Well-planned and executed webinars boost awareness and leverage time, allowing your staff to reach more students, parents, or influencers.

3) Kickstart Dialog

Webinars  provide another channel to reach busy, working adults and parents. Additionally, by recording the event, the information becomes value-added content for your website (see DemandEngine’s archived collection). The events can also support your offer strategies within direct mail and email.

Webinars do not replace face-to-face engagement, rather they can serve as a valuable channel to identify prospects and to nurture the interest of students deeper within your enrollment funnel.

One caveat though … content is king.  Engage the audience with interesting, well-organized, and packaged content. Overt sales pitches, or presentations that are ‘winged’ by the presenter will fall flat. Remember that in this medium, you lose your non-verbal cues. Keep your presentations to 30 – 45 minutes maximum and use polling and rapid slide changes to help keep attention.