How do adult learners (ages 22 – 50) prefer to communicate with colleges and universities at different stages of their decision process? What behaviors do they engage in online? Discover the answers in the following PowerPoint deck presented at the 2010 Noel-Levitz Conference on Student Recruitment, Marketing, and Retention.

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I had the opportunity to speak on the topic of adult learning marketing at the recent Noel-Levitz conference.

What are some of the common pitfalls faced by professional, graduate, and continuing education units across the country?

1. No focus on the top of the funnel

• Revolving direct mail and email list rentals for one-off course or program promotion
• Lack of a clear follow-up communications plan
• Large direct mail sends with little ability to track results
• No ability to track effectiveness of campaigns

2. Lack of a central data repository

• Many units manage prospect data in a series of Excel spreadsheets, if at all
• Failure to update prospect records when mail is returned

3. No means to manage progress of interested students throughout the funnel

• Most lack of a systematic communication plan to cultivate the interest of students

What strategies should professional, graduate, and continuing education units employ?

1. Develop and manage a central database of prospect data

2. Employ effective online marketing strategies

3. Close the enrollment marketing loop