Enrolling applicants during this crisis is challenging. We get that.
Schools are looking for ways to differentiate themselves when they can’t invite applicants onto the campus or into a classroom, right?
Not so fast.
One of the most important success factors driving the classroom experience is the faculty – their passion, their ability to communicate, their knowledge base and the care they show for their students.
During this period of online schooling faculty may have time available. This is where Admissions can pounce, getting your best teachers to sell the classroom experience directly to an applicant.
Admissions goes Zoom!
Consider putting a faculty member on a Zoom call with you and a prospect. Here’s how we suggest you approach that:
- Meet with a targeted group of 3-5 excellent teachers. Tell them the strategy is to showcase what they do to attract new parents and students. They will be wary. You will be persistent. Mention it’s a pilot program; you only want to see if it can work. Share the scope of the program, what’s involved, what’s at stake, and the upside.
- Train that group of teachers. Have a SHORT Zoom session where you review the “do’s and don’ts” of speaking with a prospect. Since you will be on the call with them, give them guidelines as to when Admissions should answer questions versus when they should.
- Review your prospect list. Identify interests by students (you should have this information in your CRM; if you need CRM help, call us) and then match them up with one of the teachers in your pilot group.
- Invite each applicant individually. Reach out (via email and phone) to share the opportunity for the student (and parent)to attend a 30 minute Zoom session with you and the best teacher for the task.
- Consider create a “Meet the faculty” series of prospect emails for broader reach. Feature a teacher. Share their CV. Offer a link to schedule a meeting.
Don’t settle for the status quo
Some schools will hunker down and double down on the return of the in-class experience and old ways of marketing. But others may see the hardship of the present as a way of preparing for what’s next.
