Deciding to save money in the short run on advertising and inquiry development could have a long-lasting effect. And on the flip side, mounting an immediate and massive nurturing / rejuvenation campaign could yield immense rewards.

Let’s take a look at three colleges and attempt to understand their buyer journey, sales staffing and attitude toward inquiries. All of the charts below reflect enrollments during the first quarter of 2020.

College A

This particular college has a robust contact center. They embrace drip marketing and actively nurture their inquiry database. Their population is over 90% male and they use no traditional marketing. Students find this school from the internet both organically and from paid search on Google Ads and Facebook/Instagram. A small portion of their enrollment comes from face to face interactions at career fairs.

Interestingly enough, 45% of the students who started school in 2020 inquired at least 61 days in advance. And 12% of this year’s population inquired more than 4 months ago.

Take-aways: While most institutions would be focusing on the “new inquiries” from the last two months, this school employs multiple touches and continues to connect with and engage inquiries for many months. This takes appropriate staffing levels and a long-term view. But it also results in many more enrollments.

Final thought: A large scale reduction in advertising (like pausing a month) now could be offset slightly from the “lead bank” – but enrollments will lag dramatically over the next 90 days and in fact it will take at least 4 months to regain momentum.

College B

Not unlike College A, this school has a significant portion (35%) of its enrollment coming from inquiries that are more than two months old. However, the absence of a contact center means admissions advisors are tasked with the responsibility for contacting all inquiries – both new, old and VERY old.

This institution is also committed to on-going contact with its inquiry database in the form of email and text messages. Inquiry sources include digital efforts similar to College A — but in addition to digital, College B spends about one third of its budget on traditional channels.

Takeaways: Adding a contact center and actively recycling older inquires could yield substantial success for College B. The “direct response” nature of the traditional inquiries results in a larger number of students who are further down the buying path and who are ready to enroll sooner, but more support could be given to working older inquiries.

Final Thoughts: A large scale reduction in advertising (like pausing a month) now would create disaster for the following two months as enrollments could fall off by 60% in the two months immediately after “going dark.” The absence of a contact center will also translate to fewer enrollments from older inquires and would exacerbate the situation. All told, it will be very challenging to ever regain the ground lost after pausing or greatly reducing lead generation.

College C

This could be a conundrum. How do you manage an extended enrollment funnel when almost 60% of your starts this year have been in your data base for three months to three years? SMH.

The good news: The combined efforts of admissions and marketing are effectively nurturing the database. Deeper insight would reveal this college attracts some high school seniors – but not at significant numbers. However, the behavior of the 29 enrollments (23% of the 2020 YTD starts) who inquired more than six months ago merits additional study. If these are in fact 2019 or 2018 HS grads, a targeted effort to message to this population should be tops on the list.

Takeaways: The gaping hole in the production of enrolls from four to six months needs to be addressed. There may be significant gains to be made by addressing this “dormant but not dead” population. Additional inspection internally may also improve cash flow. Could additional start dates be added to accelerate enrollments? Note: Of the three schools studied, College C has less frequent starts.

Final Thoughts: Pulling back on advertising in the short run is probably least disruptive for this school in the immediate near future, as only 20% of enrollments inquire in the prior month. However, when you roll forward over the next two months and consider the cumulative impact, a large advertising cut in month one could actually reduce enrollment by 60% in month two through four. And that’s downright frightening.

Conclusions: Increased awareness of your new student life cycle can yield opportunities you may be missing. Redacting data and sharing with your peers in non-competitive markets would be an excellent way to spend 30 minutes over a cup of coffee. Finally, cutting ad spend now will hurt more later than you realize.

Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/understanding-sales-cycle-vince-norton/

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Your business may already have a website and a certain degree of social media presence. But how do you know if it’s working the best it can? With Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), of course. But which one? Therein lies the problem. There are a great many, perhaps too many, metrics you can use to track the progress of your SEO efforts. So which way is the best way?

To figure that out the most effective way to monitor your SEO’s performance, you first need to take a few different questions into account:

• Do you value SEO based on the keyword (KW) positions?
  • How do you determine the value of those KWs?
  • Is it based on what you would pay for it to be a PPC ad?
  • Would you even necessarily be paying that much for the PPC ad? Do PPC Ads necessarily even bring in the same audience as organic?
• Do you value it based on how much organic traffic is coming to the website in total?
  • How do you determine if that organic traffic is relevant traffic?
  • What good is a million website views if you end up with the same amount of conversions as 1,000 targeted views?
• Do you value it based on the number of conversions you see coming in as organic traffic?
  • Can you be certain that conversion came from your SEO efforts or did they stem from other marketing efforts?

To help answer some of these questions, we’ll provide some insight on SEO that might help you view your website and the value of SEO.

When you first launch your website it’s often like starting a business out in the middle of nowhere. The only people visiting your business are the people who are going out of their way to find it, either by typing your website URL in a browser or searching for the exact name of your business in hopes of finding it.

SEO is building paths and roads for people to easily pass by your business.

You begin to increase your search engine visibility by ranking for different keywords. As you build these keywords, you’re adding paths for people to start seeing your business. The more keywords you rank for, the more paths and roads there will be for people to take to find your business.

It is important to keep in mind that not all keywords are equal; some paths will be frequently traveled, while others will bring in only a few a visitors each month.

The other thing to keep in mind is that not all visitors are equal. Some have no interest in buying what you’re selling. Some are lost – not quite sure what they’re exactly searching for. Some visitors, however, know exactly what they’re looking for and they fully intend to spend money on your product or service.

Sometimes web surfers come across your website even if they were searching for something not quite related to your business. The lesser-used paths (the ones that bring in a few visitors to your site every month) result in unexpected visitors. This is precisely why you want to avoid writing off less popular keywords. They are what brought the added traffic to your site, which can lead to higher sales.

Implementing the right SEO efforts may result in thousands of paths leading to or near your business. With the right tactics you’ll not only have these paths in place but the right types of travelers: travelers who are interested in what you’re selling.

How do you determine those leads are coming in strictly through SEO efforts and not other forms of advertising? People could be searching for your site after hearing about it through referrals, TV ads, radio, or even a billboard. Obviously, SEO isn’t your only medium of advertising. Those other forms of advertising are also effective. If they weren’t, you wouldn’t be shelling out the money for them.

But how exactly do you calculate the value of SEO? As a marketing agency, determining the value of SEO is a conversation we have frequently.

There are far too many constantly changing variables to determine an exact dollar amount. Google, for example, utilizes more than 200 different ranking factors in their search engine algorithms. Instead, think of your website as a brick-and-mortar store, with SEO buildings roads for travelers to discover your business on the web.

While you’re building your roads, it’s still important to monitor your KW Positions and overall organic traffic as indicators of your SEO success.

It’s also worth noting that SEO applies not only to web searches using engines like Google but to social media and online stores as well. Users on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter can search for content using keywords, hashtags (which also contain keywords) and specific names of businesses.

The number of social media users, both personal and business accounts, will only continue to increase, making social media platforms worth your time as far as SEO is concerned. Social media may not yield the number of conversions as your blog or website, but it does help generate sales. All sales are good sales, especially when most social media platforms are free to use.

Online shopping is more popular than ever, as people are more likely to make purchases through online businesses than to go to a physical store. With this fact in mind, it’s important for you to value your website as much as, if not more than, your physical location.

In both of these situations, it’s important to hone in on keywords to help potential customers find you. What’s one way for you to create the optimal online search presence for your business? If you don’t know much about the intricacies of SEO, there are plenty of skilled professionals who do. These knowledgeable individuals are SEO specialists.   

Having a good SEO specialist on your team can shape the world for your business. They will help place you as the first stop any relevant visitor will see. They’ll do this by compiling a list of keywords that will be put to use on your web pages, optimize them to most relevant pages and link support to ensure your website rises to the top of the SERP list. An expert SEO specialist can prove to be invaluable to the success of your business.

As businesses become increasingly digitized, SEO will continue to be one of the biggest factors in the success of your company’s digital marketing mix. No matter how you decide to use SEO to enhance your business’s digital marketing, it will undoubtedly improve your web traffic if implemented and measured in ways that are best for your business. Increased traffic can easily translate into higher conversion rates and ultimately a stronger bottom line for your business.

The post Why SEO Needs to be Part of the Digital Marketing Mix appeared first on Norton Norris.

The one constant in life is change. It may be an old and somewhat overused cliché, but that doesn’t make it any less true.

And in a world where marketing and marketing-related initiatives are being shaped by digital technology at a pace that couldn’t have been imagined even a decade ago, it’s more important than ever to understand what’s on that digital marketing horizon.

It’s no surprise that for institutions of higher education, marketing budgets remain tight. At the same time, it’s crucial to milk as many inquiries, applications, acceptances, deposits, and enrollments as possible out of every marketing dollar spent.

So as the end of 2017 nears and budget planning for 2018 moves ahead, here are some things to think about in terms of digital marketing trends and tactics that could impact your bottom line.

Talk to Us

We’ve all seen them. The quizzes, polls, and puzzles on Facebook and other social media platforms that will tell you which celebrity you were in a former life, or what European city is the best fit for you, or whether you’re in the top 1 percent of all humans who are able to see a particular shape in a picture first. It’s called interactive content, and it’s a great way of actively engaging readers or visitors to your website. Think about ways to incorporate interactive content into your digital marketing efforts, such as a personality quiz to determine the best healthcare career for you, or a survey about campus technology.

Mobile, Mobile, Mobile

There’s no denying it—the use of mobile technology continues to rise and it’s not going to change anytime soon. Couple that with the fact that everything is trending toward video, and it becomes clear that mobile video will continue to rise in popularity. In fact, many reports indicate that while video consumption on computers and laptops has started to decline, video views on phones and tablets will rise by 25 percent. So whether it’s a video about a particular academic program, learning facilities, student outcomes, or whatever, make sure it’s properly rendering on mobile devices. And if you’re not taking a “mobile first” approach to your digital content strategy, it’s time to start.

Stream It

As video continues its powerful presence across most social media platforms, expect more and more users to want, and in fact expect, live video content. Not only did video streaming constitute a solid majority of all internet traffic in 2017, studies show that viewers will watch live streams three times longer than pre-recorded video content. Look for events and activities around campus that would make for good live streams, like athletic events, social gatherings, extracurricular activities, visiting speakers, etc.

How Can We Help You?

Forging an immediate, personal connection with viewers and visitors to your website and social media channels should be a high priority in anyone’s strategic marketing plan. One way of doing just that is through artificial intelligence (AI) tools and chatbots. And all indications point to the use of this type of technology gaining steam. Chatbots are ways for a school or business to interact with visitors in real time, helping to personalize the experience of its interface, and direct them to information that’s most relevant to their needs right then and there. This technology is being used by schools currently; look for it to become even more present and to offer expanded capabilities.

If You Hack It, They Will Come

There’s a good chance your institution has already engaged in growth hacking, a digital marketing tactic that will continue to help organizations shape their online presence. One of the more common forms of growth hacking is search engine optimization (SEO), which is all about increasing the odds that someone who’s already expressed interest in your offerings will find his or her way to your digital interface. Other examples of growth hacking include offering incentives for someone to spread the word on your organization. Creativity is the name of the game in growth hacking, and that game is about increasing your brand awareness across a broader audience.

Get to the Point

This one isn’t necessarily limited to digital marketing, but it’s too important to ignore. There’s power in brevity, especially when it comes to your audiences and the amount of time they’re willing to devote to your messaging. When it comes to your mobile content—whether that’s website copy, photo captions, or videos—it’s crucial to keep it short.

The post Digital Marketing Trends to Shake up 2018 appeared first on Norton Norris.

Since making a good in-person first impression is so crucial to success, let us offer a few ideas on improving the look and feel of your campus(es), to ensure that prospects don’t take one look and go running to your local competitors.

Let’s start off with campus “do’s”

Let’s start with the basics:

1. Do keep the campus grounds clean!.
   • Take a note from Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, and strive to “be show ready” at all times. When you go to a Disney Park, one of the first things you notice is the things you don’t see. Thousands of people visit and tromp through the parks each day, and yet you don’t see wrappers, gum, or spilled popcorn or drinks anywhere! And if you do, we bet you’ll see a custodian — or another cast member — swooping in quickly and going out of his or her way to clean it up. At the Disney Parks and Resorts, all of the employees help to keep the place clean and ready for the customers (which they kindly call “guests”). They know that keeping the park “show ready” is a job for everyone, no matter what role he or she is playing. Take similar pride in your campus. If the grounds and building aren’t taken care of, prospective students will notice — and current students, staff and faculty will stop caring as well.
2. Do protect and promote your current logo.
   • Over time, many schools change their logos and taglines. Ensure that all of your campuses are using the correct logo on all materials, wall art, etc. Nothing looks more unprofessional than inconsistent use of a current brand campaign or logo among campus locations.
3. Do promote your graduates’ success stories.
   • At the end of the day, the prospective student is concerned about one thing: Finding a good job. Consider having your creative marketing agency produce signage featuring graduate testimonials. Hang these in the admissions office and around campus, showcasing the success your graduates have had in the job field.
4. Do prepare a list of the employers who have hired your graduates.
   • Sounds simple, right? Well, maybe not. How do you protect the list? And how do you massage the introduction to reference that the following employers have hired graduates from the college — without crossing the line and implying ease of employment. Tricky? Yes, but it can be done!
5. Do arm yourself with industry materials and articles.
   • Third-party industry resources are powerful. Start by gathering articles — recent content that supports the demand for workers in the field for which your organization provides education/training. Or look for research that explains why the field is growing. With a little secondary research, you can reinforce the value of the educational investment your prospect is considering making.
6. Do produce an effective lobby video.
   • We know you try to maximize efficiency and minimize wait times for appointments, but in spite of your best efforts, people will still wind up waiting from time to time. Why not educate them while they wait? Videos are a great way to splice in entertaining education pieces, facts about your school and culture, and information about all the services you offer your students. Lobby videos make it possible to say all the things about your school that a TV commercial simply doesn’t allow time for.
7. Do ensure that your staff are friendly and informed.
   • We can’t underscore the importance of this enough! There is nothing worse than being greeted by a grump. Make sure you have energetic, professional people at your front desk to welcome prospective students into the campus. Ensure that those staff members are well informed and always ready to put the prospective student/customer first. Better yet, train your front desk personnel to be engaging. Ideally, they’ll be able to go beyond simply welcoming the student, and start to build a lasting rapport right there in the lobby.
8. Do ensure that your staff look professional.
   • Your campus isn’t the only thing you need to keep looking sharp. It’s just as important that your staff and faculty look professional and put together. That way, they’re not only more approachable, but will be respected, as well.

We’ve talked about the campus “do’s” — now, let’s talk about the “don’ts.”

1. Don’t tape collateral and other marketing materials to the windows or walls.
   • This is not elementary school! Designate a place for these items, so walls aren’t cluttered. Consider wall decals to discourage campus staff from hanging unapproved items.
2. Don’t close blinds that block appealing views of classrooms, facilities, or equipment.
   • These are selling points! For example: A prospective medical student will love seeing the laboratories at a campus and the equipment they may be working with. Market with what you have. A good class or laboratory might be a great selling point.
3. Don’t ignore building maintenance issues.
   • Torn carpet, lights that don’t work, dirty walls, etc., are not invisible to prospective students. If you see something dingy or deteriorated, speak up! Bring problems to the attention of a campus president to determine whether the problem can be fixed. And encourage every staff member to do the same. If the staff and faculty take pride in the school, so will the students — and prospective students will take notice!

We know this may sound like a lot to keep track of. But here’s a recommendation: Just as you create a style guide for marketers to use in maintaining and building your brand, create a campus merchandise style guide to share with the campuses. This handy tool will guide them through the dos and don’ts of maintaining the proper “look and feel” of their campuses — including what current branded materials and collateral should be up on the walls and what should come down. The guide should include everything from approved wall paint colors, carpet, wall collateral and brochures to which logo and marketing materials should and which should not be used. Then, when you visit a campus, walk through with a campus director/president and point out both what the campus is doing well and what changes should be made based upon the approved materials in the guide.

Remember: A brand is more than just a logo, tagline, website or TV commercial. A brand is the emotional and psychological relationship we have with our audience. Through the power of a strong brand, we can elicit thoughts, emotions, and other responses from those people associated with your school. Branding includes the interactions we have with students, parents, visitors, and the public at large. Campus merchandising and experience are extensions of the brand. Standardized signage and displays are designed to highlight and reinforce a school’s experience to prospective and current students, faculty and staff. With a little luck, a good combination of traditional marketing efforts and dedication to care at the campus level will lead to one thing: A new enrollment.

The post 11 Easy Ways to Improve Your Campus Appearance appeared first on Norton Norris.