By Jeremy Tiers, Vice President of Admissions Services
2 minute read
As you start to increase your outreach to the next class of prospective students, first impressions are important.
In 2024 it’s really, really easy to lose a young person’s attention if you appear too “salesy,” or you “vomit” information.
Today I want to focus on another common mistake that a lot of admissions counselors and enrollment marketers make early on because they’re so process oriented. If you’re currently doing this, I would recommend you stop because it’s hurting more than it’s helping.
Avoid asking or telling students to immediately sign up for a campus visit.
Don’t do it in your first email, or when you first meet them at their high school or a college fair this fall. When you do that, it comes across as salesy and pushy, and for a lot of students, it feels like you’re trying to jump several spaces ahead on their recruiting game board and rush the process. Would you ask someone to marry you on a first date? You could, but you’re probably not going to get the answer you’re hoping for. Scheduling a campus visit is a big step that takes discussion and planning not only by the student, but also their parents or other family members.
Instead, I encourage you to focus on building a personal relationship. Make it clear you understand the college search is a nerve wracking process and you’re here to listen and provide support. Let the student know you’d like to learn more about their interests, goals, and dreams – you can do that by asking direct questions like these that I shared last week. And also, focus on giving them consistent reasons why they should consider your school, including providing examples of why your current students are enjoying their experiences.
When you do those things, a campus visit will be a no-brainer for many according to our research. That’s because students are looking for connections – not just to a school, but also to different people. Why not have one of those be you.
Only bring up visiting campus once you have either A) spent two or three conversations asking them questions and getting to know them, or B) they bring it up (that would apply to their parents, as well). That approach won’t feel like too much pressure, and they’ll have a clearer understanding of how a visit can help them with their process.
If you found this article helpful, please forward it to someone else on your campus who could also benefit from reading it.