Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment Two Case Studies: Fairleigh Dickinson University The University of Tulsa and consultant GDA Integrated Services

Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment John Corso Assoc. VP for Enrollment and Student Moderator Services & Dean of Admission Jonathan Steele Associate Vice President Earl Johnson Senior Associate Dean of Admission Bernetta Millonde University Director of Undergraduate Admissions Becky Wiseman Admission Communications Coordinator Panelists

A private university affiliated with the Presbyterian Church Located in Tulsa, Oklahoma Total enrollment: 4,072 students (2,672 undergraduate, 763 graduate, 637 law) Average class size: 19; Student-faculty ratio: 12:1 60% of 2003 freshman class graduated in the top 10% of their high school class 49 National Merit Scholars in 2003 freshman class Bachelor’s degrees in 58 areas of study, in addition to 33 master’s degree programs, 10 doctoral degree programs and the Juris Doctorate degree NCAA Division I athletics and a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment

FDU is New Jersey's largest private university with 6,514 undergraduate students and 3,550 graduate students Fairleigh Dickinson University has campuses in Teaneck, New Jersey Madison, New Jersey Wroxton, England The student/faculty Ratio is 14.1, and the average class size is 18 The University offers over 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs FDU has both Men's and Women's Division I and Division III athletics Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment

GDA Integrated Services is a market research, consulting and services firm specializing in customized, integrated marketing solutions to aid colleges and universities compete successfully for students, funding and visibility in the competitive twenty-first century. Services include: Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment Market Research Telemarketing Integrated Marketing Plans Direct Mail Integrated Communications Website Design Electronic Communications “Guaranteed Visibility” Printed Communications Public Relations Counsel Video Production Fundraising Communications Come visit us in booth 124

Prospect Management “A process or activity that influences the size, shape and characteristics of a student body by directing institutional efforts in marketing, recruitment, and admissions as well as pricing and financial aid. In addition, the process exerts a significant influence on academic career advising, the institutional research agenda, orientation, retention, and student services.” –Don Hossler, Creating Effective Enrollment Management Systems Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment Essentially, enrollment management is, as Hossler states elsewhere, “an integrated, systems approach to influencing college enrollments.” Enrollment management focuses on the entirety of the student’s collegiate experience – from initial inquiry through graduation and post-graduation. It is student-sensitive; student-responsive. It views the collegiate experience as the STUDENTS perceive and experience it… Its purpose: to recruit satisfied and successful alumni

Prospect Management “The guidance and direction through the admissions process of those students most likely or most desirable to apply and enroll.”. –GDA Integrated Services Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment The emphasis is on increasing the inquiry-to-application yield. Student are categorized according to their likelihood to enroll early in the recruitment cycle, then, using techniques and strategies targeted to find out more about them, these prospective students are “managed” through the admissions process to achieve a high yield.

10 Keys of Prospect Management 1.The campus visit is the only real predictor of enrollment 2.The only contacts that count are those made by the student 3.An admissions staff cannot work effectively with all the inquirers it receives 4.Knowledge is power 5.You cannot count on the admissions staff alone to recruit students Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment

10 Keys of Prospect Management 6.The emphasis should be on customization as well as personalization 7.A single message is more effective than multiple messages 8.Admissions is a management information driven business 9.Recruitment is directive counseling, not hard sales 10.Professionalism is critical Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment

How Students Like to Communicate GDAIS conducted an extensive survey of college- bound high school students from the applicant and search pools of six different institutions. We asked them about how they approach the college search process. This is some of what we learned… Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment

GDAIS Research When do students begin their college search? Before their senior year: 95% Before their junior year: 55% Before their sophomore year: 20% Before entering high school: 2% How have students received most of their information about colleges? Information mailed to their homes: 53% Internet: 46% College fair/night: 12% Visit to campus: 9% High school guidance counselor: 6% College guide book: 6% Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment

GDAIS Research Which format, paper or electronic, is more useful to college search: Paper: 57% Electronic: 32% Both equally: 9% Which format do they prefer to use in the college selection process: Paper: 48% Electronic: 45% Both equally: 5% Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment

GDAIS Research Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment Students described how they were most likely to contact a college in which they became interested: Very likelyLikelyNot likely Through a college's Web site42%47%11% A college search Web site39%40%21% to the college28%46%26% Mail a letter or postcard to the college 25%41%34% A telephone call to the college6%29%65%

Research Interpretation Prospective students are starting the college search earlier than ever before More students are using the Web as a research tool They still like to read print publications Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment

Research Interpretation Colleges need to develop a series of multi- media (print and electronic) communications At each stage of this communication flow, colleges need to collect information Colleges need a way to measure their success Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment

Dialog Process Implementation of an automated sequence of s beginning at the sophomore year that spans through the senior year Sophomores are served exclusively with and internet strategies to maximize budget and stay in front of student for longer period of time Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment

Marketing Philosophy Print marketing and electronic communication strategies are designed with two stages of the search process in mind: 1.Investments Benefits – quality of education, % of students going to graduate school, major area of interest, etc. 2.Consumption Benefits – student body make-up, personalities, extracurricular life, residential offerings, etc. Dialog is specifically designed with these benefits in mind. Our traditional mail and strategy is geared toward the prospect management approach – strategic approach to measuring self- initiated contact and responses from various sources of mailings/ s. Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment

Dialog s & Sites Introductory & Mini-Website – focuses briefly on consumption and investments benefits; captures student information for subsequent contacts (Academics, Student Life, City of Tulsa) Academic Site – defines investments benefits such as majors and quality of faculty, research experiences, etc. Student Life – consumption benefits are identified City of Tulsa HTML – provides overview of Tulsa’s cultural, shopping and entertainment outlets Facilities HTML – highlights campus facilities Orientation HTML – encourages committed students to register for New Student Orientation activities Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment

Tulsa Dialog Intro Site Tulsa Dialog Intro Site Tulsa Dialog Intro Site Registration Form Tulsa Dialog Intro Site Database Tulsa Dialog Follow-up Tulsa City of Tulsa Tulsa New Facilities Tulsa Freshmen Orientation Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment

Virtual Tour Philosophy: Facilities needed to be a major marketing tool Allows prospective students to preview campus facilities Goals: Create an online prospect management vehicle for the admissions office capable of collecting information about prospective students Provide information about campus life and Tulsa’s emerging campus facilities through an engaging, interactive experience Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment

Tulsa Virtual Tour Introduction Tulsa Website Virtual Tour Page Tulsa Dialog Virtual Tour Database Tulsa Website Admissions Home Page Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment

Statistical Impact of Dialog on Admission Web site Number of Visits+33% Average Length of Visits+26.4% Number of Repeat Visitors+42.8% Admission Counselor Page+323.7% Online Requests for Information+70% Campus Visits Scheduled Online+25.6% Online Application for Admission+194.5% Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment Fall Class of 2003

FDU: Using the Research Undergraduate prospective students were getting confused by the two campuses Each campus has a very unique character: College at Florham Metropolitan Campus We had to make sure prospects learned about the right campus earlier in the search process Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment

FDU’s Integrated Search: Print Develop a consistent messaging theme: One University – Two Great Locations Use a series of contacts in three distinct mediums: Print direct mail letter Visual print brochure Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment

FDU’s Integrated Search: Electronic invitation to online survey Survey mini-website Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment How the mini-site works: Which campus is right for you? Which campus survey Data collection Campus Description

FDU: Other Electronic Communications Text messages with academic information HTML FDU Newsletter Flash messages Additional Mini-Website It will provide more of an introduction to the University It will come before the survey site in the communication flow It will have messages for other key prospective student constituencies Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment

FDU: Gathering Data FDU captures names and contact information of Web inquiries They also capture the prospective student’s intended major They also know in which campus the student will most likely be interested Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment

FDU: Follow-up The prospect receives a series of integrated print and electronic communications The prospect is assigned to a territory manager The admissions counselor follows up with customized information relevant to the student's interests Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment

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