We live in a time of endless possibilities where you as an educator often only get one chance to make a good impression. We give you three tips on what you can do to ensure that the first contact is made in the best possible way.
Today's technology gives students all over the world access to a huge amount of information and educational opportunities and it is becoming increasingly difficult to catch students' attention. This availability has led to a larger number of inquiries from prospective students. Many of which do not even lead to applications. It is also not rare for higher education institutions, such as universities to perceive dealing with incoming requests as a major challenge.
It is important that the prospective students and their impression are prioritised when you talk about conversion. And more importantly, that you as an educator take advantage of the opportunity to make a strong first impression when you first come in contact with the potential student.
A strong first impression can boost your conversion
Giving prospective students a positive impression as soon as they submit an inquiry is essential. The first feeling a student gets when they come in contact with your university becomes a strong indicator of how it may feel to study with you later on. In addition, the first feeling can also shape the perception of your brand.
However, giving a good first impression does not have to be the only reason why you should look further into how you handle your inquiries – it can also be good for the result of the recruitment. Research done by our colleagues at UniQuest shows that students who submit an inquiry of any kind before applying make up only 9 percent of the total but lead to 17 percent of the applications. Research also shows that students who get a good first impression convert from accepting the offered study place to enrolment at more than twice the rate of those who did not get a positive experience.
The winning formula
So what do you as an educator need to do to be able to give your student candidates a good inquiry experience?
1. Be quick to get in touch
Being quick is one of the most important steps for converting a registration of interest into an application. Do not wait to make a first contact as soon as a potential student shows interest in you.
2. Show off your reviews and references
Many people appreciate hearing early on what others have thought about a certain education or school. Take the opportunity to highlight reviews and references from former students.
3. Maintain a high quality communication
Make sure to give a professional image of your university. This applies to everything, from which images you should use to how you write your messages.
Do not forget that even if a potential student has heard from several other schools, you can be the first one to make a good and lasting impression. Good luck!
