In today’s world of constant connection and instantaneous information, prospective
students can get frustrated if they have to wait even a day to get information from
your college or university’s admissions office. These students are accustomed to having
the world at their fingertips, and if you can’t provide the information they need
in what they consider to be timely, then they will look elsewhere.
What’s a well-meaning admissions officer to do?
- Reply back ASAP. Prospective students who sit down to complete an application want the information they need now. If there’s a way to anticipate and automate responses to their inquiries, do it.
- Incorporate text messages into your marketing strategy. Students always have their phones, and while they don’t always answer texts, they do read them. Your school will have an of-the-moment vibe if you are communicating in the speed and manner of the students you are trying to reach.
- Keep your message short and sweet. Make your responses engaging and limit your forms to 3-to-5 questions.
- Condense videos to 30-60 seconds. If you have something longer, see if there is a way to divide the video content in half. Students tend to stop watching somewhere in this time frame.
- Make it obvious. Create well-marked and well-defined navigational paths that lead students to the information they want.
The only saving grace to a slow response is if a prospective student is very interested in your college. If this is the case, you will have a little more time to present the positive aspects of attending your school.
Ready to learn more about the latest student engagement data? Download the 2018 E-Expectations Trend Report.
