Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment

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

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

3. Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment • 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)

4. 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

5. 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: Come visit us in booth 124

6. Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment 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 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

7. Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment Prospect Management “The guidance and direction through the admissions process of those students most likely or most desirableto apply and enroll.”. –GDA Integrated Services 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. The emphasis is on increasing the inquiry-to-application yield.

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

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

10. 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…

11. 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%

12. 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%

13. Very likely Likely Not likely Through a college's Web site 42% 47% 11% A college search Web site 39% 40% 21% E-mail to the college 28% 46% 26% Mail a letter or postcard to the college 25% 41% 34% A telephone call to the college 6% 29% 65% Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment GDAIS Research Students described how they were most likely to contact a college in which they became interested:

14. Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment 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

15. 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

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

17. 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: • Investments Benefits – quality of education, % of students going to graduate school, major area of interest, etc. • 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 email strategy is geared toward the prospect management approach – strategic approach to measuring self-initiated contact and responses from various sources of mailings/emails.

18. Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment Dialog E-mails & Sites • Introductory E-mail & 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 E-mail – provides overview of Tulsa’s cultural, shopping and entertainment outlets • Facilities HTML E-mail – highlights campus facilities • Orientation HTML E-mail – encourages committed students to register for New Student Orientation activities

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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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% Fall Class of 2003

23. Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment 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

24. 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

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

26. Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment FDU: Other Electronic Communications • Email • 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

27. 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

28. 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

29. Integrating Print and Electronic Communication for Recruitment Thank You!