Increase Attendance by 50% with Make $ ense Messaging

1. Increase Attendance by 50% with Make $ense Messaging Shar-day Campbell Shalandria Williams

2. BRACE YOURSELF – What to Expect Shar-day Campbell Financial Aid Social Media and Comm Shalandria Williams Financial Coach Award-winning financial education professional who serves as SME for in-house financial aid communications role. While working on a video about student loan debt, she discovered her hidden gift as on-camera talent. An award-winning communications professional and certified social media expert, who recently became a “rapper” to encourage students to make smart money moves.

3. SO WHAT DO THE FINANCIAL COACHES DO?

4. Coaches Give Students the Plays to Win With Money ONE-ON-ONE COACHING Help create a budget, find ways to save, tackle debt, improve credit and address financial emergencies. • SIGNATURE RESOURCE EVENTS • When students don’t know where to turn for help with financial emergencies, jobs and free, reduced-cost resources, they can turn to the Financial Coaches Signature Events: • Work-study Job Fairs • Free Tax Prep • Resource Fairs • Financial Fairs WORKSHOPS Presentations to HCC and K-12 students on basic financial literacy, financial aid and scholarships.

5. Life Before Communications Support

6. Struggle to Connect is REAL • FINANCIAL COACHES’ SITUATION – 2016 • 6 Financial Coaches working in campus-based silos – not as a team • Only flyers and email targeting students by campus • No social media support or access • Inconsistent message and student experience • Limited ability to make institution-wide partnerships • No budget • Great initiatives with low attendance

7. Financial Aid’s Situation - 2016 • High call volumes • Low web traffic on Financial Aid web pages • High default rate • No strong connection with Communications and Social Media Team • No dedicated person to create financial aid content • 1st department to complete transformation • Access to students preferred email addresses • Robust, automated PeopleSoft communications plan

8. Crossroads • In- house Communications • Have intimate, real-time access to messages students need • Shorter timeline than going through district communications • Work with SMEs to get out timely, accurate messages • Unchartered territory • Outsource Communications • As-needed basis • Path of least resistance • Experts in financial aid, not our students • Not sustainable

9. Decision Time

10. Position Secured – Now What? What to Look for When Hiring In-house Communications Role • Communications background, not financial aid • Well-rounded communications experience (social, graphic, video, writing and media) • Understanding of your student population • Demonstrated history of quickly overcoming learning curves • Ability to create meaningful partnerships

12. What You Need to Start Communications • Do a content audit • Understand resources and access • Refine the message and define why students should care about what you do • Unify signature event offerings across colleges • Create process to make a communications request • Decide on what to measure so that impact narrative is consistent

13. USE WHAT YOU HAVE Communications Platforms ★ ★ ★ ★ EMAIL VIDEO SOCIAL WEBSITE Blackboard eblasts to all enrolled students’ preferred email address Value-added subject lines Drive traffic to event landing page Facebook + Twitter Student Blog Sponsored posts to expand reach Memes High production value at HCC TV studios Live video coverage of events Content refresh highlighting why students should visit coaches Easy-to-remember vanity URL hccs.edu/fincoach Navigation update that reduced number of clicks to get to Coaches’ page

14. A LOOK AT WHAT WORKED Initiative Highlights

15. Student Loan Debt Video Series • Public Service Loan Forgiveness video was #2 most viewed video on HCC’s Youtube in 2016 • Won a Telly Award and received recognition from Board of Trustees • Using it for scholarship essay prompt

16. #HoustonMoneyMoves Song Contest • Partnership between HCC and Houston Money week that garnered: $1500 in scholarships, $600 in prizes, music videos and a mixtape. • Student Participation Application closed with 56 authentic smart money moves song entries! After reviewing academic qualifications, we are able to move forward with 49 applicants! • Digital Footprint • Over 7,000 views on smart money moves contest videos • In less than a month, over 200 plays on Soundcloud Mixtape Playlist, #HoustonMoneyMoves Vol 1 • Over 5000 hits on contest’s blog posts • Active participation on contest hashtag, #HoustonMoneyMoves Click here to view finalists and winner.

17. Communicate What Matters • Methodology Behind Meme • Made it seem like something they don’t want to miss • Only conveyed what mattered – scholarship opportunity • Results • 36% uptick in students who entered scholarship after event • Uptick led to partner, Houston Money Week recognizing Financial Coaches with Rising Star Award

18. Adjust and Ride the Trends Participate in viral video challenge to promote event Click here to view. Use viral movie meme on Halloween to create awareness about one-on-one sessions.

19. Make $ense Messaging Tips • Don’t call it financial literacy • Create valuable opportunities that inherently lead students to better financial decisions. • Make strategic, value-added partnerships • Create “what’s in it for you” messaging • Use viral content to create messaging about events • Put a face on the financial coaches (i.e. put them in/on everything) • Create consistent student experience • Have data-driven narratives

20. Coaches’ Spring 18 Highlight Reel • Chancellor’s Award • Tax Prep This Semester • 265 students served (50% higher than last year) • $233,784.00 in refunds • 30 scholarship opportunities created through partnerships this semester. • Invitations to speak and individual honors.

21. SHAR-DAY CAMPBELLFinancial Aid Communications and Social Media Coordinatorsharday.campbell@hccs.eduFINANCIAL COACHES hcc.fincoah@hccs.edu