1.
TxGAP Webinar
Sizing up a Monumental Task: Building Your
Recruitment Funnel and Measuring the Flow
Presented by:
Marcus Hanscom, M.B.A. (@MarcusHanscom)
Associate Director, Graduate Recruitment
& Outreach, University of New Haven

2.
Overview
• Assessing the present
• Building the funnel
• Engaging your prospects
• Measuring and utilizing results
• Determining ROI and “selling” it

3.
Learning Outcome for Today
• We will recruit more efficiently and deliver higher
ROI if we:
– Evaluate our current student base
– Use student information to make educated decisions on
marketing channels and relevant messaging
– AND track student data throughout the funnel including
activity on our website, social media

4.
The “Informed” ROI Process
Assess
Incoming/
Current
Students
Lead
Tracking Generatio
n
Funnel
Managemen
t/Marketing/
Recruitment

5.
Just the basics. Where are we now?
THE FOUNDATIONS

6.
Consider leadership…
“Know thyself… and others.”

7.
Your current students
• Assess the demographics and needs of current
students
– Average age?
– Male/Female ratio?
– Previous major?
– Referral Source?
• In an ideal world, assess by program
– Easier for decentralized admissions

8.
A Case Study: M.S.E.D.
M.S. Education Applicants by Age and Gender
Three-Year Analysis: AY08-09 through AY10-11
400
350
300
250
200 Male
Female
150
100
50
0
Age 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

9.
A Case Study: M.S.E.D.
M.S. Education Applicants by Referral Source and Gender
Three-Year Analysis: AY08-09 through AY10-11
Referral Source n % of n Gender % of n n
Fair/Expo/Tour 15 1.6% Female 71% 653
Internet 169 18% Male 29% 267
UNH Mailing/Email 6 0.6% Total --- 920
Newspaper Ad 3 0.3%
Other 142 15%
Print/Web Directory 16 1.7%
Word of Mouth 506 55%
Empty 63 6.8%
Totals 920

10.
Assignment #1
• Conduct a program demographic assessment
– Age/Gender
– Location (In/Out of State, International)
– Referral Source
– Previous Major
– …and others
• Present to program faculty
– Engage faculty in process if not already
– Faculty buy-in is crucial

11.
We all want our cake, and we want to eat it, too.
BUILDING THE FUNNEL

12.
Generating Awareness
• That’s so 2001…
– Printed Directories
– Bulk Snail Mailings
– Cold Calling
– Newspaper tombstone
ads

13.
Generating Awareness
• …but this is so 2011
– Directory Sites (Gradschools.com, Petersons.com,
GraduateGuide.com…)
– University Website
– Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, FourSquare…)
– Google/search engines
– Blogs
– Virtual Information Sessions/Chats
– Open Houses

14.
Lead Sources
• Purchased Lists • Word of Mouth
• Directory Sites • Click-thru campaigns
• Social Media • Mailings/BRC
• University Website • …and more
• Search Engines
(Paid and Organic)
• Graduate Fairs/Visits
• Open Houses
• Webinars / Chats

15.
Key Questions
• What is the total budget allocated to generating
leads?
• Are lead generation techniques/processes
customized by program?
• What role do faculty members play? Administrators?
• How do you manage your prospect leads versus your
inquiries?

16.
Assignment #2
• Do a lead generation audit
– List all current lead sources and costs
– Identify financial goals: spend more or less?
– Are you doing some things because “that is what we
always do?”
– We have a collective groupthink problem. Does your
institution suffer?
– Just the basics: How many students are applying or
enrolling from each source?

17.
So, the funnel is flowing. Now what!?
ENGAGING PROSPECTS

18.
Keys to Success
• Communication Plan (Automated)
• Relevant Messaging
• Cross-channel messaging
• Regular social media participation
• Personalization whenever and wherever possible

19.
Communication Plan
• CRM is key
• Automation = efficiency
– Particularly for small offices
– Does not necessarily mean impersonal
• Integrated marketing opportunities
– Letters, emails, personalized portal pages
– Phone call management
• Ensure communication consistency to all audiences

20.
Relevant Messaging
• Graduate students want personalization
• Avoid the fluff communications
• Provide program information as soon as possible
– Preferably through multiple channels – mail, email, phone
• Clear, succinct, “What’s in it for me?”
communications
Initial Email Communication Interaction
Rates
General 4% Program- 20%
Specific

21.
Social Media
• Not a “set it and forget it” process
• Engaging students on SM means exactly that
– Regular interactions
– Go beyond the “press release” posts
– Offer contests
• Remember the audiences for each platform
• Create opportunities to request information, learn
more, “see” your experience
• Integrate with your website

22.
Where are you sending prospective students?
• Generic page on your site?
• An inquiry form?
• A specific landing page for just the leads from a
particular source?
• A specific inquiry form?

23.
Assignment #3
• Set up Unique Source Pages
– Set up landing pages or inquiry forms unique to each lead
source
– Create vanity urls (ie. www.newhaven.edu/nytimes) for
print advertising
– Create pages for your generic lead generation and for
event advertising management
– Use QR codes on mailings and advertisements with a
unique landing page

24.
Assignment #4
• Create a referral source policy
– How do you accurately report where students came from?
– Identify how the created source versus a “How did you hear
about us?” question will vary in your data
• Create one data set/attribute to collect this data
– Greatly reduces reporting headaches

25.
They came, we talked, but I have no idea what happened!
MEASURING AND
UTILIZING RESULTS

26.
Measuring Results
• CRM System Results
– Email Results (Open rate, interactions)
Email Interaction Rates
General 4% Program- 20%
Specific
– Personalized portal results
• Source Coding (Referrals)
– Create definitions/guide
• Unique Landing Pages w/tracking
• Google Analytics (or other software)

27.
Personalized portal results
• 9% of all visitors clicked an “Apply Now” link
• 69% of those completed and submitted an application
• Average visits per user: 4.9
• Average login time: 20 minutes
• 4,408 active visitors in last six months
• 675 engaged visitors (15%)

28.
Google Analytics
• Great for assessing website effectiveness
• Learn what content works
• Determine how students get to your content
• Determine which content is generating the most
leads
• Determine information paths
• Be mindful of where you are sending students
– If sending to external sites, can affect your Analytics efforts

29.
Google Analytics

30.
Assignment #5
• Become a user on Google Analytics
– Learn how to find your specific site content
– Evaluate metrics as a whole
– No single metric on its own is helpful
• Use metrics to make educated decisions about page
content
– Do you need to adjust content on your admissions pages?
Program pages?
– Would new landing pages help?

31.
Campaign Tracking
• Google URL Builder
– Other tools are available
– Ease of use for beginners and advanced users
• Use for web ads, landing pages, social media links,
blog posts, etc.

32.
URL Builder

33.
Campaign Tracking Results

34.
Assignment #6
• Use the URL builder to create a tracking URL
– Try it with a social media ad
– Assess the results in GA after two weeks; a month; two
months
• Advanced option: create two ads that link to two
different pages on your website
– Use two separate unique tracking URL’s
– Evaluate which pages/ads have better results
• Bounce rate, time on site, pages per visit, etc.

35.
Tips on Tracking
• Minimize options on how students get to your site
– Tracking does little good if you have too much to track
• Use vanity URL’s for ease of use or hidden tracking
URL’s
• Use short inquiry forms if directing students there
first
• K.I.S.S.
• All tracking involves a grain of salt

36.
Utilizing Results
• Allocation of financial and human resources
• Development of new channels/expansion of current
ones
• Strategic advertising timing
• Strategic planning for links/awareness
• Restructure/rewrite existing content

37.
A Starting ROI Argument
• Avg. Rev/Student x # enrolled from source =
Estimated Total Revenue/Source
– Can simplify numbers by funnel status
– Determine the “value” of a given inquiry
or applicant
• Compare revenue to annual spend per source
– Is your return worth the investment?

38.
ROI Example
Directory Listing College Fairs
• Avg. Total Revenue/student = • Avg. Total Revenue/student =
$25,000 $25,000
• Students enrolled = 10 • Students enrolled = 2
• Total revenue from source= • Total revenue from source=
$250,000 $50,000
• Annual Directory spend: $32,000 • Annual Travel Spend: $30,000
• ROI: 681% • ROI: 67%
**Remember this is using a gross revenue figure.

39.
Assignment #7
• Assign revenue to lead sources and determine
estimated ROI
– Gross revenue is a start
– Determine average revenue/student
• Can be most helpful at program level
– Can compare to other sources by percentage return on the
dollar

40.
Assignment Review
1. Conduct a program demographic assessment
2. Do a lead generation audit
3. Set up unique source pages
4. Create a referral source policy
5. Become a user on Google Analytics (and use it)
6. Use the URL builder to create a tracking URL
7. Assign revenue to lead sources for ROI

41.
Final Thoughts
• None of this happens overnight
• Need commitment of human (and in some cases,
financial) resources
• Involve faculty if not already doing so
• Be adaptable

42.
If you enjoyed this session…
“Not Everything is Bigger in Texas: Small
Things That Make a Big Impact on
Recruitment Efforts”
NAGAP 25th Annual Conference
Thursday, April 26, 2012
10:45am – 11:45am

43.
Marcus Hanscom
MHanscom@newhaven.ed
u
203.932.7277
Twitter: @MarcusHanscom
Questions?
THANK YOU.
View this presentation and the sample referral source guidelines
online at www.slideshare.net/mhanscom