Controlled Promotion for a Global Education Market - The funnel method - EURASHE Annual Conference March Edwin van Rest

Transcription

1 Controlled Promotion for a Global Education Market - The funnel method - EURASHE Annual Conference March 2011 Edwin van Rest

2 Context Context My background: StudyPortals Internationalisation of Higher Education From Local backyard to Global Greenfield change of the target audience and new media Europe s awareness and promotion gap The funnel method composing and measuring your promotion mix. The method Your experiences? Objectives: Optimise inflow, optimise conversion Discussion on common channels (online, search, agents, fairs social media) Case Study Questions and Discussion 2

3 My Background: The European Study Choice Platform 1 Million visits/month StudyPortals Visitor Growth 3

4 Students have more choice, Unis more competition and diversity English-Taught Master s Programmes in Cont. Europe ,865 MastersPortal.eu ACA survey ,496 ACA survey *English-Taught Programmes in European Higher Education. The Picture in Wächter, Bernd & Maiworm, Friedhelm. Bonn: Lemmens,

5 From Local Backyard to Global Greenfield! Target audience much larger but also smaller successrate: targeting is key New Audience is Further away Geographically Different culture Different language Much larger smaller impact/successrate New media: Internet 1993: : Institutes horizon has exploded - Have to make choices. Europe is generally behind on Information and Awareness (ACA*) *Academic Cooperation Association (2006), Perceptions of European Higher Education in Third Countries. 5

6 Europe s offer is good, but unknown A little quiz Education value-for-money UK & Ireland? Asia? Australia? USA? Continental Europe? 6

7 The Funnel Method A structured view on the recruitment process All Aware % % % % I know your university I know the details about your offer in my field of interest Applicants Your offer meets my requirements and wishes I have completed your application process I have been accepted and I arrived on campus! 7

8 The Funnel Method You only(?) need to focus on 2 end goals All Aware 2. Optimise Conversion - Successrate - Workload and cost 1. Optimise Inflow - Volume - Quality - Diversity - Cost % % % %

9 The Funnel Method Meten = Weten - measurability All Typical conversion rates Largely depend on channel Aware 1-20 % 3-15 % 2-15% 10-40% Typical number of per enrollment: (online campaign) 8,000 0, ,

10 Discussion How is your promotion mix/ funnel composed? All Aware 10

11 Channel: Educational Agents All Aware Agent Help desk Admissions Typical cost: 500-3,000 enrollment fee, + extra costs of marketing, visits, incentives Workload: Labour intensive in setup and control but also take away workload in application processing Measurability: Excellent Volume: typically low volume per agent high conversion Notes: Very little financial risk Sometimes disputable working methods but valuable local contact Important to be selective and monitor the agents Mainly active in Undergraduate market, especially Asia, Africa

12 Channel: Recruitment fairs Education Fair Aware Website CRM - IO Admissions Typical cost: per interested student Workload: Labour intensive in execution: requires travelling and promotion materials Measurability: Medium make use of lead forms to track interested Volume & conversion: Medium volume possible Medium conversion depending on follow up Notes: Valuable personal contact useful market intelligence! Can be combined with partner/agent visits Typically only gives access to student groups in large cities

13 Channel: Search Engine Advertising And Social Media Advertising CRM - IO SEA Aware Website Admissions Typical cost: 0,10-5 per aware student + management cost if done by agency Workload: Little Measurability: Medium Direct results good to track, but conversion tracking often not well implemented Volume & conversion: Large awareness volume possible typically low conversion depending on website and follow up Notes: Difficult to do as a single institute Full budget control Requires specialist knowledge Worldwide reach targeting possible

14 Channel: Study Choice Website Study Choice Website Aware Typical cost: 4-50 per student: Depending on level of interest, platform effectiveness and pricing method Workload: Little to medium keeping information up to date Measurability: Good Direct results good to track, and further in funnel. CRM and webstats system is supportive. Volume & conversion: Large awareness volume possible typically medium conversion depending on website and CRM follow up Notes: Important to select the important websites large quality differences! Worldwide reach targeting possible on good platforms Most structured, well orienting Website CRM - IO Admissions

15 Channel: Partnerships Partner Aware Typical cost: No or little direct cost involved just indirect cost of travels and relationship Workload: Large even of academic staff Measurability: Good Applications can be tracked to partner institutes Volume & conversion: Little volume high conversion possible depending on Academic and CRM follow up Notes: Academic staff Only reaches out to single institutes Website Difficult to manage depending on academic contacts. Useful in assessing the quality of the applicants Often also creates expectations of sending back CRM - IO Admissions

16 Channel:Social Media Aware Awareness channel Social Media Website CRM - IO Admissions University Open day

17 Questions/Discussion? 17