The way that students research school has changed drastically over the years, but many marketers have failed to adapt accordingly. Traditional marketing channels like TV, print, and radio advertisements are not only expensive, but also unfocused and ineffective. To help institutions attract more of the right prospective students, marketing and admissions departments need to get smarter about their digital strategy. To learn more, signup for our free webinar on July 1st: http://offers.hubspot.com/increase-applications-and-reduce-marketing-costs

1. Target Students Throughout
The Enrollment Cycle with
INBOUND
MARKETING A publication of

2. Prospective students now rely on the web as their primary
source of research.
Not only has this changed how school must get students into their
admissions funnel, but also how they must market to them
throughout the enrollment cycle.
The Way
People Research
Schools Has Changed.

3. This new research process has rendered
traditional marketing efforts like direct mail,
radio, tv, and print ads less effective than ever.
86%
skip TV ads
91%
unsubscribe
from email
44%
of direct mail
isn’t opened
200M
on the Do
Not Call list

4. So how can
institutions
reach
prospective
students?

5. That’s where inbound comes in.
If institutions want to connect with their audience today,
they have to update the way they market and sell.

6. To attract students,
institutions must provide
them with something they
will love.

7. ü A pros and cons template for students to use when
weighing their education options
ü A list of tips for college admissions interview prep
ü The Ultimate High School Senior’s Do’s and Don’t’s guide
ü Live webinars to preview a course or lecture
Or whatever else your imagination can dream up!
For example…

8. To keep this content relevant
you need to map out:
Who your prospective students are1
2 Where they are in the decision process
3 What value you can provide them at each
of these unique stages

9. Luckily, there’s a tool
for that.

10. Introducing: The Buyer’s
Journey

11. Introducing: The Buyer’s
Journey
The active research process a buyer
goes through leading up to a purchase.

12. Introducing: The Buyer’s
Journey
ü Prospect had now
clearly defined and
given a name to
their problem or
opportunity.
ü Prospect has now
decided on their
solution strategy,
method, or approach.
ü Prospect is
experiencing and
expressing symptoms
of a problem or
opportunity.

13. Notice how well the
Buyer’s Journey
lines up with the
Enrollment Cycle
?

14. ü What programs do I
want to study?
ü Where do I want to
attend school?
ü Which institution do I
want to apply to?
ü Where should I
enroll?
ü Do I want to go to
college/grad school?
ü Do I need a college/
grad school degree?
JUNIOR
RISING
SENIOR
SENIOR

15. Now
we just
need a
plan of
attack
for
each
stage
of the
journey

16. 1. AWARENESS
!

17. Blogging, SEO, and Social.
ü Drive traffic to your site by consistently creating
keyword rich content that is specific to your
programs, campus, professors, etc.
ü This content can live on your website or blog—both
of which should be mobile optimized for better
usability and SEO.
ü Promote this content on social media to attract new
visitors who may not find your site via search.
Awareness

18. Example
1. SEO: Intentionally index in search results for
relevant keywords
2. Blog/Content: Content that contains keywords
and valuable information to inform your reader

19. 2. CONSIDERATION

20. Offers, Emails, and Nurturing
ü Gain valuable information from prospects by exchanging
content offers for personal information like name, email
address, and intended area of study.
ü Use this self-identified data, alongside on-site behavior, to
serve additional content via personalized emails.
ü Continue to inform prospects throughout their buyer’s
journey by providing them with more information and
resources that aid in their decision process.
Consideration

21. Example
1. Blog post: attracts the reader and houses the call-action
2. Call-to-action to download an ebook: means of transporting the reader
3. Landing page: capture personal information

22. 3. DECISION

23. Emails and Site content
ü Use initial information from readers to send them
additional relevant content that informs their ultimate
decision process.
ü Ask for incremental information as you continue to deliver
these valuable offers.
ü Taylor the content on your website based on this self-
identified information, in addition to the actions a contact
has previously taken on your site or emails.
Decision

24. A user visiting your site fort he first time
seed a blog post with the Call-to-action
(CTA) “Download our Free Ebook!”
After downloading that ebook, and
attending a webinar however, the CTA
they see now reads, “Apply Now”
Example

25. Seems simple
enough, right?

26. With a little bit of
know-how, and the
right tools, it can be.
Ready to learn more about
how your school can use
inbound to increase
applications?

27. presents:
WEBINAR: Increase
Applications and Reduce
Marketing Costs Through
Inbound Marketing.
CLICK HERE
to watch the full recording
With Leigh Fitzgerald
Education Inbound Marketing
Specialist