A Pathway to Improving Enrollment

Presented by Earnest PhillipsExecutive Director

Communications and Marketing3.11.15

• More than 20 years of private- and public-sector experience

• 1993-1999 – Weyerhaeuser (External Communications Manager)

• 1999-2014 – UNLV (Associate Vice President of Communications)

• 2014-Present – Seattle Colleges

Introduction

For our purposes today, I would like to define Public Relations as building relationships with key stakeholders.

– It is NOT media relations. News media is audience and conduit.

– The news media is not responsible for telling our story

Definition of Public Relations

Working with college personnel to:

• Learn about the organization.

• Identify the enrollment process.

First Six Months

I pulled together two groups:1. Communication committee2. Outreach committee

For both, I:• Sought representation from all colleges.• Listened to concerns, learned about policies, and

asked for recommendations on how the district can assist.

Two Working Groups

Focused on coordination and collaboration– Connect every two weeks on phone – Monthly workshops

Members– Sarah Dean (SVI)– David Sandler (Central)– Melissa Mixon (North)– Kevin Maloney (South)– Maria Lamarca Anderson (District)

Communications Group

Focused on coordination and collaboration– Meet every two weeks as committee

• Identifying processes, products, and procedures to help with recruitment and enrollment.

• Looking to get best ROI on district and college communication efforts.

Outreach Group

Members• Leslie Aest (Central)• Gina Nakamura (Central)• David Sandler (Central)

• Susan Shanahan (North)• Melissa Mixon (North)

• Kevin Maloney (South)• Vanessa Calonzo (South)

• Maria Lamarca Anderson (District)• Paulette Eickman (District)• Judy Reed (District)• Joyce Hansen (District)

Outreach Committee

What steps should we take to improve and enhance our enrollment process?

Enrollment

Today’s Approach to Enrollment

Some items I have noted:

• Noel-Levitz recommended a CRM.– I concur. Critical to reversing the slide.– CRM gives opportunity to define and measure recruitment

efforts.– Our competitors are using it.

• Times have changed for community colleges and enrollment– Our consumers are smarter with more access to

information.– The website is our 24/7 salesperson.

Enrollment

For Seattle Colleges:

• Recruitment responsibilities found in different areas of each organization.

• Enrollment discussions revolve more around advertising (billboards, etc.) and less about process

• We are in a competitive market.

• We need to circle the wagons and shoot out, not in.

Enrollment

Today’s Approach to Enrollment

• External research – Working with Victor Kuo and college IR personnel to design instrument for external stakeholder survey.– Segment potential students, community leaders,

business owners.

• Internal research – Going to use Judy Reed research for now. Need to develop other instruments.

Step 1: Survey Research

• Common look and feel for district and outreach collateral

• Colleges still maintain identity on college specific items

– Education Master Plan– Navigator one-pager– Compass one-pager– Table drapes– Folders– Inquiry card

Step 2: Communication and Outreach

Common Look and Feel

Common Look and Feel

Common Look and Feel

Common Look and Feel

Common Look and Feel

• The website is our most important communication tool.– Website is our 24/7 salesperson.

• Enrollment needs to have most of the real estate. – It’s the No. 1 priority.

• Allows us to focus our advertising by using one website address.– Academic listing page to help students find their program.– Goal is to keep prospective students from enrolling in higher ed

institutions outside of our district.

• Push to inquiry form

Re-focusing the District website

District Website Comp

Advertising

• Working with college communicators to build a master calendar.

• Developing expectations for colleges and districts.– Eliminate duplication– Maximize ROI

Advertising

• Taking advantage of our great student stories– Video series of alumni

• Social media and web• Reinforce our narrative

– Ongoing program

• Create communication programs to convince key stakeholders into becoming ambassadors:– Alumni– Opinion Leaders and Decision Makers– Employees

District Public Relations

• Key component to the enrollment process.

• Building an inquiry form.– All inquiry info into one database.– Separate data by college.

• Inputs come from:– Web– Phone calls– Face-to-face– Inquiry cards

Step 3: Inquiry

What is a CRM?• Client Relationship Management program– Salesforce

• All have the same bells and whistles– Track touches– Automate responses– Put information in database

Database (and possible move to CRM)

Response and Evaluation

– Automate responses to those inquiring about your college.

– Collect data.– Provide metrics for evaluating outreach efforts– Evaluate and inform outreach and communication

strategy.– Engage faculty in the process

• Faculty can send emails to students interested in their program.

What a CRM offers colleges

1. Research – Done by CRM committee

2. Conduct RFP3. Screening4. Evaluation

Our CRM Evaluation Process

Members• Gina Nakamura (Central)• Andrew Baldridge (Central)• Lucas Reber (North)• Susan Shanahan (North)• Vanessa Calonzo (South)• Michael Lock (District)• Joyce Hansen (District)

CRM Committee

• Surveyed other community/technical colleges and private and public universities

• Key findings– Many struggle to get full potential due to

resources.– Most are investigating a purchase.– Those who are using it well believe it is key to

their success.

Research

In order to implement colleges and district will need to:

• Assign resources

• Determine primary/general messages– Communication practitioners

• Manage responses– Possibly your current outreach personnel

Implementing a CRM

• Next steps in CRM evaluation– Screen RFP and pick two finalists

• Evaluate two finalists:– Student Services– IT– Communications

Next Steps and a Request

Questions