How to nurture conversions through personalisation.

"Once I Get a Prospect to the School, I've Got Them" 

Does this statement sound familiar? In admission, you know that once a family, enquires, applies, or visits the school, you can engage them in a dialogue, learn about their wants, needs, concerns, and dreams– then help them see their place in your story. You use all the information you gather in real-time to ensure their experience is dynamic, the dialogue is relevant, and the personal connection is strong.

If Only You Could Talk With Them All

Let’s think about those families that visit your website and don’t convert. Of course, some weren't a fit. But for those who were, you’ve missed the opportunity to share your meaningful stories and personally guide their journey. Most school websites focus on that great first impression. It makes sense. They throw out the bait, create lots of content, and hope something sticks. Visitors might find the information they need – but they might not. Your team tries to keep up with google analytics, track bounce rates, and embed code into the enquiry form to understand the marketing source– but the reality is that you can’t really pinpoint why some convert and others don’t. And when you think broader, Admissions conversion is only one part of this iceberg. How about Advancement? Alumni Engagement? Summer Camps? Staff recruitment? There are a lot of groups to consider.

Mapping the “Space Between.” 

Stop for a moment and think about your website:

• List your core visitor groups (e.g., prospects, current families, donors, job seekers, etc.)
• List the different personas within those groups, highlighting your key personas (e.g., full pay, financial aid, athletes, special needs, etc.)
• For each core group and key persona that visits your site:
  • Who are they? 
  • What’s meaningful to them?
  • What information are they looking for on your site?
  • What parts of your site do they visit?
  • What actions do you want them to take?
  • How do you think they feel when they’re going through the process? 
  • What do you think is leading to the proper outcomes, and where is there room for improvement?

If you uncover that you’re missing connection points, consider:

• What’s the impact on them and the school?
• What simple changes can you make to the journey on your current site? 
• Where do you need to be more personalised?
• Can your technology support a personalised experience?? Are there gaps in your process that need attention?

What’s the Long-Term Solution? 

The effects of liquid expectations in education have long been discussed. To stay relevant, schools must adjust to the evolving expectations of our different constituent groups, learn new best practices, evaluate dated technology, and adopt new solutions.

Our New Reality?

“74% of consumers feel frustrated when website content isn’t personalised.”  Yikes. It begs the question: Is your CMS up to the task of personalisation? If not maybe it's time to start thinking about the next generation of digital marketing solutions for schools.

If you'd like to learn more about building relationships through the power of personalisation with your school audiences, reach out and let's chat!

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