With the majority of adult and graduate programs in the nation experiencing a mandate to grow enrollment, those who win will be those who figure out quickly that great recruitment is the answer.  Note I did not say a bigger investment in marketing or more leads (although these may be pieces of the bigger puzzle) – I said great recruitment. Why?

Here is the thing – it is possible for a school to have amazing marketing, it is possible for a school to spend literally millions of dollars using that great marketing to generate leads. The bottom line, however, is pretty simple: RECRUITMENT is what ultimately turns a prospective student on or off when it comes to enrolling at your institution.  

In talking to thousands of graduate and adult students over the years, I have NEVER ONCE heard the statement “I came here because of the amazing marketing” – never once. Nobody (and yes, I’m willing to say NOBODY) spends the time and money going back to school because they were wowed by an ad or tagline – it just does not happen. Sorry marketers – you are not the secret sauce. Your recruitment team is. They (often by name) are the “reason” that most people pick you.

I am fond of saying that marketing does not enroll students, but rather people enroll students. Marketing’s job is to get the attention of the prospect and the people in the recruitment shop are the ones who close the deal. This is a team approach, no doubt. But without recruitment taking care of business, I can promise you that your enrollment will not grow.

Is your institution expecting great things from you in relation to enrollment this year? If yes, I highly suggest you tune in to Converge Consulting’s free webinar, A Midsummer Recruiter’s Dream: How to Heat Up Your Marketing & Recruitment Strategies with Barbara Coward, founder and principal of Enrollment Strategies.

If you are really serious about growing your enrollment this year take it one step further. Grab your marketing guy or gal and your boots, and head to Nashville in October for Converge 2014. The whole conference is focused on marketing for recruitment and it is sure to give you a ton of new ideas and things to try when it comes to growing your enrollment in these competitive times. We would love to see you there.