April 2009 Lawlor Focus

Success is the Residue of Persistence

The Lawlor Group has been writing and talking much this year about the implications of two key factors we identified among our notable trends for 2009: 1) Students and families are facing an inability to pay, and 2) pragmatism is taking precedence. As a result, this year's incoming class is collectively more concerned than ever about paying for college, and financial assistance—whether based on need or not—is a key driver in the final college selection. Reports such as "Will the Economy Really Change Students' College Plans? Early Signs Say Yes" and "How the Recession is Changing Students' College Plans" are reinforcing fears that many students will opt to "buy down" and forego the institution that represents their best fit in favor of the one with a lower price.

To combat nervousness about what May 1 will yield, remember that success is the residue of persistence. Even beyond the official reply date and through September, communicating persistently with admitted students—and their parents—will be essential for all previous recruiting efforts to pay off. It took persistence to get to May 1 (or perhaps May 15, twittered Ken Anselment, Director of Admissions at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wis.), but it's going to take even more persistence to get to September 1. (Pervasive rumors about multiple deposits may be another reason to pay attention to summer melt.) Answer questions. Continue to focus on the benefits that enhance the investment value. Now, especially, is an ideal time for private colleges and universities to bring their value proposition to life and convey what students will get for their tuition dollars. After all, public universities themselves are facing severe economic challenges (see "Trustee Survey Paints Grim Budget Picture for Public Universities," for example), and their cutbacks could very well dilute the educational experience they offer. Communicating not only the value-added components such as the personalized attention found at private colleges, but also the real-life outcomes of those experiences after graduation, can reinforce the value proposition.

It's also necessary to utilize every communication channel available, from one-on-one discussions in person, to yield events such as senior send-offs, to social media conversations. Seventy-six percent of American broadband users now contribute to social media, according to Marketingvox, and a CollegeWeekLive survey of high school students showed increasing interest in live online interaction with college admission representatives and current students. Having a presence in an online space where your admitted students already are can facilitate communication on their terms, making them that much more receptive to your messaging.

Lawlor Recommends

How will you get to September 1? Consider these tactics:

• Continue to pay attention to each deposited student to limit the effects of summer melt. The marketplace shows strong indications of multiple deposits, so paying attention is a must.
• Stay in touch with every family because of ever-changing circumstances.
• Use send-offs and event marketing to create authentic critical mass endorsements for students and parents who may be on the fence.
• Create e-newsletters for students who have deposits and another for their parents.
• Create or monitor Facebook groups of accepted students.
• Plan for the future: Survey non-matriculants in a timely manner when they decide not to attend your institution.
• Above all, be responsive, do it quickly, and make it personal and customer-centric.

In the news

The Daily Beast has become regular reading for many online news addicts, and College Admissions is featured as one of the site's Hot Topics. With provocative article titles like "Dirty Secrets of College Waitlists," "The Year to Bribe Your Way In," and "Why College is a Waste of Money," the site is most definitely one for colleges to monitor in their reputation management efforts.

Did you know?

Online Hispanics in the United States are 211 percent more likely to download digital content than the average U.S. adult Internet user.

Source: Scarborough Research