Think about the last time you went to a restaurant for a nice meal with friends or family. How did you choose the restaurant? You might have heard good things about it, checked reviews, had a look at their website, called them to discuss dietary requirements, and maybe even checked how the place looks on Instagram or Google. The decision making process for a simple meal can involve many channels, platforms, and engagements. Imagine, then, the process of choosing where to study. The decision that will impact your life significantly more than most choices means a great deal of engagement with marketing & recruitment information; multiple times over multiple channels.

Through social media, blog posts, education fairs, education portals and Google searches among others, the prospective student may well come to find out about you, and whichever channel that may be through, at whatever moment, the clarity and appeal of your offering must stand out.  But standing out is, as we know, not straightforward. Earlier this week, we touched upon the challenge of making your institution visible at that critical moment in the decision making process via Education Portals, but what about the other end? Where does the brand awareness come from, and how can you make sure that when a prospective student sees content from your institution appearing in social media feeds and paid media content, their reaction is positive and familiar? That second, more intentional click may just be the one that counts.

How can educational institutions step up their M&R game?

2020 has brought its challenges for education; that much is undeniable. However, it has also shown us trends that can foster a rejuvenated recruitment process for your institution to expand student enrollment. In future articles, we’ll be delving into more detail on these, but let’s look at a summary of these top M&R trends for 2020.

geNEOus (formerly NEO Academy) to help you navigate the way ahead

We’ve all been there in the search for what works. The latest buzz topic in marketing, the hot new social media strategy, or the evocative landing page by a top web designer. There is merit in so many of these approaches, but without a coherent overall strategy and a steady building of engagement and visibility, sustainable ROI is always going to be an issue in the long term.

We can help because we know what works. We don’t just post about the top trends in M&R; we use them, and learn continuously from them. Data is our thing, and we geek out over results and analytics so you don’t have to. But it’s also about understanding that decision making in education is as emotional as it is intellectual and rational. Your institution is unique and so are your students, so a personalized and bespoke approach really is the only way forward. Every marketing and recruitment plan we offer is tailor-made, from the ground up. We will work with you to understand your brand and your vision, help to review and renew your M&R strategy, both online and offline. The next two years will see a huge change in education, with institutions adapting and thriving or struggling to survive and be heard. Working on a focused and differentiated M&R strategy ahead of this curve will be vital for the challenges ahead.

“It’s not a matter of being better at what you do – it’s a matter of being different at what you do.” Michael Porter