Personalized Automation Boosts Higher Education Applications through Digital Engagement

CLIENT

North Carolina Central University – Admissions Department

OUR EXPERTISE

Digital Advertising

GOAL/OBJECTIVES

Reach prospective students through varying channels and streamline processes to automate, track and personalize content to influence paid deposits for applicants

129k+

Contacts Influenced

RESULTS

Specific Goals Deliver Broad Success

The client’s goal was to accelerate the application process and increase paid deposits, so we built strategic plans to push overall awareness. Automated email nurturing with smart content differentiated to students and parents at different steps in the application process paired with targeted ads kept NCCU top of mind, and supplemental event & program support boosted overall results.

129,295

Contacts

Influenced prospective students through campaign support

198

Submissions

Admissions form submissions from direct campaign actions

50%

Increase

Paid deposits for admitted students within 3 months of launch

North Carolina Central University is ranked as a top Historically Black College or University that prepares students to succeed in the global marketplace through flagship programs in the sciences, education, law, business, nursing and the arts. They needed to expand their reach to students within and outside of NC to boost applications and paid deposits across programs but lacked internal capacity to move campaigns.

THE CHALLENGE

The newly appointed NCCU Undergraduate Admissions leadership team realized they were not on track to meet their ambitious EoY enrollment goal for committed students.

Their current number of admitted students with paid deposits was lower than average, and they did not have the human capital on staff to increase recruitment and marketing efforts to meet the previously established goals they had inherited, so they needed a strategic plan.

With a push for enrollment to increase for both in-state and out-of-state students, they requested an uplift of the brand through a foundational campaign to improve applicant numbers, reach students across various regions, and be sustainable for future use. They required specific planning, implementation, and metrics to prove that the marketing efforts would be successful.

STRATEGIC ACTIONS

Utilize Multiple Channels to
Meet Students Where They Are

The college decision process is complicated, so automation and personalization make all the difference to remind students of important dates and financial aid opportunities. We segmented communications based upon where students are in the decision process and informed parents along the way to speed up the process. Channel tactics included: email, paid & organic social (Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat), display ads, SMS texts, and targeted landing pages.

Strategize

Built a strategic framework for campaign communication

Automate

Created efficient, personalized messaging to students + parents

Supplement

Implemented digital ad campaigns, campaign + recruitment support

Expand

Used HubSpot tools for productivity + multi-channel tactics