Attract more of the right students to your course
Attracting the right students to your university is essential, and academic colleagues play a crucial role in this. In this episode of The Partnership Podcast – Higher Ed Marketing, Penny Eccles, CEO and Founder of Marketing Partnership, discusses effective strategies for enhancing student recruitment.
Drawing from her many years of experience working with universities, Penny introduces the PRISM method—a framework designed to help academic staff engage in student recruitment more effectively. This episode offers practical insights that can empower both academics and marketing professionals to improve course visibility and appeal.
Keep reading to learn more, or listen to the full podcast below.
Understanding the PRISM Method
The PRISM method is a strategic framework that highlights five key areas where academic colleagues can make a difference in attracting students. These areas are Positioning, Relationships, Issues, Stickiness, and Measurement.
Positioning: Assessing your course
The first step in the PRISM method is positioning your course effectively within the marketplace.
Understanding where your course stands compared to competitors is vital for identifying potential growth opportunities. Academic colleagues should evaluate whether their subject area is in a growth market or a declining one. If the latter is true, it could be worth prioritising other courses that are experiencing growth.
To boost the appeal of a course, consider revisiting your modules and course content. Are they engaging enough to draw in prospective students? If not, it might be time to make some changes. Remember, students have infinite choices; if your course does not stand out, they will simply move on to other options.
Building stronger relationships
The second component of the PRISM method focuses on building relationships with prospective students.
Research shows that while students may cite rational reasons for choosing a course—such as content and facilities—the emotional connection often plays a more significant role. Creating an inviting atmosphere during open days and outreach events can make a difference when it comes to fostering a connection.
As an academic colleague, you have a unique opportunity to influence prospective students positively. Sharing your passion for your subject with marketing teams can help them present your course in its best light. Collaborating with marketing professionals to enhance web copy and promotional materials is crucial because engaging and relatable content can significantly improve visibility and appeal.
Addressing issues and barriers
Every university faces challenges that may hinder student recruitment efforts. The third aspect of the PRISM method involves identifying exactly what those barriers are and engaging in proactive solutions.
Common issues could include outdated facilities or unclear entry requirements that may confuse people. We suggest you take the time to collaborate with your marketing team to assess what changes can be made.
Creating memorable messaging
Making your messaging memorable isn’t just about having a great product; it’s about how you tell the story around it.
When prospective students attend open days or outreach events, you want them to take away a clear understanding of what makes your university unique. A compelling narrative about your course is really important if you want it to make an impact.
Focus on three key selling points that differentiate your programme from others. Avoid overwhelming potential students with too much information; instead, aim to generate an emotional response that resonates long after they leave.
Measuring success
Measurement is key when it comes to evaluating the success of your strategy. There’s no point in setting plans to grow your market share or hosting Open Days and Offer Holder Talks if you haven’t defined how you’ll measure success.
Ask for feedback from students and your marketing team on Open Days and Applicant Days, for example. Once you have a measurement plan in place, you’ll know by early next year if your efforts have paid off.
To sum up, the PRISM method offers strategic guidelines for academic colleagues looking to improve student recruitment efforts to get students to make you their top choice.
Positioning: Understand where your course stands in the marketplace and make necessary adjustments.
Relationships: Build strong connections with prospective students through engaging communication.
Addressing Issues: Identify barriers that may hinder recruitment and work collaboratively to resolve them.
Stickiness: Create impactful narratives that leave a lasting impression on potential applicants.
Measurement: How will you measure your success?
For more on implementing these strategies and collaborating with marketing teams, listen to the full episode of The Partnership Podcast – Higher Ed Marketing.
Penny Eccles is a marketing consultant specialising in Higher Education marketing and student recruitment.