Is it time for higher ed to take transfer students more seriously? Reported by The New York Times, higher ed is taking in more transfer students than ever before, with a full 62% of the University of Central Florida’s last incoming class made up by transfer students. With demographic shifts causing higher ed to look […]
Category: Blog
College Isn’t Expensive Because of Climbing Walls
When people start to question the high costs of college, many point to on-campus amenities as the scapegoat, and make jokes about climbing walls and lazy rivers being the reason for high-cost tuition. But reported by EAB, the main driver of colleges costs is simply teaching students, making up between 1/3 and ½ of total […]
Making College More Affordable by Promoting Timely Graduation
One way to make college more affordable is simply to ensure your students graduate on time. Reported by EAB, at Penn State University, their first-generation need-based students work 22 hours a week on average. These work requirements make it difficult to maintain a full course load, participate in additional extra-curricular academic experiences, and finish on […]
How to Harness a Student’s Intrinsic Motivations
Extrinsic factors like grades can absolutely help motivate a student. But the research shows that a student’s intrinsic motivations can be much more persuasive. Reported by The Chronicle of Higher Education, David Gooblar from the University of Iowa cites the book, How Learning Works: Seven Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching for how we can better […]
Micro-Grants as Stop-Out Prevention at University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Stopouts and dropouts, especially coming late in an academic career, cause deep concern especially at institutions that primarily serve adult students and commuters. Many stopouts intend to return but never do, and two rounds of stopping out almost assure that a student will never finish their degree. What cause stopouts and dropouts late in an […]
The High Value of Faculty Mentors in Higher Education
Reported by EAB, a new poll by Elon University shows that graduates who had between seven and 10 positive faculty or staff relationships during their college tenure were 3x more likely to rate their college experience as “very rewarding”. Even students with just one or two of these positive relationships were twice as likely to […]
Steering Women Toward High-Pay Career Fields
While women beat out men when it comes to higher ed enrollment, women also hold a disproportionate two-thirds of the nation’s student-loan debt. Reported by The Chronicle of Higher Education, women are also more likely than men to attend a for-profit college because of the online flexibility offered, and end up making less than their […]
How Higher Ed Presidents Can Better Engage With Students
How can college and university presidents better engage with students? Reported by EAB, Texas State University president Dr. Denise Trauth, has an online calendar open for students or student groups to schedule 15-minute meetings with her to discuss any concern they might have. While some digitally savvy higher ed leaders have taken to social media […]
University of Texas at Dallas Adds Quickbooks Bootcamp to Accounting Program
Would an accounting bootcamp teach students how to use Quickbooks? Reported by EdSurge, accounting courses at the University of Texas at Dallas teach students classroom theory, and then practice applying that theory using real-life work scenarios via the popular accounting software, Quickbooks. Rather than graduating students who understand advanced theory but don’t know how to […]
Faculty Email Marketing in Higher Education
Email marketing is likely a high-value channel for your internal marketing teams. But are personal emails underutilized by faculty in the classroom setting? Reported by The Chronicle of Higher Education, especially in large classes, students can feel lost in the crowd when they’re struggling. But many learning management systems make it easy for faculty to […]
Employers Claim College Graduates Aren’t Prepared for Career Advancement
Only about 60% of hiring managers believe college graduates are prepared to succeed in entry-level positions, and only ¼ of these hiring managers believe graduates have the skill-set to advance or be promoted. Reported by The Chronicle of Higher Education, this new survey of employers by the Association of American Colleges & Universities may be […]
Church Partnerships at North Central University
Employer partnerships are often under pursued – or at least, under executed – in higher education. But for a faith-based institution with religious-specific degree programs and connections to a denomination, partnerships with churches can also help increase enrollment. At North Central University, a school located in downtown Minneapolis near the US Bank Stadium and affiliated […]
Dual Enrollment Programs are Saving Students a Semester of College
Do dual enrollment programs improve a student’s likelihood to graduate? Reported by Inside Higher Ed, 61% of students who enter the University of Texas System are now bringing college credit with them, through dual-enrollment credit and/or Advanced Placement credit. These students who enroll at UT with existing credit have a higher retention rate, and are […]
Students Aren’t Afraid of the Academics, But They’re Still Afraid They Won’t Finish
For students who aren’t confident they’ll complete their degree, it’s not necessarily the academics themselves they’re nervous about. Reported by EdSurge, nearly a quarter of students 18 and older currently enrolled at a 2- or 4-year institution believe it will be difficult for them to finish their degree. From a study conducted in partnership with […]
Providing a Clear Career Road Map to the Prospective Student
How do we turn slight interest into strong enrollments? Reported by Burning Glass, the “skeptical enrollee” is a potential student with mild interest in a particular program, but needs to be rationally convinced of the long-term career benefits of enrolling and persisting. The takeaway? It’s critical for us to help a prospective student understand their […]
Micro-grants as Stop-Out and Drop-Out Prevention at University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Are micro-grants a solution to student stop-outs and drop-outs? Reported by the Hechinger Report, 70% of students who leave UNC-Charlotte late in their program do so for financial reasons. In response, the university has created Gold Rush micro-grants (typically around $1,500) to help students stay enrolled. And 95% of these micro-grant recipients have either successfully […]
University of Louisville asks Adult Students for a Second Chance
Adults have done so much in the work world that when they come back to college they bring a specific set of baggage. If we can unpack that baggage, our classrooms will be packed with students who bring unbelievable context to the academic setting. These adult learners might not be perfectly prepared to write an […]
Why Your Students’ First Job After Graduation Means Everything
The first job your students take after graduation can impact the rest of their career, both for better or for worse. Reported by CNBC, a report by the Strada Institute for the Future of Work reports that more than 40% of college graduates take positions immediately out of school that don’t require a degree. And […]
Would Universal Transcripts Improve Graduation Rates?
Is a universal transcript the next step in making graduation more accessible for adult students? Reported by Education Dive, evaluating the transcripts from various two- and four-year institutions can be difficult, with each institution having its own academic standards. That’s what makes a universal transcript so difficult to make happen, and also what makes it […]
Graduating Students with the Hard and Soft Skills Necessary to Succeed
Are college degree programs currently providing an appropriate mix of both hard and soft skills? We often hear employers say they’re looking for graduates with the soft skills necessary to work effectively and collaboratively with others. But they often hire for the hard skills, skillsets that prove the person can effectively hit the ground running […]
Paying Faculty More to Teach Online at Colorado Mesa University
For institutions who struggle persuading their full-time instructors to start teaching online, one university found a creative solution. Reported by Inside Higher Ed, Colorado Mesa University incentivizes their instructors based on the number of students and the total number of credits hours enrolled in their online courses. Even with enrollment caps in place on these […]
Incorporating Information Literacy into Higher Ed Course Curriculum
How can we help students fight fake news by teaching them information literacy? In an article by The Chronicle of Higher Education, David Gooblar from the University of Iowa provided advice on how to incorporate information literacy into your courses. His advice includes partnering with your librarians on-campus to incorporate learnings in your classroom, teaching […]
Big Data’s Big Promise to Higher Ed Still Unrequited?
Has big data’s promise for higher ed been made good on in a big way yet, or are we still stuck in the fad stage of true data intelligence? Higher ed leaders are quick to be excited on the intelligence promises of big data, but often underestimate the reality of the data infrastructure they need […]
Princeton University’s Principedia is Response to Anonymous Course Review Sites
Students continue to utilize course review sites like RateMyProfessors.com to share their course experiences, determine a course’s difficulty, and learn a professor’s hot-or-not’ness before enrolling. Reported by The Chronicle of Higher Education, Princeton University in response has published a more transparent and comprehensive student review of courses, through a forum they’ve named Principedia. Any Princeton […]
University of Pennsylvania Brings Ivy League Degree to Coursera
Ivy League degrees are coming for the nontraditional student. Reported by Inside Higher Ed, The University of Pennsylvania is partnering with Coursera to offer a fully online master’s degree in computer and informational technology for $26,300, roughly 1/3 of the campus version’s price tag. This follows the path trailblazed by Georgia Tech and Udacity, who […]
Fayetteville State University Adjusts Physical Campus Space Due to Online Student Migration
As higher ed’s student body begins to migrate more and more online, how do our physical on-campus spaces need to adjust? Reported by The Chronicle of Higher Education, Fayetteville State University is demolishing two unoccupied dormitories. But it’s not because Fayetteville State is struggling from an enrollment perspective – it’s simply that their student body […]
Rutgers University Study Shows Link Between In-Class Device Use and Poorer Test Performance
Do laptops and mobile devices help students in the classroom, or distract them? Reported by Inside Higher Ed, a recent study from Rutgers University was published in Educational Psychology, revealing a causal link between cellphone and laptop use during class and poorer exam scores. Testing student performance against themselves, 118 students were split into two […]
Open Educational Resources at University of Georgia
Extensive commercial textbooks are large, heavy, and expensive. Some students refuse to buy them. Others leave them at home when studying in class or while at the library. Consequently, some universities are turning to Open Educational Resources (OER). These are high quality teaching, learning, and research materials that are free for people everywhere to use […]
Paul Quinn College Offers Jobs For Every Student
Are colleges graduating students truly prepared to make a meaningful difference in the workforce from day one? Reported by The Chronicle of Higher Education, Paul Quinn College became the first historically black college to be designated a “work college” by the U.S. Department of Education, in which every student is given a job or internship […]
Case Western Reserve University Replaces Cadaver Labs with VR Labs
The hardest degree programs to bring 100% online have been the lab-heavy programs. But could virtual reality and augmented reality help? Reported by EdSurge, Case Western Reserve University is replacing their cadaver lab with a VR lab. And early trials have shown that students who learned via VR scored the same on tests as those […]
The First Five Minutes of Your University Class
The first 5 minutes of a university class is very much like the first sentence of a novel. If you can’t grab and hold their attention with your opening, you are likely to lose them. The Chronicle of Higher Education suggests some ways to start your first 5-minutes of every class, including: Opening with a […]
Eastern Michigan University’s In-State Tuition Price Match for International Students
For years, colleges and universities welcomed full-pay international students to help balance out their traditional student tuition discount rate. But with a downtrend in international student interest due to changes in the political climate, some institutions are changing their pricing structure to attract more international students. Reported by Inside Higher Ed, Eastern Michigan University has […]
HTTPS Encryption for Higher Education Web Sites
University of Georgia’s Study of Open Educational Resources
There has been a slow but steady move toward Open Educational Resources (OER textbooks and materials) in the higher ed classroom. Reported by Inside Higher Ed, a new large-scale study by the University of Georgia may help hasten this move. This longitudinal study of more than 21,000 students found that college students provided with free […]
University of Louisville Asks Adult Students for Second Chance
Most colleges still get it wrong when it comes to recruiting adult students says the University of Louisville’s Matt Bergman. Rather than offering them another chance, Bergman says “we’ve got to flip that and say, ‘Give us another chance.’” Reported by the Chronicle of Higher Education, Bergman was a panelist in a discussion of adult […]
Vanderbilt University’s Qualitative-Based Faculty Assessments
Vanderbilt University is trying to determine if the qualitative portion of faculty assessments can be better utilized to identify outlier faculty – both your highest and lowest performers. Reported by the Chronicle of Higher Education, Vanderbilt University’s findings were that in order to identify your best and worst professors for any given course, you need […]
University of Michigan’s Subscription-Based Continuing Education
Does a degree you earned 10-20 years ago continue to provide you with real-world relevance? Many institutions are attempting to solve this continuing learning puzzle for their graduates. Reported by The Washington Post, the University of Michigan is offering a subscription-based program that allows their graduates to continue to take courses there, forever. The takeaway […]
Learning Collaboration Technologies (Google Jamboard) at Alma College
Online education has exploded over the last 10 years. And while remote learning is creating much needed convenience for non-traditional learners, some liberal arts colleges fear they are losing the most powerful benefits of the traditional classroom in the process. Schools like Alma College, a liberal arts institution of about 1,000 students in central Michigan, […]
Eastern Michigan University’s In-State Price Match for International Students
Competition for students is increasing in higher education. So institutions are experimenting with innovative pricing models to attract their ideal students. Many schools began by making online programs available at in-state tuition rates for out-of-state students. This policy eventually led a few institutions to offer a flat rate to both in-state and out-of-state students. One […]
Building Student Service Hubs at Lynn University
Students expect a high level of service, but the word “customer” in higher education has historically been viewed as taboo. In an era where customer service is integrated into every sector from retail to transportation, therefore, universities may not meet students’ expectations. Dissatisfied students and parents create enrollment turnover. And it’s much more expensive to […]
Increasing Student Yield at University of Miami
Students value choice. And often, the best students can choose from many institutions once they’ve been admitted. How does a university convince students to to avoid being part of the melt? To find out, we invited Jay Jacobs, Director of Enrollment Management and Admission Operations at University of Miami, to come on the Enrollment Growth […]
Total Price Transparency at Columbia College (Missouri)
Adult and online students are especially concerned about pricing. They don’t just want fair prices, they want clear ones. People on college campuses are talking through interesting ideas about student loans, and schools are experimenting with innovating price structures. Still, students are complaining. In other words, it’s the perfect environment for an entrepreneurial approach to […]
Improving Graduation Rates at Georgia State University
Retaining students from enrollment through graduation is an escalating concern in higher education. Institutions serving a large percentage of students who are the first in their families to attend college face additional challenges to helping students complete their degrees. One university is appropriating what they call high-touch technology strategies to aid in student success. One […]
Integrating the Bootcamp Education Model at Duke University
Coding, business, other skills-based bootcamps are often portrayed in the headlines as a potential replacement to traditional higher education. Prospective students see them as an entryway to high-paying jobs without having to invest four years of time and take on the burden of student loan debt. Consequently, some universities see these new, hard-skills focused educational […]
A New Approach to Debt Forgiveness at Wayne State University
Across higher education, there are more than 34 million students with some college credit, but no credential. That’s almost 1 in every 10 Americans. Dawn Medley, Associate Vice President of Enrollment at Wayne State University, is looking to change that statistic, and she’s starting with the people in her area that fall into that category. […]
Reinventing Student Transcripts at Elon University
For decades, academic transcripts haven’t changed. Employers used them to certify that applicants had a minimum of a bachelor’s degree as well as necessary skills and abilities to do the job. But over the years, registrars across the country have started to see fewer and fewer requests for traditional academic transcripts. Today’s employers say traditional […]
Right-Fit Student Targeting at Saint Louis University
Budget line items for prospective student list buys can be staggering. One university has discovered how to target those list buys in ways that improve prospect responsiveness, increase student retention, and enhance student satisfaction, all while reducing expenses. Jay Goff, Vice President for Enrollment and Retention Management at Saint Louis University, came on the Enrollment […]
Blogging at Hope College
Students and their families are interested in outcomes when they review prospective colleges. But often, specific stories resonate more deeply than percentages. Statistics can be powerful, but it’s stories that bring the data to life. Telling a compelling collegiate story is a challenge now that print publications are in decline, and traditional media outlets are […]
GDPR Compliance in Higher Education
Most of us have gotten more than our fair share of GDPR emails in recent months. Businesses and education institutions alike have been scrambling to update their privacy policies as the new data privacy law went into effect on Friday, May 25, 2018. The new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is forcing everyone to take […]
Geographic Student Targeting at University System of Georgia
What if finding the right prospective students was as easy as searching the map of a real-estate search site like Zillow? Focusing outreach on geographic areas that offered the highest possibility of return could maximize marketing resources and grow enrollment faster. This is exactly what the team at the University System of Georgia (USG) has […]
Proving the Value of Higher Education at The University of Texas System with SeekUT
Higher education is under fire with naysayers claiming it charges too much and provides too little. Rising student loan numbers, pricy tuition, and majors that may not lead to employment within the field have spurred legislators, parents, and students alike to ask if a bachelor’s degree is worth the investment. At the University of Texas, […]
Student Storytelling at SUNY Oswego
Your university’s brand is not what you say it is. Instead, your brand is what other people believe you to be. Do you want to know what your university’s brand is? Ask your students. They’ll tell you. If you have 8,000 students, you’ve got 8,000 brands out there. At SUNY Oswego, the marketing team went […]
Brand Journalism at University of Notre Dame
University Marcom offices often nail down their marketing work tight. They may also churn out some press releases that occasionally get picked up in major publications. But when places like the New York Times are producing world-class storytelling experiences, it changes prospective students’ expectations. Universities need to think differently about strategic content, how it can […]
How Can Higher Ed Better Utilize Data Intelligence throughout the Student Lifecycle?
Matt McKillen, VP of Product Management at Helix Education discusses how colleges and universities can better utilize data intelligence throughout the student lifecycle.
Helix Education Brings Home More Bling at 33rd Educational Advertising Awards
Helix’s award-winning in-house creative team brought home more bling for our partners, winning Silver and Merit prizes at the 33rd Annual Educational Advertising Awards. Congratulations to (L to R) David “Sparky” Mortimer, Chris Winkler, Peter Anglea, Hayley Westwood, and Brennan Wall. Silver: Huston-Tillotson University :30 TV Commercial Merit: National Louis University Search Site
Web Governance at DePaul University
University website governance straddles marketing and information technology. In some cases, a third-party resource such as a CMS vendor enters the mix. Since the web is the largest marketing tool a university has, website ownership is critical to enrollment management. Keeping a consistent brand, voice, tone and overall content strategy on the site while simultaneously […]
Academic Exploration Tool at University of Kentucky
Students looking to select an academic major often get stuck on higher education websites reading PDF major sheets as their primary information source. But how can universities build online tools that actually advise undecided students about potential best-fit program matches? Tyler Gayheart, Director of Strategic Communication at the University of Kentucky, came on the Enrollment […]
Current Student Communications at Temple University
How do you disseminate information and communicate to students in a meaningful avenue to create engagement? Samantha Krotzer, Content Manager at Temple University came on the Enrollment Growth University podcast to share how her team developed a newsletter geared specifically toward student engagement. The newsletter has been so effective, students, faculty and staff across Temple’s […]
Athletics’ Role in Brand Strategy at University of Florida
Athletics can be a win for your university’s brand strategy in the field of social media. College sports brands have huge audiences and often have far greater numbers of followers on social media than the universities themselves. How can this benefit an institution’s greater communication strategy? Recently we talked to Bruce Floyd, Social Media Manager […]
First-Year Retention Data at Flagler College
Retention is a crucial metric for any higher education institution. We all know it, we all study it, and we’re all trying to increase our retention rates. So what do you do when, through some deep data analysis, you discover some surprising and unusual trends around first-year retention rates, particularly around those who live close […]
What is Intrinsic Web Design? Intrinsic Web Design is here to reshape the Responsive Web Design conversation around how we do layout on the web
On the 8th birthday of Responsive Web Design, Jen Simmons, Designer Advocate at Mozilla, is heralding the dawn of a new era in web design. She calls it “Intrinsic Web Design.” But what is it, and how is it different from Responsive Web Design—a concept that the design world has well nigh embraced as second […]
City-Student Partnerships at Dominican University of California
The ever increasing demand of competition for students requires higher education leaders to be more and more creative in their offerings. What better way to tap into the trend of students staying local for their higher education than to partner with cities and offer local internship opportunities? Our guest this week on the Enrollment Growth […]
Funding a 10-Figure Capital Campaign at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Multimillion dollar fundraising can feel like a moving target. And in many ways, it is. Thankfully, there are great institutions across the US who are narrowing in on just what it takes to bring in donations on a grand scale, without losing sight of the individuals who help them achieve their 10-figure goals. Our guest […]
Spike Jonze just made the greatest higher education ad of all time…for Apple
Spike Jonze, one of the great American directors, just created the greatest higher education ad of all time…for Apple. If you haven’t seen this spot yet, get ready for the best 4 minutes of your day. This ad for Apple’s Siri-directed home speaker, HomePod, was sensationally directed with stunning production values. But there is SO […]
Entrepreneurship Programming at University of Colorado Boulder
Prospective students are seeking more than just education these days. They are seeking out experience and opportunity and, if your institution can’t offer that, you could be missing out recruiting engaged and innovative students. Programs that offer real-world experiences, such as entrepreneurial business ventures, are drawing students who recognize the value of such programs to […]
Iterative Web Design at Messiah College
“Set it and forget it!” While this approach is a great for selling kitchen appliances to the infomercial masses, it’s less than ideal for maintaining your institution’s website. Your website is likely the first impression many of your prospective students get, so having an outdated, unchanging design and content are a huge turnoff. Yes, it […]
Enrollment Growth Simulation Modeling at Worcester Polytechnic Institute
When we talk about enrollment growth, what we’re really talking about is balance. We recently interviewed Dr. Raafat Zaini, Research Scientist at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), the expert who is responsible for creating a dynamic enrollment model for university expansion. The bottom line of Dr. Zaini’s research study, “Let’s Talk Change in a University: A […]
Test-Optional Admission Decisions at Bloomfield College
You’ve seen it before. A well-spoken, brilliant high school student, sitting in your office, with fantastic GPA, but lousy SAT scores. You want to accept her, but your hands are tied and your heart is broken. Again. Without those supporting scores, there’s nothing you can do, but wish her luck elsewhere. Our guest this week […]
Prepping for a Web Redesign at Gettysburg College
There are several motivating factors behind a web redesign. These factors range from flaws with design and content, to organizational concerns. While in the realm of web redesign, there are different ways to approach it. Some may choose to completely demolish and start anew. Others might go the route of polishing and trimming an already […]
Building a New Brand Architecture at Indiana University
Building a brand is integral to any university marketing strategy. But what should the architecture of your brand look like? Should you have one big branded university or several smaller colleges and departments with their own unique brands? It’s not that simple, of course. There’s a wide spectrum of possibilities in between a strict branded […]
How Johns Hopkins University Uses Chatbots to Automate Customer Service
Understanding where and how your potential (and current) students find information is key to reaching them. Facebook and other social media sites have made it easier than ever for students and prospective students to connect with universities. Not everyone can travel to a campus where they’d like to study or speak one-on-one with a representative […]
How Eastern Washington University Spins Up New Programs in Record Time
Higher ed is often criticized as stubbornly sitting in its ideological ivory tower, refusing to change as business and industry requires. Sometimes, though, that stubbornness is born less from lofty ideologies and more from poor communication and missed collaborations. While new classes and programs can create an exciting new draw for your institution, by the […]
Belmont University’s Student Social Media Street Team
Your students are an infinite, often untapped, source of talent and content. You just need to know where to dig for it. Our guest this week on Enrollment Growth University was Lougan Bishop, Web and Digital Media Manager at Belmont University. Lougan leads a student-driven social media team at the university, who are helping redefine […]
Web Accessibility in Higher Education
Auto-play videos on websites are the worst. They start blaring from your computer speakers without warning as soon as the page loads. Then, you have to quickly find the pause or mute button. It’s frustrating, and frustration does not make for a good user experience. Imagine if you couldn’t see the pause button. Or, if […]
Making Higher Ed Leaders Digitally Savvy at Florida State University
If you’re a higher ed leader and think social media is only for your marketing team, I’m sorry, but you’re wrong. By avoiding these powerful communication tool, no matter the platform, you’re actually missing out on endless opportunities to create and foster genuine connection with students, future students, prospective students, donors, alumni, etc. Our guest […]
University of Minnesota’s Content Strategy Practice
Is your content strategy to publish first and ask questions later? If so, you could be missing out on valuable data that can help you produce and refine the quality content that your users are searching for. Our guest this week on the Enrollment Growth University was Amanda Costello, Editor and Content Strategist for the […]
Launching a Podcast at Skidmore College
Most podcasts won’t make it past three episodes. They’ll start with incredible momentum and grand ambitions, but most will ultimately fail to find that sustainability to keep producing week after week. Our guest this week on the Enrollment Growth University was Jackie Vetrano, Social Media Coordinator for Skidmore College, who launched the college’s podcast, This […]
Faculty’s Role in the Recruitment Process at Calvin College
Recruiting has always been an enormous focus for colleges. Now, more than ever, administrations are leaning on faculty to assist in those efforts. We recently spoke with Ryan Bebej, Assistant Professor of Biology at Calvin College, about the role that faculty play when it comes to the recruitment process of students—what it is, what it […]
Building a Modern-Day Media Relations Strategy at Delaware Valley University
The media gatekeepers no longer hold the only set of keys to your institution’s storytelling. Imagery defines the current age. Snapchat, Instagram and easy, affordable access to HD video-making has redefined the way stories are shared. Tom Durso joined Enrollment Growth University to share how his university, Delaware Valley University, is building a modern-day media […]
Future-Proofing Your Higher Ed Marketing Department w/ T-Shaped Marketers at National University
In 1971, a veteran founded National University after experiencing the inconveniences of higher education for working adults—especially active-duty military and veterans. We recently interviewed Aaron Edgell, Head of Marketing Services at National University, to talk about how T-shaped hiring can help you build a robust team able to perform at all levels. In the world […]
Cornell University and the Future of Advancement Operations
Many universities have turned to fundraising as the means to keep doors open. Cornell has been listed in the top five universities for fundraising each year and is known for is willingness to take risks and try new things with digital technology. We recently had a very insightful conversation with Ashley Budd, Director of Digital […]
Advanced Digital Measurement Tools at Wayne State University
On this episode of Enrollment Growth University, we got a chance to sit down with Nick DeNardis, Director of Digital Communications at Wayne State University, about the must-have tools for your higher education measurement toolkit. Biggest Recent Advancements in Higher Education Digital Measurement Over the course of the past five years, the amount of data […]
Boston University’s Social Media Etiquette During National Tragedies
Day in and day out, we are inundated with tragedy. Think about it: from the news, to social media, if it seems like you can turn on the tv, open an app, or log onto the internet without being confronted with tragedy. If you’re a higher education institution, what is your role? How do you […]
How Middle Tennessee State University Prepares Students for Gainful Employment Prior to Graduation
How do you set your students up for success in the employment arena not just after graduation, but before they graduate? On this episode of Enrollment Growth Univesity, we got the chance to chat with Dr. Colby Jubenville, the Director of the Center for Student Coaching and Success at Middle Tennessee State University to talk […]
“Pie Your Professor” Highlights Concordia University, Nebraska’s Day of Giving
Secretly, all students wish they could shove a pie in their professors’ faces. For the alumni at Concordia University, Nebraska, that desire became a reality. We recently interviewed Seth Meranda, Director of Marketing at Concordia. He discussed how a Facebook Live stream had their community glued to their screens and reaching for their checkbooks during a […]
How Fresno Pacific University Leverages Faculty in Their Enrollment Marketing
At many institutions, faculty and marketing aren’t exactly BFFs. The two seem locked in a perpetual power struggle, one that isn’t easily avoided—unless the relationship is handled well from the beginning. We recently had a great conversation with Jillian Coppler, Executive Director of Enrollment Marketing at Fresno Pacific University, about how she and her team […]
Harvard University Seeks Authenticity Through Video
Harvard didn’t exactly need to create an elaborate campaign to spread the word about their university, but they did identify a need to connect and engage people with their world-renown institute on a more intimate and authentic level. On this episode of Enrollment Growth University, Mike Petroff, Senior Associate Director of Content Strategy at Harvard […]
Building a Modern Higher Ed Marketing Team at University at Albany (SUNY)
As a higher education professional, you are always looking forward. Forward to next semester, next year, the next graduating class, and forward to future enrollment goals across your institution. On this episode of Enrollment Growth University, Dr. Joseph Brennan, VP of Communications & Marketing and Clinical Professor of Business at The University at Albany, discusses […]
Concordia University, Irvine Brings the 4 P’s Back to Higher Ed Strategy
Your university experience is a product—even if that term makes you uncomfortable. Concordia University, Irvine has an incredibly interesting approach to academic program development that we’re going to share with you today. We recently interviewed Rick Hardy, their Lead Marketing Officer, on the Enrollment Growth University podcast, and Rick shared how the “Four P’s” of […]
Colgate University’s Advanced Facebook Targeting
On the latest episode of Enrollment Growth University, Matt Hames, Communications Strategist at Colgate University, discussed how to centralize your social media governance and utilize Facebook’s hyper-targeting capabilities for your enrollment growth initiatives. This post is based on what he shared in his interview. Several years ago, Matt embarked on what I would call a […]
Emerson College’s Approach to Integrating Adult Education on Campus
Adult and continuing education departments are often outliers on campus. They often have separate governance, with separate resources. But in the most recent episode of Enrollment Growth University Lesley Nichols, Executive Director of Professional Studies at Emerson College, discussed the integration and shared resource benefits of bringing adult and continuing education departments off their own […]
Bridgewater State University’s Student Affairs Communications Technology
Bridgewater State University is onto something special when it comes to student retention. Dr. Ed Cabellon, Assistant to the VP of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at Bridgewater State University, recently talked with us about how his university leveraged technology to build capacity and more effectively engage and retain current students. Below are some […]
Notre Dame’s Web Speed Strategy
Erik Runyon is one of the leading technical minds in higher education. Erik, Technical Director at the University of Notre Dame, recently joined us for a podcast interview to talk about how Notre Dame uses web speed as an enrollment strategy. He made a very compelling case for taking a performance-based view of web development. […]
Concordia University, Texas – Transitioning to a New Enrollment Role
The transition to a new enrollment role in higher education isn’t easy. You’re expected to change things—fast. Yet, if you move too fast, you’ll make critical mistakes that could’ve been avoided with a little more contemplation. In the most recent episode of Enrollment Growth University Jennielle Strother, Chief Enrollment Officer at Concordia University, Texas and […]
Marquette University’s Snapchat Strategy
For people who grew up along with social media, experimentation was normal. It was all new, so everyone was experimenting. Tim Cigelske, Director of Social Media at Marquette University, is one of those people. When Snapchat came out, Tim had a kid and another on the way. In his words, he was “too old for […]
3 easy ways to improve your web content today – without changing your web content
The biggest hurdle to improving the enrollment content on your website? Your own FOBO – Fear of Being Overwhelmed. You know you need better program and admissions content – but better content takes time. So much time, in fact, that even thinking about the amount of work involved overwhelms you. You freeze up. You put […]
2 easy ways to protect your college or university brand from the wrong side of the internet
A beautiful ad for your institution. On-brand. On-message. Carefully concepted. Beautifully designed. And sitting on a website full of inflammatory hate speech. More and more colleges and universities are receiving complaints about ads promoting their institution being served and seen on offensive websites. And the outcry from the complainer is often about why on earth […]
Online course development, by accident or by design?
Online learning’s growth shows no signs of slowing. The Online Learning Consortium estimates that 85 percent of Americans enrolled in postsecondary institutions have at least one trait of a nontraditional learner. Additionally, 5.8 million students are enrolled in online courses and the number of students who are enrolled exclusively in distance education is rising. Yet […]
Why the March for Science was really about the future of higher education
Marches are back in fashion of late, and the latest high-profile march had a notable relation to higher ed. Tens of thousands participated in the recent March for Science, fighting for a world in which rationality and objectivity rule the day. Saturday’s march, the latest in a battery of widely-observed social demonstrations, publicized the need […]
What does Facebook Spaces mean for the future of online learning?
Move over LMS. This online class could be moving to a Facebook Space. Facebook Spaces, a new virtual reality (VR) social app produced by the tech giant touted in its name, landed on the scene on Tuesday, sparking higher ed’s imagination about whether the future of online learning could be VR based. The first manifestation […]
Confessions of a reformed dataphobe
As a higher ed faculty member, my cognitive dissonance toward the term “big data” was palpable. My body would stiffen and my arms would fold when discussing the use of student data to increase enrollment or support academic performance. Although my background in research instilled in me great respect for inquiry and data — as […]
The missional case for outsourcing in higher ed
Here’s a striking statistic: while most Chief Business Officers (CBOs) believe higher education is in the midst of a financial crisis, these CBOs are less likely to outsource than they are to revise tenure policies and promote early retirement for faculty, according to the 2016 Survey of College and University Business Officers. And it’s no […]
Search engines: the most important audience you’re likely ignoring
Those of us with any experience in marketing or communications understand that the audience drives many (if not most) of our decisions. We wouldn’t dream of crafting and publishing a piece of content, developing a strategy, or changing a logo without keeping our audience in mind. Yet, if you’re only thinking about the human eyes […]
New research: College presidents still concerned about meeting enrollment targets
Here’s a striking statistic: More than 8 in 10 college presidents are concerned about having enough institutional aid to enroll students who are likely to be retained and graduate on time, and enrolling their college’s target number of undergraduates. These numbers come as part of the 2017 Survey of College and University Presidents. For this […]
What’s driving the demand for brand in higher ed How we got here and where we should go next.
The legitimacy of an institution of higher education rests on the legitimacy of its brand — right? Well, not exactly. Branding is a mobilizing buzzword in the academy, and the notable surge in branding efforts is particularly palpable of late. Of the 76 percent of senior marketing leaders that have conducted a brand strategy project […]
Are you A/B testing or A/B hedging?
Marketers often do not want for ideas. Conversations around the creative table often yield a number of different directions a single campaign could go. Thus, the idea of A/B testing seems inherent in the DNA of marketers. But unfortunately, what ends up happening often is that marketers, so close to their babies (ideas), really end […]
The rise of enrollment growth and the future of data analytics in higher ed
Helix CEO Matthew Schnittman did two things at the end of 2016: reflected on the relationship of enrollment growth and the institutional mission, and looked to the future of enrollment growth and data analytics in higher ed. To celebrate a new year in higher education, Schnittman was one of a few education and tech leaders […]
Expert reveals secret to creating new college programs FAST The secret to spinning up new college programs fast and with little funding? Concentrate.
In light of the ever-increasingly competitive market of higher ed, many institutions are seeking solutions to increase their relevance and competitiveness in the field. One of these solutions is often new college program development. On the surface, developing new programs seems a commonsense way to adapt with the changing times. Modern-day technologies are giving way […]
Why you’ll never stay on top of every shiny new marketing tactic, and why you don’t need to try
For those of us actively working in the marketing space, keeping pace is exhausting. Technologies change at breakneck speed, new channels and platforms are constantly surfacing, all while our budgets, inquiries, and goals hang in the balance. Budget allocation feels like a game of whack-a-mole as we try to both utilize our proven channels while […]
Is neuroeducation the key to online retention?
“We are all now connected by the Internet, like neurons in a giant brain.” -Stephen Hawking Two realities are converging in higher education in an unsettling way. First, college and universities are being increasingly confronted by the changing needs of the post-traditional student, causing more institutions to incorporate a variety of online offerings. Second, staggering […]
Higher Ed’s problem with short-sighted goals
It’s goal-setting time at your institution, and the following ideas float around the table: “We need a new brand!” “We need a new program!” “We need a new website!” While these things may be true, it’s likely that what you really need is more students. You’ve gone through the process—you’ve identified weaknesses in your higher […]
Research: Conducting Market Research for New Program Development and Efficient Growth
As competition grows among higher education institutions, acquiring market share becomes more difficult, and therefore more valuable. For colleges and universities, one of the main avenues of market growth is new program development. However, many leaders encounter inefficiencies, such as wasteful spending and low program enrollment, in their pursuit of creating a robust and profitable […]
EDUCAUSE Day 2 keynote explores whether technology will augment teaching or outright replace it
Sugata Mitra’s keynote yesterday at EDUCAUSE 2016 may have alienated half of the room he meant to excite. Rousing the IT portion of the crowd with a speech that positioned technology front and center as the new and primary hero in education, he may have inadvertently caused every faculty member in attendance to question their […]
EDUCAUSE Day 1 brings to mind a fundamental higher ed maxim: correlation is not causation.
The move to incorporate data analytics in higher education was touted loudly at the 2016 Educause Annual Conference today. Yet as higher ed is noticeably responding to the clarion call for data-driven decision making, I’m picking up on a common theme that is as dangerous as it is well intentioned. A number of sessions at […]
Research: Media Expenditures Budgeting in Higher Ed
Marketing department media expenditures have been an important topic in student recruitment operations for more than 20 years. During the past decade, higher education providers have experienced a dramatic shift from print to electronic media as the main driver of their marketing operations. The resulting increase in electronic media expenditures has added a layer of […]
Research: Customer Relationship Management in Higher Ed
Customer relationship management is a critical component of an institution’s enrollment operations process. Increased competition and tightening budgets have led to a growing need for efficient and effective customer relationship management systems. Many education providers have developed external partnerships to meet this need. Helix Education and the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) have […]
Dip to White: Breaking Through with TV Spots Appeal to the Elephant and the Rider
It’s evening, the room is dark, the TV is on, and you’re staring at anything but your TV. Your smartphone. Your dinner. Your child. So on autopilot are you that your actions are only half conscious at best, but suddenly something—you might not even be sure what—draws your attention back to the TV. Luckily, you […]
Your students’ academic problems aren’t just academic
Student retention is an issue with high stakes for both the institution and the student. When tackling the issue of student retention, institutions often work from a common misunderstanding: students drop out because the academic load is too difficult. In reality, it’s often much more complicated than that. As noted in the recently released Primer […]
The hidden secret to program expansion: Offering programs students actually want
Deciding whether to develop a new program? If you’re first determining program viability by looking to job outlook in the program’s given field, you might be setting yourself up for failure. When setting out to develop a new program, the motivation is undoubtedly based on a desire to fill a hole in the market. New […]
When planning your institutional expansion, shoot for the moon… by way of your actual market.
Here’s a striking truth: Your online programs don’t immediately open you up to a share of the national education market. While the introduction of the online learning modality has opened higher ed up to serving a wider variety of students, online education should not be viewed as a field of dreams for those wishing to […]
It takes a team to graduate post-traditional students Brenau graduate a testament to data plus coaching model
Donning a cap and gown at graduation is no small feat for post-traditional students, especially when life’s curveballs often stand in the way of degree completion. In fact, nearly half of students who pursue a college education leave before earning a degree, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Yet it’s possible to hit […]
Data-driven relationships: The secret to recruiting and retaining students
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, nearly half of students who begin college do not continue to complete their degree. In the United States: the average institution loses $9.9 million annually in revenue due to student attrition (Educational Policy Institute) 34 million people over the age of 25 have some college credit but […]
Humanize your enrollment funnel for the post-traditional student by getting a little personal
According to the Direct Marketing Association, personalized marketing has become the most important objective of a data-driven marketing strategy. And in today’s appeal to the post-traditional student, higher ed institutions would do well to get a little personal. It is scarcely news that today’s higher ed landscape has become saturated by the post-traditional student (or […]
Stage-based nurturing: Perfect message timing, every time
When learners make the decision to enroll with and start at an institution, the old adage “timing is everything” only tells part of the story. Seeing as how potential students must move from an initial inquiry to an application, then advance to placing a deposit and ultimately showing up on the first day of class, […]
Practice does not make perfect: 3 myths keeping you from Peak enrollment performance
Why are some colleges attracting and enrolling more students than others? Are they inherently better? Do they have more experience? Are they working twice as hard as everyone else? The answer to these questions, likely, is no. These institutions aren’t doing anything superhuman, they’re just approaching their craft deliberately. As the world’s best athletes gather […]
Gut, politics, or data: What’s driving your higher ed marketing spend?
In a perfect world of automatons, all marketing spending decisions would be based purely on data. ROI would be the key driver in determining the best use of the budget, and success would be based solely on outcome. Yet in our imperfect world of humanoids, budgetary decisions are often much more nuanced than all that. […]
Why you shouldn’t optimize your higher ed marketing spend to maximize inquiries
It’s an age-old story, yet one that keeps repeating. After the marketing budget is spent and someone comes looking for an ROI figure, the marketer responds with the number of inquiries generated. This figure then likely gets further broken down to the cost-per-inquiry. Yet the cost-per-inquiry figure only tells a small part of the story, […]
100% Online Programs: Just like everyone else
With 5.8 million students now learning online, your institution’s online programs are no longer novel simply for being located in the digital space.* Representing roughly 28% of total enrollment for degree-granting institutions, online learners illustrate the opportunities inherent in online education. Yet the competition is also onto this fact, and distance learning today is a […]
5 Ways Pokemon GO Can Drive Enrollment Growth for Colleges and Universities
Less than one week since the release of the new augmented reality game, Pokemon GO, the application is already the highest performing and highest grossing app on iPhone, has already been installed on more than 5.16% of all Android phones in the U.S. and is expected to soon be outperforming Twitter in terms of daily users. So, is […]
New Helix Webinar: Is Your Institution Ready for the Power of Integrated Marketing?
Now is the time to build a cohesive brand that elevates your institution above the competition, supports both your traditional and post-traditional audiences, and most importantly, drives enrollment. Why? Because today is the best day your marketing team will have for the next 10 years. It only gets more competitive from here, and everything is changing fast. Tune […]
The Missing Link: How Success Coaching Can Solve Higher Education’s Retention Crisis
Colleges and universities are facing the ever-demanding challenges of student retention and empowering students to succeed and graduate. In fact, as many as 1-in-3, first-year students won’t return back after freshman year. Even more alarming is the fact that only 59% of full-time students will graduate from a 4-year institution. We often over-attribute these alarming […]
Congratulations to the Great Graduating Eight
This year’s graduating class at Indiana University includes a group of graduates known as the “Great Graduating Eight” who will earn their doctorate in education. The feat of earning a doctoral degree is always impressive, but what’s even more impressive is the way these students went about it. They created a “sister circle” to share, […]
Data + Coaching Model Improves Student Retention at Brenau University
What would a five percent lift in retention mean to your institution and your students? At Brenau University, it means adopting a data + coaching retention model to keep students moving toward graduation. “Nearly half of students who pursue a college education leave before earning a degree, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. […]
Only 1/3 of Institutions Report Having Good Data and the Necessary Tools to Use It
If you talk to higher education administrators, then you know data analytics are on their radar. Whether they are actively using data to drive decisions and improve the education experience, or rather, they simply know they need to be leveraging data, predictive analytics is growing in importance. In fact, it has even been reported as […]
Malia Obama’s Gap Year and the Post-Traditional Student Trend
Malia Obama made headlines this week when she announced her plans to take a year off before attending Harvard University. The phenomenon known as the “gap year” is growing in popularity. The American Gap Association estimates that some 30,000 to 40,000 students elect to defer for a year; in 2015, participation in gap-year programs increased about […]
Helix Partners Grow Enrollments 8x Faster than the Industry Average
As enrollment growth rates across higher education hover between a mere zero and one percent according to Eduventures’ data analysis, colleges and universities that partner with Helix Education are growing at a far more accelerated rate – 8x the industry average to be exact. So just what does this mean to our partners? “It’s […]
Helix Captures Eduventures’ Attention at the ASU GSV Summit as a Company to Watch
For seven years in a row, the ASU GSV Summit has hosted a sold out crowd, proving its relevancy to the edtech community. In fact, the event is touted by the New York Times as “The Must-Attend Event for Education Technology Investors.” Our team had the privilege of returning again this year as part of […]
Understanding Who Your Online Learners Are and What They Want
A new infographic published by the Online Learning Consortium (OLC) highlights an abundance of stats and trends about today’s online learners. While the data may not be surprising for institutions already prioritizing their enrollment growth for online and post-traditional learners, it certainly sets the stage for critical conversations at institutions that aren’t yet set up […]
New Postsecondary Attainment Data Shows Slow and Steady Upward Progress, But We Can Do Better
In its A Stronger Nation 2016 report, the Lumina Foundation sheds light on its most recent attainment findings, and while they don’t quite meet the organization’s Goal 2025 to ensure that 60 percent of Americans hold a degree, certificate or other high-quality postsecondary credential, slow and steady progress is indeed being made. The report dissects […]
Helix Education Brings Enrollment Growth to Life in a Big Way at the UPCEA 2016 Annual Conference
Helix Education joined higher ed leaders at UPCEA’s 101st Annual Conference to explore student-centric opportunities for post-traditional learners. We talked data-driven enrollment growth in our orange chair, released new UPCEA research findings, hosted the Enrollment Growth Gala on the Green, and had big fun along the way while connecting with UPCEA members. A Night […]
Helix Education and Cornell University Discuss the State of Online Education on Higher Ed Live
Over the last decade and a half, online education has emerged as a means for opportunity. It has opened doors that otherwise were not available to students, and it has allowed institutions to scale their programs. In fact, 75% of academic leaders say online education is a pillar of their strategy moving forward. Yet, the […]
Creating a Data-Driven Dialogue: UPCEA and Helix Education to Release Post-Traditional Program Metrics
Almost 85% of all undergraduate students are considered post-traditional. So what does this mean for your institution, and are you serving this growing population appropriately? If you are attending the UPCEA Annual Conference this week, you’re in luck. We’re releasing our initial research findings to help you assess how your current operations stack up and where there are […]
SXSWedu Reinforces Leveraging Data to Support Students
Earlier this month, Helix Education attended SXSWedu, the nation’s leading edge educational conference. The program ran the gamut from classroom maker spaces to educational policy and the visions of well-grounded futurists helping us to prepare to inspire and teach new generations of digital natives. Moreover, educational access was a big part of the SXSWedu conversation, with […]
Helix Explores the Future of Recruitment and Retention in Two Sessions at ACE Annual Conference
34 million post-traditional learners. That is the number of Americans over the age of 25 that Eduventures reports as having some college credit but no diploma. How will our industry need to evolve recruitment and retention strategies in order to better serve these post-traditional learners? The ACE 98th Annual Meeting gets underway in San Francisco this week, and it’s […]
Report Highlights Trends and Challenges Driving the Future of Higher Education
From the most solvable to the most challenging, the recent Horizon Report published by New Media Consortium (NMC) and the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) ranks the top six trends that are both impeding and accelerating technology adoption in higher education. The answers to those most solvable challenges, and even the moderate challenges – the lowest hanging fruit, […]
What Do Your Post-Traditional Students of Tomorrow Look Like? Find out at ACHE West!
It is estimated that by 2022, higher education will enroll 10 million post traditional learners. That’s a much more significant percentage of the overall post-secondary market than in years past, not to mention a population with significantly different needs and challenges. As more and more post-traditional students inquire, apply and enroll at your institution, do […]
A Retention Equation That Really Adds Up
We’ve been talking quite a bit about retention lately, and for good reason: Not enough college students are being retained from term-to-term, and year-to-year. The statistics are alarming. The good news, however, is that higher education is starting to put the strategies in place to turn these metrics around and help more students succeed. Relying […]
New Infographic Depicts Student Retention Crisis in Higher Education
The retention crisis in higher education is all too real. Nearly half of students who enter college full of promise and ambition are not graduating. As educators, we need to do more to help these students realize their dreams. Our new infographic takes a hard look at the alarming statistics across higher education. Student retention […]
When the Data Says Buying a $2 Powerball Ticket is Actually Smart Math
At Helix Education, everything we do is dedicated to data-driven enrollment growth. That’s why the data behind the Powerball lottery has become a hot topic of conversation around our office. Because in general, the lottery is a bad financial gamble in that the cost of your ticket is almost always greater than the probability of […]
Helix Explores Retention Transformation in eCampus News 2016 Predictions Article
“Data will basically permeate every aspect of campus decision-making,” according to eCampus News and the higher ed innovation and technology visionaries it interviewed for its article on 2016 higher ed predictions. Among those visionaries sharing their outlook for the new year is our own President & CEO, Matthew Schnittman. At Helix, we believe educators will […]
Happiest of Holidays From Helix Education
At Helix Education, we are counting our blessings. It’s been another terrific year, and for that, we celebrate our team and the institutions that we support. New and sustained partnerships continue to motivate us to develop and deliver the solutions the industry and its students need. Higher education is not without its challenges, but with […]
Helix Education’s Data + Coaching Model Featured on Higher Ed Live
We’ve been hitting the streets hard lately with our “Data + Coaching” Retention-as-a-Service model, and it is resonating. Most recently, Higher Ed Live published our guest blog about the importance of combining insights with action. Data is an important element of a student retention strategy, as is outreach support, but both are limited in what they […]
Eduventures Explores Role of Data in Renewed Approach to Student Success
You’ve heard us talking a lot lately about the negative impact of a “siloed” data approach – where data from one department or system isn’t integrated with data from another, making it hard for colleges and universities to get an accurate and timely analysis of their results across the student lifecycle, and making it even […]
What’s the Best Marketing Model for Your Institution: Best-in-Breed, In-House or Integrated Agency of Record?
If you are an enrollment marketer for your institution, then you probably find yourself thinking: I need world-class creative that resonates. I need to know what marketing channels work the best. I need to know how my campaigns are performing. I need to maximize my budget. Depending on your outreach and enrollment goals, there are […]
The Power of Giving Back
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill This powerful statement is echoed by our team at Helix Education, especially as we give thanks this time of year. At Helix Education, we believe a giving spirit goes a long way to helping make life […]
How Recognizable is Your Brand? Better Yet, Can Students Differentiate It?
More than 4,000 U.S. colleges and universities compete for student enrollments every year. Competition is intense, as is differentiation, forcing education marketers to distinguish a product that often times is so similar to others out there. So how can an institution stand out and attract its fair share of these student enrollments? When it comes […]
Join Us at Eduventures to Explore the Power of One University, One Voice
Can you really use one voice to effectively market to both traditional and post-traditional students? The answer is yes, when you are speaking to them through integrated marketing. We are excited to have our own Seth Odell included in the prestigious line-up at the Eduventures Summit this year where he will be presenting on the […]
Meet Me in St. Louis: ACHE Kicks off Today!
While it might not be as entertaining as the song and dance made so famous by the legendary Judi Garland in the 1940’s movie, St. Louis will not disappoint as the setting for the collaborative 2015 ACHE Annual Conference and Meeting — we hope to meet you there! Don’t miss your chance to meet our own […]
Attention UPCEA MEMS Attendees: Check Out our Five Favorite Things to Do in Denver
Home to one of our Helix offices, Denver is a city unlike any other. Our local Helix team is excited to welcome educators from around the country who are in town for the UPCEA Marketing and Enrollment Management Seminar, which kicks off today at the Marriott City Center downtown. If you are in town and […]
Brenau University and Helix Education Explore the Impact of Marketing on Student Enrollment and Retention at UPCEA MEMS
Academic thought leaders, program directors, and marketing and enrollment practitioners will gather in Denver from November 4 – 6 to explore trends in adult student recruitment and enrollment at UPCEA’s 24th Annual Marketing and Enrollment Management Seminar. The line-up includes high level, strategically-focused presentations, as well as sessions which spotlight the tactical components of marketing […]
Helix Helps AACRAO Celebrate 25 Years of Game-Changing Recruitment and Retention Strategies
The 25th Annual AACRAO Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) Conference is underway, and our team is excited to be on the floor in Booth 319. You can’t miss us, we’re the ones in Helix orange shoes! In addition to exhibiting, we are sponsoring the Cyber Cafe where attendees can collaborate on their most pressing recruitment challenges and successful […]
Helix Takes the Stage at UPCEA New England
To say October has been a busy time on the road is an understatement. But here we are, closing the month with one more UPCEA regional event, and we couldn’t be more excited. The 2015 UPCEA New England Regional Conference kicks off October 28th-30th in New Castle, NH. We are thrilled to have been selected […]
Go Big or Go Home? Both Big Data and Small Data are Key to Your Retention Strategy
Data comes in all shapes and sizes, and while the saying “go big or go home” might have some educators thinking that “big data” is the only way to go. But it’s simply not true. Equally important in your institution’s retention efforts is “small data” – the information that you likely already collect, telling you […]
When Student “Signals” Mean You’re Too Late
Did you know that 1/3 of students who stop out do so only after one term? Those first few weeks, those first few assignments, and those first few interactions can make all the difference. It is at this point when students tend to decide that they can do this, or that they can’t. Good intentions […]
Student Retention: The Other ½ of Your Enrollment Growth Story
Enrollment growth, while impressive, really loses some of its luster if the students you are enrolling are not graduating. And it’s not necessarily the fault of educators to be so focused on front-end enrollment efforts as the basis for their growth. Unfortunately, federal initiatives still prioritize student access over student success. Retention statistics in higher […]
Recruit to Retain, and Retain to Recruit
Your retention data is one of the best indicators your team has to determine which students can be the most successful at your institution. But too many times enrollment marketers and admissions teams don’t have access to this information to tie it to the kinds of students they should be recruiting. How you recruit should […]
UPCEA Central Returns to Madison, Where it All Began a Century Ago
The UPCEA tradition started 100 years ago in Madison, WI, and this year, educators in the area will convene in the city where it all began. The Madison Concourse Hotel marks this year’s gathering spot for the 2015 Central Regional Conference, and UPCEA tells us that it will include a series of sessions by futurists […]
Don’t Miss the Interaction, Information, and Insights at UPCEA South
Destination UPCEA: Charting a Course for the Future is here. It’s an opportunity for our team to network with educators and collaborate on ideas, technologies and practices that will enable them to meet the needs of their students – today, tomorrow, and down the road. We invite you to come see us in our breakout […]
Helix Talks Marketing and Retention at the Annual OLC International Conference
The 21st Annual Online Learning Consortium International Conference is underway this week in Orlando, and we can’t wait to connect with its global audience! We are thrilled to be a National Platinum Sponsor of the event and have been selected to speak about the impact of marketing on student retention. As you well know, institutions are challenged to market effectively, […]
It’s Gold for Helix in Google’s Global Agency Challenge
The results are in and Helix Education ranked in the top 3 internationally for Google’s Agency Challenge, earning Gold in the Mobile category! Helix was recognized for its digital enrollment marketing campaigns on behalf of its college and university partners. Mobile is everywhere these days. Consider that 86 percent of undergraduates own a smartphone, and […]
The Future is Now at UPCEA Mid-Atlantic
The UPCEA Mid-Atlantic 2015 Regional Conference kicks off in Philadelphia this week with a focus on how continuing, professional and online education units draw on past traditions and strengths, while looking ahead to address current and future problems. It couldn’t be a more perfect place to present our breakout session, “Meet the Institutions and Post-Traditional […]
Not Just People, Not Just Data: Helix Increases Student Retention Through Unique Combination of Both
Consider this: More than 40% of students who start their college education don’t end up finishing within 6 years (NCES). As an industry, we can and need to do better for our students. Understanding how students are performing, and when they need help is only half the equation. Applying that data through personalized outreach is […]
What’s the Difference Between Marketing Tracking and Marketing Attribution?
Understanding your campaign results is one thing. Understanding what they mean in relation to each other given your various channels is another. This is the difference between marketing tracking and marketing attribution. Marketing Tracking Marketing tracking can tell you how many clicks you got, or how many direct mail inquiries came in. It also can […]
Is Your Higher Ed Marketing Data Stuck in Silos?
It’s not uncommon to see institutions using different vendors for different promotional channels (i.e. print, SEO and dialog marketing). Yet if you are looking to create efficiencies and convey a consistent brand, this approach can backfire. The reason is simple – your prospective student information from each vendor is stuck in different silos, making it […]
How to Slice Your Higher Ed Marketing Pie
Let’s face it, marketing budgets are tight these days, and growing them, letting alone keeping them at current levels, can be a challenge. Anyone can provide you with media performance metrics – visits, clicks, calls, inquiries, and more. But what you really need are business performance metrics – insight that tells you how these visits, […]
Top 5 Questions Higher Ed Marketers Hope Their Presidents Won’t Ask
Picture this – you are sitting in a meeting with your president to review your recent marketing outreach and results. Suddenly, he or she rattles off these seemingly simple questions: 1. What’s our ROI by channel? 2. What does it cost to enroll a student, per program? 3. What sections on our […]
Why So Many Higher Ed Marketers Don’t Know Their Numbers
You’ve done it – you’ve produced a brilliant creative campaign that is designed to engage and inspire action from prospective students. You are poised to reach your market through a variety of channels– all stemming from a comprehensive, multi-vendor strategy. Sounds good, right? Well, not entirely. Working with multiple vendors often means your data ends […]
Art Vs. Science: Where Does Your Enrollment Marketing Strategy Live?
“No one remembers you for standing in the crowd. They remember you for standing out of it.” – Eddie Harris, American Jazz Musician Blending in is boring. Yet, trying to stand out can be challenging, especially for educational marketers trying to differentiate a service that has very similar attributes as so many others out […]
Southern New Hampshire University Creative Marketing Expert Seth Odell Joins Helix Education
We recently expanded our integrated AOR team with some incredible talent, and are thrilled to welcome award winning Seth Odell, who hails from Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), as our new Vice President of Creative and Marketing Strategy. One of the industry’s leading creative talents, Seth is no stranger to successful enrollment marketing campaigns. His work […]
Advertising and Media Veteran Pete Thornfield Helps Helix Clients Embrace Game Changing Brand Direct Approaches
We’re continuing to roll out the red carpet as we welcome our new Vice President of Marketing Services, Pete Thornfield, who joins us from Academic Partnerships. Pete is well versed in CRM, search, social, digital, field and traditional marketing. His brand management, advertising and media experience spans both higher education and nationally recognized consumer products. […]
Helix Education’s Vice President of Client Services, Brett Tippetts, Knows Brand Strategy
We’re thrilled to have Brett Tippetts, who serves as our Vice President of Client Services and representing our clients’ go-to high-level strategy authority, as part of our newly expanded integrated agency of record marketing powerhouse. When it comes to brand strategy, Brett is who you want on your side. He knows what it means to […]
Helix Education’s Integrated AOR Model Gives Institutions a One-Stop Creative and Direct Response Marketing Partner
Our recent integrated agency of record (AOR) announcement is garnering some significant attention in education circles. And while AOR is nothing new in the greater marketing sphere, the way we look at integrated AOR specific to higher ed is certainly worth noting. How Do We Define Our AOR Model? Our approach is truly integrated. Data […]
Relationship Maintenance 101: Are You Doing All You Can to Drive Retention?
We all know how important it is to initiate a relationship with a student that results in a positive onboarding experience, but that alone isn’t enough to keep them engaged. Rather, maintaining the institution-student relationship over the long haul is the real key to impacting retention. As is the case with most relationships, whether personal […]
Helix Takes to the Stage at KACCS, Presenting Strategies for Finding, Enrolling and Retaining More Students
KACCS is hosting its annual conference at Sullivan University today, and Helix Education has earned itself two breakout sessions on the agenda. We are looking forward to the opportunity to not only hear from career college leaders across the state about their challenges and priorities, but to also engage in conversations with them about the […]
Go Ahead, Challenge Your Outsourced Program Management Provider
Making the strategic decision to seek an expert third party to support your program strategy, enrollment, academics, and operations is one thing. Identifying the right partner is another. With a variety of Outsourced Program Management (OPM) solutions on the market today, it’s no wonder institutions can get bogged down in navigating the landscape and differentiating […]
DT&L Invites Helix Education to Present Session on Emerging Learning Models
Helix Education is back on the road this week, connecting with educators at the Distance Teaching & Learning Conference hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Throughout its 30 year history, the event has gathered thousands of distance education visionaries and practitioners to share ideas, resources, research, and best practices. This year, we are proud to […]
Introducing Helix Enable: Unprecedented Transparency, Financial Flexibility, and Empowerment
More and more colleges and universities are turning to Outsourced Program Management (OPM) to build, launch, and manage programs in all modalities including online, on-campus, hybrid, and CBE. Yet, are the legacy OPM providers truly evolving with the times and supporting institutions in the way that institutions need them to do? A Trend on the […]
The Future Favors the Bold: Helix Set to Release New Technologies, Services, and Data Aggregation Capabilities
Higher education is experiencing dynamic challenges – shifts in student demographics, a seemingly chaotic approach to data management, inefficient insights, and restrictive vendor relationships – all of which are having an impact an institution’s ability to find, enroll, and retain students. Until now. Helix Education is listening loud and clear. Over the next several months […]
OLC Blended Learning Features Two Helix Education Sessions
The OLC Blended Learning Conference rolls into Denver this week, drawing a crowd of education innovators both passionate and curious about the digital future of higher education. Our team has been invited to present two thought provoking sessions on the emerging technologies, models, and processes behind this higher ed transformation. Personalized, Adaptive and Competency Based […]
New Research Sheds Light on Online Student Success Drivers
Eduventures recently surveyed 28,000 students enrolled in an online degree program, mostly adult learners over the age of 25, with a goal of identifying those triggers that impact a student’s ability to succeed in an online learning environment. As the industry experiences growth in the post-traditional student market, online learning allows these students an opportunity […]
Helix Invited to Present at NYAPC Innovation Summit for Second Consecutive Year
The New York Association of Proprietary Colleges (NYAPC) Innovation Summit is underway, and for the second year in a row, Helix Education is excited to be part of the line up! The show gives college presidents, faculty, and staff an opportunity to share ideas and strategies in a variety of areas affecting the teaching and […]
Eduventures Spells out Myths and Misconceptions about Competency-Based Education
Over the last year and a half, we’ve talked a lot about different learning models, and specifically ways that Competency-Based Education (CBE) is transforming the teaching and learning process. As with any new concept, there is a period of buy-in and adjustment before there is full acceptance. According to a new post by Eduventures, that […]
Helix Earns Coveted Spot in APSCU Pearson Classroom of the Future
The APSCU Annual Convention kicks-off tomorrow, and our team is excited to be exhibiting and speaking at the Convention in the Mile High City from June 2-4. This year’s event focuses on “Outcomes 2025,” which got us thinking, what will higher education look like in 10 years? What outcomes matter the most now, and what […]
Helix Invited to Speak at the Annual APSA Conference, Exploring the Power of Data to Improve Student Retention
Our busy summer conference schedule kicks off today at the Arizona Private School Association (APSA) Annual Conference. We are thrilled to have been invited to present two information sessions: How does Marketing Impact Student Retention? Aggregate, Analyze, Act: Keeping Students Moving Toward Graduation Traditionally, marketing and retention have operated in their own silos, but with […]
New Marketing Report Highlights Importance of Personalization & the Customer Experience
The new Digital Trends 2015 report is out, published in partnership with Econsultancy and Adobe. While not specific to the education market, there are several good takeaways that apply to education marketers and the transformation our industry is experiencing in personalization—that is, customizing the way we initiate a relationship with a student and the way […]
Remarketing: If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again
Did you know that 80% of prospective students who inquired about an institution, but did not immediately enroll, indicated that they intend to go to school in the near future? The odds are good that even if a student doesn’t immediately enroll, he or she still has potential. Remarketing – that is, re-engaging your unconverted […]
Helix Education Talks CBE at EDUCAUSE Connect
Ever wonder what exactly competency-based education (CBE) means for higher education, and how it fits within existing traditional credit hour courses? Discover the answers to these questions and much more during the collaborative session “A Lightning Round Look at Competency-Based Education” at the upcoming EDUCAUSE Connect event in San Antonio. Our own Emily Wood, Instructional […]
Gates Report Stresses Importance of Flexibility, Personalization, and Affordability Through Policy Change
A recent report published by the Gates Foundation talks about the need for higher education to become more flexible, more personalized, and more affordable, giving students an effective and efficient path to degree completion and career preparedness. If you haven’t had a chance to read “Postsecondary Success Advocacy Policies” yet, I encourage you to do […]
Join Helix at OLC: Three Days, Two Breakout Sessions and One Goal
We are counting down the days until we hit the road again. This time, you can find us at OLC’s Emerging Technologies for Online Learning International Symposium in Dallas where we will talk about Competency-Based Education and other instructional strategies. The three-day event gathers more than 700 onsite and 1,000 virtual faculty, administrators, instructional technologists, […]
We’re Helping UPCEA Celebrate 100 Years!
The year was 1915. Woodrow Wilson was president. World War I was in effect. Gas was around $0.15 per gallon and a first class postage stamp about $0.02. Men made an average of $687 per year. The Birth of a Nation debuted and the Boston Red Sox won the World Series. Pluto was photographed for […]
Direct Mail Continues to Earn “Lion’s Share of Spending on Data-Driven Targeting”
Research continues to tell us how important data is in our marketing efforts. The latest numbers are in from the Winterberry Group, and as published in Direct Marketing News, it is estimated that U.S. marketers will spend $11.5 billion this year on data and related solutions. This is up over a half a billion dollars […]
What Were People Talking About at SXSWedu?
The SXSWedu Conference and Festival event wrapped up last week, and education technologists had a lot to say. Our friends over at eCampus News put together a list of sound bites from the various sessions. From the quality of content production and the role of the LMS, to the use of mobile devices and data […]
A Can’t Miss Webinar: How Does Marketing Impact Student Retention?
Have you ever thought about incorporating retention strategies while still pursuing prospective students in the enrollment marketing stage? We have. In fact, we believe that retention starts at the point of recruitment. It is here that you begin building a credible and lasting relationship with each individual, and when you start collecting data that will […]
Marketing and Retention are Each Other’s Other Half; See Our Article in the March Issue of Recruitment & Retention
Traditionally, schools have marketed to a student, enrolled that student, and then turned the reigns over let the learning and retention processes begin. But that’s all starting to change. The truth of the matter is that marketing and retention go hand in hand, and one doesn’t pick up where the other leaves off. They are […]
Helix Find Processes 50 Millionth Lead; Find Us at LeadsCon
We’ve reached yet another milestone here at Helix Education, processing our 50 millionth lead through our lead management system, Helix Find. Though to us, it’s not just about the number of leads we manage, even though the magnitude of this number is impressive, but rather it’s about the data-driven solutions, level of service, and insights […]
A Game of Navigation: Aligning Rules, Budgets and Quality Standards. Join Us at LeadsCon to Learn More!
LeadsCon 2015 is fast approaching, and once again, Helix Education is excited to be part of the line-up. Brittany Smith, our VP of Media, is participating in a panel discussion at the Buyer’s Summit, an exclusive track where lead buyers can explore new ideas and new strategies to generate the highest quality inquiries. Lead buyers […]
Our Academic Services Team Adds Tremendous Instructional Talent
Who better to help advise and support educators than those who have been in the trenches themselves, teaching, leading and transforming education? Our Academic Services Team is expanding with front lines talent as we are thrilled to welcome Amy Hale and Emily Wood to Helix Education. Both have extensive experience teaching and developing courses for […]
Helix Education Invited to Present on Competency-Based Education at Career Advisory Board Meeting
Competency-Based Education (CBE) continues to spark conversations, and Helix Education continues to be recognized for our insight in this area. Most recently, Steve Pappageorge, our Chief Product Officer, has been invited to speak on “The Wide Spectrum of CBE Programs” at Cengage Learning’s Career Advisory Board Meeting which takes place today, February 4th in Phoenix, […]
Lessons Learned in Serving Adult Students
We’ve been talking quite a lot lately about the different dynamics of adult learners and things schools should be doing in order to meet the needs of this increasingly complex group of students. Hopefully you had a chance to read our blog post, “Are You Connecting Effectively With Adult Learners?” In an effort to keep […]
Are You Connecting Effectively with your Adult Learners?
Adult learners, also known as post-traditional students, are increasing in numbers, as well as complexity. Some know exactly what they want to get out of their education, and others need more guidance. Either way, it is imperative that institutions rely on data to match these students with the right programs and personalize the experiences along […]
Big Data and Personalization Continue to Surface on 2015 eLearning Trends Lists
The trends lists just keep on coming. Most of the coverage in terms of what we can expect as an industry is consistent from list to list, which means our industry seems to be in agreement on what’s to come. Two trends that our team here at Helix Education can closely relate to seem to […]
How Can Marketing Impact Student Retention?
Believe it or not, marketing doesn’t stop once a student is enrolled. Rather, it can play an important role throughout the duration of a student’s educational journey, providing the motivation and encouragement for students to continue progressing in their studies. In our newly published article, “The Impact of Marketing on Student Retention,” we highlight the […]
eCampus News Features 3 Trendy Learning Terms that Need Differentiating
Personalized Learning. Adaptive Learning. Competency-Based Learning. How much clarity do you have around the similarities and differences of each? While these terms might be used interchangeably by some, each has its own definition and its own approach to helping students achieve mastery. eCampus News recently featured our white paper on defining and differentiating these methods […]
What Does it Take to Keep Internet Lead Violations to Less Than One Percent?
Colleges and universities continue to grapple with increasing government intervention when it comes to their internet marketing practices. What can they do, what can’t they do, and what do they do when they don’t do the right thing? This is where Helix Education’s compliance monitoring solutions comes into play. We understand the regulations, we provide […]
Online Education – It’s Good to Be in the Know
Online education has carved out a critical place in our higher education system. It has changed the way students learn, added new channels for collaboration and engagement, and opened up opportunities for students who otherwise may not have been able to pursue degrees. EdTech Digest recently published an infographic highlighting the past, present, and future […]
Helix Education Sure Does Give a Gobble
“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” -Dr. Seuss At Helix Education, we believe a caring spirit goes a long way to helping make things a little bit better for someone. This year, our team is once again volunteering for the annual Give a Gobble, […]
Rethinking Student Retention Measurement Standards
Think about this: Almost half of all students who enroll in higher education have no credential by the end of six-years. What’s more, 31 million students have enrolled in college over the last 20 years and left before completing their degree. Student retention rates are alarming, to say the least. Now think about this: Students […]
Helix Education’s Chief Academic Officer to Present at the National Symposium on Student Retention
Consider this: the National Student Clearinghouse tells us that over the past 20 years, more than 31 million students have enrolled in college and left without receiving a degree or certificate. Almost one-third of this population had only a minimal interaction with the higher education system, having enrolled for just a single term at a […]
Helix Education & Simmons College to Lead CBE Session at ACICS
If it seems like Helix Education is everywhere these days, that’s because we are. We are excited to announce that we have been selected to speak again on competency-based education (CBE), this time at the ACICS Annual Conference. We are teaming up with Dustin Hilt, who serves as Program Analyst at Simmons College and is […]
Helix Education Invited to Present CBE Strategies at OLC
We are taking our competency-based education (CBE) show on the road again, this time to the 20th Annual OLC International Conference, which is the premier global gathering focused on online learning innovation. OLC has asked Helix Education to present the breakout session, “The Five Things You Should Know About Competency-Based Education.” Our own Kari Kovar […]
Don’t Miss Helix Education’s CBE Presentation at ACHE
The Association for Continuing Higher Education (ACHE) is holding its 2014 Annual Conference this week, and we are thrilled to be part of the line-up! The event is focused on ways to create, manage and grow continuing education programs. We have been invited to present the session “The Five Things You Should Know About Competency-Based […]
Helix Education is a Top 20 Most Promising EdTech Service Provider!
The October 2014 issue of CIO Review is out, and we are proud to announce that Helix Education is included among the 20 Most Promising Education Technology Service Providers. Kudos to our team and our technology for helping us gain this recognition! The issue includes a nice profile of Helix Education, focusing on our ability […]
Need Clarification Around Personalized, Adaptive and Competency-Based Learning?
The education industry is abuzz with innovative instructional strategies and education models, but as new approaches and terms are thrown around, what do they really mean, and how are they shaping the future of higher education as we know it? If you follow the education trade press, you’ve likely read about Personalized Learning, Adaptive Learning […]
APSCU Calls CBE the Wave of the Future of Higher Ed; Learn Why on Their Webinar
APSCU is keeping the conversation about Competency-Based Education (CBE) going, and we’ve been asked to help. We are excited that our very own Steve Pappageorge will be joining Dr. John King, Chief Academic Officer of Lincoln Educational Services, and Steven Klingler, Vice Chancellor of Argosy University System, for an insightful webinar discussion. You’ve heard it […]
Our New Chief Academic Officer Focuses on Supporting Student Success
We are thrilled to welcome Cherron Hoppes to our team as our new Chief Academic Officer and Vice President. Cherron is a veteran academic having served at both public and private institutions, most recently as Dean of Undergraduate Programs for the Ageno School of Business at Golden Gate University. As Chief Academic Officer, Cherron will […]
Reflecting on EDUCAUSE 2014: Disruptive Innovation, Data Analytics and Student Success
Our team has just come back from the EDUCAUSE Annual Conference, and what an invigorating few days it was. The event was abuzz with people talking about the future of education technology, and specifically an emerging market built on disruptive innovation, the importance of data analytics and the always popular notion of student success. One […]
Keeping Students Engaged and Moving Toward Graduation
Today’s students are inundated with both internal and external factors that prevent them from accomplishing their academic goals – our objective is to help them effectively navigate those challenges and keep them moving toward graduation. Enter Helix Retain. Helix Retain gives educators a formula with which they can deliver exactly the right amount of outreach […]
The Future of the LMS
There has been a lot of talk lately about the changing role of the LMS as new instructional strategies and learning models emerge. From e-Literate to Inside Higher Ed posts, the industry is taking note of the fact that the traditional LMS just doesn’t account for the customized, student-centered direction that higher ed is heading. […]
Helix Education is Happy to Welcome T.J. Crowson to Our Growing Team
At Helix Education, we are continuing to build our team with experts from the education space. One of our latest hires is no exception. We are thrilled to welcome T.J. Crowson as our General Counsel. T.J., who has fifteen years of experience in corporate law with nearly a decade spent in the education technology space, […]
Marketing and Media Strategist Brett Tippetts Joins Helix Education
As we continue to talk about personalizing the education experience, it really starts with marketing – or the “find” in our “find, enroll, retain, teach” student life cycle. Being able to identify a high quality prospect and begin a relevant and meaningful dialog with that person is the first step in creating a personalized path […]
Helix Education Gets Real About the Future of Education at the Get Real Conference
The Get Real Conference is coming to New York City, and our very own John Dobbertin has been invited to join a thought provoking panel to discuss the value of education for entrepreneurs. Leading the discussion is Brenau University President Ed Schrader. Having spent more than a decade and a half working for EdTech companies, […]
The EDUCAUSE Countdown is on: 32 Days and Counting
EDUCAUSE is known for its forward thinking, innovative spirit, not to mention its ability to directly help and support those educators who lead, manage and use IT to shape strategic decisions at every level within their institution. If you ask us, this community seems the perfect fit for Helix Education. If you are one of […]
Helix Education Brings More Consistent, Proactive Monitoring to All CPL Clients
Online inquiry generation continues to be one of the most effective ways for schools to connect with prospective students. That said, there is far more scrutiny over online enrollment practices than ever. Our clients have a lot at stake, which is exactly why we are now automatically performing deeper monitoring and even more frequent audits […]
Is Competency-Based Education Poised to Disrupt Higher Ed?
In an insightful new article, “Is this the dark horse of online education” published by eCampus News, the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation is predicting that “online competency-based education stands out as the innovation to most likely disrupt higher education.” That’s pretty powerful stuff. Michelle Weise, senior research fellow of Higher Education for the […]
New Data Reinforces That Personalization and Speed to Degree Are Critical Factors to Students’ Decision to Enroll
A new infographic circulating in the higher education space highlights some interesting trends impacting a student’s online program and school selection. The data is based on survey responses from roughly 1500 former, current and future online students. Here is what the research tells us: Marketing messages that resonate most with online students are focused on […]
eCampus News Features Our Eight Considerations for Competency-Based Education
“…competency-based education (CBE) is becoming a must for any higher education institution looking to serve a broader pool of 21st-century students,” says Meris Stansbury at eCampus News. We couldn’t agree more. But knowing exactly where to start when planning for and implementing a CBE program can be a challenge given the different models and policies […]
We’re Taking our Competency-Based Education Insight on the Road Again – This Time to Pennsylvania
We are excited to announce that we are part of the line up for the upcoming PAPSA Annual Conference. We have been asked to speak about competency-based education (CBE) – what it means, what it entails, and how to ease the transition. Our own Tom Caswell and Kari Kovar will be leading “The Five Things […]
Do You Know What to Ask Before Taking on Competency-Based Education?
We’ve said it before, but it’s one of those things that is worth repeating – competency-based education (CBE) takes careful planning. Lucky for us and for you, we have several team members who have extensive experience in early CBE implementations. They know what works, what doesn’t, and just where those “gottcha” moments can sneak up […]
Inquiry Generation Trends – How Will They Impact Your Practices?
Enrollment marketing is anything but predictable right now, due in large part to economic, demographic and regulatory shifts. Yet enrollment marketers can’t ignore these factors. In our conversations with lead sellers and lead buyers, four recurring themes seem to dominate the space: quality, pricing, conversion and attribution. In our newly published article, “Using Current Trends […]
Our Three New eBooks Can Help you Navigate the Four Stages of the Student Life Cycle
Find. Enroll. Retain. Teach. It’s our mantra here at Helix Education, and everything we do revolves around helping you do these things better. Whether our expertise comes from years of experience working with schools, or right from our colleagues who used to be on the school-side of the business themselves, we’ve got a lot of […]
Here’s to Another Successful APSCU Convention and a Great Launch into Competency-Based Education
We’ve been attending the APSCU Annual Convention for quite some time, and it strikes me that while the career college market has seen its fair share of challenges over the last several years, schools assemble at this event every year with an innovative, encouraging and proactive spirit. Their goal is to advance and improve the […]
Helix Education Hits the Road to the APC Innovation Summit
We’re taking our show on the road again this month, this time to New York for the Association of Proprietary Colleges (APC) Innovation Summit. The theme of this year’s event is “Connecting Great Ideas with Growth and Student Success.” At Helix Education, we believe that growth and student success start before a student even does, […]
Our Student Life Cycle eBook Series is Complete – Introducing “A User’s Guide to Competency-Based Education”
Find. Enroll. Retain. Teach. These are the cornerstones of our services and technologies along the student life cycle and the basis for our newly completed eBook series, designed to help colleges and universities efficiently and effectively support students throughout the entire education experience. As interest in competency-based education (CBE) continues to surge, we are excited […]
EdTech Digest Features Our ABCs of CBE
Competency-based education (CBE) has the power to significantly alter the entire education process, and when careful planning and diligent preparation are part of the transition equation, great things are possible. EdTech Digest recently published an insightful article by our own Chief Product Officer Steve Pappageorge – the ABCs of CBE. Steve, who helped lead the […]
We’re Talking Enrollment, Big Data and Competency-Based Education in Three Sessions at APSCU
The countdown to APSCU is officially on with just two short weeks left until the Education Evolution event. Not only are we a Platinum Level Sponsor this year, but we are also participating as speakers in three thought-provoking sessions at the event. We are covering significant student life cycle trends: maximizing enrollment, leveraging big data […]
Just Released: The Second eBook in our Student Life Cycle Series
Chances are you have spent a significant amount of time nurturing prospective students only to find they don’t end up enrolling, or even if they do enroll, they don’t end up starting. While some of the factors that would cause a student to walk away are beyond your control, there are some things you can […]
A Sneak Peek into Our Exciting APSCU Plans
This year’s APSCU Annual Convention is quickly approaching – an opportunity that brings together nearly 1,500 thought leaders in private sector and career education. We’ll be in Las Vegas for the duration of the show and hope to see you there. Here’s a sneak peek of what you can look forward to… This year, Helix […]
Four Key Themes Impacting Inquiry Generation This Year
The enrollment marketing industry is anything but predictable right now, marked by economic swings, stricter regulations, demographic shifts, and changing consumer behaviors. There is a lot consider, and a lot weighing on the minds of education marketers. In our new white paper, “Finding the Right Students: Four Key Trends Impacting Inquiry Generation,” we are tackling […]
Helix Education Welcomes New Competency-Based Education Experts to its Team
It’s official, competency-based education has made a name for itself. It’s been summarized in the education trade press as a technology to watch. Education associations such as WCET and EDUCAUSE are covering it in their research. Even the U.S. Department of Education has carved out a spot for it on its website, defining this approach, […]
Welcome Back, Kari Kovar
It’s always great to welcome a familiar face back into our organization, and I’m happy to say that face is Kari Kovar. If you know Kari, you know her energy, her enthusiasm and her passion for education are infectious. As our Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, Kari is out and about meeting with different schools […]
Introducing the First eBook in our Student Life Cycle Series
As you likely know if you’ve followed our transformation to Helix Education over the last several months, we’ve structured our solutions along the student life cycle to help you more effectively find, enroll, retain and teach students. Data flows through from one stage to the next, allowing you to build meaningful relationships with your students […]
Watch Our Recent Webinar: The 4 Things You Need to Know About Effectively Using Paid Search
Did you miss our recent webinar hosted by Today’s Campus? Watch it here to discover the importance of search, its role within a full-funnel marketing plan, various PPC strategies, and overspending pitfalls to avoid. You can also download our recent paid search white paper to learn more about maximizing search as part of your integrated […]
Why Remarketing Makes Sense for Your School
Does the thought of losing 25% of the potential value of your enrollment marketing dollars cause you concern? It should, but it doesn’t have to. Our remarketing campaigns, a communication strategy to engage unconverted student inquiries, result in a 20-30% lift in enrollment rates for our clients. If you haven’t considered remarketing before, now is […]
We’re Bringing in More Talent Straight from the Front Lines of Academia
The energy around here continues as we add new team members to the Helix Education family. We are excited to be bringing in institutional talent – their level of insight into online programs, their experience on the front lines, and their keen understanding of institutional operations are a tremendous asset to both our company and […]
Don’t Forget to Register for our PPC Search Webinar
You are invited to join us on Thursday, April 17th at 1:00 p.m. Eastern time during our webinar event: The Four Things You Need to Know About Effectively Using Paid Search as Part of Your Integrated Marketing Strategy. Whether you are already using PPC Search in your marketing outreach, or simply weighing your options, you’ll learn […]
Paid Search: What Should You Be Doing, and How Much Should You Be Spending?
For anyone who has ever played the pay-per-click (PPC) game, the rules don’t always appear to be black and white. That is to say, spending more doesn’t always get you more, nor does bidding on every key word. While PPC search is a great way to supplement organic listings, it can be even more effective […]
EdTech Digest Asks Us, “What’s Next?”
To say that life has been a bit of a whirlwind here at Helix Education is an understatement. In the last five months, we’ve made a strategic acquisition, we’ve expanded our leadership team, we’ve renamed ourselves, and we’ve been hard at work advancing our services and technologies. Industry insiders are taking note. Our President and […]
It May Not be an Oscar, but…
It’s awards season for everyone from Hollywood to Helix Education. While we aren’t dressed in our gowns and tails, holding a gold statue, or even preparing an Oscar-winning acceptance speech, we would like to take a minute to express our thanks and gratitude to the team at Pitney Bowes Presort Services -Corona for awarding us […]
Today’s Campus Features Interview with Matthew Schnittman
It’s been an exciting two weeks here at Helix Education – we have a new name, a new vision, and a new approach to helping schools find, enroll, retain and teach students. We’ve spent time over the last several days sharing this news with our employees, who are inspired to support our strategy, and with […]
Our Expanded Executive Committee Links Familiar Faces
It’s always nice when your path crosses with that of a previous colleague who you respect, but it’s especially nice when you actually have the opportunity to work together again. I’m excited to announce that John Dobbertin has come on board as General Manager of Enterprise Services, and Carey Hilderbrand, has assumed the role of […]
Introducing Helix Education
From acquisition to transition to integration to implementation – that pretty much sums up our lives over the last several months. You’ll likely remember that last October, we acquired the technology assets and support infrastructure of Altius Education. We did so with the intent of further developing its solutions and expanding our footprint along the […]
Are Student-Directed Activities Helping Shape the Future of Online Education?
Every year the Sloan Consortium releases its annual research on the online education market, and the new numbers are in. This year, 2800 colleges and universities responded to survey questions about online learning, weighing in on its strategic significance, student participation, future role within our education system, and more. The research seems to be in […]
The MOOC Headlines Continue, and it Got Us Thinking…
Each week, we pull together some of the most interesting headlines from our industry and consolidate the list down to a relevant and timely resource for our clients and subscribers to keep up on the latest happenings in higher ed. This week, we included an NPR story, The Online Education Revolution Drifts Off Course. […]
What Can the Education Industry Expect in 2014?
As we kick off this new year, we’ve been talking to our team internally, researching and reading external articles and reports, and generally soliciting input from our academic customers and contacts on what we can expect in 2014. While this isn’t a comprehensive list, the three categories below seemed to create quite a bit of […]
Reflecting Back on a Monumental 2013, and Looking Ahead to a Meaningful 2014
Every year around this time, we reflect back on the year’s accomplishments and recognize our team and our customers for contributing to our success. This year was an eventful one for us and we couldn’t have done it without the dedication of our staff, as well as the trust and confidence of our client institutions. […]
Maximizing Paid Search, Minimizing Overspending
If you are an education marketer, chances are you are either implementing or exploring paid search marketing, also known as Pay Per Click (PPC) – the concept by which you bid on key words for placements in paid listings. Paid search is quite an effective marketing channel as it allows you to target prospective […]
Be in the Know When it Comes to Attribution Marketing
Being able to track your campaign ROI is marketing 101. But as we see more overlap among channels and campaigns as students research and interact with your brand in different ways, the lines to measure your ROI are becoming blurred. Enter attribution marketing. If you follow Datamark, you’ve probably heard us talk about attribution marketing. […]
Understanding the Changing Regulations, and Managing the Burden of Proof
We’ve reached a point in higher education where change has become the new norm, at least from a regulatory standpoint. And as we point out in our new article, “Keeping up with New Regulations, Compliance and Risk,” this change isn’t necessarily a bad thing. After all, the changing rules are designed to better protect students. […]
A Time to Give Thanks
It’s that time again where we reflect back on the year and recognize everything Datamark has to be thankful for – overcoming challenges, reaching milestones, and generally enjoying the working relationships we’ve been fortunate enough to create. But most of all, we give thanks for each other – for our colleagues at Datamark who […]
Solution Spotlight Series: Dialog Marketing
As we continue with our Solution Series blogs, this week we are focusing on Dialog Marketing. For obvious reasons, Dialog Marketing essentially creates an ongoing conversation, or dialog, with prospects with the goal of creating a lasting relationship. Through a series of relevant, customizable and timely messages, you give prospective students the opportunity to […]
Solution Spotlight Series: Remarketing
We often hear from education marketers that they didn’t realize just how broad our student marketing services were, and so we thought it was about time we initiated a blog series about some of our different solutions. We’ll plan to go into depth on one solution per blog. So here we go…everything you wanted to […]
Are All of Your Marketing Channels Pulling their Weight?
While it’s certainly much easier to just assume the last marketing channel a student encountered was the one that produced an inquiry, this last-click credit approach is no way to go. How do you really know which of your channels and campaigns are working, which ones are impacting others, and where you should be putting […]
New White Paper: Six Steps to Generating Inquiries in a Closely Guarded Regulatory Environment
Both passed and proposed legislation continue to keep enrollment marketers and institutions on their toes. At stake are their marketing processes and practices, but also their brands and reputations. It is more important than ever for schools to understand the regulations, the tactical changes, and the long-term implications. For example, the FCC’s TCPA regulations, which […]
The Next Chapter of Datamark
Last week marked quite a major milestone in Datamark’s 26 year history serving the higher education market. We announced the acquisition of the technology assets and support infrastructure of Altius. While we didn’t purchase the entire company, we did buy its impressive technology, intellectual property and infrastructure. This includes Helix, a competency-based online learning platform, […]
Attribution and the Anticipated Finale of Last Click Credit
When it comes to optimizing your marketing campaigns, how much do you really know about the effectiveness of each channel? Do you know what medium or message ultimately sparked a student to inquire? Or do you simply apply a last click credit? Attribution, if you are not familiar with it, allows you to determine how […]
Learn What Motivates Students to Research, Apply, and Enroll
The reasons why a student does or doesn’t enroll can vary across the board, but if your enrollment advisors had a better understanding of the trends and could identify a student’s decision to enroll early on in the process, just imagine the possibilities. They could focus in on the highest potential inquiries and offer up […]
Leads Council Features The Print Store in its Demo Days Series
Our LeadsCouncil membership keeps getting better and better – talk about a proactive group. As part of its continual effort to bring new strategies and ideas to the market, LeadsCouncil has asked us to participate in its Demo Days of Summer series. Join us on Wednesday, September 18th at 12:00 p.m. mountain time for a […]
The Case for Predictive Analytics in Boosting Response Rates
Our partners over at KXEN shared some great news today, and we just couldn’t resist sharing the results too. As many of you know, at Datamark, we are passionate about data. It gives us visibility into the student enrollment life cycle that in turn drives our solutions and our client results. Through data and predictive […]
Don’t Miss Our Free Print Store Webinar with Today’s Campus
Since launching The Print Store in January, more and more schools are logging on to our convenient, centralized online ordering solution. They are simplifying their small run printing and mailing projects online, on-demand. So now it is your chance to see what your colleagues at other schools are doing! They are creating efficiencies. Because we […]
Subscribe Now to Our Weekly Industry Insights – The Right Information, Right Now
If your inbox in anything like mine, I’m inundated on a daily basis with education-related newsletters. And while each in its own right contains interesting articles, thought provoking commentary and intriguing research, a lot of the content I sift through just isn’t relevant to me, per se. Plus, it’s simply a lot of information to […]
Live From Leads Con East – We are Kicking Off the Presentation Line-Up in the Education Track
For those of you who have never attended a LeadsCon event, we highly encourage you to consider it. And for those of you who have, you know exactly how excited we are about the upcoming LeadsCon East in NYC next week, August 13th-15th. We have the privilege of speaking at this year’s LeadsCon East Buyer’s […]
The Longevity of Print Marketing in an Increasingly Mobile World
“In college marketing, print appears to be forever.” This statement was recently published in an article in Direct Marketing News, “Traditional Marketing Gets Charged Up.” The article also featured Datamark and our own Rick Bentz talking about trends in higher education enrollment marketing. To summarize, the marketing landscape isn’t necessarily changing, but more so it […]
Increasing Your Website Traffic with the Right Visitors
Often times increasing your website traffic can be accomplished by purchasing additional banner ads, adding new keywords to your site, and increasing your social media presence. While these tactics may result in more eyeballs on your website, they don’t necessarily guarantee you will increase traffic with the rights kinds of visitors. Believe it or not, […]
A Mid-Year Update of Evolving Vendor Lead Channels: Part III
Our EduPortal partners are taking the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) compliance requirements very seriously, especially with the significant uptick of leads coming through mobile devices. Below is an example of a leading vendor’s efforts to remain compliant. Efforts from this particular vendor include both On Form disclaimer display and Display Confirmation delivery. The Express […]
A Mid-Year Update of Evolving Vendor Lead Channels: Part II
As consumer marketing migrates away from “last click” to a “shared” attribution model, it is important to capture all marketing touch points impacting our prospects. These important brand and product communication events will have a collective impact on a prospect’s application and enrollment outcomes. Datamark is pioneering an initiative with our EduPortal partners in determining […]
A Mid-Year Update of Evolving Vendor Lead Channels: Part I
In the world of Education Portals there has been a proliferation of new channels of lead generation. In this post, I’ve outlined 5 channels that we’ve seen gaining traction over the last 4 to 6 months: 1. Education offerings delivered through mobile devices: Mobile continues to be a popular device choice for prospective students as […]
APSCU 2013 Highlights
We’ve been back a little over a week now from another successful APSCU Annual Convention, which has been just enough time to digest the wealth of information, the candid conversations, and the increasingly positive tone on the exhibit floor. Let’s face it, with shrinking budgets and increased regulatory demands, APSCU schools have had their fair […]
APSCU Session: What Motivates a Student to Enroll?
By Joel Borgmeier So as you likely read in our last post, we thought our blog was a great stage to share content from our APSCU sessions with those who may have missed our presentations, or even those who attended but wanted to dive into the details on your own time. We were fortunate enough […]
APSCU Session: How to Be More Efficient with Less Money
Datamark had the privilege of leading two speaking sessions at the 2013 APSCU Annual Convention in Orlando. For those of you who missed our session or perhaps just want a recap, this is your chance. During our first session, Tips and Tricks to Help Enrollment Marketers be More Efficient with Less Money, we were joined […]
1 High-Energy Booth + 2 Informational Breakout Sessions = 3 Productive Days at APSCU
The 2013 APSCU Annual Convention is right around the corner – the premier industry event for us to meet with private sector colleges and universities, network with our partners, and present to an eager crowd. We have two insightful sessions planned for this year, and are lucky enough to have a great line up of […]
Admissions Insights
With challenges to increase enrollments, institutions continue to improve and streamline their admissions processes. In this guest blog post, I’ve asked Martin Lind at Leads360 to share the dynamics and differences he sees between traditional and private sector schools’ admissions departments. Traditional schools and private sector schools: Two very different admissions processes Understanding these differences […]
Q&A with Martin Lind: Admissions
Are there really differences between admissions processes for traditional schools and those for private sector schools? Yes, and understanding these differences is fundamental to having an effective and successful admissions process. Both types of schools need to be diligent in cultivating their prospective student populations and can benefit from a strategic enrollment planning process. But […]
Datamark Joins LeadsCouncil
Its official, Datamark is a LeadsCouncil member, and for several very good reasons: Through access to a library of objective research, lead metrics, statistics, market share findings, case studies, white papers and secret shopping studies, we’ll be able to help our customers better navigate lead gen challenges and opportunities We’ll have more opportunities to connect […]
Don’t Miss Datamark at Neustar’s Interactive Insights Summit
The 8th annual Interactive Insights Summit is just around the corner, and this year’s event will gather an impressive line-up of marketers to discuss innovative ways to leverage real-time data and marketing analytics. The theme this year is “Real Intelligence. Better Decisions.” We are thrilled to be part of that line-up. Our very own Rick […]
University Business Asks What’s New? Our Print Store!
Every month University Business highlights products and services that are useful to educators, and among their current features is our Print Store! If you haven’t had a chance to see it yet, check it out here. The Print Store is our answer to the question, “How do schools develop and deliver small run print materials […]
Today’s Campus Highlights Our Inquiry Nurturing Strategies
The March/April issue of Today’s Campus is live, and we must admit, it is nice to see our name and our partners’ names in lights! The issue includes our collaborative article with Leads360 and Neustar where we present data on what schools are doing today in terms of inquiry nurturing programs, as well as how […]
Top 10 Emerging Media Trends: #1 The Age of Attribution
Welcome to my blog series, Top 10 Emerging Media Trends. The Datamark Media team and I regularly develop a Top 10 list of practices and findings in the education market to share with our industry peers.Today, we finish this blog series with the #1 emerging media trend. Thank you for following along. Media Trend #1: […]
Top 10 Emerging Media Trends: #2 Gain Insight into your Leads with LeadiD
Welcome to my blog series, Top 10 Emerging Media Trends. The Datamark Media team and I regularly develop a Top 10 list of practices and findings in the education market to share with our industry peers. Media Trend #2: Gain Insight into your Leads with LeadiD Adoption of LeadiD in the education community is gaining […]
Top 10 Emerging Media Trends: #3 Social and Display to the Rescue
Welcome to my blog series, Top 10 Emerging Media Trends. The Datamark Media team and I regularly develop a Top 10 list of practices and findings in the education market to share with our industry peers. Media Trend #3: Social and Display to the Rescue Social and Display have significantly improved the level of sophistication […]
Top 10 Emerging Media Trends: #4 Re-enlisting DRTV
Welcome to my blog series, Top 10 Emerging Media Trends. The Datamark Media team and I regularly develop a Top 10 list of practices and findings in the education market to share with our industry peers. Media Trend #4: Re-enlisting DRTV Brand building has made a comeback in the education space, with a 30% year-over-year […]
Top 10 Emerging Media Trends: #5 The Move to Mobile
Welcome to my blog series, Top 10 Emerging Media Trends. The Datamark Media team and I regularly develop a Top 10 list of practices and findings in the education market to share with our industry peers. Media Trend #5 The Move to Mobile According to a recent study by The Search Agency over 28% of […]
Top 10 Emerging Media Trends: #7 Optimizations in Education Marketing
Welcome to my blog series, Top 10 Emerging Media Trends. The Datamark Media team and I regularly develop a Top 10 list of practices and findings in the education market to share with our industry peers. Media Trend #7: Optimizations in education marketing While most in the education industry are feeling the pressure of a […]
Top 10 Emerging Media Trends: #8 Paid Search Cost Per Click Increases while Response Levels Decrease
Welcome to my blog series, Top 10 Emerging Media Trends. The Datamark Media team and I regularly develop a Top 10 list of practices and findings in the education market to share with our industry peers. Media Trend #8: Paid Search cost per click pricing is escalating and response levels are down. Adult education marketers […]
Top 10 Media Trends: #9 Portals and Schools Competing for Google’s Top Rankings
Welcome to my blog series, Top 10 Emerging Media Trends. The Datamark Media team and I regularly develop a Top 10 list of practices and findings in the education market to share with our industry peers. Media Trend #9: Education portals and schools are competing for Google’s organic search top rankings Despite the significant decline […]
Top 10 Emerging Media Trends: #10 Prospects Spend Less Time Researching on Portal Sites
Welcome to my blog series, Top 10 Emerging Media Trends. The Datamark Media team and I regularly develop a Top 10 list of practices and findings in the education market to share with our industry peers. Media Trend #10: Education traffic is down sharply and prospects spend less time researching on portal sites. Education traffic […]
How to Benefit from Greater Lead Visibility
Knowing exactly how a lead came to you, how and when it might have already been contacted, and how valid it really is, are critical components of a sound lead generation strategy. We’ve partnered with LeadiD to develop Lead Audit, Datamark’s newest lead quality solution. Lead Audit allows you to gain visibility into leads being […]
Career Education Review Features Datamark’s Collaborative Research
For some prospective students it simply takes time to make the decision to apply and enroll, and for others, a little bit of nurturing can go a long way. We teamed up with our colleagues, Martin Lind at Leads360 and Chris McArdle at Neustar, to dissect the extent to which inquiry nurturing programs exist at […]
Introducing Our New Lead Confidence Toolkit
Posted on March 11, 2013 by Rick Bentz They say the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. I buy it, for the most part, especially when you think about it in terms of our new Lead Confidence Toolkit. All of our lead management and compliance solutions have value in their own right. […]
Introducing Our New Lead Confidence Toolkit
They say the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. I buy it, for the most part, especially when you think about it in terms of our new Lead Confidence Toolkit. All of our lead management and compliance solutions have value in their own right. But when bundled together, the impact is far […]
Where is Social Media Marketing Taking Us?
Social media has come a long way in its relatively short existence. HubSpot recently published its “6 Ways Social Media Marketing is Changing (For the Better)” and I just couldn’t help but think how this channel has evolved from its role in facilitating personal connections – those I’ve made with long lost elementary school buddies […]
What Do We Have to Look Forward to in 2013? Part IV: Marketing and Mobile
As I wrap up this blog series on trends and predictions that will impact us as marketers, I’d like to close with my thoughts on Marketing and Mobile. Let’s face it, mobile is everywhere. I came across an article on Mobile Marketer that I thought was interesting, Top 10 Mobile Trends for Marketers and Retailers […]
What Do We Have to Look Forward to in 2013? Part III: Marketing and Data Analytics
Here we go with the third installment of this series – in case you missed my first two posts, I encourage you to check out trends on Marketing and the Customer Experience and Marketing and Branding. Today’s prediction comes from Ovum’s 2013 Trends to Watch: Education Technology and focuses on the following: “Institutions will turn […]
What Do We Have to Look Forward to in 2013? Part II: Marketing and Branding
As we continue to look at the predictions circulating for 2013, I’d like to take this opportunity to talk about marketing and branding. By the way, if you missed my first post in this series about Marketing and the Customer Experience, you can access it here. So let’s dive in. A conversation about marketing that […]
What Do We Have to Look Forward to in 2013? Part I: Marketing and the Customer Experience
Now that the first month of the New Year is coming to an end, I thought it would be interesting to write a series of blogs that highlight some of the predictions being thrown around out there, and take a look at what those predictions mean for those in education segment. . Ovum recently published […]
The Print Store is Here!
Imagine you are hosting an open house and want to promote it to 500 prospective students through direct mail. The open house is in 2 weeks, and you need to send something out fast in order to boost attendance. Now imagine the printer down the street only gives price breaks for big print jobs. Do […]
When is a Past Inquiry Still Worth Pursuing?
Just because a prospective student doesn’t begin to move forward through the enrollment process at first, doesn’t mean that individual won’t at some point. So, how do you continue to nurture that prospect to get to that point? We recently teamed up with our colleagues at Leads360 and Neustar® (formerly TARGUSinfo) to publish a joint […]
Part Three of Three: Top Three Happenings from the World of CPL and Traditional Media that May Impact Your Business
In this final part of our three-part CPL and traditional media series, we outline the importance of video. Videos are coming on the scene and are being used extensively during the evaluation process. Recent Google video usage studies suggest that there has been a significant uptick in use of higher education video assets on the […]
Part Two of Three: Top Three Happenings from the World of CPL and Traditional Media that May Impact Your Business
Part Two of Three: Mobile device marketing In this second part of our three-part CPL and traditional media series, we focus on emerging trend of marketing being optimized for mobile devices. Education seekers have adopted a 3-screen approach: 44% use a cellular and / or tablet device in their search. (Note: 97% still use a […]
Top Three Happenings from the World of CPL and Traditional Media that May Impact Your Business
Part one of Three: Response integration and attribution Staying on top of the trends and happenings with regards to CPL and media is a key priority for us at Datamark. We’ve compiled a three-part series that feature observations which may be key to your future marketing plans as you look to attract the attention of […]
Don’t Miss Datamark at CAPPS!
If you are planning on attending the 2012 CAPPS Annual Conference, we’d love to meet with you! Datamark will be on site networking and talking to schools about new and better ways to market to and recruit students. If you are not planning on attending, perhaps you might want to reconsider. The event draws a […]
Datamark at 25
To say that our CEO, Tom Dearden, has seen a lot of change in higher education marketing over the past two and a half decades is an understatement. Tom, who has been with Datamark for 23 of its 25 years (congrats Tom!) sat down with Michael Cooney over at Career Education Review to share his […]
Interested in Exceeding Your Inquiry Goal by 100%?
“How do you convert more of your existing inquiries?” is the question. “Remarketing” is the answer. Our research on the decision to enroll tells us that approximately 80% of prospective students who inquired about a school but did not enroll indicate that they intend to go back to school in the near future. You definitely […]
How Does Your School Compare on Remarketing Strategies?
At Datamark, we know that remarketing works. It can have a tremendous, not to mention cost effective, impact on enrollment. A significant number of our customers have been able to prioritize previous inquiries, consistently and effectively reach out to these prospective students, and ultimately see them start in school. That said, not every school is […]
New Additions to Our Executive Team
One of the true privileges of my role is being able to help attract and develop the next generation of education marketing leaders at Datamark. While it’s always fun to hire great talent, it’s even more fun to be able to see the advancement of internal rising stars. On behalf of our CEO, Tom Dearden, […]
Six Cool Career Infographics
Six Cool Career Infographics.
Think Direct Mail is Too Old School for Your School? Think Again. by Mark Wilhoite
Don’t let the fact that direct mail has been around for so long fool you. The art of direct mail isn’t what it once was. Direct mail can be incredibly dynamic, and as we know it, it is being reinvented, becoming more personalized, interactive, and effective than ever before. The team at Today’s Campus recently […]
Think Direct Mail is Too Old School for Your School? Think Again.
Don’t let the fact that direct mail has been around for so long fool you. The art of direct mail isn’t what it once was. Direct mail can be incredibly dynamic, and as we know it, it is being reinvented, becoming more personalized, interactive, and effective than ever before. The team at Today’s Campus recently […]
Do You Know What Motivates Prospective Students to Enroll?
Let’s face it, the more you know about your prospective students’ thought process during the enrollment process, the more likely you are to engage them at each step along the way, from the initial idea to further their education, through research, selection, application and enrollment. Ask yourself, why do prospective students decide to pursue higher […]
Don’t Miss Our Two Presentations at APSCU
It’s that time of year again when nearly 1500 people from hundreds of private sector schools will gather to network, discuss the future of the industry and learn how they can better serve their students. This year, Datamark was selected to moderate two interactive panels at the APSCU Annual Convention. We’ve lined up a stellar […]
Turn Uncontacted Leads into Inbound Calls
Let’s face it, cold calling is awkward. Your enrollment team can be far more productive, not to mention happy, fielding interested, inbound inquiries. So how do you drive more inbound calls in a cost-effective way? At Datamark, we’ve thought long and hard about this and we’ve come up with a solution that will help you […]
GOLD IN THE OLD
As long as anyone can remember, sales and marketing teams are continually looking for ways to produce more revenue for the company in cost effective ways. Typically, the most frequent method is to have marketing pour more leads and better leads into the top of the sales funnel. Who could argue with that? However, what […]
EduPortal Trends Heard Far and Loud at LeadsCon
Having returned recently from LeadsCon, I can’t help but think back on the conversations our media team had with education marketers and how their challenges and opportunities translate into trends that we believe will impact the sector in the months and years ahead. Based on what we heard, here are the trends we think are […]
Is your brand getting in the way of your marketing?
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, By any other name would smell as sweet.” – William Shakespeare (Romeo and Juliet) One of the central tenets of any marketing plan is to increase brand awareness. You want potential buyers, or in the case of education, potential students, to be familiar with your […]
Don’t Trust Growth to Guesswork
There’s no question about it, the resources and costs that are both necessary and at stake in new program development are high. And let’s face it, guessing which programs will be successful is far from a sound approach. It really comes down to research. Our very own Joel Borgmeier recently published an article in Today’s […]
New Year and New Outlook on CPL and EDU Portals: Media Days Take-Away #2
As we come to the next part in our series on the changing landscape of CPL and EDU Portals, let’s talk about our second key finding from the group of CPL vendors who participated in our Media Days event. Insight #2: As predicted, there has been a significant sorting out of the “bad” apples – […]
New Year and New Outlook on CPL and EDU Portals: Media Days Take-Away #1
As we go into a new year, can we expect a new outlook on Cost Per Lead and EDU Portals, or simply more of the same? At Datamark we recently held our 4th Semi-Annual Winter Media Days event where we brought together 8 of our top CPL partners to answer this very question. The group […]
Where Will the Misrepresentation Rules Take us in 2012?
What a year it has been on the regulatory front in higher education. In an industry that has seen such tremendous growth over the years, now more than ever colleges and universities are tightening the reigns, setting different expectations, implementing new policies and navigating a whole new era of compliance. I recently had a chance […]
New Student Enrollment Data Released: Where is the Growth Coming From?
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has released its latest student data, Projections of Education Statistics to 2020. While the trends seem to be in line with previous reports, as well as our internal expectations and research, I wanted to share with you the latest numbers. According to NCES, total enrollment in post-secondary degree […]
APSCU Misrepresentation Guidance: Datamark’s View
On October 11, APSCU published guidance for its membership on “The Misrepresentation Rule and Third-Party Vendors.” We congratulate APSCU on the publication of this very comprehensive treatment of a very complex topic, particularly its holistic review of the federal and state regulatory issues beyond “Substantial Misrepresentation” that education marketers must consider. We view the publication […]
LeadsCon Recap: What is the Education CPL Community Talking About?
I’d intended to pass along what we saw at LeadsCon East a few weeks back, and have finally had the chance to put “pen” to “paper.” LeadsCon has developed into one of the top places to network with the education CPL community. Congratulations to Dave Wengel and Jay Weintraub on their success. Attendees tend to […]
Misrepresentation Regulations, Part II: What Implications Will We See?
As we previously discussed, the U.S. Department of Education’s misrepresentation rules open up colleges and universities to greater liability and accountability. So what can we as education marketers expect when these rules go into effect? Based on our research, we predict the new regulations will cause: Demand for Greater Visibility – colleges will require audit-level […]
Misrepresentation Regulations, Part I: What Do They Mean?
The U.S. Department of Education’s misrepresentation regulations, which are slated to go into effect on July 1, 2011, create a significant risk when it comes to performance-based (CPL) Internet marketing. The rules bring a whole new meaning to what constitutes misrepresentation. Specifically these amendments will: Expand the scope of misrepresentation to include “any statement that […]
Talking Prospect Competition, Brand Integrity and Ethical Marketing at NAGAP
We just returned from the National Association of Graduate Admissions Professionals (NAGAP) conference, and I must say, as a first time attendee, this was a great show. The turnout was strong, the organization was effective and the attendees were eager to take admissions to the next level. A consistent theme throughout most of our conversations was […]
Headlines from LeadsCon
The annual LeadsCon event hit Las Vegas recently and turned out an insightful crowd of people. I joined several of my Datamark colleagues for the event, and it again proved to be a productive opportunity to meet with clients and leaders in internet lead generation to discuss trends, innovation and regulatory change. Congratulations to Jay and […]
More Educators Look to Post-Recession Marketing Strategies
“In the crowded field of private colleges, only those that differentiate themselves with signature programs and unique marketing strategies can hope to thrive in a challenging economy, several panelists stressed here on Tuesday at the annual meeting of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.” – The Chronicle of Higher Education, February 1, 2011 […]
What Makes You Tick?
I have spent the last several months exploring the topic of behavioral marketing. As I have read, researched, and discussed the topic I have found some great quotes. I’d like to share one of them from Bill Bernbach: At the heart of an effective creative philosophy is the belief that nothing is so powerful as an […]
Looking Ahead to Lead Volume, Cost and Quality
As we look to the future of the lead generation environment, we need to take into consideration both economic and regulatory drivers. To what extent will these factors, along with new technology, influence lead volume, lead cost and lead quality in the months and years to come? We recently gathered 10 of our top lead […]
Are Your Students Using Social Media?
The answer is yes – social media is everywhere these days. Take a look at the statistics KISSmetrics is reporting: 96% of 18-35 year olds are on a social network. 1 in 5 Americans age 18-35 use @twitter. Twitter is adding 300,000 users a day and 80% of Twitter usage is on mobile devices. Facebook […]
The Changing Marketing and Enrollment Landscape
I recently had the opportunity to interview with Keith Hampson, a well-known education consultant, speaker and founder of the Higher Education Management group on LinkedIn. Keith and I talked about the changing marketing and enrollment landscape, and the things that colleges and universities should be doing to adapt their strategies given economic recovery, regulatory changes […]
The Direct Mail Test Part II: What Steps Should You Take?
By now, we all understand the importance of testing direct mail. If not, I invite you to take a step back and visit “The Direct Mail Test Part I.” Testing, when done the right way, eliminates risk, unlike doing the same thing over and over again. Testing encourages new approaches and increases the likelihood of […]
The Direct Mail Test Part I: Why Bother?
Einstein said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” It goes without saying that there is a lot more risk in doing the same thing repeatedly than in testing new approaches. Testing direct mail is critical, and it should begin on your very first piece out of the […]
Strategic Recruitment for Both Business and Philanthropic Higher Education Models
In today’s economy with both greater demand for education and skyrocketing tuition rates coupled with a decline in fiscal support, students are wise to question and understand what they are getting for their investment of time and money. This is making today’s admissions environment more competitive than ever as all schools are being asked to […]
Program Feasibility Studies Part II: How Do You Do It?
As we discussed in my last blog post, program feasibility studies present an excellent opportunity to objectively select programs that will better serve students. So, what do you need to know as you look to drive new program development? While there are six primary steps to follow when building a program feasibility study, additional research […]
Program Feasibility Studies Part I: Why Do They Make Sense?
During the recent Council for Adult and Experiential Learning 2010 International Conference, I had the opportunity to present a session about the importance of program feasibility studies. Whether schools base their programs on internal evaluations, external demands, or both, I talked to the audience about research being an integral part of the equation when deciding […]
Why Does Lead Quality Matter, and Why Now More Than Ever?
The enrollment marketing and admissions landscape continues to change with new technological advances and ways to communicate. However, neither can enhance the enrollment process if the lead quality to begin with isn’t up to par. As a participant on a recent panel, “Why Lead Quality Matters Now More Than Ever,” at the TARGUSinfo Interactive Insights […]
What Does Your Outer Envelope Say About You?
The outer envelope is the king in direct mail, and it should receive just as much attention in the development process as what goes inside of it. An envelope has only one purpose: to be opened. Schools should consider the following when creating their direct mail outer envelope: Size Matters: different size envelopes can mean […]
California Schools Talk Marketing Strategies in a Rebounding Economy
Datamark joined Joseph Holt, Vice President of Marketing at San Joaquin Valley College (SJVC), in a presentation at the California Association of Private Postsecondary Schools (CAPPS) 26th Annual Conference. The topic was post-recession marketing strategies. SJVC is definitely at the forefront when it comes to understanding the enrollment landscape and proactively adapting its marketing strategies to […]
8 Advanced Mobile Marketing Strategies
Mobile search and text messaging are the foundation for building an effective, database driven mobile program. But how you build up from there is as wide-open as the new mobile medium itself. The trick is to figure out what works best for your school when there are no completely proven best practices to pull from […]
Trend to Watch: The Power of the Online Degree
In the early years of eLearning, many questioned not only the academic rigor and quality of an online degree, but also its place in corporate America. Would online graduates enter the job market with the same skill set as someone who earned his/her degree in a traditional bricks and mortar setting? And could online graduates […]
Higher Education Marketing, Meet Higher Standards
The decision to start or go back to school is not one that a student enters into lightly – it involves significant timing, lifestyle and financial considerations. It is therefore imperative that we as marketers take these factors into account and keep student needs and goals top of mind when it comes to the messaging, […]
Plan Now to Reduce Reliance on Third Party Lead Vendors
The pending regulatory changes have created a lot of discussion around the impact of compliance in marketing and how stricter regulations will affect media spend. A good example is the recent press surrounding the University of Phoenix announcement to reduce reliance on third-party lead providers. Not to mention, lead vendors seemingly coming out of the woodwork […]
Strategic Recruiting: Tips for Gaining a Competitive Advantage
Continuing education is growing and evolving at a phenomenal pace. More adults are reacting to tough economic conditions by actively seeking opportunities to change careers, finish degrees, or increase job security. And more higher education schools, colleges, and universities are responding by expanding their continuing education and distance learning offerings. Here are a few tips […]
Plan Your New Year Recruitment Efforts Now
Every new year, we know that adults make resolutions to better their lives. Among the top ten resolutions made each year is the desire to learn something new or receive further education. What that means is schools have an upcoming opportunity to speak to prospective students when they are motivated with a message that will […]
Trend to Watch: DIY-U Start-Ups
Bill Gates recently said, “Five years from now on the web for free you’ll be able to find the best lectures in the world” and online education “will be better than any single university.” Over the past several months we have been monitoring the EduPunk and DIY-U start-ups. Unlike traditional and for-profit schools, these new […]
3 Tips to Get Visitors On The Go
What do mobile users experience when searching for and visiting your school on their handheld devices? Do they find your web site easily or at all? Once there, is your site format and content comprehensible? To connect with mobile visitors, you have to pay closer attention to their environment and optimize your web assets. Here […]
Develop a Text Messaging Contact Strategy
Here’s a jaw-dropper: 60% of people, under age 30, read their text messages within a minute of receiving them. And these same people can take up to four days to listen to their voicemail, according to Compliance Point. So what does this mean for schools? As even more potential applicants rely on texts for primary […]
Start a New Conversation with Students
The mobile revolution is here. Schools that begin now to use mobile marketing’s unique capabilities to meet their highly connected students and prospects where they are—on their devices—will be able to start new types of interactive conversations with them. You’ll be able to create richer, more individualized dialogs than ever before. By offering new mobile […]
8 Strategies to Combat Post-Recession Challenges
The economic environment is changing once again, and with that change comes challenges for education marketers. But there are ways to turn post-recession challenges into distinct marketing opportunities. Following are eight enrollment marketing strategies to help you through the economic recovery: Pay for inquiries based on their quality. Prioritize your inquiries based on their likelihood […]
Economic Recovery Brings Challenges to Education Marketers
Since 1990, the United States has experienced three major recessions, and during each of these tumultuous periods, higher education marketers have found a unique silver lining – student inquiries have sprouted easily and school enrollments have grown. As economic recovery has turned the corner and unemployed prospects have found new job opportunities, the bounty of […]
Trusted Voices in a Changing Environment
The winds of change are sweeping through the environment for education marketing. Metric and database analytics have brought new levels of efficiency and sophistication to the practice. For–profit and not-for-profit universities now compete for the same students. And, with new communication channels available and an uncertain regulatory future looming on the horizon, we’re poised for […]