Do this now with juniors: by Jeremy Tiers
My goal in today’s VIP extra is to make sure you get started on the right foot with your current list of juniors.
Here are two things that can help you take the early lead:
Share both the positives and the negatives. Too many admission counselors only talk about the positives associated with their school during those early conversations. This generation of students, and their parents, are looking for colleges that demonstrate honesty during the recruitment process. Remember, students and parents are coming into the conversation with biases for and/or against your school. If you paint a “perfect” picture in everything you show them and tell them, you run the risk of making them question whether they’re getting the real story from you. It’s best to show your “cracks” before they show up in unexpected places or at unexpected times.
Change your call to action. Visit, Visit, Apply, Apply…sound familiar? There’s a time and a place for those, and it’s not always right out of the gate. Instead, at the end of your email or letter, try asking your junior prospects if what you’re saying matches up with what they’re looking for in a college, or how much what you just shared matters to them. Not only will this demonstrate that you understand the process is about their wants and needs, but you’ll also be making them feel more comfortable engaging with you. Build, build, build that recruiting relationship…then ask them to visit or apply.