Viene,
Absolutely. All of these competencies contribute to your overall success and effectiveness in serving students.
Shannon Gormley
People Skills, Attitude and Knowledge of your product are very essential on giving the best service for your client.
Thanks for sharing, Thacha. People skills are a key piece for establishing a positive relationship with your students. What specific people skills will you use to help your student feel comfortable and open up with you?
Shannon Gormley
People Skills- potential students want to feel like someone at the school cares and that they can somewhat understand there reasoning for going to school. Your people skills will determine whether or not the student is willing to open up and feel comfortable within their surrounding. This will determine for me if the student comes back or not!
Belinda,
Excellent insights and awareness. Each of these components are critical to the success of the admissions professional and for many others within the organization as well. What are some of the ways that you work to enhance each of these areas for yourself, Belinda?
Shannon Gormley
All four of this elements are very important, and not only for the Admission Reps.
Adm. Reps must know all the product has and offers, if you don't have the correct info you will not be able to sell.
They need to have sales, people skills, and a great attitude in order to serve all prospect and enrolled students.
Great point, Monique. Without a doubt it is important to stay abreast of changes impacting your department, institution and industry as a whole. Offering the most accurate and up to date information to students is a must.
Shannon Gormley
Excellent point, Monique. I see that you truly work to connect with your students and capture the elements that are most unique to each of them. Having a positive attitude and being naturally curious about your students is a great place to start. Keep it up!
Shannon Gormley
carlos,
Product knowledge is also an important component for your success. Ultimately, it takes all four of the areas to be successful. However, understanding your product to ensure there is a fit between your institution and the student is defintely important. I'm curious, what do you do if you discover there is not a fit?
Shannon Gormley
Product knowledge. Information changes periodically and we need to be disciplined in keeping abreast of current product information and changes in order to be more productive in our product delivery to prospective students.
Attitude. Without a positive attitude and great personality, you don't deliver the confidence necessary to totally engage the prospective student. Students come with different complexities and you need to be able to capture and connect with their needs and deliver exempliary professionalism throughout the entire process in order to allow them the willingness and freedom to accept what you are offering.
I also think that product knowlegde is going to be the key factor, selling the school, and seeing if we have what the students need starts by knowing what we offer
Jeff,
Thanks for sharing your insights. It looks as though you believe that your people skills, attitude and knowledge of your institution and what you have to offer allow you the opportunity to serve your students in the best possible way. I think that keeping the idea that you're helping students determine their best path is a great way to stay focused. Keep it up!
Shannon Gormley
1. People Skills: In order to relate and to explore common ground with the student, people skills are essential.
2. Product Knowledge: In order to give the student all the information that they need along with additional answers to questions they might have not thought of at that time.
3. Attitude: To have a positive and bright attitude brings a healthy environment to the student and your overall school. First impressions are very important.
4. Sales Skills: I put these last only because I believe if you follow the three elements above, sales skills will flow naturally. You're not selling cars and trying to close deals, you're helping someone find the right path for their future.
Thanks Sharon. We do a lot of training with reps, constant review of Dos and Don'ts.Regular observations and feedback also help.
sangeetha,
Thank you for
Thank you for sharing your insights. Respect, candor, and transparency are absolutely essential in the relationship between admissions professional and prospective student. What are some of the things that you do to ensure this happens?
Shannon Gormley
People skills is the most critical element for the admissions professional. Students must be treated with candor and respect, and there should be complete transparency in the process.
Excellent outlook, Yolanda. This outlook is not always easy to achieve, but it sounds like you've done it. I'm guessing you see the glass as "half full" and do your best to share your optimism with others. Keep up the great work and congratulations!
Shannon Gormley
I do not allow the negativity to "rent" out any space in my head. It's not worth it and bedies there's good in any situation.
Yolanda,
Great observation. I get the sense that you work hard to convey a positive attitude in all that you do, which is excellent. I'd love to know how your positive attitude has helped you achieve success in your job?
Shannon Gormley
