Eigna,
It sounds like your institution has implemented a comprehensive plan for ensuring timely follow up with prospective students. How do you find the plan works for you in your interactions with prospective students and their familes, Eigna?
Shannon Gormley
Our institution established a time lime to return and address our prospective students. Once we receive the inquiry, the designated officer returns the call within 24 hours. If the student has filled out a prospective card, the officer will add the information to the system and students are contacted within 48 hours. If the prospective student is a walk-in, the designated officer will provide and orientation on Campus facilities, programs, transfer courses policy, credentials and costs, among other topics of interest. This provides the prospective student with the necessary information to consider the program as an educational alternative or compare.
I have found that implementing a multi-channel communucation plan ensures the student is communicated with effectively. It is important to use different communication methods such as email, mail, phone calls and even text messages to communicate with the student. Very important, though, is not to bombard the student with constant and annoying follow up. A timeline should be set up to determine when and by which means we should communicate with the prospective student.
ubaldo,
These are awesome ways to follow-up with and re-engage your students! I can imagine that these sessions are extremely helpful to students and they give the students an opportunity to interact with you on a different level as well. Keep up the good work!
Shannon Gormley
As a Counselor some of my duties or responsibilities are to organize workshops such as: motivation, study habits and self-esteem. Is really impressed to see how much they enjoy and learned from these activities, which giving me another great opportunity to be close to them.
ubaldo,
Great insights. Staying connected with your students is an excellent practice for follow up. One of the ways you can stay connected and show the student how important they are to you is to deliver information as promised. What are some of the other ways you stay connected with your students, Ubaldo?
I think that Stay Connected is a great follow up practice because is another way to demonstrate how much important is the prospective to us.
Sometimes after following up with students, you find that since they left and all objections have been overcome, more might have surfaced since telling the other important people in their lives and the student has gotten some negative influence. It is then up to you to tackle and overcome these as well. Without follow-up, you would never know and come start date, student would more than likely not show. This is your way to keep them motivated and remind them of why they want this career in the first place.
Glad to hear you found the suggestions helpful. Let me know how it's working for you as you apply some of the techniques. Good luck!
Thank you so much for the suggestions! I will apply, really!
You're right, Malenie, there are a variety of ways to follow up with your students nowadays. It can be a challenge to re-connect with students for many reps, especially with technology. One suggestion to increase the likliehood that you'll get the student in your follow up is to ask them how they prefer to receive communications and then tailor your approach to suit that student's needs.
The best way should be a one on one follow up, but nowadays technology is increasing. Electronic mailing, mail, by phone, postcards, letters, at times text messages, job fairs, school fairs, book fairs, in school activities, etc.
Great observation, Karla. Not only does follow up help the student feel validated and important, it also demonstrates your ability to follow through on what you've promised. This goes a long way in building your credibility with your students as well as helps to increase trust.
following up make the student feel important inthe isntitution rather then they are just a number
Thanks for sharing, Shelby. It sounds like you work to foster your initial connection with the student continuously. I'm curious, besides a phone call, what are some other ways you reach out to your students after your initial meeting?
I called them within 1 or 2 days to see if they have any question or doubt so they know i'm there to help them
Call the student every couple of months just to see where they are in making their decision and how they are doing.
Great practices, Madelyne. As you well know, follow up is the key to maintaining a strong connection with your students and demonstrating what they mean to you. All the best to you in your continued success.
I always follow up with a call after the interview thanking them for coming to see our school and asking if I can answer any more questons that they may have, if I cannot reach them I send a Thank You card. This has always sent a good message that I really valued the time we spent together.
Excellent observation, Michael! Using a variety of methods to follow up is a great practice. It allows you to re-connect with your student in a manner that is most suitable for their preference rather than our own. If we only follow up on the phone, it's likely that we may only speak to the people who prefer to talk on the phone. Keep up the good work!
