CRM Solutions in Higher Education: Why a Customer Relationship Management System can Help You Recruit New Students

Meeting students along their journeys is vital to success in increasing enrollment at colleges and universities. That’s one factor. For the most effective results, however, humanizing your brand by personalizing communications is fundamental. That’s the second factor.

So, as for the first point: Do you know where your prospective students learn about you and where they are in their journeys? And as for the second: Do you know how to capture their attention? 

Using a customer relationship management (CRM) system to optimize outreaches to prospective higher education students helps you address both factors at once – allowing you to pinpoint where they are in their journeys so that you can send impactful and relevant communications. CRM systems automate tasks, while well-thought-out strategies, brand consistency, personalized communications and relevant messaging win the hearts and minds of prospective students.

What is a CRM and What Types of CRM Systems are Ideal for Colleges and Universities?

A customer relationship management system is a technology platform designed to manage and analyze interactions and relationships with audiences — in this case students, alumni and other stakeholders. The system typically integrates various functions — such as communication, marketing, recruitment, admissions and alumni relations — into a single platform to streamline processes, improve communication and enhance engagement. 

The systems often include data analytics that you can use to optimize your marketing efforts, and they also can be integrated with other platforms, although this step may require the help of a software developer or information technology professional.

Types of CRM systems ideal for colleges and universities include the following:

Operational CRMs

Operational CRMs focus on streamlining the various operational processes involved in managing student relationships, such as recruitment, admissions and student services. The systems may include automation of routine tasks like email marketing, application processing and follow-ups.

Analytics-based CRMs

These systems provide data that administrators can use to develop insights into student behavior, recruitment effectiveness and overall performance of marketing campaigns. The systems may feature tools for data mining, segmentation for targeted campaigns and predictive modeling to identify trends.

Collaboration-based CRMs

Many CRMs for colleges facilitate communication and collaboration among different departments, such as admissions and financial aid. They may feature workflow management and communication tools.

Student- and Alumni-based CRMs

A variety of CRMs are designed specifically for the higher education sector and feature tools for recruitment, admissions and student engagement. These CRM systems typically include capabilities for event management, engagement tracking and personalized communication throughout the student journey. They also may feature alumni engagement, which is especially ideal for fundraising, volunteerism, public relations and event attendance purposes.

There are hundreds of CRM brands, with a few of the most common being Slate, Salesforce, Zoho and HubSpot. In some cases, software developers can design their own to meet their organizations’ unique needs.

Attracting Students with the Help of a Customer Relationship Management System

By leveraging a CRM system, higher education institutions can enhance their recruitment strategies, improve communication and offer a more personalized experience to prospective students. This, in turn, leads to higher attraction and conversion rates, ultimately helping the institution grow and maintain a competitive edge in the education sector.

In fact, according to Next Door Business, personalized campaigns have been shown to significantly boost conversion rates — as high as 94 percent —as they speak directly to the customer's needs and interests. New Epsilon research shows that 80 percent of consumers are more likely to purchase from a brand that provides tailored experiences, and according to research from McKinsey, 71 percent of consumers expect companies to deliver personalized interactions. 

A CRM enables schools to manage processes and communications, segment student groups for more personalized and relevant marketing purposes, track their engagement with your communications, follow them along the student journey, increase enrollment rates and make recruiting processes more efficient.

When it comes to where students are in the funnel, a CRM gives schools the ability to recognize the who, when, where and why — enabling the schools to nudge students along in the process. Choosing the right college, university, trade school or graduate school is challenging, so students will appreciate having someone help them along the way. Data and pipelines through a CRM enable the schools to personalize relevant communications that meet students where they are, and building brand recognition and positive relationships with prospects can lead to a higher recruitment rate.

Personalized Communication and Audience Segmentation

CRM systems allow schools to segment prospective students based on various factors such as interests, geography and academic performance. When students receive information that is relevant to their interests and needs, they are more likely to consider the institution favorably.

Efficient Lead Management

A CRM system helps track every interaction with prospective students from the moment they show interest. It can automate follow-ups, schedule calls and send reminders to admissions teams. Timely follow-ups and organized outreach can significantly increase the chances of converting leads into enrolled students.

Streamlined Digital Marketing

Schools can create, send and monitor marketing emails and social media posts and even post onto their own websites through certain types of CRM systems. The data available within the systems allows administrators to assess which campaigns are most effective and implement further communication strategies. Through the system, administrators can segment audiences to ensure that the communications are personalized, helping to create a more positive connection with recipients; the more people feel connected to a school, the more likely they are to think of it in the decision phase of their journeys. College administrators can also use CRMs to follow and participate in relevant discussions on social media platforms, which is another key in humanizing your school with the goal of building connections.

Data-Driven Decision Making 

CRM systems provide schools with analytics and reporting tools that offer insights into the effectiveness of recruitment campaigns, communication strategies and student behaviors. Data-driven insights enable higher education institutions to refine their recruitment strategies, allocate resources more effectively and optimize the student recruitment funnel.

Enhanced Student Experience

With a CRM, institutions can offer a seamless experience by providing prospective students with consistent information and support across various touchpoints. Automated responses, personalized portals and easy access to information contribute to a smoother journey. A CRM helps ensure that prospective students feel valued and supported throughout the process.

Streamlined Application Process

CRMs can be integrated with application systems, allowing prospective students to easily submit and track their applications. A streamlined application process reduces barriers to entry, making it easier for students to complete the process.

Centralized Information Management

A CRM serves as a centralized hub for all prospective student data, interactions and communications, making it accessible to different departments such as admissions, marketing and financial aid. Centralized data ensures that all teams have the most up-to-date information, enabling coordinated and consistent communication with prospective students.

Alumni Engagement 

A CRM allows schools to maintain relationships with alumni, such as by promoting events and fundraising opportunities or asking alumni to talk about their stories of success for public relations and new student recruiting purposes. Alumni are your greatest influencers, as they often tell their college-bound children, siblings, friends or neighbors about the positive experiences they had at your school.

Solutions for Higher Education Marketing

There are so many skills required in managing a CRM for schools that the best approach is to see an outside partner to fill in the organization’s skill gap and get a program launched.

With decades of experience in higher education marketing, Phoenix Innovate utilizes an omnichannel approach that combines technology, digital and direct response marketing, distribution capabilities and data-based insights with our creativity and ingenuity to create transformative and sustainable solutions for schools. Consider these examples:

• Our past marketing efforts increased tours at a Michigan university threefold.
• For an educational foundation, we reduced the cost to raise a dollar from $2 in year one to 10 cents in the third year, while increasing the client’s ROI from 2x in year one to 10x in year three.
• We developed technology solutions for a Michigan university that increased data capture by 40 percent, and we improved the ability to track demographics of students and their engagement earlier in the funnel.
• Within weeks of the start of the global pandemic, our technology team built a 24/7 eStore for an Indiana college’s PPE needs, and we provided direct shipping to more than 70,000 students, faculty and staff spread over 22 individual campus locations through our distributed marketing solutions.

Additionally, one of Phoenix Innovate’s proprietary technologies, the EMPOWER Student Information System, can be integrated with a wide variety of CRMs. Used by universities, colleges, trade schools, graduate schools and tribal colleges around the world, EMPOWER features several modules that can complement the effectiveness of CRM systems. The EMPOWER Student Information System allows users to streamline and optimize processes related to admissions, records, registration, billing, financial aid, student life, alumni records, donor lists, degree audits, payroll, continuing education and more.

Our team understands that each institution brings their own set of requirements for reporting, data management, engagement and budget. EMPOWER is a software-as-a-service solution that addresses the unique needs of every institution.

When schools choose Phoenix Innovate as their marketing solutions provider, therefore, our team will work closely with their administrators to determine how best to meet the schools’ needs. Whether it’s by integrating and analyzing data-based technology solutions, assisting in traditional marketing efforts, implementing EMPOWER, providing distributed marketing and warehousing or a wide array of other customizations, Phoenix Innovate serves as your partner to help you identify and optimize strategies for greater enrollment.

For more information about Phoenix Innovate’s customized marketing solutions for higher education institutions, connect with us through our website or reach out to a member of our business development team. To learn more about EMPOWER, schedule a free consultation with a member of the team!