THE OL’ COLLEGE TRY
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how we do a lot of things, but few institutions have been as shaken by this global event as education. When it comes to college recruitment, universities have had to become creative with their sales techniques for prospective students — and it’s paying off. Here are two pivots universities have made and how you can cash in on the action, according to the American Marketing Association (AMA). College Tours Students typically lead tours throughout the hallowed halls of the university and end with presentations, Q&A sessions, and conversations with experts. Since having to convert to online tours, universities have been able to target a wider demographic. More students can tune into a live tour without having to travel, and administrators and professors who may not have had time for previous tours can offer their expertise with prerecorded presentations. You Try It: Part of landing a sale is connecting with your prospective clients. What better way to do that than introducing what you have to offer in a virtual tour? Create a video of your team walking clients through your process step by step and introduce
the prospective clients to your team. People do business with people they like, and when you showcase your culture on video, clients will feel that connection, even if they can’t be there in person.
Direct Mail Campaigns With more people at home and school platforms converting to the digital sphere, universities have a greater opportunity to directly target students. In the past, mailers would typically hit the junk pile at parents’ homes. However, universities are using this opportunity to improve the design of their materials and mail out more appealing brochures and other packets they’d typically hand out on campus. You Try It: Mail has become more important than ever, but you need to stand out in a direct mail campaign. Play with the design of your typical mailers and consider adapting your e-newsletter to a print one. As Texas A&M’s director of social media Krista Berend explained in a June 2020 AMA article, “Our world is dominated by screens.” Engaging with your clients through the mail that goes directly to their homes — without targeted ads drowning out your message — is a much more intimate way to grab their attention.
You can learn other recruitment tactics at AMA.org.
PANDEMIC HAUNTS HALLOWEEN
Halloween 2020 arrived in Bobby Smith’s bedroom with a bang. The 8-year-old was standing in front
of his mirror, straightening the collar of his vampire cape. He had just grabbed his jack-o’-lantern candy bucket when BAM! The door flew open. There stood the scariest werewolf Bobby had ever seen. It was covered in hair, had long claws, and ran howling right at him. Bobby dodged the monster and ran out into the hallway. There, he ran into a deep fog! He couldn’t believe it. Then, he saw the shape of his dad coming toward him. Help had arrived. But when his father got closer, Bobby realized it was not his father at all — it was a zombie! His dad’s mouth was hanging open and he was shuffling right toward Bobby, mumbling something about eating his brain. Yikes!
you? There are monsters in the house!” His mom ran into the room. Thankfully, she looked normal — Zombie Dad hadn’t gotten to her yet. “We need to get in the car and go to Grandma’s house!” she said. “The monsters won’t be able to get us there. But — oh no! The werewolf threw my car keys into that mess.” She was pointing to a big bowl on the kitchen table, and when Bobby peered into it, he saw a disgusting pile of white noodle-shaped things in red ooze. It was a pile of blood and guts! Gritting
his teeth, he reached into the slimy gunk and dug around for the keys. He got them! Feeling like a hero, he tossed them to his mom. Then, they heard growling coming from the living room. “Go, go!” she said, and they scrambled for the door. Running down the driveway to the car, ghosts swooped down toward Bobby from the trees overhead. Shrieking, he dove into the back seat. They’d made it! Just then, Bobby heard a tapping on the window. It was his big brother, wearing his werewolf costume without the mask. Their dad was standing behind him, smiling bigger than a zombie ever would. “You did, little man!” he said. “Did you like my spaghetti and ketchup? How about we go to Grandma’s and get some candy?” Bobby cracked up — they had really gotten him good! And now he was going to get candy, too? This really was the best Halloween ever.
Bobby slipped past the zombie and sped into the kitchen. “Mom!” he shouted. “Mom, where are
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