Spring Your CRM Into Action

With spring visits, spring break, decision letter prep and releases, and the ever-present pressure of May 1 looming, March is anything but calm in the world of admissions. That’s why it’s so important that your events are properly set up and organized, payments are being collected, academic advisor calendar integrations are functioning, and checklists are being implemented. Whew, that’s a long list.

Thankfully, we know your pain points and are here to help with tips and tricks to set your office up for success in the coming weeks — no special luck required! 🍀

Oh, decision releases… Few things are more stressful or take more time to get right. Whether it’s striking the precise note of empathy in denial or waitlist messages, or putting together a celebratory admit package, it takes a whole lot of work. To help ensure you’re getting the reactions you’re hoping for, leverage personalization at every step! Tailor your messages to reflect each student’s journey and achievements. Little details like including their intended major, calling out their interests, or noting something from their application essay that stood out to you, can go such a long way.

Carry that personalization through customized checklists and utilize segmentation to make sure students are only receiving information relevant to them (events included!).

With spring and summer comes the natural influx of on-campus visitors! Are you ready? Make sure your events are updated and all associated communications (invitations, reminders, instructions, confirmations, etc.) are crafted and automated to perfection.

How? Start with—you guessed it—personalization! Use your CRM to track student interests and tailor their visit experience accordingly. If a student is interested in a particular major, arrange for them to meet with faculty or attend a class. Did they list specific clubs or activities they want to pursue? Show them those meeting spaces and introduce them to current members! Also, don’t overlook the importance of following up with students and families after their visit. Setting up your CRM to automatically send out post-visit surveys not only provides another touch point, but the feedback you’ll gather will also be critical for refining and enhancing future events. Surveys can be built in your CRM or in other platforms like Qualtrics. If you don’t know where to start, ask us how! Remember, the hard work you put in now leads to stellar anti-melt initiatives later.

Last but certainly not least, try rethinking how you and your team interact with students and families. Instead of asking generic questions, inquire about the students’ interests, career goals, or what they’re most looking forward to about college. Doing so not only helps foster more meaningful connections, but it will also help you stand out in their memory.

Let’s be real—getting students to confirm their enrollment and pay their deposits can take some serious work. Help ease the burden on your team by keeping the following in mind:

1. It’s easy to forget that not everyone knows what we mean when we say “enrollment deposit.” Let’s make sure it’s clear from the get-go by using plain language to explain what it is and why it’s important.
2. Make sure you provide easy, step-by-step instructions on how and where to submit deposits and required paperwork.
3. Take an omnichannel approach to May 1 reminders and leverage key dates as the deadline approaches. Think countdown emails and texts, phone calls, or even IG Live Q&A sessions!