How Schools Can Get Techy with Their Marketing – Part 3: Marketing Automation

Imagine a school with a team of marketing tasked with generating leads and an admissions team who are tasked with converting these leads into applications & enrollments. They run advertising campaigns, commission offline marketing collateral and host open houses to generate interest and collect contact information from interested students. However, once the form is submitted or the event is over, the teams are faced with the daunting task of following up with each lead individually, sending them information about the school, answering their questions, and encouraging them to take the next steps in the enrollment process. With dozens, if not hundreds, of leads to manage at any given time, it’s easy for things to fall through the cracks.

This is where marketing automation comes in. Marketing automation refers to software platforms and technologies designed to automate repetitive marketing tasks and streamline lead nurturing processes. By automating tasks such as email follow-up, lead scoring, and lead segmentation, schools can better manage their leads and improve their chances of converting them into enrolled students.

One of the key benefits of marketing automation is that it allows schools to deliver personalized and relevant content to each lead at every stage of the customer journey. For example, a prospective student who has just expressed interest in the school might receive a welcome email that provides more information about the school’s programs and services. As the student progresses through the enrollment journey, they might receive targeted emails that highlight specific aspects of the school that align with their interests and needs.

Another benefit of marketing automation is that it can help schools better understand their leads and make data-driven decisions about their marketing strategies. For example, by tracking which emails are opened and which links are clicked, schools can gain insights into which content resonates best with their audience and adjust their messaging accordingly. Similarly, by assigning priority scores to each lead based on their engagement and behavior, the teams can focus their follow-up efforts on the leads that are most likely to convert.

Marketing automation can also help schools save time and resources by automating repetitive tasks and freeing up staff to focus on other high-value activities, such as creating new content, developing partnerships, and building relationships with prospective students.

There are many marketing automation tools on the market, including Hubspot, ActiveCampaign, and Marketo. While these tools require an investment, they can provide a significant return by improving lead generation and nurturing, streamlining workflows, and providing valuable insights into the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.

In conclusion, marketing automation is a powerful tool for schools looking to streamline their lead nurturing processes, deliver personalized and relevant content, gain insights into their audience, and optimize their marketing efforts. By adopting marketing automation technology, schools can improve their chances of converting leads into enrolled students and stay ahead of the curve in an increasingly competitive landscape.