Developing a Marketing and
Recruitment Plan
Improve your applicant pool and
enrollment numbers
Mackenzie Buxcel, Director of Admission
Creighton University School of Pharmacy and Health Professions
(402) 280-2662
MackenzieBuxcel@creighton.edu
Christine Stumm, Registrar and Assistant Director of Admissions & Advisement
University at Buffalo, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
(716) 645-2776
crm23@buffalo.edu
Stages
1. Planning
2. Attract and Recruit
3. Enroll and Retain
Resources
1. Human
2. Technology
3. Financial
Planning
• Define Your Targets
Who do you want, where are they from, how many?
• Define Your Brand
What is your program known for, what do your targets want?
• Assess Recruitment Needs Compared to Resources
What do you need to accomplish recruitment and marketing goals?
• Utilizing Your Most Important Resources
Faculty, staff, advisors, students, alumni, other departments
• Develop a Communication Plan
Electronic and “old school” communications
Attract and Recruit
• Travel
Graduate Fairs, Career Fairs (careful), Health Science Advisor meetings,
Pre-Rx Clubs, Information Sessions, Class Presentations
• Print Media
Publications….are they current? Relevant? Do they make an impression?
• “Traditional” Means of Communication
Calling Campaigns, Email, Mailings
• Campus Events
Open House, Discovery Day, Orientation, Interview Sessions
• Electronic Communication
Websites, Social Media, Online Advertising, Webinars, Search Engine
Marketing, E-Newsletters, Virtual Chats, Automated Responses and
Referrals
Content
• Include top benefits wherever
possible
• Admissions and cost/aid
• Audience-specific content
• Student and faculty blogs
• Directory and FAQs
Navigation
• Search function
• Consistent global navigation on all
pages
• Two clicks or less to admissions and
cost/aid
• Search Engine Optimization
Functionality
• Inquiry/more information form
• Visit request/event RSVP
• Application checklist
• Live chat/IM
• Tuition/aid/scholarship calculators or
estimators
• Student and faculty blogs
• Student and faculty profiles with
contact information
• Interactive features
Your website:
The Most Comprehensive Communications
Resource in your Recruitment Marketing
Plan.
Social Media
• Start a Facebook page and MAINTAIN it
• Maintenance is the key to keeping
prospective students coming back for
more
• “Find us on Facebook”
• Before creating the page, it must be
decided who will maintain it and how
often
• Encourage faculty, students, staff to get
involved
• Facebook Pages vs. Advertisements
Social Media
Twitter
• Link Facebook posts
• Frequent tweets
• Hashtags
• Retweets
YouTube
• Create Videos
• Share Relevant Videos
LinkedIn
• Create a Closed Alumni Group
• Notify Alumni Affairs with New Members
• Auto Welcome Message
• Subgroups (different types of pharmacists,
alumni volunteers)
• Post Jobs
Pinterest
• Info Graphic (http://infogr.am/)
• Text on Pictures (http://www.picmonkey.com)
• Original Content (not just repins)
Re-Targeting
Enroll and Retain
•
•
•
•
Be Helpful and Informative
Be Timely
Be Receptive
Engage
Students will
change their
minds at various
points in the
enrollment funnel
Other Resources
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
IT Departments
Other Health-Related Schools
PCAT Search Service
Summer Research Programs
Professional Organizations and Publications
AACP
Undergraduate Admissions and Undergraduate
Advisors
• Graduate Admissions and Graduate Advisors
• SWOT Analysis
Questions or Comments?
Thank You!