Marketing Trends in International Education
Geoff Moody – Director of International Recruitment
Green River Community College
Joshua Clark – Director of Admission
Hawai‘i Preparatory Academy
Keys to Success in International Marketing and Recruitment
•Research
•Investment
•Administrative Support
•Social Networking
•Financial Leveraging
•Diversification
•Return on Investment
•Maximize Potential Through Local Resources
•Persistence, Patience, Perseverance
Research
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Look at your institution: SWOT Analysis
Understand your market
Analyze your competitors successes, failures
Research general trends (Open Doors publications, etc.)
Identify opportunities in less saturated markets
Student Focus groups can help you understand how you are seen
Be aware of and sensitive to the culture of the target market
Know if you need limited materials translated (A One-Page Overview
with key points is helpful for parents who may not understand English)
Investment
• Dream big, but work within your limits
• Effectively communicate the benefits of international education and
revenue growth possibilities to senior administration (see support)
• You have to spend money to make money
• Learn how to effectively use armchair recruitment techniques that
cost little to nothing
– SKYPE, Webinars
– Education USA centers
– Social Networking (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube)
Administrative Support
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Essential to your success
A leader from international offices should be on search committees when
possible regarding the hiring of Presidents, Vice Presidents, etc.
Numbers talk. The most effective way to lobby for funds is to illustrate how
a successful international recruitment effort can positively affect the
insitution’s bottom line.
Lobby faculty based on increased prestige connected with thriving
international student bodies and the higher probabilities of building
meaningful collaborations with foreign institutions.
Social Networking
Communicate with potential students in the same way they communicate
between themselves.
Students respond to Facebook mails much more quickly on average than
they do to traditional emails.
Convert potential students to followers on Twitter and keep them abreast
of what’s going on at your institution
Construct a YouTube page (channel) where you archive all of your
videos, this is an essential part of any school’s international branding
strategy.
How much does this cost you?
If you want to pay, Facebook advertising can be a good way to reach
specific targets on a budget
Social Networking Cont’d
Be aware of which social networking sites (SNS) are most popular in
the country of focus
For example in China, Facebook is not as popular as some Chinese developed sites
Xiaonei.com (now called Renren.com), Kaixin001.com, and 51.com are the 3 most
popular sites in China
If you have current students from a country where you are recruiting,
have them post regularly on your SNS – the peer to peer posts can
have a different and positive impact beyond your own posts
Use your Student Ambassador Program on your campus (if you don’t
have one – start it), have current international students involved for
tours or e-mailing, builds credibility
Financial Leveraging
Offering scholarships can be a great way to attract new students
These scholarships can be nominal, but especially in Asia they can
be an effective way to sway students towards your institution
Always a bit controversial, many institutions use this scholarship
money (we could call it a tuition discount) to convince students that
are on the fence between a couple of schools to choose theirs.
Diversification
• Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
– International foreign policy and politics in general are delicate issues,
and can severely affect your specific markets. Don’t get stuck relying to
heavily on one market (see Japan for an example)
– The international economy can damage markets but also present
opportunities in new markets. Be the first to discover these new
markets. Gain support from your administration to probe new markets.
– Sometimes it takes a few years of hitting the pavement in a developing
market before you hit paydirt. But being established and in a position to
take advantage of a new market is what separates international leaders
from followers
Return on Investment (ROI) &
Short-versus-Long Term Strategies
Expectations for a ROI are naturally created with international recruiting
Managing expectations and influencing the strategy of recruiting (not
sacrificing long term goals for short term gains) are crucial to overall success
Do not enter an international market using only methods that will get you students
next semester or next year – very few markets can produce in the short-term
Combine short-term strategies with long-term strategies. Building relationships takes
longer, but is key to future success. Connecting with alumni, working with feeder
schools, educating community groups about your school, etc. will produce in several
years and so are often discarded as ineffective, but without it you are missing the
opportunity for a future steady producer
Maximize Potential Through Local Resources
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Even if you do not use agents – never underestimate the potential of any
local resources available to you. If active recruiting and educating people
about your institution only happens when you are in the country – you are
severely limiting your ability to develop any momentum. Find ways to still
“get the word out” about your institution even when you are back on campus
– in effect you should be marketing year-round
Alumni and current students are a start, get them excited and get them
involved
Education USA Centers, US Chamber of Commerce, or other local
organizations may be willing to promote studying in the USA or even your
specific institution
When traveling to country, use local resources to build momentum prior to
your arrival to maximize productivity while on the ground
Persistence, Patience, Perseverance
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Do your research and then work the markets. In our competitive industry
nothing is going to come easy to you. Building your brand will take
persistence. You will have to knock on a number of doors, do not get
discouraged and be aggressive while maintaining your integrity.
Real results don’t come overnight. Think on a scale of years, not quarters
or semesters. A stable, sustainable international recruitment/marketing plan
is a long-term plan, not one full of gimmicks.
There will always be challenges, and new competitors. The successful
programs are those which persevere and that means having administrative
support as well as creating a vision for your team of what is possible.
Research, resources, energy and vision will take you a long way.