Edified has released new research that reveals the difficulties universities have in handling inquiries from potential international students. According to Edified’s 2023 Enquiry Experience Tracker, a comprehensive analysis of 128 institutions around the world shows that many are failing to capitalize on prospective student leads because of ineffective communication strategies. Countries like Australia and New Zealand as well as the United Kingdom, Canada, Europe, and the Middle East are included in the research.

 

Key findings of the study include:

 

  • As a major flaw, the underutilization of live chat, WhatsApp, and Instagram as communication channels stands out. Prospective students favor these methods because of the speed and personalization they offer, yet many educational institutions are not making the most of them.

 

  • The research shows that many organizations are not making sufficient use of marketing automation solutions. Unfortunately, marketers are not making consistent use of marketing automation despite its potential to greatly improve communication and lead nurturing efforts.

 

  • Some schools fail to mention their strongest selling points when interacting with prospective students. These selling points are crucial in persuading potential students to enroll at a specific school.

 

Universities in Australia, New Zealand, and Scotland rank among the highest in the world. Australia and New Zealand are home to six of the ten colleges with the fastest and most helpful response times when students have questions. The friendliest and most reliable responses were provided by students at Scottish universities. This success story illustrates the value of open and prompt communication in engaging with students from other countries.

 

The study also identified areas that need improvement:

 

  • Many organizations have trouble providing timely responses and subsequent follow-ups. Many emails are either ignored or given inadequate attention.
  • Most mystery shoppers felt they could trust the responses they received, but only 40% felt they had made a personal connection. 
  • Only half of the shoppers felt their questions were fully answered, and the other 70 percent were not convinced by the responses because they lacked selling points or value-added information.
  • Live chat was found to be the least effective method of follow-up, with only one in ten students receiving a response. Most institutions are losing potential leads through this channel.
  • For students, the most responsive channels have been inquiry forms and email. However, many customers experienced difficulties when attempting to communicate via Instagram. 

 

Picture source: Source: Edified’s 2023 Enquiry Experience Tracker

 

The research highlights the significance of marketing automation and follow-up. There are a lot of marketing automation platforms out there, but not all of them are being used consistently by the institutions that have them. Marketing automation campaigns, when implemented, can greatly enhance interaction with potential students.

 

The report suggests solutions for institutions to improve their communication with students, such as linking prospective students with current students on peer-to-peer platforms and ensuring smooth data flow between marketing, communication, and admissions software. Lead nurturing requires accurate data collection and utilization to prevent missed opportunities, unnecessary delays, and mistakes.

 

Interested students can be drawn in and kept interested with the help of Educli’s cutting-edge features. In case you are searching for tips on how to generate leads and organize them into a sales funnel, as well as information on how to best recruit students, we have a solution for you.

 

Educli’s team of devoted education experts can assist your company in honing its approach and streamlining its operations. We know that finding students who share your institution’s core values and goals is more important than simply increasing enrollment numbers. In response to this difficulty, we provide a variety of services that target specific areas of the hiring procedure.

 

  • Our team will collaborate closely with your institution to create a recruitment strategy that is optimized for your specific requirements. This approach will include researching who you want to reach, creating a compelling value proposition, and organizing your outreach.

 

  • Successful recruitment rests on a solid foundation of effective lead generation and funnel creation. Educli is an industry leader in developing customized lead generation strategies and funnels that bring in qualified applicants for your programs.

 

  • Digital marketing and social media efforts are more important than ever before. The experts at Educli can help you develop and execute effective social media and marketing strategies that will reach your desired audience. These actions will not only increase exposure to potential students, but they will also pique their interest.

 

  • Product expertise and differentiation are both crucial for setting your organization apart from the competition. With the help of Educli, your team will be able to pinpoint your institution’s competitive advantages and use them to their fullest.

 

Overall, Edified’s mystery shopping research highlights the value of prompt, individualized, and effective communication in captivating and keeping international students. Institutions that are able to use these findings to their advantage by implementing strategies like live chat, Instagram, and marketing automation will likely succeed in the international education market.

 

Get in touch if you want to boost enrollment and lay the groundwork for a successful marketing future.