Web sites
We are planning to have a web site designed for the school. Has anyone else done this? Was it successful?
Hi Karen
Most school owners that have effective websites will tell you that they can generate a lot of quality leads from the Internet. Suggest you take a look at websites of similar schools and your competition. Ask youself - is the website user friendly? Can you find what you are looking for easily? What is missing that you wanted to know? Can you contact someone at the school easily?
There are many excellent webdesigners in most communities I'm sure you can locate someone who can assist you.
Once you have a website be sure your admissions people know how to use it. Emails have to be responded to immediately. Information has to be clear and of course there should be a lot of followup.
Best wishes
Susan
I am having a Web site designed as we speak. I love the idea of people from all over being able to see and read about our school.
Is there any one thing that you could suggest be in it. This is my first one.
Theresa Najemian
a simple and inexpensive way to test the need for a website is to begin with a company like "GO-Daddy". This can give you needed feedback without the expense
Hi Steven
Some schools may want to test the waters re websites. But the fact is, this is an Internet society so it is almost imperative for a school to have a website. The question is how fancy and flashy does it have to be? For most schools prospective students just want the information and to get a quick response to their inquiries.
Best wishes
Susan
Once we designed our website, our admissions quadroupled!
Hi Carleen
Sounds like your school has a lot working for it. Websites are a great way to attract quality prospects. The trick is to respond immediately, engage the inquirer, respond to questions, and get potential students into your school quickly. Plan outbound email campaigns to reach your students, prospects, employers, and more.
Best wishes
Susan
Hi Theresa
Can you give me more information about the web site
HI Alberto
Websites are a great way to promote schools. We suggest that information is included to answer most questions posed by students. Also, suggest that every page have a link to contacting someone at your school. Usually prospects want instant information. Including a link to your catalog provides prospects with all the info they need and helps to save postage.
Best wishes
Susan
This is an absolute must in today's society. Please not ignore this important step of marketing. We rely on our website heavily - without it, we would be nowhere.
Hi Jon
Great to hear. Can you share with us how you are using the website, how are you are training your admissions reps to respond to email inquiries, your follow up methods, etc.
Thanks
Susan
The website generates most of our queries. Visitors primarily request a catalog and input their contact info. Unfortunately, I am only a one man department. I am unable to follow up with every lead. I have a student send all the catalogs. I do, however, respond to anyone who calls or emails. An ideal situation would be to respond to each lead IMMEDIATELY and increase our personnel.
HI Jon
It's a challenge as a one person department. Sounds like you are getting some assistance on the routine tasks. If you create a database of each email inquiry you can easily send out follow ups. Yes, the ideal situation is when you respond immediately. That's the nature of internet marketing.
Good luck
Susan
As a school with a long tradition, we have had our website for a long time, but this year we decided to give it a new look. We asked our students what they liked and they gave us input. Then we had them design parts of it. At the end, we put it all together and it has worked wonderfully, now we get four times more leads than we did before and there is an ongoing interest in the school as to how to improve the web site.
In order to get immediate answer to internet leads, it is important to add an auto responder; it is computer generated, but at least the person knows that his(her) message has been received and that he should expect to be contacted soon. Also, depending on the amount of programs offered by your school, you can always add information in the autoresponder as to what classes are about to start, answer the question most often made or whatever message you want to pass along..one thing, remember to ask you programmer how to change the autoresponder by yourself.
Mary.
HI Mary
All great strategies for gaining leads from your website. Thanks. Auto responders are important. However, we believe a personal response has to be made within 30 minutes and ideally 5 minutes of receipt from the lead. That's because surfers are "now" people. They want to start a dialogue right away. That means they are likely to talk with and set an appointment with the school that is the first to respond. Getting email leads also allows you to email back information on a regular basis. Great follow up methods.
Thanks
Susan
We have had our website for several years, and it has been an excellent way to promote our school. We have an overview/history of the school, descriptive program offerings, testimonials,attractions to our location and facility,catalog download, video and photos.
Yes, Christine, websites are a great way to reach qualified leads. Some schools depend primarily on their website to fill classes. The goal is to be sure your admissions reps respond instantly to all inquiries. And to keep your web site up to date. Also remember to save all emails so you can do on-going email follow ups to prospects.
Best wishes
Susan
We have a website which is somewhat successful. The key is to have someone manage it constantly so that it comes up in the Google search.
Hi Ruth
A website needs a lot of management. It has to be up to date, be user friendly, provide the right amount of information, and all email inquiries have to be responded to almost immediately. Many schools report that most leads come from their website. That's really cost effective. Good luck, Susan
In addition to the standard stuff, I really like the idea of testimonials from students and employers, with photos of grads on the job.
