Turning engagement into enrolment

Getting across the finish line

Students have a lot of choice. A lot. More than ever, in fact.

So, it stands to reason that even after applying to a university, marketing continues to persuade, influencers influence and ultimately, minds are swayed towards another institution.

Bangor University wanted to reduce the chance of that happening.

They asked us to look at their current conversion activity and communications with their applicants, and address areas where things could be better.

What we did

Having worked closely with Bangor to build a strong relationship, it was time to say those three little words. Understanding, segmentation and nurturing. This three-stage process was essential to building Bangor’s new conversion strategy.

Understanding
We audited Bangor’s existing applicant communication activity for both home and EU students, and identified areas we could improve on.

Segmentation
We looked at all Bangor’s applicants who went onto enroll, and segmented them by things such as gender, age and application date. We then worked out what impact these variables had on how likely they were to choose Bangor as their first choice and go on to enroll.

Nurturing
The segmentation stage gave us invaluable information, as we knew exactly who Bangor should be focusing their attention and spend on in the future. Our education experts then recommended an engagement strategy that would nurture applicants. It included who they should communicate to, through which channels and with what content

Did it work?

In a word, yes. We had the insight we needed to use just the right mix of tools and tactics, in order to make the whole experience better for applicants, communicate Bangor’s offer in a more compelling way and ultimately increase conversion rates and the desire to study here. All under tight timescales.

Bangor University are now using this strategy again for 2018/19, building on the successful changes they’ve already made from our work. And we’ll be behind them at every step.