Improve Enrolment by Solving Higher Ed’s Marketing Challenges with CRM

Higher education institutions face numerous challenges in attracting and engaging prospective students. From managing vast amounts of data to ensuring responsive, personalised communication, universities need more than traditional marketing tactics to stand out. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems are powerful tools that allow universities to streamline these processes and make data-driven decisions that boost enrolment. In fact, organisations that use CRM effectively experience a 30% increase in lead conversion rates—a significant impact on student acquisition​.

Covered in this article

Understanding the Unique Marketing Challenges in Higher Education
How CRM Solves Higher Education Marketing Challenges
Three Ways CRM Maximises Enrolment Success
Tips for Higher Ed Institutions Implementing CRM
Conclusion
FAQs

Understanding the Unique Marketing Challenges in Higher Education

Data Management Complexity

Higher education marketing teams deal with data from multiple sources, including website forms, social media, and in-person campus events. This fragmented data management can lead to missed insights and lost enrolment opportunities. According to a study by EducationDynamics, 65% of institutions report managing data from various sources as a top challenge​.  This highlights the need for a centralised solution that integrates student data across platforms.

Lead Nurturing Difficulties

Effectively nurturing leads is another hurdle, as limited resources and lack of coordination can prevent institutions from following up with potential students. This issue is significant, given that organisations using automated nurturing see a 451% increase in qualified leads. Without the right systems in place, universities risk losing prospective students due to a lack of timely, relevant engagement.

Engagement and Responsiveness

Timely responses to inquiries play a crucial role in student enrolment. Today’s students expect quick answers, with 78% of prospective students anticipating a response within 24 hours of reaching out​. Delays or impersonal responses can lead to disengagement, underscoring the importance of CRM’s automated, personalised response capabilities.

How CRM Solves Higher Education Marketing Challenges

Centralising Student Data

CRM systems allow institutions to consolidate student data from all sources into one central hub, ensuring that all departments—from marketing to admissions—have access to a comprehensive student profile. Nucleus Research found that organisations implementing a CRM see an average ROI of $8.71 for every dollar spent, which underscores the cost-efficiency of CRM systems for higher education​.

Automating Lead Nurturing

CRM systems enable automated workflows that follow up with prospective students, send reminders, and deliver personalised content at different stages of their journey. With CRM-driven marketing automation, institutions can achieve a 20% to 30% increase in lead nurturing effectiveness​. Automated communication helps institutions stay top of mind with prospective students, improving the likelihood of enrolment.

Enhanced Engagement Through Personalisation

Personalisation is critical for engaging students. CRM tools enable universities to tailor their communications, sending content based on student interests, demographics, and previous interactions. Research by Epsilon shows that 80% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase when brands offer personalised experiences, indicating a similar boost in engagement when CRM is used in higher education​.

Below is a CRM-Driven Enrolment Funnel visual. This funnel chart illustrates how CRM enhances retention at each stage of the enrolment journey, from awareness through to enrolment.

Three Ways CRM Maximises Enrolment Success

1. Targeted Campaigns and Audience Segmentation

Using CRM’s segmentation capabilities, universities can create audience groups based on demographics, interests, or previous engagements. This segmentation allows for highly targeted campaigns that resonate with specific student populations. Campaign Monitor reports that segmented email campaigns can result in a 760% increase in revenue, a statistic that suggests the power of targeted outreach in attracting the right students.

Example: A university can use CRM to create a campaign for international students, providing tailored information about visa requirements, scholarships, and financial aid options, all based on the students' profile data.

2. Improved Response Times with Automation

CRM automation responds instantly to inquiries, automatically schedules follow-ups, and handles FAQs, ensuring that prospective students get timely, relevant information. InsideSales research reveals that responding to leads within five minutes makes them 9 times more likely to convert. Quick responses enabled by CRM are crucial in a competitive market, where a fast response can mean the difference between a conversion and a lost lead.

Example: Automating email responses and sending text reminders for application deadlines or campus tours keeps prospective students engaged and informed, strengthening their commitment to enrolment.

3. Analytics for Continuous Optimisation

CRM systems provide analytics to monitor campaign performance, track engagement, and identify areas for improvement. This data-driven approach enables institutions to optimise their marketing efforts continuously. According to McKinsey, data-driven organisations are 23 times more likely to acquire customers and 19 times more likely to be profitable, reinforcing the value of analytics in enrolment strategies.

Example: Universities can track which emails receive the most engagement, analyse the open rates, and adapt future communication strategies accordingly, improving overall enrolment campaign effectiveness.

Tips for Higher Ed Institutions Implementing CRM

For institutions implementing CRM, it’s important to begin with clear goals and a phased approach:

• Start with one department: Begin CRM implementation in marketing or admissions to streamline processes in phases.
• Train staff effectively: Ensure that teams are fully trained on CRM features to maximise efficiency.
• Measure success: Track CRM performance through metrics like lead conversion rate, CPA, and enrolment figures to gauge its impact.

By focusing on these best practices, universities can leverage CRM effectively, making it easier to adapt and gain measurable results over time.

Conclusion

CRM technology is a transformative tool for addressing higher education marketing challenges. By centralising data, automating processes, and enabling personalised communication, CRM systems empower universities to boost engagement and increase enrolment.

If your institution is ready to optimise enrolment through CRM, reach out to Velocity today. Our expertise in CRM consultation and implementation will guide your university in leveraging data-driven strategies to achieve enrolment success and streamline student acquisition.

FAQs

1. Why is CRM important for higher education marketing?

CRM helps universities centralise data, automate communication, and personalise outreach. This streamlines processes, making it easier to engage prospective students and improve enrolment rates​.

2. How does CRM address data management issues in higher ed marketing?

CRM consolidates data from various sources into one system, giving all departments access to comprehensive student profiles and eliminating data silos​.

3. What role does CRM automation play in student engagement?

CRM automation handles repetitive tasks like follow-ups and FAQs, ensuring quick responses and freeing up staff to focus on high-value interactions​.

4. Can CRM really increase lead-to-enrolment conversion rates?

Yes. Automated nurturing and personalised communication through CRM can boost conversion rates significantly, often by 20-30%​.

5. What metrics should universities track with CRM?

Key metrics include cost per acquisition (CPA), lead-to-enrolment conversion rate, and response time. These provide insights into CRM’s impact on enrolment​.

6. Is CRM implementation difficult for higher education institutions?

Implementation can be phased, often starting in one department like marketing. With proper training and planning, CRM quickly becomes a valuable asset.