THE BOX MODEL

I often criticize vendors who promote using business fads to “solve” recruitment challenges.  Still, there are definitely some business principles we could benefit from using more.

That was driven home at a conference I attended a few weeks ago.  One of the presenters led a session on how to promote institutional value in this new era of community-based marketing.

At one point, the speaker said, “Education is expensive, so focus on increasing value.”  Seth Godin recently said something similar.

They couldn’t be more correct.

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There’s a lot of talk about emotion-based copywriting out there right now.  Admissions marketing can go even further.

Box Model Marketing

The goal of marketing using the Box Model is to identify and remove obstacles students face when making one of the 3 milestone decisions:

• should I apply?
• should I complete my application?
• should I enroll?

All obstacles fall under what I call the security umbrella.

The Security Umbrella

There are 4 parts to the security umbrella:

Emotional Security

If I apply, will I be rejected?  Will I fit in and make friends?  Will I have fun?  Can I handle the workload?  Will I be homesick?

Social Security

When people hear where I’ve chosen to go, will I have to convince them it’s a good school?  Will they have heard of it before?  Will my peers look down on me?

Physical Security

Will I like my dorm?  Will I be safe on and around campus?  Will I die in an earthquake or tornado or snowstorm?  Are the meal plans any good?

Financial Security

Can I afford your education?  Will I get a good job after I graduate?

Recruitment Under the Umbrella

Make sure every e-mail, web page, publication, and event relates to at least one security concern.

• “Staying safe on a city campus” (physical)
• “Going out of state was the best decision I ever made” (emotional/social)
• “Five secrets of every successful college student” (emotional/financial)

(The following story was adapted from my conference presentation.)

Enrollment Funnel Recruitment

You and I walk into a local pub hoping to relax and down a few pints.

For some bizarre reason, there’s a giant brick wall, floor-to-ceiling, halfway between us and the bar.

It looks like there’s a tiny gap in the wall, just large enough for one person to fit through.

We join the crowd of confused people milling around, waiting for someone to take our order.

Suddenly, giant hands appear out of nowhere and begin pushing everyone toward the hole in the wall.

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Via Boing Boing: Two CIA agents presented a 1944 sabotage manual at a recent business conference.

Section 11 discusses how to sabotage organizations.  Read it here.  Then read my post on Indiana Jones and compare notes.

It’s disappointing that what used to be considered sabotage is now considered standard business practice…

After presenting the Box Model at a recent conference, someone asked the inevitable question:

“That’s great in theory, but how can I make it happen in practice?”

Specifically, they cited a bad information system, a limited budget, and a preset communication plan.

I guess I have a confession to make

At the University of Rochester, even though I built our information system, it doesn’t support the Box Model.  That’s because I wrote it almost 4 years ago.

But even if your budget is small, your comm plan is a concrete slab, and your database doesn’t know the difference between a prospect and a poodle, you can still use the Box Model to recruit better.

For example, here are 4 simple ways to make your next communication as effective as possible (even in the most restrictive environment):

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Overheard at a conference:

“I don’t understand how our numbers got worse.  We didn’t change anything…”

Admissions is about conversations

Conversations should be challenging and engaging.  (Otherwise, it’s either small talk or soliloquy, neither of which convert.)

That means your communications should encourage dialogue, not avoid it.

Sometimes that means challenging students.  Even provoking them.

Unfortunately, that often means challenging the status quo, too.

You have to push to progress

Another way to say it: if you want to stand out, you have to take a step forward.

Here are some real examples of provoking students—despite campus opposition—and the subsequent results:

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