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3Using Zoom
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Asking a Question Brief Exit Survey
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We help schools
support students
from enrollment to
graduation and beyond
P-20 | Community Colleges | Four-Year Colleges and Universities | Graduate and Adult Learning
Find and enroll your
right-fit students
Prepare your institution
for the future
Support and graduate
more students
ROOTED IN RESEARCH
8,000+ Peer-tested best practices
500+ Enrollment innovations tested annually
ADVANTAGE OF SCALE
2,100+ Institutions served
9.5 M+ Students supported by our SSMS
WE DELIVER RESULTS
95% Of our partners continue with us year after year, reflecting the goals we achieve together
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5EAB’s Adult Learner Recruitment
Program
Review and
Optimization
Program
IQ
Audience
Generation
and Targeting
Intent Marketing
for the Student
Journey
Yield and
Enrollment
Management
DATA & CONSUMER ANALYTICS AT SCALE
Student interactions analyzed annually
1.5B+
Data and analytics experts on staff
100+
Field marketing tests performed annually
500+
Our strategic enrollment solution combines intent marketing and strategic services to fuel adult learner growth.
Custom market demand briefs completed since 2012
7000+
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Today’s Presenters
Will Lamb, Ph.D.
Dean, Graduate and Adult Learner Recruitment
Adult Learner Recruitment
EAB Enrollment Services
Tess Wallenstein
Associate Director
Adult Learner Recruitment
EAB Enrollment Services
©2021 by EAB. All Rights Reserved. eab.com
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Adult Learners Make Up 40% ofTotal Higher Ed Tuition Revenue
How Big is the Adult and Grad Ed Market?
Source: IPEDS Data Center, National Center for Education Statistics, 2020.; “Postsecondary Institution Revenues,” NCES The Condition of
Education, 2018.; EAB interviews and analysis.
$225.9B
$90.7B
$135.2B
Adult and Grad Ed
Traditional Undergraduate
1) Bachelor’s degree-level and above
2) Tuition discounts not included in analysis
3) Includes first-time adult students, second bachelor’s students, and non-degree seekers
Higher Ed1 Gross Annual Revenue2, 2019
Total Tuition Revenue
Support the Whole Team
Member Invest in Productive 1:1
Time with Team Members
Engage in Real-Time Feedback and Coaching
Communicate Consistently and
Frequently
$14.6B
$15.9B
$14.6B
$43.8B Other Adult Bachelor’s3
$780MAll Grad Certificates (Post-Bacc and Post-Master’s)
Master’s Degrees
Total Gross Annual U.S. Revenue Generated from Adult (25+) Bachelor’s, Post-Bac Certificates, and Graduate Enrollment, 18-19
Adult Degree Completer
Professional Doctorate
Master’s Degrees By Far the Biggest Market Overall
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8Online Is A Fast-Growing Piece Of This Market
1) Recorded as “Distance Education” in IPEDS data.
Online
+280KTotal Increase in Graduate Students
+6.7%Average Annual Growth
5-Year Graduate Enrollment Growth Trends, 2014-2019
Face-to-Face
-194KTotal Decrease in Graduate Students
-2.0%Average Annual Decline
I will be getting my master’s online now. COVID has shown me how to do that.”
- Survey Participant
60%of surveyed students who participated in online learning during the pandemic said online learning was a positive experience
39.2%of survey respondents said they are considering online programs
The Pandemic’s Impact on Online Learning
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Today’s Focus
Admin. Support
Faculty Buy-In
Program Fit
Intellectual Property Policies
Program Approval
Tech Support
Student Services
Accreditation
Instructional Design
Technology
Marketing
LMS
Program DesignData
Tracking
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SECTION
1
Developing High-Quality Online Programs
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Live Poll
What challenge do you most commonly encounter when identifying which programs to offer online?
• Assessing employer and student demand for a program
• Identifying competitor programs
• Achieving buy-in from relevant faculty
• Navigating the program approval process
• Other (please tell us in the chat)
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12Finding Right-Fit Programs to Launch Online
Require Data-Driven Market Analysis Prior to Launch
Prioritize Rigorous Labor Market Demand Analysis
Assess real-time labor market data
1
Assess structural labor market data
2
Questions to Ask About Labor Market Data
What degree level is necessary to obtain in-demand jobs?
Is employer demand apparent in target geographic markets?
What is the expected growth rate of students’ target industry or occupation?
What salaries can program graduates expect to earn in our target markets?
©2021 by EAB. All Rights Reserved. eab.com
13Be Mindful of the Limitations of Student Demand Data
Sources of Student Demand Data Include…
Degree completions Student surveys
Lagging indicator
Imperfect CIP code matches
Unreliable
Interest does not necessarily translate into enrollments
When Analyzing Student Demand Data, Consider…
Is student demand evident in our target geographic markets?
Does data support student interest in an online program specifically?
How could economic or policy changes impact
student demand?
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Ensure Competitor Analysis Includes Regional and National Competitors
Online Programs Face Competition from Regional and National Players
Regional Player
• Strong regional brand affinity• Large online and on-ground presence• Low cost or elite brand
Market Leader
• Strong national brand awareness• Massive online scale• Low cost
Are there regional or national competitors you are overlooking?
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15Review Competitor Programs Holistically
Consider These Questions When Analyzing Competitor Programs
Electives and “Stackability”
How do competitor programs support students’ needs and preferences for flexibility?
Prerequisites What is the minimum education needed to succeed?
Is your time to completion as short as it can be while still conferring necessary skills?
Program Length
Do competitors offer multiple start dates?StartsStartsStarts
How do your tuition and fees compare to your competitors’?Pricing
What are your competitors not offering which could help your program stand out?
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16Achieving Faculty Buy-In
Common Faculty Concerns About Online Instruction and Learning
What other concerns do your faculty have about online education?
Feel free to share in the Chat.
Technical expertise
Student experienceCourse quality
Workload, especially upfront
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17Addressing Faculty’s Concerns
Listen to faculty’s concerns and questions about online programs
Share how online course quality will match on-campus course quality
Provide the technical support faculty need to confidently teaching online
Ensure faculty know they have an advocate
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Avoiding Duplication of Audiences
Using Dedicated Committees
Expediting Program Launch
Speed-to-Launch Alone is Insufficient for Substantial Revenue Gains
More than 24 months6-24 monthsLess than 6 months
Activities Correlated with More Efficient Program Launch Include…
Avoiding Rigid Schedules
Adjusting Voting Mechanisms
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SECTION
2
Marketing Online Programs to Grow and Scale
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Live Poll
What challenge do you most commonly encounter when marketing your online programs?
• Differentiating our institution from regional competitors
• Identifying and reaching right-fit prospects
• Ensuring our marketing messages resonate with students
• Addressing students’ concerns about online learning
• Other (please tell us in the chat)
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Associate Vice President of Marketing for Online Programs, Private University in the Northeast
Competition is extremely intense in the online space. Local competition still plays a role, but in recent years, we’re competing with large, dominant online players.”
median total OpEx for all four-year institutions, 2017
$139M
$117M
$88M
$17M
Southern New
Hampshire
University
Grand Canyon
University
Western
Governors
University
Liberty
University
$87M
Large Players Spending More Annually on Marketing than Most Institutions’ OpEx
Dollar amount each institution spent on advertising and promotion1, 2017
©2021 by EAB. All Rights Reserved. eab.com
22Leave No Stone Unturned in Your Targeting Strategy
Use a Range of New and Emerging Sources to Identify Prospective Students
• Current undergraduate students
• Young alumni
• Stop-outs
• Institution’s inquiry pool
• Application starters
• Test-taker lists
• First-party digital targeting
• Phi Theta Kappa lists
• National Student Clearinghouse
• National consumer databases
Students Familiar to Your Institution Students Identified Via:
Pilot New Sources of Prospective Students
In addition to using the sources above, EAB is currently testing sources including…
Cappex for Adult LearnersNursingYouTube
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Decision Awareness Consideration
But No Two Students Have the Same Journey to Enrollment
Prospective Online Students Rarely Take a Linear Path to Enrollment
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Intent Marketing for the Student Journey
Market According to Student Intent
Jonathan, Working Parent Seeking a Promotion
Jon would like to pursue an MBA but is concerned about balancing school with work and family.
ABC University targets Jon on LinkedIn given career profile.
Jon gets an email about ABC U’s online MBA with a testimonial from a student who is a working parent. He engages.
Jon submits his application for the online program.
Jon takes ABC U’s quick survey—he shares his concerns with balancing family and work.
Jon receives personalized messages from admissions and ads that remind him of upcoming deadlines.
Awareness Stage
Consideration Stage
Decision Stage
Application Stage
Jonathan’s Six-Month Journey
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25Proactively Address Students’ Concerns About Online
“Our online programs provide personal attention from faculty as well as opportunities for meaningful interactions with your peers.”
“Our online programs use the same accredited, rigorous curriculum and world-class faculty as our on-campus programs.”
“Graduates of our online program gain the same competitive edge as in-person learning, leading to strong success rates in a variety of fields.”
“From day one at Nelson U, you will receive 24/7 access to the technical, academic, and financial support you need to succeed.”
Building Relationships with Faculty and Peers
Course Quality
Employer Perception
Student Support and Engagement
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26Serving and Supporting Your Online Students
You Can Support Your Online Student By…
Making the Basics Routine
Build knowledge base of FAQs for self-help and aggregate important links and resources in one place
Lowering the Cost of 24/7
Employ students for late-night, off-site shifts using live chat
Moving Beyond the Phone
Use live chat for speedier troubleshooting and to use the communication methods students most often prefer
Achieving Scale
Use existing LMS partnerships to outsource staff or time-intensive service provision
Top Criteria Mean
Online support services 3.70
Length of program/Time required for degree completion 3.69
Full-time program 3.69
Student support services 3.49
Available Support Services Impact Students’ Enrollment Decisions
“In terms of your enrollment decision, please indicate the importance of the following factors.”
©2021 by EAB. All Rights Reserved. eab.com
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Key Takeaways
1 Online program design can be an important driver of success
2 Rigorously analyze employer demand—and consider competitors regionally and nationally
3 Build partnerships on campus to better navigate the program development process
5 Prioritize developing support services for online students
4 Marketing according to student intent to maximize the return on your marketing investments
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28What’s Next?
Receive a copy of our new white paper, featuring insight about students’ growing interest in online
Request today’s presentation
Register for our upcoming webinar to hear how one university is growing enrollment across their graduate portfolio
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Interested in More?
I’d like to speak further about…
1 Identifying online, graduate, or adult education programs to launch or refresh
2 Optimizing online or other adult-serving programs for growth
3 Building intent-based marketing campaigns
4 Crafting marketing messages which address students’ concerns about online learning
5 Supporting online student success
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Q&A
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Please take our brief webinar exit poll
Will Lamb, Ph.D.
Dean, Graduate and Adult Learner Recruitment
Tess Wallenstein
Associate Director