The 12 Strategies of Christmas – Part 2

And, with this two-part blog post, 2022 comes to a close. So much has happened during the course of this calendar year that it would be hard to summarize the higher ed news. Instead, we are gifting you twelve strategies for the holiday season that will help you wind down this year and say hello to the next year energized and ready to dive into a new season of enrollment marketing.

There is so much to do in the new year that we wanted to give you some actionable steps you can take while the office is quiet and the phones aren’t ringing quite as much. Consider this a checklist of tasks that will help you ring in a new year with promise and hope. After all, it’s what this holiday season is all about (Read part one of this blog here).

7. Learn How to Use a CRM Effectively

It’s not just enough to have a CRM – you’ve got to know how to use it effectively and to its full potential. This is a chance to do some reading or set up segments that you haven’t had time to do. Automating tasks now can really help your time management in the spring and free up admissions counselors to do the heavy lifting and selling that they are so good at.

8. Website Audit

When is the last time you’ve taken stock of your website? How long does it take to load? What pages people are gravitating toward and which ones they are ignoring? Now, while things are a bit slower in the office, would be a great time to reevaluate the job your website is doing. Are there broken pages, are pages optimized for ADA laws? What can be done to make the process quicker on computers and handheld devices? You don’t have to do these things over the winter break, but gathering the data and making a to-do list will give you action items for your website that can lead to success down the line.

9. Social Media Audit

A social media audit would probably look a little different than a website audit. Scanning the social media accounts of your department, the institution’s departments, and the institution as a whole could be a very eye-opening experience if you have different people managing them. This is a good time to take a look and see if everyone is working to fit the brand the institution is trying to put forth, if any hashtags are really working for you, and if you need to be more interactive with your social media. Again, the lift here isn’t asking you to solve the problems but take note of what you see so that you can build an action plan of tasks to do as everyone comes back into the office in the spring.

10. Revisit Your Strategy

You’ve (probably) spent (a lot of) time and money developing a strategy to grow enrollment at your institution. Do you know where it is? In a binder on the shelf never to be seen again? Maybe this winter break is the perfect time to dust the strategy document off and give it a read. Remembering your key strategies will help guide you in the new year as you make decisions about enrollment marketing tactics.

11. Create Editorial Guidelines

While this may not be an obvious strategy, editorial guidelines are the tools that help your institution or department be consistent in the messaging it puts out. Editorial guidelines don’t deal with brand voice or messaging, but with the nitty-gritty of your institution’s writing style. Do you follow AP style? Does your university capitalize majors? What about job titles? These small points of consistency pack a powerful punch, while a lack of consistency can make your institution seem careless. There are tons of examples online of editorial guidelines, and many have exceptions to standard rules, which is fine. It’s the consistency across web pages, emails, social media, and blog posts that is important. Having a guideline for all writers to refer to and adhere to can make this process a lot easier (And, clearly, this was written by our in-house proofreader who deals with editorial guidelines every day!).

12. Spend Time With Those You Love

Balance is the name of the game. Higher ed can be a high-intensity workplace at certain times of the year. We gift you the knowledge that it is okay – in fact, it is a must – to take time to be present with your loved ones and spend time with them. Do a puzzle, read a book, watch a Christmas movie, drink hot chocolate, go on a hike … anything you want that is solely focused on you and your loved ones. Leave work behind for a few days.

Work With Us

With over 21 years of enrollment-focused work in the higher ed industry, VisionPoint is eager to continue making strides to help client partners see the results they need to build classes that not only show up but graduate. As you wind down this year and get ready to launch into 2023, we’d love to talk about what VisionPoint can do for your enrollment needs. Contact our Vice President Dana Cruikshank for a free consultation call.