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Journal of College Student Retention and Recruiting for both On-Campus and Online Universities
Dennis Rodriguez
The Top Five Online Marketing Pitfalls
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PEOPLE WITH IMPACT INTERVIEW - Dennis Rodriguez - Regis University
In a recent interview, Dennis Rodriguez, assistant director of online new student enrollment for the School for Professional Studies at Regis University in Denver, Colorado, shared the most common online marketing mistakes made by higher education institutions. He shares those insights into the ever-changing online marketing world below.
Q: What are the five most common online marketing mistakes made by higher education institutions, and how can they be avoided?
Dennis Rodriguez:
1. Creating unrealistic online course demonstrations. Online colleges and universities which fail to provide a realistic portrayal of the actual online learning experience may find it difficult to retain students. Clearly define what students can expect from online courses and devise demos specific to the programs offered – an accounting demo is vastly different that a marketing demo. These can be incredible marketing tools as well.
2. Setting unclear expectations about the rigor and structure of the online program. Many students perceive online courses as an easy way out – curriculum is easier and flexible and students aren’t as accountable. Set clear expectations from the beginning so students aren’t taken by surprise. This helps to increase student retention over time.
3. Looking like a diploma mill. Appearing to offer everything to everyone compromises the allure of a university and generates a high rate of unqualified leads. Colleges should determine the type of student that they would like to attract and develop strategies that target specific demographics to decrease the quantity of leads and improve the quality.
4. Making the admissions process too easy. Students assume that the admissions process is indicative of the learning experience. If students are expected to complete their assignments on time, “attend” courses regularly and study, reflect this effort in the admissions process. After all, gaining a national reputation as having a quality online education is at stake.
5. Failing to invest in technology. Academic institutions which skimp on customer relations management tools and a versatile phone system will find it difficult to measure and track student retention and return on investment. Having an online tracking system that functions as a prospect management tool, facilitates mass communication, and has customizable reporting functions, as well as a phone system that is flexible and robust enough to handle large volumes is critical to competing at the national level.
Dennis Rodriguez, Regis University
Dennis Rodriguez leads the marketing and new student enrollment for the Regis University School for Professional Studies. For the past five years, Dennis has played a key role at Regis in implementing cost-effective, efficient and profitable online marketing strategies. Regis University’s School for Professional Studies offers bachelor’s, master’s degree and certificate programs for adults in business, management, education, and technology, available online and in the classroom. Regis has nearly 13,000 students enrolled in online courses, at its six campuses in Colorado and its campus in Nevada. To learn more about Regis University, visit www.regis.edu.
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Additional sections of this journal address student recruiting and student retention. We have also placed all articles with a common theme of online education and distance education programs in a separate portal. New articles will be posted each Monday, please check back by bookmarking this site or placing a link to this Innovative Practices in Communicating with Students portal.
