“If You Build It, They Will Come” Doesn’t Work Anymore · “If You Build It, They Will...

“If You Build It, They Will Come” Doesn’t Work AnymoreOnline MBA Conference | Robert Towner, Associate Director | 10/4/2019

Who I am

How Stackability worksAgendaSession Purpose Introduction to the iMBARecruitment at ScaleGlobal Recruitment ActivityAdmissions at ScaleAdmissions ActivityQ&A

How Stackability worksSession Purpose• Visualize how recruitment can create a prospect-first

process around the globe• Find ways to make this process scalable

– Automation and personalization• Understand how innovation in admissions processes and

recruitment tactics break many traditional ideas• Know your limits

More Than an MBA

Option 3MBA Degree

Option 2Non - Degree

Option 1Non - Credit

~500k Active Learners

~2M have been exposed to our content

1500+ Unique Non-Degree

Certificate path from Gies College of Business

2500+ Current Students

~500 graduates

iMBA Learner Profile

• Average 12 years professional work experience

• Representing 170+ Fortune 500 Companies

• Over 45 states and 90 countries represented

How Stackability worksiMBA Learners

How Stackability worksGlobal Reach

How Stackability worksDomestic Presence

Student Stories

How Stackability worksRecruitment at Scale• Webinars

– Students, faculty, professional development– Time Zone awareness

• Marketing Campaigns– Geo-targeted messaging– Awareness vs. Recruitment

• Positioning Statement– Emotional connection to what you are doing

How Stackability worksRecruitment Activity 1

• Take 5 minutes with the people around you:– Discuss an international market where you are struggling to

recruit successfully and you feel you should be stronger• Consider:

– What are the barriers? How are you trying to overcome those barriers? Is there an outside-the-box solution you haven’t considered?

How Stackability worksRecruitment Activity 2

• In your same groups, take 5 minutes:– How you are creating connection points for prospective students

to see themselves in the program?• Consider:

– What approaches have worked well? What approaches have you not been able to try? What is preventing them from getting off the ground?

How Stackability worksTakeaways from Activity

• Do you have at least one new idea to implement in your recruitment practices?

• Do you have any new ways to approach the hurdles your recruitment is currently facing?

• Do you have new action items?

How Stackability worksAdmissions at Scale• Interviews

– Admissions team interviews every admitted student– Recruiting continues through the admissions process

• Utilizing CRM for automation– Creating a workflow for applications – Automatic student messaging updating them on process

• Pathways (performance-based admissions track)– An opportunity to overcome traditional MBA application

weaknesses and show their abilities and promise

How Stackability worksQuality Metrics • “Acceptance Rate”

– Accommodation rate• Current work experience vs. GPA

– Which is a better predictor for success?– What value does this provide the cohort as a whole?

• GMAT– What impact does this have on an admission decision?– How do you score this metric and others?

How Stackability worksAdmissions Activity 1

• In your same groups, take 5 minutes:– What steps has your program taken to make your admissions

process an applicant first process?• Consider:

– What ways have you collected data on this? What are your admissions process pain points? What is your largest bottleneck in the process?

How Stackability worksTakeaways from Activity

• Do you have at least one new idea for implementing in your admissions process?

• Do you have any new ways to approach the bottle-neck in your admissions process?

• Do you have new action items?

Q&A