Utilizing Word of Mouth to Plan

Your Entire Recruitment Strategy

Introduction and Assumptions

WOM Mystical Being to Known Work Horse

Influencing Word of Mouth Through Marketing

Committing to Marketing According to Your

Market Position

New Technology and Social Media

Dr. Jeffrey C. Lemke

St. Croix Lutheran, Grades 6-12

JLemke@StCroixLutheran.org

Jeff JLemke@StCroixLutheran.org

Undergraduate Major in Psychology with focus on

persuasive communication and theology minor.

Social work with entry community in St. Paul.

Designed own position in marketing and community

outreach as St. Croix looked to broaden and diversify

its base of students.

Assumed a lead role in international admissions after

school president took another position.

Masters degree related to business sector.

Dissertation at Bethel University on Global Student

Markets.

With wife Erika

and daughters Ava, Lucia, Mikaela in St. Paul, MN.

Doctoral Degree from Bethel University

FACTORS THAT MAY IMPACT THE NUMBER OF

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS FROM CHINA, JAPAN,

SOUTH KOREA, THAILAND OR VIETNAM WHO

STUDY IN THE UNITED STATES

Influencing Word of Mouth

Change WOM from something that is mystical

to something that is the anchoring part of your

recruitment and retention strategy.

Examples of how communication strategies (key

points, stories, direct mail, gimmicks,

newsletters) affect WOM.

Strategies to influence WOM.

Copyright Jeffrey C. Lemke

Resources HMG Family Center and McKnight Foundation

NAFSA Conferences, ICEF Conference, MISF

Meetings, Google Conferences and other

Marketing/Social Media Conferences.

Teachers, Principals and Communications professionals

like you.

K-8 School Research Projects around Twin Cities.

Consulting with over 20 high schools and colleges.

The Economist, Books and Dissertation with Bethel

University.

Ric Gibson, Dr. Gene Pfeifer, Merlyn Kruse, Todd

Russ and Carl Lemke.

St. Croix Lutheran

of West St. Paul

University Preparatory, Grades 6 – 12.

500 students from the greater Twin Cities

120 international students from over 15 countries.

St. Croix Admissions seeks to recruit a diverse set

of families who value a Bible-based education.

St. Croix seeks to be accessible to students of all

ability levels and income levels.

St. Croix Mission and Brand

Mission – Educating the total student –

Spiritually, intellectually, and physically – in a

caring Christian family community.

Brand Locally – The Global Leader in Christian

Education, Grades 6-12.

Brand Internationally – The Global Leader in

University Preparation, Grades 6-12.

Marketing professionals are best

at………

Marketing themselves!

Taking credit for your hard work!

Source

Pastorboller.com

Strategic Marketing is Critical for

All Organizations

“Our organization does not do

marketing. We are so strong

that we do not have to.”

What tactics does Harvard use

to market itself?

Is Marketing Spending Money

Wastefully?

If your marketing philosophy is based on the

philosophy taught and adhered to by all in the

marketing profession, you will spend tons of money.

Marketers want you to spend a lot on marketing.

“What’s your budget for this project?”

We need a new philosophy that is not based on

spending money. We need a philosophy based on the

strength of our organization – Word of Mouth

(WOM).

Great WOM requires spending money.

Word of Mouth

Is it this amazing

mystical thing that

just happens

because your

school is so

awesome?

Or is it possible to have Word of Mouth as the

central characteristic that is tied throughout

your entire Recruitment and Retention Plan?

Make WOM the Work Horse of your

Recruitment and Retention Plan

Challenge of Defining How

Word of Mouth Works

People think it just happens.

Organizations think that if they just keep doing

a great job, it will continue to happen.

He said, she said, that her cousin’s, friend’s,

brother’s aunt said that……

Challenge to track it because people want to see

themselves as the originators of information.

The great thing about the internet is people can

find information and view themselves as the

source of it.

Example of Word of Mouth

Integrated into Marketing

Communications

Admissions or Marketing develops story about a

student who embodies 5 key talking points of the

school including the personal environment.

School Leadership tells story over and over again.

Parent has a question and instructor uses the

story to share information with the parent.

Prospective family receives postcard that

highlights personal environment.

WOM Integration Example

Continued

Prospective family that received postcard talks

to neighbor down the street that had a student

who went to that school.

Neighbor shares similar version of the same

story with the prospective family.

Prospective family investigates when to visit the

school via the web site. Alumni testimonial on

web site has a similar theme.

Prospective student looks up school on Youtube

and sees a similar theme.

Prospective parent tells the story to prospective

student, and the prospective student hears a

similar story when the student visits the school.

Prospective parents are on the mailing list and

receive the school newsletter that has a different

story with similar themes.

The prospective family believes that the school

must be wonderful and they enroll.

Way to go WOM!

WOM Integration Example

Continued

WOM Integration Example

Summary

Marketing and Communications

Principal

Teachers

Current Parent (Neighbor)

Prospective Parent

Student

Admissions

Key Points

Story

Direct Mail

Web Site

Newsletter

Trained Staff

Develop a Strategic Recruitment

Plan Based on WOM

Research, design, polish and share key stories

that embody the 5 key points of your school. Or

5 for each area for larger organizations.

Academic Rigor and Support

Welcoming and Fun Living Environment

Fine Arts

Sports

Student Involvement

Develop a Strategic Recruitment

Plan Based on WOM

Tap into the Psychology of Young Adults.

Want to be wanted.

Pride in their performance and contribution.

Unique in their exploration.

Develop a Strategic Recruitment

Plan Based on WOM

Develop psychological profiles or character

profiles (2-7)regarding typical families that come

to your school and tailor WOM appeals to each

profile. Example of Credit Companies.

International Opportunity

International Elites

Christian Farm Boarding

Suburban Wealthy

Christian Suburban

Urban

What are your signature images?

When people think of your school, the place,

what image do you want to come to mind?

When people think of student life, sports, fine

arts, academics, etc. what image do you want to

appear?

Don’t get bored of consistency.

Piggy-back admissions events with like-minded

people. Good conversations are likely to occur.

Have prospective students interested in sports visit

on a Friday when there is a big game that night, even

if they will miss the big game.

Have prospective students interested in music visit

the same day when the music parent volunteer group

meets.

Strategies to Fully Utilize WOM

Events

Events can be labor intensive, distracting and

costly for a school. But some are great and very

important for school culture and recruitment.

Have specific goals in mind.

Create a story, purpose and dialogue around the

event (KPS, Homecoming, 3 generations, shirt).

Consider building on to an event that your

school is already known for in the community or

something that distinguishes your school.

Strategies to Fully Utilize WOM

Prioritize recruiting leaders and through WOM

others will follow.

Use Facebook and other social media to fuel

“positive gossip,” fun little details about the

school to create seasonal buzzes. Make it

personal, light, celebratory and fun.

Mrs. ______ is one of three teachers being

considered for the MN teacher of the year award.

Alum, ______, class of 1983, published a best-selling

book as a University of Chicago expert in child

psychology.

Only 27 Days of school left? Sadness.

Over heard on campus……..

Strategies to Fully Utilize WOM

Large Organizations Must have

Marketing that is Closely Connected to

Those in Contact with Students

Must know the market well.

Timing must be coordinated.

The information age can only work in your

advantage if you are highly coordinated.

Example of smart marketing tied into special

interest.

Share WOM stories and other

items with your core

stakeholders. Get your

“talking heads” talking well

and sharing your key points.

Connect the talking points to

their passions.

(Brent, track and students in need of academic support)

Strategies to Fully Utilize WOM

Use Soft and Hard Sells

Uvideo – Powerful communication tools that

your talking heads and gate keepers can carry

with themselves everywhere.

Reward and Empower Your Gate

Keepers

Know who provides you access to students.

Encourage and reward them. Treat them special.

Examples of Partner Recognition and

Giveaways – Coffee Mugs, Special Pen, Class of

2015 Teacher of the Year, etc.

Two Kinds of E-mail Marketing

Your list that you generate through inquiries on

your web site. Send a regular feed of relevant

information. (Constant Contact, Mail Chimp)

Targeted mass emails to lists based on income,

geography and families with children. Is it spam

if you only message one time?

Warning – Not all companies are honest and

systems do not always work well.

DELIVERED 53,108

OPENS 9,283

OPEN RATE 17.48%

CLICKS 1,768

CLICK RATE 3.33%

CLICK TO OPEN RATE 19.05%

DATE SENT: 4/7/15

OBJECTIVE:

SUBJECT LINE: Learn more about West St. Paul’s Premier

Middle School and High School

TARGETING: Christian Families with Children Age 10-15, Non-

Denominational Families with Children Age 10-15 within client

furnished zip codes

EMAIL SUMMARY

Header – Links to Academics Page 639

Images/Footer – Link Contact Page 1,129

OVERVIEW

CLICK DETAILS

Identify Your Closer

In elementary schools the closer is usually the teacher

that the family will first have, often your early

childhood teacher.

The Principal, a Coach, Admissions Director, or other

staff may be the closer at larger schools.

Invest in this individual. Meet regularly. Send her to

workshops and conferences. Help her to be a best-

selling teacher.

Develop alumni testimonials that encourage

WOM and provide validation of the core

themes.

Strategies to Fully Utilize WOM

Lirian from China Class of 2010 Valedictorian University of California Berkeley

Be aware of how your school is perceived and

utilize this to your advantage in marketing and

communication.

Example – Christmas is the only time where it is

cool to be Christian.

Strategies to Fully Utilize WOM

Postcard

With students from over 15

different nations, St. Croix

celebrates a Savior who

came for all people.

Use gimmicks (t-shirts, pens, window clings,

etc.) strategically to prompt conversations about

your school.

Prospective students in key feeder schools

Grandparents who like to talk about ______.

Strategies to Fully Utilize WOM

Make a Commitment to Regular

Direct Mail

Be careful with using discontentment to prompt action.

What does the message that you send recruit or

encourage? How does this message brand people?

Substantiate WOM claims through similar

themes on web site, in videos, and in all

publications. Link these in a clear manner so

people can get more if they want it.

Strategies to Fully Utilize WOM

Jeff Lemke

JLemke@StCroixLutheran.org

St. Croix Lutheran, Grades 6 - 12

www.StCroixLutheran.org