Talking Tactics

Miami University's toddler campus tour reel saw 33% more engagement than other admissions content on their main channels and won a Gold Case Circle of Excellence Award. How can we show our campus with the actual joy and excitement a prospect might feel visiting for the first time? Through the eyes of a toddler, of course. The reel featured Gerod Harder's two and a half year old son, Wesley, exploring key campus spots, attending a class, and taking snack breaks. The reel received over 100,000 impressions on Instagram — 3 times the average of other videos that month. It has been one of the university’s highest performing posts and received positive comments from internal and external audiences alike.

Watch the reel: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0Pv2XRxaFc/

Guest Name: Gerod Harder, Associate Director of Social Media, Miami University in Ohio

Guest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerodharder/

Guest Bio: Gerod Harder is the Associate Director of Social Media at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He has 5 years of experience leading organic social media strategy within higher education. Gerod is the proud father of Wesley, his two and a half year old son who will be featured in the content discussed in this episode.

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Connect With Our Host:
Safaniya Stevenson
https://www.linkedin.com/in/safaniyastevenson/ 

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Talking Tactics is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too! 

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For many institutions, increasing access is a strategic priority. With this tactic, you can do just that. Melody Ferguson, Dean of Admissions at Pacific Lutheran University, discusses the success of their Automatic Admission Partnership Program (AAP) in increasing enrollment, and with it, the percentage of first-generation and students of color admitted to PLU. In fact, 60.7% of this year’s incoming class admitted through the AAP is first generation, and 63.2% are students of color. Listen to this episode to start walking the walk on removing barriers to your institution too. 

Guest Name: Melody Ferguson, Dean of Admission, Pacific Lutheran University

Guest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melody-ferguson-wa/

Guest Bio: Melody Ferguson has worked 23 years in Higher Education at 3 very different universities. As a first-generation college graduate, Melody has always been passionate about creating opportunities for access to education. Currently serving as the Dean of Admission at Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) in Tacoma, WA, Melody has spent the last 12 years shaping the university's approach to welcoming students from diverse backgrounds. She also happens to be a parent to a rising high school senior, which helps her understand the challenges of the college admission process firsthand. 

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Connect With Our Host:
Safaniya Stevenson
https://www.linkedin.com/in/safaniyastevenson/ 

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Talking Tactics is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too! 

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jess Frazier from Notre Dame University shares how they used custom LEGO figurines to increase engagement on the university's admissions Instagram. They rebranded their admitted student days as 'The Rally' and created a dedicated space where students could build Lego replicas of themselves wearing Notre Dame gear. The goal was to make students feel immediately welcomed into the Notre Dame family. This tactic was highly successful, with a 102% increase in engagement compared to the same admitted student post last year, 226,000 views on the LEGO reel—from 94% non-followers! Plus, the delight of students, parents, and staff alike.

Guest Name: Jessica Frazier,  Assistant Director of Digital Media, University of Notre Dame

Guest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicatfrazier

Guest Bio: Jessica Frazier is the Assistant Director of Digital Media at the University of Notre Dame Enrollment Division for Strategy and Engagement, where she’s responsible for establishing and executing a strategy for the Notre Dame Admissions social media channels. She specializes in creating digital content centered around student storytelling, sharing the unique community and force for good mission of the University. In an effort to create a work/life balance, she likes to walk her dog around campus, hike in USA National Parks, and rewatch The Office.

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Connect With Our Host:
Safaniya Stevenson
https://www.linkedin.com/in/safaniyastevenson/ 

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Talking Tactics is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too! 

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Meaghan Milliorn, Director of Digital Strategy at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, reached attendees of local high school graduations hosted on their campus with geotargeted ads. The goal was to take advantage of this captive audience and promote the university's affordability and scholarships. The ads were motion ads displayed on Facebook and Display during the graduation ceremonies. The initial campaign had 32,000 impressions and 306 clicks, while the follow-up campaign had 85,000 impressions and 120 clicks. With a capacity of 5,600 and 6 total events, that’s not bad! The success of the tactic highlights the importance of targeting audiences during emotional moments and taking advantage of what’s right in front of you (literally!).

Guest Name: Meaghan Milliorn, Director of Digital Strategy, University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Guest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meaghan-milliorn-fikes/

Guest Bio: Meaghan Milliorn has worked at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock for 15 years and serves as the director of digital strategy. She and her team are responsible for overseeing the university website, its strategic focus and ensuring it meets the needs of our future and current students. She is currently leading the comprehensive redesign of the university website.

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Connect With Our Host:
Safaniya Stevenson
https://www.linkedin.com/in/safaniyastevenson/ 

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Talking Tactics is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too! 

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Keeping your social media accounts active and engaging is challenging, particularly for small colleges or teams. Sarah’s student ambassador approach (giving ambassador separate accounts connected to your college’s account) can significantly boost your content output and engagement. Schools working with Sarah have seen their student ambassador posts outperform all others, and gain the algorithm benefits of video views rising from almost nothing.

Check out the ambassador program in action at:

• Whittier College: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7zUo16vTjS/
• Wagner College: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5JPztgLwx8/
• Minerva University: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3smKhRxWnl/
• Colorado College: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C02fvJrPaSU/

Guest Name: Sarah Goldfarb, Managing Director, Digital & Social Media at RW Jones Agency

Guest Social Handles: 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahbgoldfarb/
Instagram: @sbgold

Guest Bio: Sarah is the Managing Director of Social Media and Digital at RW Jones Agency. She collaborates with numerous universities and colleges, focusing on social media strategy, website optimization, email marketing, and digital advertising.
With a deep passion for social media, Sarah has developed a unique expertise in social media ambassador programs and influencer activations. She believes the higher education industry has yet to fully leverage these powerful tools. Sarah has championed this innovative approach throughout her career, spending nearly a decade on campus advocating for these strategies and previously working as a journalist encouraging reporters to engage with their audiences via social media.

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Connect With Our Host:
Safaniya Stevenson
https://www.linkedin.com/in/safaniyastevenson/ 

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Talking Tactics is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too! 

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dr. Courtney Skiles, the director of recruiting and admissions at Trinity Valley Community College, shares an unexpected tactic her team uses to engage students and increase college applications: dressing down. 

By wearing jeans, a T-shirt, and cool shoes, TVCC recruiters aim to be relatable and break down barriers between college representatives and high school students. This tactic has resulted in one in five students applying to their college after a visit. 

Courtney emphasizes the importance of building rapport and making students feel comfortable by sharing personal stories and being relatable. Overall, her mindset and leadership has led to an 8% increase in enrollment and has challenged the traditional perception of college as a distant and unattainable goal.

Guest Name: Courtney Skiles, Director of Recruiting and Admissions at Trinity Valley Community College

Guest Social Handles: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneyskiles56/

Guest Bio: Courtney Skiles is the Director of Recruiting and Admissions at Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, TX. She found her passion for higher ed as a student at TVCC in 2016 and has relentlessly pursued her higher ed career and education ever since. She is a proud gen-z leader that specializes in student engagement, creative problem solving, and organizational change. She recently earned her Doctor of Education in higher education leadership from Maryville University and aims to utilize her career to continuously promote higher education to underserved populations.

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Connect With Our Host:
Safaniya Stevenson
https://www.linkedin.com/in/safaniyastevenson/ 

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Talking Tactics is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too! 

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this engaging episode of Talking Tactics, Dayana Kibilds delves into a unique marketing tactic with Dave Tyler, highlighting RIT's innovative use of GIFs on Giphy to drive traffic to their admissions page. Dave shares how a simple yet unexpected approach turned GIFs into a powerful tool for awareness and conversion, resulting in over 1,000,000 GIF view per week and  122 people visiting RIT's admissions page from Giphy in the last 6 months.

Check out RIT’s Giphy page: https://giphy.com/rit_tigers

Guest Name: Dave Tyler, Social Media Director at Rochester Institute of Technology

Guest Social:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-tyler-30974a2/

Guest Bio: Dave has been working in higher education for 15 years. At RIT, he directs social content and strategy across the University’s platforms. Before coming to RIT, he worked in a similar role for SUNY Brockport. He’s also worked in public relations and as a newspaper reporter, and he still considers himself a recovering journalist.

- - - -

Connect With Our Host:
Safaniya Stevenson
https://www.linkedin.com/in/safaniyastevenson/ 

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Talking Tactics is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too! 

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you’re looking at your paid media campaign performance and have a feeling something’s not quite right… trust your gut. That’s Jeff Holeman’s advice, and the same instinct he followed for UF’s Warrington College of Business paid media efforts. After asking questions and working closely with his vendor and platform partners, he uncovered using first-party data and in-platform lead forms on LinkedIn could make a big difference. And it did: After using first-party data to target his audiences and implementing in-platform forms, Jeff saw 196% increase in leads, double the clicks/engagement, and a drastic 60% reduction in cost. The best part? You can do this too!

Guest Name: Jeff Holeman, UF Warrington College of Business

Guest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsholeman/

Guest Bio: Jeff Holeman leads marketing at the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business, where his focus is strengthening the brand among the college’s 7,000 students and 90,000 alumni, while also building an enrollment pipeline for the college’s portfolio of graduate and undergraduate programs. Jeff has previously led marketing, communications or enrollment at the University of California, Berkeley, Arizona State University, Keene State College, and the University of Rochester, as well as several healthcare systems serving Arizona, Colorado, California, Nevada, Wyoming, and Nebraska. Jeff has more than 25 years of experience in marketing and branding and is focused on the impact that artificial intelligence or the simplest of best practices can have in driving marketing results.  

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Connect With Our Host:
Safaniya Stevenson
https://www.linkedin.com/in/safaniyastevenson/ 

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Talking Tactics is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too! 

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this Bonus announcement, join Mallory, Chief Strategist of Enrollify, as she introduces the newly relaunched Enrollify.org. This episode highlights the fresh features and content now available on the site, emphasizing Enrollify’s commitment to revolutionizing higher education. Learn about the variety of resources—from podcasts to ourses to webinars—that can help professionals make impactful changes in their careers and institutions.

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Connect With Our Host:
Safaniya Stevenson
https://www.linkedin.com/in/safaniyastevenson/ 

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Talking Tactics is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too! 

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Cade was stumped. After doing all the traditional work to get applications in, he saw that applicants to the First Class Dental Assisting School of Nashville were not converting. After doing some research, he realized speed was key. When he tried an immediate and personalized conversation with one student, they became the new dental school’s very first enrollee. But how to do it at scale? In this episode Cade shares his ingenuity, connecting his CRM to ChatGPT via Zapier, training his GPT as an admission counselor for his school, and seeing the school’s incoming class go from zero to full.

Cade is the founder of Enroll Boost AI (enrollboostai.com). He packaged up this tactic in a way that can help your school, too.

Guest Name: Cade Scott, founder of Enroll Boost AI, Director of Marketing & Enrollment for First Class Dental Assisting School of Nashville

Guest Social Handles:  
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cade-scott-1535362a2/
https://enrollboostai.com/

Guest Bio: Cade is the founder of Enroll Boost AI, working as Director of Marketing & Enrollment with First Class Dental Assisting School of Nashville, and comes to higher ed with over a decade of expertise in storytelling and marketing.

- - - -

Connect With Our Host:
Safaniya Stevenson
https://www.linkedin.com/in/safaniyastevenson/ 

About The Enrollify Podcast Network:
Talking Tactics is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too! 

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.