How the 'Stealth Applicant Effect' is Affecting K-16 Enrollment Nationwide

Do you know what's a ‘stealth applicant’?
It used to be that you got to speak to most families considering your school.

If I had a dollar each time I heard, ‘when I get them on campus, I get them to enroll 90% of the time”...

The internet has changed the way parents gather information and make up their minds.
Today, most parents do the heavy lifting from a distance; they research each and every school in their community. They can learn most details about your programs without coming in for a tour.
They go through your website, your social media, and your reviews.

Open House attendance is dropping nationwide. Why?
Parents have been spoiled. They are now in full control of their attention and the content they consume.
Netflix is the best example of this shift.
Parents decide what program to watch and when to watch it.
Gone are the days when CBS and NBC got you to tune in for their prime time shows.

Likewise, parents will not be forced to get up and drive to your event to get information about your school.

So they know you, even if you don’t get to know them.

They remain hidden right up to the point where they decide to enroll.
We call these ‘stealth applicants.’

Does this impact your job?
Well, for one thing, you have to be able to persuade families without talking to them.
You have to be able to address their fears and change their perceptions without being given the opportunity of a face to face encounter.

You have to be able to tell your story and emphasize what sets you apart from the crowd of schools in the community. This may sound tricky, impossible even...

So, what's the best way to take control of your story?

Radio and TV were so last century...
Today’s parents and potential students live online and on other social platforms.

Here’s an interesting fact:
We surveyed over 400 schools these past three months and (among other questions) asked them the following:

“Do you believe you will be able to (continue) growing your enrollment without diving into digital marketing?”

About 73% replied, “No, I am already or will eventually need to dive into social media marketing.”

While the remaining 27% replied, “I have not used nor will I ever need to use
digital marketing to grow my school.”

Interestingly, schools believing they cannot grow without social media marketing is up 17% since our last survey in March 2018.

At Enrollhand, we know how to get your message in front of them, just as we got our message in front of you. Think about it...
You’ve tried flyers, radio, and billboards to bring new parents to your school — now it’s time to try online marketing with Enrollhand.
Ready to drive enrollment in today’s online world?