We secret shopped 10 graduate programs’ lead nurturing campaigns. Here’s what we learned.

An effective lead nurture strategy uses student intent to personalize marketing messaging and cadence. Messages—and the cadence in which they’re sent—should adjust to the online/digital behaviors of your prospective students. Within EAB’s Adult Learner Recruitment division, we survey leads to understand their key motivators and reflect that messaging back to them, and activity throttles up or down depending on their engagement.

Overall grade: F

Ninety percent of the programs I reviewed failed to use responsive messaging and/or cadence. Of the ten schools I scanned, only one adjusted their messaging and content in their outreach, calling me shortly after a follow up visit to their site. The majority of universities emailed, called, and texted to alert me to their deadlines but never contacted me in a timely way after I made return visits to their websites or interacted with their emails.

Effective lead nurture strategies are long-term, extending outreach to prospective students beyond one or two enrollment cycles. Our research shows that nearly 40% of adult learners take 12+ months to make a decision about where to enroll. We recommend building campaigns that extend over a 18-24 month timeframe to capture this longer journey to enrollment

Overall grade: TBD

I began this process only two months ago, so will be in a better position to evaluate at this time next year. On the high end, one university executed nearly 20 touches through email and text within the initial 4-week period after filling out the RFI. On the low end, I was concerned that one school indicated they would be closing my file due to inactivity after receiving only one email and two texts 3.5 weeks after completing the RFI.

Adult learners have different needs and concerns than traditional aged students—especially as it relates to your program costs and flexibility. Addressing student concerns around tuition, return-on-investment for the degree, financial aid support, being able to manage additional commitments with flexible options, and student support for online learning should be elevated in outreach.

Survey results: “What are your primary reasons for furthering your education?”

Asked of students who are currently enrolled or planning to enroll in the next 2 years. Top five responses shown.

Overall grade: C-

This was the element where schools performed best, yet still 50% of the schools failed by focusing their messaging exclusively on themselves: their application process, requirements and deadlines. It was like a one-way conversation with students – which we know drives students away.

A strong lead nurture program goes beyond email to reach students wherever they spend time. Outreach to leads should be integrated and coordinated across multiple touchpoints and channels based on where prospects spend their time: email, direct mail, text and digital ad remarketing to name a few. By integrating your campaign across touchpoints, students will receive consistent messaging that builds upon itself across multiple channels.

Overall grade: D

Sixty percent of schools failed to use multi-channel campaigns, relying on email as their ONLY channel. Of the schools that went beyond email, they added text messaging and/or calling to the mix. Only one school leveraged 3+ channels (emails, texts and digital ad remarketing) in their lead nurture campaign.

See how one business school increased enrollment by 45% with marketing best practices

In today’s AI-driven email communications, students are wary of automated messages. Does your email sound relatable and like it’s from a human—or does it use bot-like language? Differentiating yourself in a stream of automated higher ed touchpoints (which will only ramp up with AI) means breaking up from automated emails every few weeks, and instead opting to send a quick personalized note, pick up the phone and call or try sending a note in the mail.

Overall grade: D

Of the schools I secret shopped, half of them failed to use relatable and believable messaging, with five of the schools leaning heavily on automated and highly generic emails