Landing Page 101

Anytime you use social media, email, banner ads to advertise your schools programs you need a landing page. But many people don't understand the true purpose of the landing page and why it is so important. In addition, many don't understand what makes a landing page effective. These tips will show you how to make your landing page effective.

In a nutshell, a landing page is an internet micro site that is a single web page that simply states your offer. When someone clicks through to a landing page they have shown that they are interested in learning more. Opening an email (as an example) doesn't have much meaning. But clicking a link is an action that they take on purpose. Something in the email/banner ad/social media has peaked their interest. It's up to the micro site to capture that interest and get them to act on it.

What are the most important elements of a landing page?

·         It must state your offer simply and directly.

·         Do NOT add links that allow them off of the landing page without filling the form.

·         A consistent message between the email/banner ad/social media and your Landing Page.

·         It should have no copy "below the fold".

·         The call to action/variable fields are above the fold.

·         No more than 5 mandatory fields to complete.

·         Keep it simple, not text heavy. State the offer, give them a form to complete and be done with it.

·         Make it visually interesting but not visual heavy.

Once they complete the variable fields and click "submit" send them a thank you note immediately after their submission and tell them information is on the way.

Remember, this is the ONLY way you will know who they are. Keep it direct, to the point. This is not the place for a full sales pitch. That's what your Admissions staff is for. This is for your prospect to tell you who they are and how to get in touch with them.

So, what do most Universities do wrong? I've developed a list of mistakes that are fatal in capturing the needed information.

·         NO OFFER! Everyone expects or needs some incentive to buy. Going back to school is no different. It could be as simple as a scholarship, day care, a free class to get things going, discounted tuition. Anything that gets them past the time and cost involved in returning to school.

·         Variable fields that go on, and on, and on, and on, and on. 60% of all internet users who click through to a landing page will abandon the page if there are more than 5 variable fields to fill out. FIVE!

·         More text than existed in the original message. This is the place to make short, bulleted points that reinforce your offer. Make the sale, but make it simple.

·         Multiple links that allow the visitor to click away from the landing page without filling out the information. There can be only ONE way to leave the Landing Page. Fill out the form and click "Submit"

·         If I have to I will say it again. NO OFFER - no one will complete the form!

The landing page is the one way for you to capture your leads. The role of prospecting is to identify those who are interested (clicking through does that) and capturing who they are (the Landing Page). Most schools violate one or all of the above bulleted points. To be successful, you need to adhere to the first set of recommendations. This isn't rocket science, it's a study in psychology and motivation. If you give them the proper motivation, they will do what you want them to do

Why? A critical question before using new media.

Why? A simple question that is rarely considered when jumping into something new. It's a simple question, yet the answer can be very telling and more important, will give you direction to your use of (or choice NOT to use) a new medium for prospecting.

Why use Twitter?
Why use Facebook?
Why use direct mail?
Why use billboards?

The answer to these will dictate how to use each medium AND will guide you to create tracking/performance strategies to show that the medium that you select is effective and meeting your needs. How can you determine if your use of a given media choice is effective if you don't know why you are using it? What do you hope to get from your use and most importantly, how can you track whether or not your use is effective?

Let's look at an example. The President of your institution announces "This Twitter thing is huge, we need to use Twitter to reach new prospects!". Not an uncommon event where the word for action comes down from on high. Yet, even though Twitter IS huge, can it be used for his intended purpose? I would state, without hesitation, that the answer is no. Twitter has no way of identifying people who want a degree or who want to return to school to finish their degree. Twitter is a highly effective way of communicating with people who ARE interested in what you are selling, but is a very poor tool for raw recruitment. The question has to be asked, WHY?

Everyone at the institution needs to understand the answer to the question "WHY?"! Use this question to do the following:

1. Determine what you want to accomplish.
2. Evaluate how a given medium can help you meet that goal.
3. If your goal can't be met OR measured, move to another medium.
4. Moving forward create and implement tracking methods to determine if your goals are being met.
5. Have everyone involved buy into the goals that you hope to accomplish and on the measurements that will be used to reach those goals.
6. Be prepared that if the goals aren't met, abandon this medium (for the given use only) and try something else.

The greatest failure in most systems is not asking Why? It's determining the answer to this question that will drive it's success or failure.

Looking back at the President's edict to use Twitter, ask them Why? Ask them what they want/think Twitter will do for them or their institution. Then, go do your research and see if it's possible to get more followers than Ashton Kutchner!

I picked up this idea at the STAMATS Adult Student Conference I'm attending as a sponsor. for more information, don't hesitate to contact David Fant, Owner Market Mapping plus LLC

Comments on Stamats Adult Education Conference

I'm attending the Stamats Adult Education conference in San Antonio this week as one of their conference sponsors. Yesterday we had a presentation on Integrated Marketing Plans. It was interesting and quite insightful and unfortunately I can't post the entire presentation here. I do have a few observations/ideas that came from the presentation.

Don't Over Promise - Always remember when developing ALL forms of marketing...What you promise you MUST produce! More students leave an institution when they realize that the promises made in advertising, campus meetings have not been kept.

Tracking Performance - When doing different types of marketing tracking performance is critical. (More on this in a later blog.) When you are measuring your marketing program you are an investment, without measurement on performance and success you are an expense.

Strategy - The purpose of strategy is to differentiate your institution from your competitors in ways that target audiences value.

Commodity vs Brand - Which are you? A commodity is something people select using cost and convenience as the primary decision point. A Brand is selected based on the institutions Brand/Quality/Reputation.

Competitors - Identify the 5 or 6 key competitors in your market area. DON'T market or do what they do, be different. Set yourself apart.

How you think about your performance. - Marketing people tend to look at what they did. I produced 20 brochures, 15 events. Don't fall into this trap. focus on OUTCOMES. I got 200 people to attend an open house. We received 400 leads for Admissions to sell.

Brand Marketing - Who you are, what you are. Basically your brand or what I call institutional promotional marketing/advertising.

Direct Marketing - Designed to create a response. Use this to drive admissions, participation in institutional events.

I found this final comment to be SOOOO insightful. Direct Marketing has never changed, The PROCESS has changed. Don't let the internet, social media, or more traditional methods of marketing shift your focus. Find a way to integrate these new media into your media mix but the new methods of direct marketing are just that NEW. Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

I will write more. Time for day 2.

Have you been a prospect lately?

I was reading a trade magazine the other day and came across an interesting article. The magazine was for catalog marketing; tips, techniques, trends, etc. One of the central ideas they focused on was "Have you been a customer today?" Their idea was a wonderful one. We get so wrapped up in day to day work, we forget to look at what our marketing program looks like from a STUDENT'S perspective.



That raised an interesting question in my mind. How does YOUR institution handle prospective students? From the time a you start a campaign and a lead comes in, whether by mail, phone call, web site, social media. How is that lead handled? Who touches the lead? What is sent to them? How is this prospect treated, classified (hot, warm or cold lead)? And how is your staff interfacing with these prospects (if they are at all)?



In addition to the above questions, is your website easy to navigate? I have visited many clients and prospect's websites. Some websites are complicated to use AND the only way you can get any detailed program information is to contact the Office of Admissions. Make it easy for prospects to see exactly what they are getting for their education. Not only program information, but social activities, athletics, not as individual discussions (ie: one section for athletics, another for classes, yet another for community information), but how they all relate to the Higher Education experience! Here are some key thoughts for you to consider:



1) At least once a month, sign on to your website. Your goal is to see what it looks like, read the content again, is it attractive to prospective students and check all of your links, page connections to make sure they still work.



2) Fill out forms! Do they work?



3) Read your website as if you're a prospect. As someone with NO knowledge of your school. Does your website make sense? Is it inviting? Are answers there for even the most basic questions?



4) What does your website say about YOUR institution? Is the copy, approach and content different for adult students when compared to high school students? And how easy is it to find key information regarding admissions?



5) Are you using texting and/or social media in a way that your prospects use these services?

Following these five tips can help you focus on what's important, getting more students to register and ATTEND your institution. So many times we overlook the basics and worry more about the trees than the forest. Remember, attending a college or university is exciting, frightening, intense, fun and fulfilling if the match is right. The initial contact you make, just like meeting someone face to face for the first time, is a lasting impression. If they don't like how you interface with them either via mail, phone, website, texting, blogging, you will never get them as a student.

The idea of a mystery shopper can be applied to checking how YOUR admissions recruitment is done. Market Mapping plus LLC can set up a program to contact your institution for more information. Once that contact is initiated, we will follow all future contact's to see how you are doing. Did you send the requested information? How long did it take to receive that information? Were there follow-up contacts in a way that the prospect wanted to be contacted? All done with a full report at the end of the study. We will also evaluate how easy your website is to navigate, and provide suggestions on how to improve your website with copy suggestions, reorgainzation of key elements or a change in approach. Whatever is necessary to help you become more "prospect friendly" in this age of information.



In the words of Ron Popeil, don't "set it and forget it"! Keep in touch with your systems, your image and your outside contact points in order to keep up to date, functional and effective.