You don’t need a total rebrand to move the needle before census. In a month, you can sharpen message-market fit, tighten creative, and turn “nice” assets into Creative that works. Use this zero-fluff checklist to drive real enrollment impact in 30 days.
Step 1
Clarify one audience + one outcome (Days 1–2)
What to do: Pick the segment that can move now (e.g., adult learners in your top ZIPs) and the single action you want (start application, book info session, submit FAFSA doc).
Deliverable: One-sentence brief: “For [audience], we will drive [action] by proving [value] in [channels] by [date].”
KPI: CTR ≥ 1.5% on paid social; landing-page CVR ≥ 8%.
Step 2
Build a 30-second message stack (Days 2–3)
What to do: Draft three layers of copy you’ll reuse everywhere.
Hook (6–8 words): “Finish faster. Spend less.”
Proof (1 line): “Average time to credential: 11 months.”
Action (1 line): “Book a 10-minute call.”
Deliverable: Mini message doc (3 hooks × 2 proofs × 2 actions).
KPI: Best hook drives 25–40% higher CTR.
Step 3
Fix the landing page, not the whole site (Days 3–5)
What to do: Create or tighten a single landing page for this audience.
Above the fold: hook + proof + one CTA
3-bullet benefits (outcomes, speed, cost)
Social proof (short quote + logo)
Remove nav clutter; 3–5 fields max in the form.
Deliverable: Page loads <2.5s, mobile-first, conversion tracked.
KPI: Bounce <45%, CVR ≥10% from qualified traffic.
Step 4
Turn one story into five assets (Day 5–10)
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:15 vertical video (reel/short)
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1 quote graphic
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1 stat graphic (e.g., “$8k less debt”)
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1 carousel (steps to enroll)
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1 program spotlight image
KPI: Short-video save rate ≥2%; carousel CTR ≥1.5%.
Step 5
Add intent boosters to your CTAs (Days 7–12)
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“Learn more” → “See class times in your ZIP”
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“Request info” → “Get your 3-step start plan”
- Micro-copy: “Takes 60 seconds. No SSN.”
KPI: CTA click uplift ≥20%; form starts +15%.
Step 6
Run two A/B tests, not 20 (Days 10–20)
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Test A: Hook line (outcome vs cost)
- Test B: Hero image (student face vs program scene)
Deliverable: Winners locked by Day 20; roll out platform-wide.
KPI: Blended CPA ↓ ≥15%.
Step 7
Close the loop with a 3-touch follow-up (Days 12–30)
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Email 1 (instant): Personalized start plan + next step
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SMS (24–48 hrs): “Reply 1 for class times.”
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Email 2 (Day 5): Student story + deadline
KPI: Inquiry→app start ≥25%; app start→submit ≥40%.
Pitfalls to avoid
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Spreading spend across 8 audiences. Pick one.
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“Learn more” CTAs everywhere. Be specific.
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Long forms early. Ask the rest later.
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Pretty but heavy pages. Speed beats frills.
How to measure “working” in 30 days
Traffic quality (CTR ≥ 1.5%) • Conversion (CVR ≥ 8–12%) • Cost (CPA ↓ ≥ 15%) • Pipeline impact (apps started, FAFSA verified, RSVPs)
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