Social Media will be paramount to the admissions rep. As technology continues to progress, so should we by communicating with our prospects in the forums that they use themselves.  The key to mastering this is to make sure that the messages we post are relevant.  We still must be careful not to become part of the clutter.

This is an excellent question and great comments.  Social media and how to use it effectively are extremely critical to the effectiveness of any recruitment initiative.  The key, as I see it, is to understand how each and every student chooses to communicate.  We must be careful not to assume everyone prefers Facebook or text just because they're younger.  In turn, we must explore what the preferences are of adult students.  In some of our recent studies, we've found that what have been deemed "old leads" by some schools are simply people who choose to communicate in different ways.  That's why they didn't respond to phone calls!  Once a preferred medium was introduced, VIOLA!  They respond.

As a new Admissions Representative for an online college, I am learning so much about communicating with prospective students. Though I've been called "old school" because I document much of my files in hard copy paperwork, I also embrace the power of Social Media. I look forward to learning from this Group how to integrate Facebook, LinkedIn, etc., into our recruiting efforts.

As a new Admissions Representative for an online college, I am learning alot about communicating with prospective students also. This is a great and very helpful experience for me. I love to help people achieve their goals in life and very caring about their decision they make.

It's wonderful to see so many comments centered on the importance of relationship building in the admissions experience. This is especially critical given today's student doesn't trust as much as prior generations. They know when they're being sold and the "old" scripts and methods only push students away.

I have seen too many admissions reps fall into the trap that they focus too much on being information givers, that the personal connection is lost, take time to build rapport, get to know their needs and wants first, remember, the one doing all the talking is gonna lose the outcome. Find ways to ask questions that trigger them to talk and talk openly to you. Win - Win situation. They will tell you the information you need to close. Follow up with good social media skills, email, text, facebook them with thank you's for sharing their story about their needs and wants. Constant contact is the key, the first visit is only the beginning of a great relationship.

Social media is a beautiful double-edged sword. While it makes it simpler for us to reach out to students and make them aware of their options in education, it makes it easier for students to spot check the information they receive from various schools and trade notes on enrollment and service experiences without too much effort or direct contact with a school. While it might make it easier for the student to dive right into an application, that's not always the best answer. Any admissions rep who understands how easily information flows should be able to appreciate how much more effort they will need to put into building a genuine relationship with the students they touch to make certain those students are being appropriately assisted. And students need to be taught that admissions reps are not only there to 'sell' them on a school, but can also help them make certain the school or program they're considering is really a good fit for them.

It is important that our advertising/media hits the social networks.  So many of our leads are not reachable by phone OR never listen to voicemails OR change phones at a whim so they are not reachable.  But you can darn well bet they are reachable via social networking.  We need to be there and be visible to attract those potential students.

What are the best or safest practice by introducing your real name on social media for prospective students, etc..?