You should always keep in mind not to mislead a prospective student in order to get them to come to your school. Also, not to be too agressive with students so that they do not make a wrong decision when choosing their program or lose their interest. You are there to guide prospective students through the admission process and not to push on them in order to increase your enrollment.
I like this question because I have worked with several Reps and Supervisors who only had a Sales background when entering the field of Education.
Most have been aware of the relationship between success and ethical conduct, but most are not used to being regulated - especially regarding what can be said in actual recruitment activities, and the amount of information that must be disclosed.
Also I'd advise to remember that it's not a one time sale - then move on - in this business.
My recommendation is to remember that you are now in a "sales oriented" occupation. You will most likely have more regs to deal with, but a lot of the basic concepts of sales are still valid. Just my opinion, of course ~
I like this & agree. We need to act in the best interests of the student. I'd actually like to see evaluation of Reps move away from traditional sales quotas.
This is so true. I think any of us who have been doing this for awhile can probably think of more than one occasion where we gave up a "sure sale" because of an ethical consideration.
I honestly feel a need to jump in and support sales people because I have worked with a lot of "old school" sales guys (and gals).
Really, in my experience, they earned my respect. The biggest thing I saw was that they weren't prepared for the amount of follow up with enrolled students, and the paperwork, nor ready for the degree of regulation and compliance.
Their phone skills were great, and they are used to being scripted. So, even though they weren't always prepared for having the regulations limit what could be said, once they got scripted they were good.
Julia,
This was a wonderful post. You have nicely summarized the responsiblity of agents.
If the college is accredited there is no commission on enrolling students. The keep will be to do what is in the best interest of the studetns and that will produce measurable success in the college admissions field.
I agree. The most important person here is the the prospective student.
Let the student do most of the talking.
Let them open up to you . When a student is at ease and feels important they also feel that you are being genuine.
Mina
In any kind of sale I think one thing that should always be in your mind is a great sense of integrity. At my institution our ultimate goal is to setup students to be successful. If a students interest, determination, and motivation does not accurately line up with what we have to offer within our programs then it is not going to be a good fit. You can't put a square peg into a round hole.
It is important that we effectively sale the degree, but also stay in compliance. Some agents get so wraped up into getting a student through the process, that everything else is forgotten. Compliance and accurate information is needed in every call.
I think it is really important as an admissions representative to not only know your product (which is your school) but also believe in your product. If you have that then you are speaking the truth.
An agent should be careful not to think about enrollment as a sales job but as a job that will help individuals meet their personal and professional goals. Put the student before the dollar sign.
I think something to keep in mind is to remember that going to school is not a tangible purchase. The students who choose to enroll in school have to see and believe. Going to school will not automatically take you from A to B, but it will teach any student how to teach themselves to go from A to B.
Allow the student to ask as many questions as possible, have all the information, or get them the information, and be a resource for them.
As a new admissions representative and having the desire to put students in the best situation I find one thing that makes me hesitant in erolling the "qualified" student. At times I may come across the potential graduate and they fit all the criteria, meet all the requirements, and pass all assessments and at the same time may put themselves into a more difficult financial situation by attending college. How will I overcome this obstacle, or know that even though this may be so they are the "right" fit for us?
Jeff,
The best advice I can give you is to make sure it is a good fit for the student, not a good fit for the school.
Very true, but there is a "But." In my past position my job was based on numbers so it was very hard to keep the focus on the best intrest of the student. With the pressure to get your number my past employer would look at you as a failure if you didn't get them in a seat. The location of the school was downtown and honestly most of the students who came thru the do was not ready or a good fit.
i am happy to say that my current employer has a focus on the student. Awesome!
Always keep each students best in mind. It is not always the best for each student to enroll in one of your programs. Sales are sales but not when you are "selling" education, we are not selling anything. We are there to assist each student to try to help them make the best choice for themselves and the family.
Keep in mind that an accurate representation of your school is so important to being able to promote your school to each individual student. This is how you "sell" your school. A sales background is very helpful here. Use what you've learned. Many people at my campus come from various sales backgrounds. Portraying accuracy is so important in this field.
