Employee Spotlight – David Dobson

At VIQTORY, we put a high value on company culture, and that starts with our employees. Get to know our team in this month’s Employee Spotlight. 20 Questions With David Dobson, Senior B2B Marketing Manager

How long have you worked at VIQTORY?

As of answering this questionnaire, I’ll be working with VIQTORY for less than 2 months.

What is your job title?

Senior B2B Marketing Manager.

Briefly describe your primary responsibilities within that role. (What does a typical day look like?)

The B2B team works closely with the sales team to design and execute marketing campaigns and activities across the appropriate channels promoting VIQTORY’s products and services, including email marketing automation, digital and web content, videos, whitepapers, webinars, and website optimization.

What is it you enjoy most about your job?

No two days are ever the same, and that’s what keeps things interesting. I am lucky enough to be one of those people that can say that I truly like my job and what I do. It’s a bonus that I get to take what I do to help connect military veterans with previously unknown civilian employment, entrepreneurship, and education opportunities.

What is your favorite memory from working at VIQTORY?

On my first day on the job, I had the opportunity to meet Vietnam veteran and Steelers legend Rocky Bleier. Since then, well, we’ve been COVID-19 quarantine.

Where are you from?

I’m a Navy brat, so I moved from one naval base to next – Charleston, Pearl Harbor, New London, and ultimately landing in Kings Bay.

Where did you go to school and what was your major?

I have a BS in Broadcast Communications from Georgia Southern University.

What was your first job?

My very first job was a pin monkey in the back of a bowling alley. My first post-college job was as a video editor at a post-house in Atlanta, GA.

How do you spend your time outside of the office?

In my free time, I enjoy photography, creating videos, drone piloting, working on my cars, and some minor woodworking. During the warmer season, you will most likely find me on my boat cruising the Beaver and Ohio rivers.

What are your favorite sports teams?

Steelers and Pens.

Who are your 3 favorite bands/artists?

Alkaline Trio, Against Me!, and The Airborne Toxic Event.

What is your favorite food?

A Philly cheesesteak.

If you could have dinner with 3 people from history who would they be?

My father, Johnny Cash, and Steve Jobs.

What is the last book you read?

Unmarketing by Scott Stratton and Alison Kramer

What is your favorite place to travel?

I love the beach. So anywhere there’s sun and sand. Not sure how I ended up in Pittsburgh.

Do you have any pets?

I have a dog, 3 cats, and a hamster.

What’s the best concert you’ve ever been to?

That’s a tough one. I’d say it’s either Against Me! or The Gaslight Anthem.

If you could only watch one movie for the rest of your life what would it be?

Any of the Back to the Future films.

Tea or coffee?

Coffee, hands down.

What ranks first on your, “Bucket List?”

Traveling to Europe.

Advanced Targeting in Non-Traditional Student Recruitment

Join us in this on-demand panel discussion recording as we review the basics of Advanced Targeting in Student Enrollment Marketing Campaigns. We will discuss how these tactics can be applied to further your school’s reach within the military community to attract non-traditional students.

We cover topics such as Managed Programmatic Control & Campaign Multivariate Optimization, Platforms and Targeting Tactics, and Best Practices Guidelines & Veteran Marketing Expert Recommendations.

Get Instant Access to the Recording

How to Support Veterans during Military Appreciation Month 2020

I took a walk this weekend with my 15-year old daughter Ruby.

That’s become a frequent thing. That’s a good thing. Dads appreciate that:)

I live in western Pennsylvania. Deer o’plenty.

That disclaimer aside, it wasn’t that long ago that it was a sure bet, a 100% chance in fact, that the number of humans we’d see on a walk would outnumber the deer. Not by a little bit. By several orders of magnitude.

But not in our new “post-coronalyptic” world. Ruby and I saw a two trucks, one car, five deer, and yes, we even saw a human!

It was good sized. Dark hair. Definitely part Yinzer. Wore a mask. It was pretty skittish. We tried to appear non-threatening and we even tried to talk to it. But it walked to the other side of the road and avoided eye contact. Maybe next time. Next safari. Maybe we should try spotting for humans at night? Or use bait? I hear they are attracted to toilet paper these days.

May is upon us. For those of us at Viqtory who are in the human business of creating civilian opportunity for the military community, that means National Military Appreciation Month (NMAM).

Established by Congress in 1999, NMAM is a month where Americans express gratitude for our service members, veterans and military spouses. May was chosen because it includes Memorial Day, Military Spouse Appreciation Day, Victory in Europe (VE) Day commemorating the end of WWII in Europe, Children of Fallen Patriots Day, the anniversary of the death of OBL and more.

Traditionally, our towns have parades, businesses offer military discounts and veterans are given free access to theme parks, concerts and sporting events.

“Post-coronalyptic” NMAM may be different.

4 ways to Support the Human Veterans during Military Appreciation Month in this “Post-Coronalyptic” World

Buy Veteran – The federal government’s not the first to figure out that supporting small business is the best way to stimulate the country’s economy. Stimulating the “veteran economy” can be done the same way. About one in seven small businesses is owned by a military veteran. They are restauranteurs, roofers and real estate agents; pub owners, plumbers and painters; jewelers, janitors and junk haulers, and everything in between. They hire veterans to work at their companies and they tend to support veteran-related charities. What better way to support them, and to buy American, than to Buy Veteran? You can find them at www.buyveteran.com. And most will probably give you product or service curbside or at least 6 feet away.

Educate Veteran – Give a veteran a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a veteran to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime. By passing the original GI Bill, the Greatest Generation educated an entire generation, and in doing so, ushered in American prosperity. Leaders like John Kamin, Patrick Murray, and many more veterans who advocated for its modern version, the Post-9/11 GI Bill, did the same for post-9/11 veterans. If you’re a college or trade school, and especially if you’re one that offers distance learning and flexible programs for adult learners, establish programs to pursue our veterans as students.

Hire Veteran – If you are a hiring manager or in talent acquisition, especially if you employ people in positions like retail, logistics or healthcare where demand has soared, pursue veterans for those jobs. .

Franchise Veteran – Veterans going through the military’s transition assistance program (TAP) now have the option to take a track in business ownership. Opening a franchise is a lower-risk way for veterans to take the leap into entrepreuenrship. In the military, veterans are taught a strong work ethic, good leadership skills, discipline, ability to execute a plan and are forced to overcome challenges. They’re ideal franchisees. So if you’re a franchisor looking to grow, you’re well-served by pursuing veterans.

Let’s create plenty of Viqtorys for veterans during this post-coronalyptic May.

By Chris Hale, CEO & Co-Founder at VIQTORY

Promotion Points, Ranks, and Civilian Education

Service members are actively looking for civilian education opportunities that can help them Ascend The Ranks.

For those serving in the United States military, their education level is taken into consideration for promotion boards, rank increases, and expanded career options through special assignments and command selection. Those service members looking for their next assignment or promotion are actively looking for education opportunities that can help them succeed in their careers.

Roughly two-thirds of our job fair attendees indicated that they were interested in furthering their education – some equipped with the GI Bill.

If you’re looking for veteran students to attend your school, the G.I. Jobs Virtual Job Fair is the best place to meet your desired audience.

Promotion points, ranks, and civilian education

The Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard offer enlisted service members advancement/promotion points and/or incentives for furthering their education. Promotion points play an important role in a servicemember’s journey through the ranks, and there are 4 categories where they can earn promotion points. These include military training, awards or decorations, military education, and civilian education.

Unfortunately, many service members miss their promotion point cut off score by a few points each month. They may have maxed their weapons and PT, and have sufficient credit hours of military education, but still don’t make the cut-off.

The most commonly overlooked source of promotion points is civilian education. Completing civilian college classes can help raise a soldier’s promotion points above the cut-off. As they progress in their career, a college degree becomes even more important.

The Army rewards up to 100 points toward promotions dependant upon rank
The Marine Corps grants up to 75 points toward promotions dependant upon rank
The Navy awards advancement points to those who have earned their degrees
The Air Force takes education level into consideration for promotions
The Coast Guard takes education level into consideration for promotions

To assist those service members looking for advancement opportunities, many educational resources are made available to them, such as:

Tuition Assistance
Credit-by-Examination funding
Education support systems
Counseling through Education Service Officers
Branch specific Scholarship funding
Service Grants

Military spouses and dependents

Military spouses and dependents are also eligible for certain service-specific scholarships, college funds, and other education programs. Check out our list of Military Student Funding You May Not Be Aware Of to learn about other federal, government, VSO, and private sector funding opportunities available that go beyond some of the more well-known resources such as the GI Bill, especially for military spouses and dependents.

If your institution accepts the MyCAA (My Career Advancement Account) Scholarship, learn how you can reach military spouses looking for education opportunities here.

Military DSP and First-Party Data

At VIQTORY, we are using our Military DSP and first-party data to help universities, colleges, and schools directly reach the individuals looking to succeed in their military careers.

Is your school interested in attracting military students? Learn how a well-recognized Division-1 (NCAA) University scored big by exceeding military spouse enrollment by 175%, or how ETSU was able to enroll more than 100 military veteran students.

With over 19 years of marketing experience to the military community, we are assisting schools every day in accelerating their student acquisition funnels utilizing the following methods:

Communicating to all 250+ military installations through multi-channels (over 2.1 million active-duty service members!)
Leveraging 19 years of first-party data to target your desired demographic (a reach of over 12 million!)
Positioning your school to our registered users on GI Jobs & Military Spouse (over 4 million unique views annually).

Learn how your school can attract students that are committed and dedicated to higher learning.

Why CTR Isn’t the End All

When it comes to Digital Advertising, it can be difficult to calculate ROI. Traditionally, marketers would measure the success of their campaigns based on the rate at which users would click on their ads, but the average CTR on display ads is only 0.35%. While this seems like a logical approach, Click Through Rate isn’t always as accurate as you may believe and it doesn’t tell you the whole story.

This example from Mason Digital explains it perfectly. If your digital campaign serves 100,000 ad impressions and delivers 50 clicks, your CTR is .05%. But if you’re looking for more clicks to your website, and your digital campaign serves 300,000 ad impressions to deliver 100 clicks for the same cost, your CTR is .03%, which is lower. Would you rather have twice as many clicks to your website or a higher CTR?

You could have an exceptionally high CTR, but just because someone clicks on an ad it doesn’t mean that they have any intention of purchasing the products or services being advertised, and it definitely doesn’t mean that conversions are being achieved. People may click on them just because they are curious, or even by accident.

It may not even be a person at all, it could just be a bot. Say you run an ad and it has a CTR that is below your standards. Does that mean that the ad didn’t work and you should stop running it? Absolutely not. If someone doesn’t click on an ad, it doesn’t mean the viewer wasn’t influenced by it.

A lot of viewers don’t click on ads at all. Instead, they see the ad, and then look up the company being advertised and make a separate search. Maybe they will remember the ad in the future when they have a need for the product. Just because you aren’t seeing the click rate you were hoping for doesn’t mean that the ad isn’t working.

Some more reliable indicators that a campaign is working are metrics such as increased website traffic, increased time on site, conversions, and the number of searches for your company or products/services on various search engines. Make sure your organization is putting value on impressions. Clicks aren’t the only measure of the impact an ad has, but the number of times it renders on a user’s screen. It’s important to track the number of times people saw the ad and monitor the activity on your website after ads have run.

Then you can review the analytics, see what worked, and see what needs to be changed which will make it easier to produce quality ads in the future that lead people to your site. While it can still be a useful measure of campaign success, it’s important not to put too much weight on CTR, and to take into account all the different ways to identify the efficiency of your advertising.

Military Student Funding You May Not Be Aware Of

By Kayla Lopez, Director of Military Partnerships at VIQTORY

There are many resources available to our military community to assist them on their journey to pursuing a degree or following the higher education path. It’s important that schools are aware of the federal, government, VSO, and private sector funding opportunities available that go beyond some of the more well-known resources such as the GI Bill, especially for military spouses and dependents.

While the GIBill is a very important resource it’s always good practice to make sure that your institution is aware of what other funding sources are available for those who may have exhausted their benefits. There are some programs and benefits that are specific and unique to each branch of service or member of the community, so it’s important to take a deep dive and get to know the Military affiliated students who are exploring the opportunity with your institution. A simple GPS Plan, or Getting Prepared to Start plan, can be a great way to take a deeper dive into your student’s background as well as equipping that student with the information and tools that lead to a successful onboarding experience.

We will go into more detail on the GPS subject and review best practices for implementing these programs in another resource for you. So now, let’s take some time to review some of the funding sources your institution should be aware of.

GI Bill Funding

A long-standing benefit that offers education funding for those who serve in the branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. The program has two chapters: Montgomery G.I. Active Duty and Montgomery G.I. Selected Reserve.

AER (Army Emergency Relief) Education Scholarships

The Army Emergency Relief Fund offers two scholarships to the prior service community. Often they will offer additional scholarships depending on their resources. So make sure that you keep an eye out for changes and updates on their offerings. Here are the current opportunities:

Mrs. Patty Shinseki Spouse Scholarship Program:
A need-based scholarship program established to assist Army Spouses in obtaining an undergraduate degree or similar professional certification. Applicants may receive assistance for up to four academic years of full-time study or eight academic years of part-time study.
MG James Ursano Scholarship Program for Children:
A need-based scholarship program established to assist children of Army Soldiers in obtaining their first undergraduate degree. Applicants must reapply each year and may receive assistance for up to four academic years as long as they meet the eligibility criteria explained in the documents on the info page below.

Who is Eligible? Spouses and Children of Soldiers in the following statuses are eligible to apply for Army Emergency Relief scholarship programs:

Active Duty, Deceased Active, Retired, Deceased Retired, Medically Retired, Grey Area Retiree, AGR and ARNG / USAR on Title 10 Orders for the entire Academic Year for which they are applying.
Applicants must be listed as dependents of their Soldier Sponsor in DEERS.
Applicants for the MG James Ursano Children’s Scholarship Program must be under the age of 24.
Recipients must be pursuing their first undergraduate degree at a college or university listed in the US Department of Education’s accreditation database. (Exceptions may be made for Spouses). Trade schools are acceptable as well. You may visit The US Department of Education’s Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs to determine if your school is listed.

Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society

Due to the COVID-19 crisis the deadline has been extended to June 1st.

The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society’s Assistance Program offers interest-free loans and grants for undergraduate or master’s degrees at an accredited 2- or 4-year post-secondary, a technical or vocational institution in the United States. This financial assistance is available for children of active duty, retired or deceased Sailors and Marines; and for spouses of active duty and retired Sailors and Marines.

Program Details:

Interest-free loans and grants range from $500 to $3,000 per academic year
Amount to be provided to each applicant will be determined by NMCRS
Funds are payable and provided to the student’s academic institution, not the student
Funds are to be used only for tuition, books, fees, room, and board
Repayment of interest-free loans must be by military payroll allotment or EFT within 24 months of the loan disbursal and must begin September 1, 2020
Students must complete a new application for each academic year

Fleet Reserve Association

The Fleet Reserve Association serves the community of the Sea Services; U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard personnel. They offer many resources and opportunities to continue to serve those who have served. The FRS offers an extensive list of scholarships and academic funding.

Here are a few:

Glenn F. Glezen Scholarship:
Robert W. Nolan Scholarship
Joseph R. Baranski Scholarship
Robert. M. Treadwell Annual Scholarship
Stanley A. Doran Memorial Scholarship
The Donald Bruce Pringle Family Scholarship
Fleet Reserve Association Scholarship
Mercer
Individual Contributions Scholarship

Other scholarship programs related to FRA are:

The Colonel Hazel Elizabeth Benn Scholarship
The Walter E. Beall Scholarship
The LA FRA Scholarships
Tom and Karen Snee Scholarship

Air Force Tuition Assistance Program

Air Force offers exclusive programs and hands-on experience to help individuals develop skills and advance in their careers. With financial assistance available every step of the way, they provide the opportunity to take training and education as far as their members strive to go. There are several other funding opportunities, check out the Air Force Education resource site for more details.

Here are some of the programs that the Airforce offers for funding continued education:

Scholarships for Outstanding Airman to ROTC (SOAR):
Enlisted Airmen who strive to attend or complete college may apply to the Scholarship for Outstanding Airmen to ROTC (SOAR) program. SOAR nominates up to 50 people for two-to-four-year ROTC scholarships that cover most tuition and all fees. Scholarships are awarded in a variety of fields, including technical, nontechnical, nursing, pre-health and foreign language areas. Those who are accepted will temporarily separate from the Air Force while completing their degree and rejoin upon graduation.

The Airman Scholarship and commissioning program (ASCP):
Active duty, enlisted Airmen may apply for the Airman Scholarship and Commissioning Program (ASCP). This program offers Airmen the opportunity to earn a commission while completing their bachelor’s degree in a variety of fields, including technical, nontechnical, nursing, pre-health and foreign language areas. Those selected temporarily separate from active duty Air Force to join ROTC and become a full-time student at a participating college. Participants receive tuition and fees scholarships for up to $15,000 per year, and a textbook allowance of $600 per year.

Professional Officer Course-Early Release Program (POC-ERP):
This program is open to students in all majors who are within two years of completing all bachelor’s degree and commissioning requirements. Those who are selected separately from the active duty Air Force to join ROTC and become a full-time student at a participating college to pursue a bachelor’s degree. Upon graduation and completion of the two-year program, you will be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and return to active duty for at least four years.

If you’d like to learn more about how you can reach military and veteran students with access to tuition assistance, just fill out the form below:

Tips for Choosing a Veteran-Friendly Graduate School

Article by Angela Montgomery, Assistant Dean and Executive Director of Graduate Admissions at Drexel University.

My husband proudly served in the United States Army for 20 years.

We met when he was already eight years into his career, so I came a little bit late to the military spouse party. But I was immediately overwhelmed by the sense of community I was surround by — the instantaneous feeling of belonging and support that came with being a member, even tacitly, of the armed services community.

Over his 12 remaining years in the military, I came to appreciate the sense of purpose that came from having an understanding of and alignment with a shared vision. It made realizing a common goal so much easier when you knew that everyone was working together in the same direction. Success was inevitable.

But it certainly wasn’t easy. You had to work hard and make great sacrifices. People expected a LOT from you. Yet you were never by yourself and, above all else, the task always got done.

That support came in many forms: garrison support, your family, mentors but, most of all, your team. Everyone had a role to play in your success. And that success was shared.

I think that this sense of purpose, this community of support, and the expectation that you’d do hard things well were the aspects of my husband’s military service that most impressed me.

But the thing about which I was most proud was the role he got to play in the amazing legacy that was his branch of service. There was history. And tradition. And a mission. And he got to live out his values and the values of the organization every day, as so many people had done before him. One small piece of a very old and proud machine.

Even in a field of soldiers and officers, it ultimately was his own personal experiences and characteristics which mattered most. What he brought to the table made those around him better and stronger. But the same was true for everyone else. What an incredible experience it was to contribute in such a way to an organization. I’m certainly grateful I got to be a part of it all, even if just for a little bit.

Most importantly, finding a graduate school is about support.

Transitioning from the military can be an incredibly challenging time — I’ve seen it firsthand in my husband and his friends. Many veterans find themselves poised to take on new and very different challenges yet aren’t quite sure where to begin. Often, graduate school becomes a path that makes sense — a place to acquire new skills and different knowledge that, when combined with the hard-earned world experiences veterans have, make the future of their leadership limitless.

In working with our veteran population as an admissions professional (but also as a mentor and a military spouse), I see themes unfold as the veteran community searches for graduate programs that feel like good matches. And those themes make a lot of sense:

Does this school offer me the skills and knowledge that I will need to achieve my next professional and personal goals?
Is this organization one in which I have faith in its traditions, history, and mission? Do my values match the school’s values?
Does this school understand me? Will they provide the support services necessary to ensure that I am successful? Will they value my service and my uniqueness as a veteran-student, but also provide me the sense of camaraderie and team that I thrive in and have come to operate best in?

If I’m honest, almost all schools out there can offer you the skills and knowledge you need for your “what’s next.” There are more than 5,000 colleges and universities in the U.S. alone, offering programs in full-time, part-time, evening, weekend, online, on-campus and hybrid models. Almost anywhere, you’ll be able to find a program that will deliver for you the requirements for your career of choice.

What it comes down to for most, then, is proper fit and support.

When researching graduate schools, I encourage everyone to look into the school’s mission and history. What does it stand for? Whom does it serve? What kind of students attend? What kind of professors choose to make their careers there? What sorts of problems are they spending their time and resources trying to solve? Understanding the mission of an organization can go a long way towards finding your learning home. Will you be proud to add to your legacy to its name? And will they be just as proud to add your contributions to theirs? As your military service has taught, when you believe in an organization, you will rise to the challenges presented and become one of its ranks.

Most importantly, finding a graduate school is about support. Important things to look for include veterans-related services such as special academic advising, a financial aid officer who understands your benefits, staff and faculty who recognize the unique perspective that our student veterans bring to the classroom, and opportunities for professional development and career advancement. And, most importantly, a community of veteran learners who can share their experiences with one another, who provide a sense of community through social activities and service opportunities.

There are key words you can search for that will help you to know if those services exist for you and your family. Look for Yellow Ribbon Schools, and schools who have experience working the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Look for schools that are listed as highly ranked military-friendly schools. These are the schools who have been awarded special accolades for their ability to support the unique needs of service members through advising, academic, and community support. Look for schools who list veterans services and veterans clubs and organizations proudly on their websites. Schools will post prominently those things about which they are most proud.

In graduate school, people expect you to do hard things. But there are so many people who are there to provide guidance. And knowing that you are in a supportive community removes many of the typical challenges that transitioning veterans can run into.

This article was originally published on Drexel.edu.

College & University Recruiters’ Confidence Index Survey

The challenges facing college and university recruiters during the COVID-19 crisis are real and unprecedented.

Viqtory is conducting a Confidence Index Survey to gauge how optimistic our audience is about enrollment and growth in their institutions. We will periodically ask for updates in an effort to get a feel of how the educational industry is adapting and recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. During these times, we’d like to know how your institution is anticipating the long term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

All responses are anonymous and this survey should only take about two minutes to complete. We hope you are doing well and thank you for your help with this project.

Continued Partnership Announcement – FBI

[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]: VIQTORY to announce a continued partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). This partnership will allow the FBI to target the military community and help fill their open Special Agent positions with transitioning service members and veteran community.

“This partnership signifies a joint commitment to connecting the military community to civilian opportunities. As a community that believes in the safeguarding of life and the upholding of justice, the military veteran is a perfect fit for the Special Agent position with the Federal Bureau of Investigation” says Darryl Williams, Director of Sales and Marketing at VIQTORY.

The FBI recognizes the value, dedication and commitment of servicemen and women and strongly encourages former military personnel to continue their service by joining our team. Military veterans embody the core values and experience we seek: leadership, integrity, teamwork and dedication to a mission.

Purchasing an Employer-Profile on the G.I. Jobs website as well as advertising in G.I. Jobs Magazine will put the FBI and their opportunities in front of service members across the nation. In addition, a targeted programmatic advertising campaign will aim to increase the number of veteran applications submitted for vacant Special Agent positions, while achieving a lower cost-per-hire and a lower time-to-hire.

About VIQTORY: Founded by three Navy veterans in 2001, VIQTORY is the premiere military marketing agency that connects the miiltary community with the companies that want to hire them, the schools that want to educate them, and the brands that want to reach them. Using data-driven strategies, smart technologies, and first-party data gleaned through our own trusted media brands, VIQTORY is the fusion of both a media company and an ad agency. For more information about VIQTORY, visit www.viqtory.com.

About The Federal Bureau of Investigation: The FBI is an intelligence-driven, national security and law enforcement agency that consists of more than 36,000 employees, including military veterans who work together to protect the United States from terrorism, espionage, cyberattacks and major criminal threats. Their mission is to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution of the United States.

For media inquiries please contact David Dobson at david.dobson@viqtory.com

Student Recruitment During A Pandemic

In recent weeks, student recruitment needs and processes have rapidly shifted in response to social distancing and self-quarantine mandates. Students aren’t able to visit campuses, have in-person interviews, or attend college fairs, making the decision to choose a school harder than it’s ever been, while making less traditional paths seem all the more enticing.

There’s increasing uncertainty of COVID-19, and the real challenges facing higher-education have yet to come. Moody’s Investors Service, a global integrated risk assessment firm that empowers organizations to make better decisions, has lowered its outlook on the higher education sector from stable to negative as a result of the coronavirus crisis.

In an interview with Science Magazine, Nicholas Christakis, the Goldman Family Professor of Social & Natural Science at Yale University, referred to a 2007 study stating that: “Proactive school closures—closing schools before there’s a case there—have been shown to be one of the most powerful nonpharmaceutical interventions that we can deploy.”

The 2007 study Christakis referenced, “Nonpharmaceutical Interventions During the 1918-1919 Influenza Pandemic,” by the Journal of the American Medical Association, looked at the impact that “nonpharmaceutical interventions,” specifically school closures, had on stemming the influenza pandemic. The study states that if school closures are going to work most effectively, they need to be closed for months, not weeks.

Things may look grim now, but it’s important to keep up your recruiting efforts while showing those potential student applicants that your school is still here, still thriving, and still interested in them. We are here and ready to help your school stay visible and meet your recruitment goals during these unprecedented times.

Here are 5 tips and strategies on how you can weather this storm.

Strategy 1: Drive Online Recruiting and Track Conversions

Schools all over the U.S. have canceled classes, closed dorms, and restricted campus access to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Consequently, this means that potential students are not able to attend campus tours, in the traditional manner anyways. Online student recruitment and campus tours are becoming more important than ever before. At this time, however, it’s unclear if video chats and virtual tours will generate the same level of applications and student enrollment as in-person campus tours.

But, almost without skipping a beat, student recruiters are shifting their focus and efforts online in order to reach potential students where they are spending the most time. Today, that is at their homes consuming media across multiple screens—including the big screen in the living room.

Student recruiters and marketers can utilize Addressable Geo-Fencing to drive awareness of their college by targeting consumers at the household-level with mobile, video, and/or OTT/CTV ads. Universities and colleges can target relevant households with ads relating to their schools and programs. Along with attracting potential students, colleges and universities can also leverage Addressable Geo-Fencing to showcase to customers how it’s serving the community during this difficult time.

Strategy 2: Take Advantage of Extended Decision Day

Enrollment will be an issue for many schools, especially the smaller ones. This is the time of year when those interested in higher-education are deciding what to do with their lives moving forward. While traditionally the deadline for students to decide where they are going to attend is May 1st, many schools are now extending the deadline to June 1st.

Take this opportunity to refocus your marketing and advertising efforts to capitalize on the extra time prospective-students will have to decide. Offer them solutions to help make their decision easier.

Strategy 3: Target Non-Traditional Students

Each year, tens of thousands of service members leaving the service, and millions of military veterans with access to the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill are looking for secondary education opportunities. Transitioning service members (TSM) and Post 9/11 veterans are perfect candidates for colleges and universities as they have tuition guaranteed to them. Learn more about Congress’ quick passage of legislation protecting GI Bill benefits.

Military spouses are also eligible to use the GI Bill for their own education. Learn how a well-recognized Division 1 University exceeded their military spouse enrollment goal by 175% by using laser-targeted programmatic marketing.

Strategy 4: Promote Your Veteran Services and Clubs

Make sure that your school’s veteran organizations, services, and clubs are easily found on your website to assist in making your institution all the more appealing to these veterans interested in moving on to higher education.

Strategy 5: Advanced Targeting

At VIQTORY, we are using our Military DSP and first-party data to help our client universities and colleges directly reach the individuals who can help make them thrive.

We are also able to run Targeted Display ads for our clients directly on the devices of these individuals, which will be getting more use than ever due to the fact that everyone is quarantined and they all have more time on their hands than ever.

We also have the ability to create a Geo-fence around as many military bases around the country as you see fit. We are essentially drawing a custom shape around the base as if you were looking at a map. Then, we are serving ads to everyone within that shape on their mobile devices. Even when people leave the fence, we can still show them ads for your institution for up to 30 days.

With our world facing a pandemic and our uncertainty about an end date, many students will decide to attend schools closer to home. Using Geo-targeting, these schools can target the devices of those potential students and serve them ads based on the college or university’s location showing future students that staying close to home is a strong option.

Combine these tactics with our first-party data and other advanced targeting techniques to form a multi-faceted marketing campaign to help you keep your enrollment numbers up and keep your institution running at 100%.

Is your school interested in attracting military veteran students? If so, we can assist in a major way. With over 19 years of marketing experience to the military community, we are assisting schools every day in accelerating their student acquisition funnels utilizing the following methods:

Communicating to all 250+ military installations through multi channels (over 2.1 million active duty servicemembers!)
Leveraging 19 years of first-party data to target your desired demographic (a reach of over 12 million!)
Positioning your school to our registered users on GI Jobs & Military Spouse (over 4 million unique views annually).

Learn how your school can attract students that are committed and dedicated to higher learning.