If you feel like somehow you blinked and the year is half over, you are not alone. Between prepping for graduation and keeping up with how quickly the marketing landscape is changing, it is easy to feel like you are falling behind on your goals for the year. On the bright side, with half of the year to go, there is still a lot of time to make a big impact. Below, we have outlined three areas you should be focusing on to see big results.

Are your programs meeting the demands of the current marketplace?

Program viability is a hot topic and one that should not be overlooked in the current market. We have been keeping a close eye on this topic and continue to see the importance of program audits rise. Questions you should be asking yourself: Do your program offerings match current employment demands? What percentage of your graduating students found jobs in their areas of study? What job openings in your area continue to go unfilled and do you have programs that prepare students to fill those jobs?

Are you missing out on low hanging fruit with your marketing campaigns?

An area where we see one of the biggest returns is with lead nurturing. A lot of work goes into securing an inquiry, but oftentimes there is no process in place to help move that inquiry along through the funnel. Knowing that increased competition in the space further complicates student’s decisions, staying engaged with prospective students post inquiry can be the deciding factor for many. Follow up, provide support and make sure prospective students have the information and resources they need to make an educated decision about their options.

Mobile is another area where we consistently see an opportunity for improvement. With mobile usage rising daily, site speed and load times are more crucial than ever before. Making sure your site is optimized and easy to navigate on a mobile device will allow you to capture your prospective student’s attention when it is most important.

Are you engaged with current students?

Monitoring the pulse of your student cohort is extremely important. According to IPEDS data, the average graduation rate for students after 6 years is only 51%. Plus, the confidence levels of these students that they will graduate with the skills they need to secure a job in this ever-changing market are not promising. Help your students feel engaged by providing the tools and information they need to be successful. Ask your students for feedback and implement solutions to meet their needs. At the end of the day, the ultimate goal is more future alumni. So a strong focus on retention and completion is critical.

Want to take a deeper dive and uncover how to make the most of the rest of the year? Join us Wednesday, August 7^th for our 2019 Benchmarks Report: Mid-Year Review Webinar. We will cover the trends continuing to emerge and provide action items you can implement now to help you make the latter half of your year better than the first. Sign up HERE.