Grow Your Program
4 Simple Ways Instructors Can Help You Attract More Students
Running classes, managing enrollments and trying to market all at the same time can seem overwhelming. However, you can get help filling your classes from an often overlooked resource — your instructors! Don’t forget your instructors are usually just as interested in filling classes, especially if there’s a minimum needed for the course to run. When they become your partner in the effort to promote their classes, everyone wins in the end.
Here are 4 simple – and free! – strategies that your instructors can use to promote classes and attract more students.
Social Media
While you probably already promote your classes on Facebook or Twitter, don’t forget that your instructors are likely on social media as well. Not only can they tell friends and family what classes they’ll be teaching, but motivated instructors often have their own business Facebook page where they can promote their class. They can even go a step further by posting to community pages as well. Most towns have Facebook groups to let residents know what’s happening in the community, so empower your instructors to post there as well.
And don’t forget to encourage your instructors to include a link to their course in their message so that interested students can click right over to the registration page and sign up!
Email Marketing
CourseStorm administrators can send emails to current and past students directly from the system, but don’t forget that your instructors can also use CourseStorm to send emails to their classes. While they often use this for class communication, it is also a great marketing tool to announce new classes. Once you have posted your new catalog of classes, instructors can go back to an old roster in CourseStorm and send a message to students, letting them know about any of their new or upcoming classes. Previous students are more likely to sign-up for the next session, so your old rosters are a great source of students to fill your classes.
Not on CourseStorm yet? While not as simple as CourseStorm, it is possible to create mailing lists in Outlook or any other email program. Using these contact lists, instructors can send reminders when enrollment opens up for new and related classes.
In-Person Announcements
There’s no better time to announce new classes than when you already have students right in front of you. This is especially beneficial when it’s time to enroll in the next level class. For example, graduates of a beginners’ painting class can continue to the intermediate level, or Zumba enthusiasts can register for the next session. Encourage instructors to tell students about their next set of classes on the last day of class. If your organization uses CourseStorm and you’ve put your course catalog online, the students can even register for the next class right then and there using their smartphones or tablets. The surest way to grow your program is to keep happy students coming back session after session. Partnering with instructors to promote your next session is a simple strategy to keep the registrations rolling in.
Local Advertising
Instructors that are passionate about their craft will often be connected to the community and know where local Meetups and hobby groups meet, and they can post flyers of your related classes there. For example, if your instructor is involved in a local knitting group that meets at the same church every week, they can post a flyer to promote their knitting class. Local coffee shops, grocery stores, libraries, parks and even some doctors’ offices also offer bulletin boards to share community happenings.
If your instructors are interested in this type of advertising but are pressed for time, they can even create a flyer by printing off the course detail page directly from your catalog, write the registration address at the bottom, and post away!
Maximum Enrollment. Minimal Time
We know you have a lot to do in your day, so we are fans of the saying – work smarter, not harder! Promoting your classes doesn’t have to be a full-time job for any one person in your organization. Spread out the effort and get your instructors in on the action! When instructors join forces with program administrators, you can reach more students in less time, save marketing dollars, and maximize enrollment the easy way.
We hope this has given you some simple and effective ways to encourage your instructors to spread the word about your classes and boost enrollment. If you’re looking for an even easier way to manage your class registration and payment process, contact CourseStorm at (207) 866-0328 to learn more and schedule a free demo.
Brian Rahill
Brian is a scientist-turned-education technology executive. He has founded and led technology companies for more than 20 years and uses his analytical mind and experimental approach to spur growth in small and medium businesses and start-ups. He is passionate about using technology to enhance access to lifelong learning.