Few experiences stir up the emotions that “Move-In Day” does for me.

A true milestone in the realm of recruiting, us admissions-folk get to finally see the fruits of our labors actualize in the form of the newest members of our campus communities.

It’s equal parts nostalgic, satisfying and rewarding.  But unfortunately, it can also be a missed opportunity.

[Brief pause to allow you to put on your "marketer" hat...]

Think about it this way:  Move-In Day is the perfect time to gain insights, get feedback and gather content while the college choice is still fresh on the minds of new students and their parents.

And since you’ll all have captive audiences relatively soon, today I’d like to offer some ideas for you to make the most of move-in this year.

Try these on for size:

• Host an online chat for parents the week before move-in.  Give them additional info, set expectations for the day and give them a discount code at the bookstore for attending the chat.

• Have staff or students do short “video interviews” on campus and in your dorms (yes, I said “dorms”;) Post the video content to your social network or YouTube channel and point new prospects to it.

• Walk around with flyers and recruit possible new tour guides/ambassadors.  Even if you don’t let freshmen give tours, getting them involved early is always a good idea.

• Promote an info session and/or writing contest for new student bloggers.

• Consider doing some sort of “giveaway” that promotes your blog or social network to students and parents.  Invite them to contribute!

• Setup a booth or table wherever appropriate for parents to add or update their email addresses and other contact info.

• Try handing out a super-short survey that gets to the heart of what you want to know most.  Don’t overthink it — the right 2 or 3 questions can tell you much more than a long, wordy evaluation).

Of course you’ll want to keep in mind that this is a special time for students and their families and be as respectful as you can when promoting these types of campaigns (but I don’t have to tell you guys that, right?)

This year, don’t miss the wealth of opportunities Move-In Day provides for you to find and tell your college’s story.

Then sit back, relax and enjoy the parade of SUV’s and minivans arriving with your students and their helicopter or stealthy parents;)

On behalf of the whole team here at TargetX, congratulations on another year’s hard work.

Adrienne

P.S.  Speaking of getting ready for fall — don’t miss our next Free on Friday Webcast!  The TargetX Experience Team of Jeff Kallay and Trent Gilbert will be giving you their “5 Fixes” for your campus visit program.

Learn more and register here:
http://www.targetx.com/webcasts

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