How to Increase Student Signups Without Hiring More Staff

Summary:

• Increase enrollment without a large budget by automating your outreach and registration processes with a centralized system like a CRM.

• Focus on low-cost, sustainable marketing strategies such as SEO, authentic social media engagement, and storytelling to attract qualified leads organically.

• Personalize the student journey at scale by segmenting your audience and using AI to provide instant, 24/7 support.

• Leverage an AI-powered student recruitment tool to engage leads, pre-qualify them, and free up your team to focus on high-intent conversations.

You've spent countless hours creating your course, perfecting your curriculum, and setting up your enrollment system. But when you check your dashboard, the signups aren't materializing. The thought of dropping thousands on Facebook ads with zero return makes your stomach churn. You've heard those horror stories too, right?

"I have heard horror stories of people dropping thousands of dollars on FB ads etc and getting zero sales. That is a nightmare to me."

And hiring a marketing "guru" isn't the answer either—it's expensive, and as one course creator put it, "it's hard to find the right person since everyone can call themselves a marketer or guru nowadays."

Here's the good news: You don't need to hire more staff or spend a fortune on ads to boost your enrollment numbers. What you need is a smarter system that leverages technology and targeted strategies to do the heavy lifting for you.

The Foundation: Automate Your Enrollment Engine

The key to scaling enrollment without scaling your team is automation. By eliminating manual, repetitive tasks, you free up your existing staff to focus on what truly matters: building relationships with prospective students.

Centralize Operations with an Enrollment Management System

An Enrollment Management System (EMS) or Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool acts as the "central nervous system" of your enrollment process. It's an all-in-one platform that streamlines and centralizes operations, providing three critical benefits:

1. Enhanced Efficiency: Automation reduces workload through pre-programmed workflows, allowing your team to focus on strategic tasks instead of data entry.

2. Cleaner Data: Forms and CRM data stay in sync, maintaining a single source of truth and eliminating duplicates that plague manual systems.

3. Data-Driven Decisions: Gain actionable insights into which marketing channels are working, where students drop off in the enrollment process, and how to refine your approach.

Institutions implementing an EMS report significant improvements in enrollment rates and staff productivity.

Streamline Registration and Application

The first touchpoint with potential students is often your registration process. Make it frictionless:

1. Implement Online Registration: Eliminate paperwork by allowing applicants to sign up "from anywhere at any time" with a mobile-optimized interface.

2. Simplify Payments: Offer multiple payment options and automate reminders for unpaid balances.

3. Track and Optimize: Use analytics to identify where applicants abandon the process and fix those friction points.

Key Automation Workflows to Implement

Start with these high-impact automation workflows:

1. Inquiry to Application:

   • Capture inquiries in real-time from website forms

   • Trigger personalized follow-up emails based on prospect interests

   • Send SMS notifications for critical deadlines (studies show that SMS has a 98% open rate compared to email's 20%)

2. Onboarding:

   • Automatically send welcome emails, enrollment agreements, and essential information immediately after registration

   • Generate personalized enrollment documentation upon form submission

   • Schedule orientation reminders and pre-course materials

Personalize the Student Journey at Scale

Today's students aren't just looking for information—they want an emotional connection, clarity of purpose, and a sense of belonging. Prospective students make decisions based on how a program makes them feel, not just what it teaches.

The beauty of automation isn't just efficiency—it's the ability to deliver personalized experiences at scale.

Create a Tailored Experience, Not a Generic One

Prospective students don't want to feel like "just another applicant." Use your CRM to segment your audience based on:

• Demographics: Age, location, background

• Program interests: Specific courses or tracks they've shown interest in

• Engagement level: How they've interacted with your previous communications

This segmentation allows you to send hyper-relevant content that speaks directly to each prospect's needs and interests.

Harness AI for 24/7 Engagement

Implement AI-driven tools to provide instant, 24/7 support. This doesn't replace human interaction—it enhances it by automating initial outreach and handling repetitive tasks so your team can focus on high-value conversations.

An AI-powered student recruitment tool like Havana can act as a co-pilot for your admissions team by:

• Engaging leads 24/7 via calls, texts, and emails

• Answering common questions instantly with a built-in knowledge base

• Pre-qualifying prospects and scheduling appointments directly with advisors

This frees up your staff to focus on building relationships with high-intent students, not chasing down unresponsive leads.

Offer Exclusive Perks and Content

Create an exclusive portal or email series for admitted or interested students with resources like:

• Virtual campus tours

• Program guides

• Special events or webinars

• Student testimonials and success stories

This approach serves two purposes: it creates excitement for admitted students and reinforces their decision to enroll, while also functioning as a lead magnet to build your email list—addressing a key pain point many course creators face.

One course creator noted: "I could leverage the course to get some email (i.e., opt-ins for free enrollment)." This strategy does exactly that by providing value while capturing contact information.

Scalable Marketing Without the "Guru" Price Tag

Many course creators express frustration with traditional advertising: "I suck at ads, so I'd probably have to hire someone, which starts to get expensive." The good news? There are effective, low-cost alternatives that build sustainable enrollment pipelines.

Master Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Improve your website's SEO to rank higher in search results, making it easier for students to find you organically. This is especially critical for local programs and niche courses.

Focus on creating valuable content that answers the specific questions your target audience is asking:

• Blog posts addressing industry trends

• Guides solving common problems in your field

• FAQ pages optimized for keywords your prospects use

Focusing on SEO can increase qualified leads without increasing your ad spend.

Engage Authentically on Social Media

Don't just broadcast; connect with students where they are. This doesn't mean spending thousands on ads—it means creating genuine connections:

• Use live videos to showcase your campus or program

• Share student success stories and testimonials

• Participate in relevant discussions in your field

Studies show that 98% of UK university marketing teams are investing more in social media advertising, highlighting its importance in the enrollment journey.

Harness the Power of Storytelling

Develop marketing materials that use storytelling to help students visualize their journey from applicant to successful graduate. This addresses a common pain point for new course creators who lack proven testimonials.

For example, consider creative campaigns like these:

• University of Sheffield's #WeAreInternational campaign reaffirmed its commitment to inclusion post-Brexit

• University of Salford's "Match Made in Salford" app paired students with courses based on their interests and goals

Building Community and Expanding Reach

Once your automation foundation is in place and your marketing approach is refined, focus on expanding your reach through community-building initiatives.

Promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

Showcase your commitment to DEI in your programs. This isn't just a moral imperative—it's a strategic advantage. According to Maryville University, diverse learning environments lead to better educational outcomes and prepare students for success in an increasingly diverse world.

Create targeted enrollment strategies for underrepresented groups and highlight the inclusive nature of your program in your marketing materials.

Implement Virtual Tours and Webinars

Offer interactive virtual tours and webinars to give remote students insights into your program. Include live Q&A sessions to boost engagement and answer specific questions.

This approach is particularly effective for building an email list and pre-selling your course—addressing the challenge one course creator mentioned: "I find it challenging to get an audience. I'm exhausted by failing at it."

Forge Community Partnerships

Collaborate with local businesses, organizations, and other educational institutions to extend your reach. This creates a community-centric appeal and opens up opportunities for:

• Guest lectures

• Internships

• Co-branded events

• Referral programs

From Manual Effort to Smart Systems

Let's be clear: There's no "set it and forget it" solution for increasing enrollment. As one experienced course creator noted, "You do have to constantly invest time and effort marketing in order to earn that income. It's certainly possible to earn a high effective hourly rate selling courses, but it's not 'set it and forget it'."

The difference is where you invest that effort. By building automated systems that handle routine tasks, personalizing the student journey, marketing strategically, and building community, you can achieve significant enrollment growth without expanding your team.

Remember these four pillars:

1. Automate: Free up your team by automating repetitive tasks with a CRM or EMS

2. Personalize: Use technology to deliver a tailored experience that builds connection

3. Market Smarter: Focus on organic, low-cost strategies like SEO and storytelling

4. Build Community: Expand your reach through partnerships and inclusive initiatives

The goal isn't to eliminate work—it's to ensure your work is strategic and scalable, not manual and overwhelming. By implementing these approaches, you can transform your enrollment process from a labor-intensive operation to a streamlined system that works even when you're not.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to start increasing course enrollment without a big budget?

The best way to start is by automating your enrollment engine with a centralized system like a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) or Enrollment Management System (EMS). This foundational step streamlines operations, cleans up your data, and frees your team from manual tasks like data entry. By automating inquiry follow-ups, registration, and onboarding, you can focus your limited resources on building relationships with high-intent prospects.

How can I personalize communication for hundreds of prospective students?

You can achieve personalization at scale by using your CRM to segment your audience and leveraging AI-driven tools for 24/7 engagement. Segment your audience based on demographics, program interests, and engagement levels to send hyper-relevant emails and content. An AI tool can handle initial inquiries, answer common questions instantly, and pre-qualify leads, allowing your team to focus on meaningful conversations with the most promising candidates.

What are some effective marketing strategies if I can't afford paid ads?

Focus on organic, low-cost marketing strategies like Search Engine Optimization (SEO), authentic social media engagement, and storytelling. SEO helps students find your program organically when they search for relevant terms. Engaging on social media by sharing student stories and participating in discussions builds a genuine connection with your audience. Finally, use storytelling in your marketing materials to help prospects visualize their success, which is especially powerful for newer courses without many testimonials.

How important is automation for student enrollment?

Automation is critically important because it allows you to scale your enrollment efforts without scaling your team or budget. By automating repetitive tasks like follow-up emails, payment reminders, and onboarding sequences, you enhance efficiency, ensure cleaner data, and gain valuable insights into your enrollment pipeline. This frees up your staff to concentrate on high-value activities, such as building relationships with prospective students.

My course is new and has no testimonials. How can I build trust?

You can build trust by using powerful storytelling and offering valuable, exclusive content to prospective students. Instead of testimonials, create marketing campaigns that tell the story of a potential student's journey from applicant to successful graduate. Offer lead magnets like program guides, virtual tours, or webinars. This provides immediate value, showcases your expertise, and builds an email list of interested prospects, establishing credibility before you have official success stories.

What is an Enrollment Management System (EMS) and is it necessary for a small program?

An Enrollment Management System (EMS) or CRM is a centralized platform that streamlines and automates your entire enrollment process, and it is highly beneficial even for small programs. It acts as a single source of truth for all student data, from initial inquiry to final registration. For a small program, an EMS is not just about managing data; it's about maximizing efficiency so you can deliver a professional, personalized experience that ensures no lead falls through the cracks.