What are the best practices for using virtual events in the admissions process?

By combining innovation, accessibility, and personalization, you can optimize virtual events for a successful and inclusive admissions process. *Foremost, ensure seemless technical support *Make use of a user friendly virtual platform *Provide a complete campus virtual tour *Employ multimedia presentations *Implement one on one interaction with the admission counselor *Host live Q&A sessions with the faculty, current students and the alumni *Conduct many virtual events to promote the varied culture of the institute *Also manage a interactive session with the placement incharge on the placements provided with proper records.

Leverage diverse, interactive virtual event formats, utilize reliable technology, personalize experiences, and provide clear information. Promote events effectively, engage alumni, ensure accessibility, and continuously improve through feedback for a successful admissions process.

There are many roles that are expected from the educational leaders at all levels. These roles can be outlined as: leading strategically, leading the organization, leading teaching and learning, and leading the community.

Virtual events and meetings are gaining momentum in admissions for schools and colleges. large number of customers and families join these meetings and know about institutions. it's just like a sales pitch where you have customers and short time to impress them, show case evidence of success in short.

Any educational institution could have two goals for the admission process - One is just to fill the seats and the second is to attract the best students. The event should have a clear focus on what are the outcomes expected out of it. The event could be directly focused on the admission process like - a webinar on Why Study at NISM or it could be an indirect branding exercise like - an expert session on Investment Banking. Both online events would attract different kinds of audiences. If the objective of the event is to convert unpaid applications / EOIs into paid applications the event should be more like a chat and Q&A session. If the objective is to attract fresh EOIs and Quality Talent an expert session would give better results.

customers are keen on success and not on processes, thus sharing real success stories. You should prepare well, and the presentation should be lively, unlike radio News. Use social media to attract leads.

Elevate your virtual admissions event with a strategic promotion plan. Craft engaging posts on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram, utilising impactful visuals and countdowns to create anticipation. Leverage alumni networks, encouraging them to share their success stories and invite their networks. Utilise targeted email campaigns with clear calls-to-action, ensuring prospective students and their families are well-informed and excited to attend.

Attract the right audience for the event by reaching out to the target group based on the objective of the event. For example, if the event is planned to convert unpaid applicants to paid applications - email, sms and WA messages should be sent to all the unpaid applicants and prospective admissions announcing the event, giving all relevant details. The communication should be clear and should generate enough interest among the applicants to attend the event. The TG should be clearly defined before making the announcement. So if the event is planned to attract better quality applications, who are those and how to reach them will be easier to find out.

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Engaging future attendees for your virtual event could also be done by creating a community for anticipated guests to network and contribute to the process ahead of the actual event. This also promotes clear communication, increases anticipation, and overall would increase the credibility and positive outlook for your event.

Define the specific demographic or segment you want to engage, whether prospective students with their parents or counselors, choose a reliable platform for hosting the event, ensuring ease of access for participants, encourage real-time engagement by allowing participants to ask questions and receive immediate responses then offer virtual campus tours, program showcases, or demonstrations to provide a realistic feel of the educational environment.

One thing I have found helpful is making presentations interactive. Instead of the usual slides, offer virtual tours. Each participant has a specific journey so personalizing the experience through breakout rooms based on specific interests, live chat with admissions officers, and live Q&A with faculty, current students, and alumni helps. Leverage technology by using interactive hashtags and polls. Showcase student testimonials to make them relatable. Highlight campus life by having live performances from student clubs. When we prioritize genuine interactions by showcasing our school community, use technology strategically, and move from passive to dynamic experiences, we leave a more profound experience for the participants.

These are all great ways to engage your virtual audience. You also want to pay attention to pacing of the event and not try to cram too much in a short amount of time or too little and lending yourself to an open void of presentation. As one who has attended virtual events, wait time and clarity are two incredibly important criteria. Does the person give enough time to answer questions or anticipate questions that might be generated? Are there any lingering items that would need more clarification? We cannot assume everyone knows the jargon, so attention to audience is imperative. Integrating past and present speakers is a great way to give subjective feedback.

Engaging your attendees actively is key in virtual admissions events. Hosting a live Q&A with current students sharing their experiences and answering questions. This interactive approach not only provides valuable insights but also fosters a sense of connection, giving prospective students a glimpse into the vibrant community awaiting them at our institution.

A post-event follow-up would lead to better results. Merely having a large number of attendees in the virtual event would not define the success of the event. The ultimate result would define whether the event was successful or not. Generally, these virtual events are considered as confirmation or as a medium to keep the leads engaged - also referred to as warm leads or hot leads. A proper follow-up by the admission team / admissions counsellors would lead to higher success rate.

Post attendance follow up is critical to maintain engagement. In my experience some strategies that are really effective include follow up meetings with student/alumni presenters to answer any additional questions. These can be virtual using breakout rooms to create smaller group conversations, on campus and in person meetings, or geographically based meetings where bonds among similarly interested attendees from a particular area can begin to form and connections to students/alumni begin to take root. Prospective candidates appreciate feeling seen and valued. Intimate conversations and continued touch points through newsletters and personalized notes, for example, help lay a foundation for lasting connections and ultimately attendance.

To ensure continuous improvement data collection and analysis is crucial. Surveys are one easy way to gather data. Completion should be embedded into the meeting to ensure high completion rates and immediate access to data. If on the spot interviews are offered in breakout rooms, or small group chats led by alumni, then the survey completion could be how these discussions are concluded. The use of an embedded link to a survey would support both ease of completion and immediate aggregation of the data.

Collecting comments (either video or written) from your guests is one unique way to evaluate your event performance. It is usually advised that this sort of comment / feedback collection is done during or immediately after the event as the memory is still fresh in mind and guests feel more comfortable in those moments.

The event should also be used as a reference point or document for future preparedness. The questions asked by the audience and the solution provided should be documented in FAQs for future use. The comments or inputs given by the attendees would help in better planning for the future event.

Boost the impact of your virtual admissions event by tapping into employer partnerships. Collaborate with companies that have hired your graduates to share success stories, emphasising the practical skills gained through your offer. Feature virtual employer panels discussing industry trends and career opportunities, showcasing the real-world value of your education. This not only attracts prospective students but also highlights the strong connections your institution has with the professional world and how your institution will support children and young people to enter it with success.

The democratic leadership style is one of the most effective because it encourages everyone to participate in all processes, share their opinions, and know that you will hear them. It also encourages employees to be engaged because they know you will hear their feedback.

Planning virtual events for the admissions process can be a great way to engage with prospective students and provide them with valuable information about your institution, such as 1. Define Your Goals: - Determine the primary objectives of your virtual event. Are you aiming to increase application numbers, improve yield rates, or enhance the overall applicant experience? Understanding your goals will help shape the content and format of your event. 2. Choose the Right Platform: - Select a reliable virtual event platform that offers features such as live streaming, interactive Q&A sessions, breakout rooms for smaller group discussions, and the ability to gather attendee information