In educational marketing, we often focus on a stage that is essential, but not the only one for Educational Institutions: attracting students.
Retention is set aside, restricted only to terms of service to the client. The problem arises when the Institution realizes that it has an unhealthy balance between new and retained students.
The concern with student retention is marketing too! And it is possible to use nutrition and lead capture To perform this task well, see:
- The importance of student retention;
- There are reasons for dropping out of school;
- Lead retention and capture;
- Lead nurturing as a strategy to retain students;
Want to understand more about it? Then read on!
The importance of student retention
For school or college, it's much cheaper to keep them satisfied with customers they already have, until they complete their training, than to invest all their chips in getting new enrollments.
For colleges, the problem is even greater since an empty chair in the intermediate or final semesters of the course is unlikely to be occupied. Students fear that they will not be able to keep up with the pace of the class, so they prefer those who are starting that same semester.
It is for this reason that student retention is so necessary. And the best way to fulfill this task is by investing in the relationship with these customers.
The benefits of retaining students
By now, you understand the importance of student retention. But, in practice, how is this beneficial for the Institutions? So that you can more easily fix this idea, see below some of the advantages of retaining students:
- Teachers will get to know students better;
- Identification of at-risk students is facilitated;
- The student has greater development;
- The Educational institution culture is student-centered.
Continue reading to learn more about these benefits.
Teachers will get to know students better
Teachers need to spend some time with students in the classroom to be able to identify their personality and what their difficulties with the subject are, so that they understand the best way to help that individual student.
Facilitates identification of at-risk students
At the same time, the Institution will be able to identify signs that that student is not satisfied with the education they are receiving, which will allow for faster action to resolve the problem and keep that student enrolled.
The student has a better development
At the same time that the teachers and directors get to know the student better, he also gets used to the dynamics of the school, the teachers and the subjects, which facilitates his learning process.
Educational institution culture is student-centric
It is also possible to see that Educational Institutions that focus on student retention end up worrying more about the quality of products and services rendered. The whole culture is geared towards providing a good experience for these students.
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There are reasons for dropping out of school
To understand how to make students stay in their Educational institution, it is important to understand the reasons that lead a student to leave school/college or change institutions. Below we list some of the main reasons:
- Lack of money;
- Difficulty moving;
- Lack of emotional support;
- Bad infrastructure.
Lack of money
One of the reasons for students dropping out or changing courses is the lack of money to pay tuition. In this case, it is worthwhile for the Institution to invest in scholarships and financing.
Displacement difficulty
Another reason for changing or canceling enrollment is the distance the student needs to travel to attend classes. Offering courses in online education modality or opening units in strategic positions can be solutions.
Lack of emotional support
In addition to a quality education, students also need emotional support during their academic period, as they have to deal with internal issues or reconcile their studies with other activities, such as work or taking care of children.
Bad infrastructure
Another problem that makes students change schools or colleges is a precarious infrastructure, or that does not meet your academic needs. It is necessary to offer a physical environment that promotes comfort and allows them to apply the teachings of the classroom in practice.
Lead retention and capture
Since the beginning of your strategy, when your current student was just one interested in your solution, the retention work was already being done. What was promised to that customer back there needs to be consistent with the experience he is currently having.
We say, then, that retention begins with capturing leads. There's no point in investing in a relationship with potential students and forgetting about them when they register. The work must be continuous and coherent, and from its quality derives the lasting relationship between the client and the Institution.
Doing a good lead capture
As necessary as good lead retention is knowing how to capture them the right way. After all, attracting the right customer will make him spend more time in contact with your Educational Institution.
- Bet not SEO;
- Define who your ideal student is;
- Have landing pages.
Bet not SEO
SEO is an important strategy for companies that want to use the internet as a means of attracting students, since it makes their website and content seen by the right people.
Define who your ideal student is
And speaking of the right people, it is necessary for the Educational institution to understand exactly the student profile it wants to attract. After all, this will increase the chances of the student liking their school or college and, thus, being inclined to stay enrolled longer.
Have landing pages
This is one of the main tools for capturing leads on the internet.
Through it, the Teaching Institution will be able to offer something valuable to the user (such as information about the course he was interested in) and, in exchange, he will offer information that can be worked on by the marketing and sales team, in order to convert that milk into a customer in the future.
Lead nurturing as a strategy to retain students
Flow of nutrition of leads can be used not only to get new students, but to keep them satisfied and attending your Institution. The task is even easier to do, since you have the necessary student data such as name, age, contact, degree studied, profession and history of complaints or requests.
To enhance lead nurturing, integrating CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems with marketing automation tools allows you to personalize communications based on student behavior and preferences. This approach makes it easier to send relevant content at the right time, increasing student engagement and retention.
Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools into lead nurturing allows you to personalize communications based on student behavior and preferences. This approach makes it easier to deliver relevant content at the right time, increasing student engagement and retention.
Understand better how to nurture efficient leads below:
- Develop an efficient strategy;
- Have social networks as allies;
- Pay attention to expenses.
Continue reading to understand how to put each of these steps into practice:
Create an efficient strategy
At this point, you should come up with a strategy that takes into account the information you have. Then put into action an email marketing campaign, a powerful tool to provide students with information, content and promotions related to their Educational Institution.
In addition to email marketing, implementing chatbots can significantly improve student relationships. Studies show that personalized messages delivered by chatbots increase the likelihood that students will complete critical tasks for staying at an institution, such as applications and financial aid applications.
Have social networks as allies
Social networks are allies in monitoring customer satisfaction. Check what people are saying about college or school and who these messages are coming from. If there is negative feedback, try to resolve the issue with sincere dialogue. Do not leave aside those who are the main propagators of your brand!
Pay attention to expenses
Finally, for the financial health of your Institution, always be aware of how much you spend to attract and retain students. Know that the account will be lighter when you direct more efforts to those who have already placed their trust in your organization!
Want to go deeper into this subject? On our YouTube channel, we have a video in which we made the Educational Marketing guide, showing how to efficiently retain, attract and convert students. Check out!
In short: in order for you to be able to keep students enrolled in your Educational Institution for a longer time, you need to choose well who the students will be recruited, since they already need to be aligned with the proposal of your Educational institution.
By understanding the entire process of capturing leads and how to start retaining students from the moment they are surveyed by the company, you will be able to bring students more aligned with your Institution, which will allow them to remain enrolled for longer.
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Does student retention really start at the lead capture stage?
Why is student retention so important for educational institutions?
Because it’s significantly more cost-effective to keep an existing student enrolled until graduation than to constantly invest in attracting new ones. In higher education, empty seats in later semesters are rarely filled again.
What causes most students to drop out of school or college?
The most common reasons include lack of financial resources, long commutes, lack of emotional support, and poor infrastructure. Addressing these issues early can help prevent student dropout and improve long-term retention.
How does lead capture impact student retention?
Retention doesn’t begin after enrollment—it starts at the very first interaction. If a student's expectations aren’t aligned with what was promised during the lead capture phase, dissatisfaction and dropouts become more likely.
What are the best ways to attract the right students from the start?
Use targeted SEO strategies, define your ideal student persona, and create compelling landing pages. These tactics help attract leads who are more aligned with your institution’s values and more likely to stay enrolled.
Can lead nurturing help retain students after enrollment?
Yes. Personalized lead nurturing—through email marketing, AI-driven campaigns, CRM automation, and even chatbots—keeps students informed, supported, and engaged, which increases the chances of long-term retention.
How can social media support student retention strategies?
Social media platforms are powerful for both lead generation and reputation management. Monitoring feedback, responding to students, and sharing valuable content help strengthen student-institution relationships.
Is it more expensive to acquire a student or to retain one?
Acquiring a student is often 5x more expensive than retaining one. That’s why retention strategies, when done well, offer a better return on investment and stabilize your institution’s growth over time.
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