According to the 2023 Higher Education Census, Brazil registered 9,976,782 enrollments in undergraduate courses. The private network remains predominant, with 87.8% of higher education institutions operating in the country, highlighting the central role of these organizations in expanding access to education.
The competitiveness is high and that’s why student’s capture is one of the biggest concerns of the He is at the moment. Full classes are the assurance of income, made- investments profitability and highly-used infrastructure.
But is it possible to increase the purchase funnel efficiency in education? Are we evaluating the students’ buying journey correctly?
What will you see in this post?
The representation of a purchase funnel as it has sequential stages must be forgotten. The lead who reaches you, also reaches other Educational Institution, moving forward or backward in the awareness, consideration and decision stages over and over.
Furthermore, with the advancement of digital technologies, potential students have access to a variety of information simultaneously, making the decision-making journey even more dynamic and non-linear. Therefore, it is crucial for educational institutions to adopt flexible and multi-channel strategies to engage these leads at different touchpoints.
Also, keep in mind that students’ capture is not finished when they take the tests. You can compare the approved vs enrolled reports. You only have a student when the enrolled process is completed. The education purchase funnel has changed: it is more complex and has - more or less - 7 stages:
Each one of the purchase funnel stages must be considered in your educational marketing strategies so your purchase funnel will be more effective and it will lead you to full classes. But how can you benefit from the opportunities?
It’s not in the day-before-the-test that we should be concerned about lead capture. It starts much earlier with an active involvement of your Educational Institution alongside the High School students community of your operation area.
Implementing inbound marketing strategies, such as creating relevant and personalized content, allows you to attract and nurture these prospects from an early age, establishing a relationship of trust and authority with your institution.
You must monitor these students’ journey helping them to pursue a bachelor's degree three years before. If you have a High School Educational Institution, the strategy is the same: start training students from 5th to 8th grades.
Create projects alongside other schools, promote events to the community, give lectures to parents, invite students to go on tour in your Educational Institution.
Use all the power of digital marketing: create a blog, share segmented and relevant content to each audience; be active in social media; make webinars to students and their parents; share experience with cases and whitepapers; create and publish interactive videos that show your infrastructure.
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Stop seeing your future student just as a customer. What you deliver is more than a product: it’s knowledge, skills, something for the whole life. Promote unforgettable experiences that awaken emotional bonds with your Educational Institution.
Furthermore, mapping and understanding each stage of the student journey allows you to identify points for improvement and offer experiences that are more aligned with students' expectations and needs, increasing conversion and retention rates.
Have you ever thought about taking a group of High School students to a science park? Or maybe making a way for them to use the labs of your Educational Institution to learn something new?
Take your Educational Institution to the community, don’t wait for students to reach you by chance or by an outdoor ad in an avenue. Create value and awake the recognition to your brand.
Students’ capture is expensive, right? You invest in a thousand strategies and put effort daily to reach your goals. But have you ever thought that students’ retention costs less and can create new enrollment opportunities?
A second degreed, post-graduation, extension courses, Masters and PHD programs are great options for students to stay in your Educational Institution. As long as they had an amazing experience.
Do you know that kind of movie which shows us that business people have kept their college hoodies years after graduation? You need to build this proudness in your academic community!
Create specific programs for former students, offer benefits for those who want to stay with you, learn how to thank students for being part of your Educational Institution and for making your Educational Institution what it is.
Do you want other tips for taking advantage of educational market opportunities? Discover our blog and stay up to date with our news.
Because students don’t follow a fixed order when choosing a college. They move forward and backward between awareness, consideration and decision stages multiple times. Your institution needs to be present throughout the entire journey — not just at the enrollment stage.
Way before the entrance exam. The most efficient institutions begin nurturing prospects years in advance, offering guidance, content and value from the start of their academic journey — sometimes even from 5th to 8th grade.
Community events, high school partnerships, webinars for parents, lab tours, and personalized content like blog posts and videos are all strong strategies. These efforts build trust and make your institution top-of-mind when the decision time comes.
It’s crucial. Education is not just a product — it’s a life-changing experience. Institutions that map each stage of the journey and improve the student experience increase their conversion, engagement, and long-term loyalty.
Yes. Retaining students is far less expensive than attracting new ones. And satisfied students often return for additional programs or refer others — multiplying your results without multiplying your cost.
A strong emotional connection. Great academic experiences, post-grad opportunities, alumni programs, and ongoing recognition can all build lasting pride — the kind that makes a student keep their university hoodie for years.