If you follow our blog, you know we already introduced the CRM as one of the five tools to track performance in educational marketing. So why are we harping on this string when talking about student’s capture to Educational Institution?As we’ll see with more details ahead, CRM stores data that can be used as a foundation to the marketing campaigns of your Educational Institution. For this to work, it’s necessary knowing how to use the information, directing to leads’ attraction and capture.
In this post, we’re going to tell you how to do it. Mainly, understanding that the mechanical use of educational CRM is not enough. Thus, if you already don’t know how to use this tool in an innovative way, you’ll find out in this reading. Join us!
After all, what is CRM?
CRM is the abbreviation of Customer Relationship Management. An educational CRM is a tool that gathers students and potential students information and their communication activities with the Educational Institution.
According to recent data from the Semesp Institute, the beginning of 2024 saw an average growth of 4.7% in the number of entrants to in-person courses and 5.1% in distance learning courses at private higher education institutions. This positive scenario highlights the importance of effective recruitment strategies, in which the use of an educational CRM can be decisive in boosting results.
The tool collects data such as name, number, website visits, sent messages or emails… In other words, relevant information that can be used in attraction and conversion actions, besides a relationship historic with these students before their enrollment.
The use of this technology, as Hubspot CRM, allows the Educational Institution having access to index related to leads capture, qualified - or not - leads, their conversion rate and so on. More than that, it makes these measurements more precise.
There is no need to say that educational CRM is a way to optimize the manual collection of relevant data. Only because of this feature, the tool can already be considered innovative and capable of directing better the students’ capture actions and marketing campaigns in the Educational Institution.
Porém, a parte do relacionamento com o cliente, inerente ao CRM, demanda mais. Sobretudo em um cenário em que a competitividade é forte e o nível de exigência dos clientes é alto.
Caption: Visual representation of a CRM system integrating student data for recruitment strategies in the education sector.
CRM and Inbound sales
In the beginning of this post, we highlighted that the mechanical use of CRM is not enough to capture students anymore. That happens because collecting data without using them strategically correctly won’t produce the expected result, mainly with so many Educational Institution with the same mission of attracting new students.
To deal with this subject, the idea of inbound sales to Educational Institution comes to mind. A sales model to substitute this exact mechanical model of the CRM. Or it benefits a more-strategic approach outcome of the educational CRM, goaling a more efficient data collection to increase enrollments.
The incorporation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into educational CRMs has revolutionized the way institutions interact with potential students. AI tools enable predictive analytics, personalized communication, and process automation, making the student journey more efficient and aligned with their individual needs. This trend is highlighted by experts as one of the main innovations in higher education.
A little about the inbound sales to Educational Institution
As you already know, the process of students’ attracting and capturing has been changing for years. Previously, active marketing approaches were hugely used to promote an Educational Institution and get the attention of potential students. Nowadays, however, the technological impact on society asks for a different approach.
Personalizing the student journey has become a competitive advantage for educational institutions. Using data collected by CRM, it is possible to adapt communication and course offerings to the preferences and behaviors of each lead, significantly increasing conversion rates. This student-centric approach is essential to meet the expectations of today’s generation of students.
In Education, as in other areas, it’s very common for the customers (or students, in this case) to search for information about your Educational Institution, the courses and other relevant things for their choice. Unlike before, when this information used to reach the audience through ads, for example.
In addition to technical skills, socio-emotional skills have gained prominence in academic training. Institutions that demonstrate a commitment to the integral development of students, including aspects such as empathy, resilience and teamwork, tend to stand out in the recruitment process. Educational CRMs can help identify and promote these initiatives, aligning institutional communication with candidates' expectations.
It’s not like the active strategies of outbound marketing are invalid (on the contrary!), but it’s necessary to learn how to match the new dynamic and also allow the interested students to come to the Educational Institution.
So, your Educational Institution needs to rely on inbound marketing strategies to encourage the students, attract them and, then, convert them. What that means is changing the most generic and wide marketing action to some actions more individual, personalized and which promote closeness to a more exclusive experience.
Connection with the CRM
To develop these actions - that are the inbound sales features - to Educational Institution, yours need to know with whom it is connecting.
Certainly, to do that you can’t just establish a generic audience based on ideas as “young students that just dropped High School”. It’s necessary to know more to develop enough assertive strategies to get the attention of the Educational Institution potential students.
After all, students that go after Educational Institution, to start a graduation, have as an offer a multitude of options. And what they want is finding in the relationship other reasons to make their choice more than just the Educational InstitutionI reputation or the course price.
Building this relationship in a different, consistent and meaningful way is what increases the Educational Institution rate of extending the contact and turning it into enrollments.
In that moment comes the data a tool like HubSpot CRM makes available. The idea is not using them only to measure results. More than that, it’s analysing them in a way they fit as a foundation so the Educational Institution finds out what to do, aiming to improve its attraction and the power of involving and gaining students.
Como alavancar a captação com o CRM
An educational CRM combined with Inbound Sales to Educational Institution allows the Educational Institution to know the questions and interests of each student. In other words, know why they looked for the Educational Institution. That also helps to identify what moment of the buying journey's each student is in.
With this information derived from the - already mentioned - relationship historic, the Educational Institution is now capable of personalizing the approach and taking advantage (in a good way) in every contact.
The idea is to understand which student is prepared to receive a course offering. But, instead of sending them a generic message inviting them to find out more about the courses, the Educational Institution can focus on their areas of interest that were already pronounced by the student (maybe through their website or blog researches or conversations in chats, emails or phone, for example).
This strategy benefits the students’ capture in Higher Education because it catches the students with a proposal that matches their interests. And at the exact moment they really want to receive this proposal.
Following the release of the SISU results, many private institutions have adopted specific strategies to attract students who were unable to secure places at public universities. Targeted campaigns, special offers and simplified selection processes are some of the actions implemented, with the support of educational CRMs to effectively segment and reach this audience.
Summary: An educational CRM like HubSpot is essential for storing lead data and personalizing relationships with potential students. By integrating it with inbound sales strategies, the institution can identify specific interests, adapt communication and offer proposals at the right time, increasing conversion rates. The use of AI in CRMs allows for more effective automation, predictions and segmentation, favoring post-SISU campaigns, retention and attraction of students with high enrollment potential.
Do you want to know more about students’ capture using CRM? Contect our team and find out about the HubSpot CRM!
How to Use CRM to Attract Students in Higher Education
What is an educational CRM and what is it used for?
An educational CRM is a tool that organizes and centralizes data from students and prospective applicants. It allows institutions to track all interactions with leads and use this data to personalize marketing and sales actions, increasing enrollment conversion rates.
How does CRM help with student recruitment in higher education?
With a CRM, institutions can identify each student's profile, interests, and stage in the decision-making journey. This enables the delivery of relevant messages and offers at the right time, improving engagement and boosting enrollment results.
What is the difference between using CRM mechanically and strategically?
Using a CRM mechanically means just storing data. A strategic use involves analyzing this data to understand lead behavior, segment the audience, and personalize communication — making recruitment campaigns more effective.
What is inbound sales and how does it relate to CRM?
Inbound sales is a lead-focused sales model. Instead of pushing generic messages, institutions use CRM data to attract and nurture leads with personalized content, building trust and guiding them through the decision process more effectively.
How can HubSpot CRM improve post-SISU recruitment campaigns?
With CRM, institutions can identify and target students who didn’t secure spots in public universities, offering them tailored incentives such as scholarships or simplified admissions. This enhances responsiveness and maximizes results during the post-SISU period.
How is artificial intelligence being used in educational CRMs?
AI enables automated communication, behavior prediction, and content personalization based on lead history. It helps institutions run smarter campaigns, improving both recruitment and retention efforts.
Why is using CRM essential in today’s higher education landscape?
With growing competition and more demanding students, offering personalized experiences is key. CRM tools help institutions better understand each lead, build stronger relationships, and support faster, more confident enrollment decisions.