How To Increase Chinese Enrollment Numbers at Your American Education Institution
The universities and high schools that clearly showed the most profound increase in their overseas Chinese enrollment numbers were all found to have some very clear trends. (This includes institutions with greatest increases in Chinese enrollment numbers such as Indiana University, University of Illinois, Ohio and others.)
First, it should be noted that many schools establish programs, services or extra-curricular activities that the Chinese student market will appreciate (from catering to the Chinese taste in food to Chinese sports and extra-curricular activities).
They will also highlight their institutions most attractive resources in any new marketing (a note of caution - attractive to the Chinese market is often quite different from what is attractive in the US/Western market).
Another key for increasing Chinese recruitment for US schools is by establishing an effective communication avenue via a Chinese-language website with an online application and a simple form for the student to request more information. Of course, to "close the deal" they also allocate the necessary personnel (possibly in China) to assist interested ones in the decision-making and application processes.
The following are the most cost-effective steps to take so as to quickly and effectively increase your Chinese student enrollment.
Step 1 - Get a Chinese version of your school's website.
A Chinese version of your school/institutions website is the first and easiest step.
The ROI is very large and the sincerity/interest conveyed to your Chinese market is immeasurable. Chinese parents - most of which do not read English - are very much involved in their child's decision on where to study so a website with them in mind is highly advisable.
(PLEASE NOTE: In many cases it is more beneficial to have the website hosted in China and not in the USA.)
Establish a notable online presence on China's social networks.
Hire a trustworthy company to help post in local blogs and other free advertising websites so as to increase your presence and increase your website's SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Pay Per Click (PPC) in Baidu and other advertising media is also very effective when managed properly.
(PLEASE NOTE: Be careful of inexperienced reps wasting your budget on advertising schemes that are not focused to your target audience.)
Step 2 - Have all relevant advertising translated and available on your website and on all Chinese social media. (Also invest in PPC - pay per click - advertising on Baidu / Google etc...).
- You will want good translations that "speaks" to your target audience.
- All relevant items should be made readily available for download from your localized Chinese website.
- More importantly all media should be on all of the various China social networks such as Ren Ren (China's "facebook"), Weibo (China's "twitter"/"facebook" hybrid), YouKu (China's "You Tube"), QQ and Tencent (China's "Skype" and chat)...
- Design & manage FOCUSED PPC campaigns that do not waste your budget on "clicks" that do not lead to paying clients.
Step 3 - Research (then establish) best-fit and most profitable institutional linkages.
The emphasis here is on research before initiation. WQS will assist you in setting up institutional linkages with China.
- Find the top matches for your goals and work to set up a mutually beneficial linkage. You do not want to waste time with Chinese institutions that are not sincerely interested or that are not quite what you thought they were.
- Think niches and specifics.
- China is a big market and if you focus on your best features it will pay off in the long run.
- Cooperating with corporations and various industries is also an option.
- Setting up corporate training, technical training, joint research etc. is also an effective way to get profitable cooperation.
Contact WQS China Marketing now...