When executed well, email campaigns can nurture leads, communicate key information, and ultimately drive enrollments. However, standing out in crowded inboxes requires a strategy tailored specifically to the education sector. This Marketing Monday we share three key tips for creating winning email marketing campaigns for the international education space.

Build segmented email lists

The first step is building segmented email lists based on factors like country, level of study, programme interests, and stage in the decision process. Generic, impersonal batch emails are ineffective, often leading to recipients clicking the dreaded ‘unsubscribe’ button. By segmenting your lists, you can tailor both the content and tone of your email communications to resonate with each subset of your audience. For example, prospective undergraduates have very different priorities and questions compared to graduate students or parents of applicants. Accurate segmentation will allow you to send out more personalised, relevant emails that get noticed. 

Focus on value, not selling

With potential students receiving emails from many institutions, it’s crucial that your messages provide real value. Avoid the hard sell and instead concentrate on offering helpful information and resources tailored to your audience segments. For example, you could send prospective undergraduate students emails covering topics like ‘Insider looks at academic programmes and facilities’ or ‘Guidance on financing international education’. The goal is to build trust and credibility by consistently delivering helpful, engaging content. This nurtures the relationship until prospects are ready to take the next step toward applying or enrolling.

Optimise for mobile

Finally, did you know that over 60% of emails are opened on smartphones and tablets? Testing your emails across multiple devices is therefore essential to ensuring a seamless experience for recipients. Use a responsive single-column email layout that adjusts for different screen sizes, making sure your text is large and easy to read on mobile without needing to zoom in. 

Following these three email marketing best practices will give your education institution a boost to turn prospects into enrollments. Stay tuned for more international education marketing tips next week!

Written by Stephanie Clark