In the months of October, November, and December, enrollment and admissions professionals spend a lot of time thinking about the funnel. How healthy is the top of the funnel? What kind of yield are you seeing from prospects to inquiries to applicants? A persistent reality in higher ed is the threat of drop-off: prospective students who engage early (an inquiry, download, hand-raiser, etc.) but then fade away before applying or enrolling. One core reason? The content and outreach they receive often feel generic or disconnected from what they actually care about.
Customization addresses that gap by making students feel seen, heard, and valued. When your communications adapt to what students have already shared about their interests, ambitions, and questions, you reduce friction, build trust, and keep them moving toward enrollment.
Why Students Disengage Mid-Funnel
Many institutions use broadly-targeted email campaigns or generic marketing materials that don’t reflect a prospect’s declared interests. When content feels irrelevant, students lose momentum.
The pace of follow-up also often fails to match student expectations. Delays or one-size-fits-all messaging after initial contact can create perceptions that the institution is not paying attention.
According to Cialfo, personalization in higher education marketing — tailoring content to prospective students’ interests — has become not just desirable but expected. Students who receive personalized messaging are substantially more likely to consider a college seriously.
Customization that Keeps Students Engaged
Here are ways to prevent drop-off by tailoring outreach:
- Allow students to select preferences early (majors, extracurriculars, campus features) so content can align with their interests.
- Use behavior-triggered communications (for example, target students who revisit program pages or click certain content) rather than blanket campaigns.
- Segment follow-up by interest type: academic vs. student life vs. support services, etc., so the messaging feels relevant.
- Talk to them like a real person! If you have information about them, use that information to craft natural, personal communications. Students will respond when they can tell that you made the effort to treat them as an individual instead of a line on a spreadsheet.
Viewbook Analytics as a Game Changer
Customization needs data to work well. A product like CustomViewbook can provide analytics such as:
- Insight into which content students interact with (programs, campus life, financial aid) so you know what’s capturing attention.
- Ability to see drop-off points and adjust content flow or timing of messages accordingly.
- Reporting tools that allow enrollment and marketing teams to see what outreach is most effective and where to invest effort.
Integration with CRM systems and secure infrastructure ensures that this data is usable, accessible, and trustworthy for teams who need to act quickly.
Engaging Parents More Intelligently
Parents often influence or make key decisions alongside students. Collecting parent or secondary contact information during early phases (e.g., in viewbook-oriented wizard or inquiry form) enables more inclusive communication.
When parents receive clear messages about how your institution supports student goals (academic, extracurricular, post-graduation outcomes), they gain confidence in the institution’s promises, reinforcing student commitment.
Conclusion
Drop off in the recruitment funnel can be mitigated. By leaning into customization — powered by analytics — you create outreach that resonates, reducing friction and keeping prospective students invested. Data-informed personalization doesn’t just improve conversion; it enhances student experience. And when your institution invests in tools that let you act on data smartly and respectfully, this becomes budget well spent, and ultimately yields students enrolled at your institution.
