Marketing Your Program

LEARNING CONTENT

Who markets my program to students?   
While UP Study Abroad can help support your marketing efforts, the faculty program leaders are ultimately responsible for marketing, recruiting, and filling each program. While this may seem daunting, the Study Abroad team is here to support you through this process. This guide provides steps you can take to successfully market your program.     
  

Step One: Who is your Audience?   
Think outside the box, is the credit you are offering relevant to students in departments other than your own? The larger your initial pool of students, the better chances you have of filling your program.    

Answer the following:   

1. What majors can use this credit? Look at other departments beyond your own.
2.  What year in school will students most likely be earning this credit?  
3. Does/could the credit count towards a minor or certificate?   
4.  Does/could this course count towards CORE requirements?  
5. Do students need research hours or professional experience as part of their degree?   
6.  Is this course open to community members? Students from other schools? Community college transfer students? How will you reach them?   

Step Two: Gather Information   

Now that you know your audience, you need to identify who can help you recruit. You have many resources in your own department to learn about how to connect with your students. Based on your answers above, you may be gathering information about departments beyond your own.     
  
Answer the following:   

1. Who are your department program counselors? Consult with them to see how this program fits into students overall degree plan.   
2. When in their degree plan do students meet with the PCs? How often?   
3. Who manages the website of your department?   
4. Does your department have a listserve or Teams Group? How do you access it?    
5. Does your department have a newsletter? Who manages it?   
6. Does your department have social media pages? Who manages them?   
7. Who manages the events in your department?   
8. If you are going to target non UPnon-UP students in addition to UP students, what are the logical departments to contact? How do they communicate with students?    

Step Three: Conduct Targeted, Consistent, Outreach    
Study Abroad will create and print flyers for your program, print sign-up sheets if needed, and will help you schedule information sessions during the terms leading up to your deadline.     

Do the following at least once each term leading up to the deadline:   

• Schedule virtual info sessions. While virtual has always been an option, students are more equipped than ever to jump on a Zoom info session! This is a great way to meet interested students and for them to get to know the faculty member whom they may be traveling the globe with. See our Info Session guide for more information.   
• Get your program listed on your department website (and any other relevant department websites). Request to have the course added to the Undergraduate or Graduate Advising pages so students see it as an option early. Link it to the Study Abroad brochure page at https://upstudiesabroad.via-trm.com/  
• Make a short video introducing your program. Using Zoom or Kaltura MediaSpace (or another technology service), create a 1-2 minute video introducing yourself and your program. This can be posted on your program website, attached to your email signature, or sent to faculty to share with their students. See Appendix 1 for an outline for your video and for resources on how to make a video.   
• Manage interest & emails by creating a Teams Group. As students express interest in your program through your outreach, or from contacts that Study Abroad gives you, use Teams to keep an email list of those students. Stay in regular contact with them to maintain interest in the program destination and in the subject matter of the course.    
• Connect with Program Counselors. Tell them about your program & explain why it is important for their students and how it fits in to the degree plan. Make sure they have flyers in their office.  
• Schedule a virtual or in-person class visit! Identify classes relevant to your study abroad program, and ask the instructor if you can give a 5-minute pitch about your program and direct students to upcoming information sessions, or if they would post your video to their class Moodle announcements.     
• Get the pdf version of your flyer added to all Moodle courses for all the courses that hold students that may be interested in your program. Email the faculty directly to ask if they will add it to Moodle or circulate it on their registration lists.     
• Update your email signature: "Join me in Peru this summer! I lead a 6-credit study abroad course, Living Systems Immersion: Sustainability & PDC in the Peruvian Andes. It is open to all UP students. Click here (link to program) for details, and apply by November 15th."    
• Submit your information sessions to Engage.    
• Request for your program or info sessions to be featured on your department’s Instagram, twitter, or Facebook. Create an event for your info sessions.     

Step Four: Maintain Interest    

You should be gathering a list of interested students throughout the recruitment phase and building a connection with them.   

Send an introductory email to new sign-ups. Example email:    

“Hello! My name is [first name] and I am thrilled you are interested in my [program name] in [location] traveling during [term]. This course is exciting because it gives you the opportunity to earn credit for [major] while gaining invaluable experience abroad. Some of the great things we will do on this program include [xyz]. Do you have any questions about the program? You can reach me directly by [phone or email], or you can join us at our upcoming info session on [date] in [location]. You also have a Study Abroad advisor who can answer your questions about how to use financial aid on study abroad programs, can give advice on study abroad scholarships, and talk you through the application process. You can make an appointment with Holly Peterson by clicking here. The program deadline is [deadline], so be sure to get your questions answered before then! I hope you’ll decide to join us on this exciting opportunity!”   

Send follow-up emails to students to keep them engaged and excited about the program, include interesting details about the program, such as:   

• News articles about the location they’re traveling to  
• Updates on the itinerary as it’s developed  
• Images or videos about the location       

Appendix 1: Creating a Program Introduction Video   

Length: Aim for no more than 2 minutes! Think of it like a classroom visit. If you’d like to make a longer video to post on the via brochure page, we would be happy to add it.    

Imagery: Consider putting together a simple PowerPoint with images and short descriptions for a visual. This is not required, but is useful for some.    

Technology: We suggest keeping things simple - create a PowerPoint and record your presentation over Zoom. For detailed instructions on how to use Zoom to make a screen recording video, check out this blog post. UP also provides access a variety of technology solutions, which you can access via https://pilots.up.edu/group/atsi/services   

Suggested Outline:    

1) Introduction   
a) Your name, area of expertise, any experience in the country you’re traveling to   
b) Why you chose this location and what you’re most looking forward to   

2) Program Details   
a) Where is the program? What makes the location exciting?   
b) What will be studied? What credits can be earned? (what requirements will this fulfill?)   
c) A few interesting site visits included on the program   

3) Next Steps   
a) Access the application by going to https://www.up.edu/studyabroad/and searching for your program name   
b) If they have questions about the application process, have them email the Study Abroad Advisor, studyabroad@up.edu  
c) Include your contact information & appointment page, if applicable   

Key Messages:    

• Study Abroad is accessible – Faculty-led programs are short-term, so busy students can easily fit travel into their schedule.   
• Study Abroad is relevant – Faculty-led programs are designed for specific majors so students can stay on track to graduation while going abroad.    
• Study Abroad is fun – Faculty-led programs are filled with professional and academic activities, but they’re also excellent opportunities for students to build a cohort of peers while abroad and have lots of ‘just for fun’ cultural visits and activities for students to engage with as well.   

Where to Share your Video:    

• Host it on YouTube or KalturaMediaSpace    
• Share with Study Abroad and we will add it to your program page   
• Attach it to your email signature   
• Send to other faculty to share with their students   
• Post on your own Moodle courses, if currently teaching    
• Send it to relevant Department Listservs