COURSE TEASER:

“You never get a second chance to make a good first impression.” These are words well spoken. It is very common for most people to "draw a conclusion" about someone or something simply based on what they saw or heard first.

First impressions play a major role in most of our decisions and oftentimes are what we remember the most!  When was the last time you went somewhere (e.g., a restaurant), and no one acknowledged you for 20 minutes? Did that bother you? Did you tell anyone about it? It’s not a stretch to imagine that everyone has had numerous experiences along these lines which is why it is so critical for us to start with first impressions.

Whoever talks to the student first is creating that first impression. For a ground campus appointment, the first impression will probably be made in the lobby by the receptionist. The receptionist should greet the prospective student using their name and ask them to fill out a short questionnaire. This gives you a few moments to do what we call "pre-contact planning." You will want to review your notes to ensure that you have a good understanding of what the that which prospective student has shared with you on the phone. These notes would include their present situation and the reasons for which they are looking to make a change.  

In every interview, "value must exceed cost" for an enrollment to take place. Successful enrollment requires us to know the importance of every step in the interviewing process and the order that must be followed.