Building a robust student database is crucial for the success of higher education institutions. While purchasing leads from sources like standardized test organizations may seem convenient, it often falls short in today’s dynamic educational landscape. Students expect personalized, transparent communication, and relying on purchased lists risks low engagement and reputational damage.
Meritto’s CRM in higher education offers an ethical, efficient, and innovative approach to lead generation. It helps institutions attract, engage, and enroll students seamlessly—without relying on outdated tactics. Let’s explore the pitfalls of purchasing leads and how Meritto’s features drive superior results.
The Risks of Relying on Purchased Leads
1. Lower Engagement Rates
Students who haven’t opted in are unlikely to engage with your communication. Research shows organic campaigns have open rates of up to 30%, while purchased lists perform in the low teens.
With Meritto’s CRM in higher education, the focus shifts to nurturing inquiries from genuinely interested students. Its tailored communication workflows ensure every touchpoint adds value, leading to higher engagement rates.
2. Increased Competition
Multiple institutions often purchase the same leads, leading to students receiving overwhelming communication. This dilutes your outreach efforts and reduces their effectiveness.
Meritto’s lead centralization consolidates inquiries from organic sources like events, social media, and websites. By focusing on unique, self-generated leads, your institution stands out, driving higher conversions.
3. Irrelevance of Standardized Tests
The rise of test-optional policies means fewer students take standardized tests, shrinking the pool of available leads.
Meritto’s higher education CRM enables institutions to tap into alternative lead-generation strategies. From targeted search engine marketing to dynamic retargeting, you can attract a broader, more diverse audience.
4. Reputational Risks
Bombarding uninterested students with unsolicited emails can damage your institution’s reputation. Students may view excessive outreach as intrusive, making them less likely to engage.
Meritto ensures personalized, ethical communication through its 360° communication suite, which includes email, SMS, WhatsApp, and multilingual messaging. By delivering relevant, consent-based communication, you enhance trust and credibility.
5. Compliance Challenges
International data laws like GDPR demand explicit consent for outreach. Purchased lists often lack sufficient compliance, putting institutions at legal risk.
Meritto’s CRM automates consent tracking, segments lead by region and ensures compliance with data laws globally. Whether targeting domestic or international students, your outreach remains ethical and secure.
Meritto: The Smarter Way to Generate Leads
Meritto’s CRM in higher education equips institutions with tools to generate high-quality leads ethically and efficiently.
Centralized Lead Management
Meritto consolidates leads from various channels, including online forms, social media, and events. A unified platform eliminates duplicates and tracks each lead’s journey for tailored engagement.
Dynamic Lead Allocation
Leads are automatically assigned to counselors based on criteria like location or course interest. This ensures faster responses, reducing the risk of missed opportunities.
Omnichannel Communication
Meritto enables personalized, omnichannel communication across email, WhatsApp, SMS, and calls. Automated workflows ensure timely follow-ups, increasing engagement and driving conversions.
Streamlined Applications
The application automation feature simplifies the enrollment journey with tools like:
- Digilocker integration for document uploads.
- Real-time application status updates.
- Instant notifications for missing documents.
This creates a hassle-free experience for both students and staff.
Student-Centric Portals
Empower students to track their enrollment journey with a centralized Student Portal. Features include:
- A single dashboard for multiple applications.
- Real-time query management and status updates.
- Instant notifications for next steps.
Advanced Analytics
Meritto’s reporting engine offers real-time dashboards and customizable reports, allowing institutions to:
- Identify top-performing programs and campaigns.
- Uncover bottlenecks in the enrollment funnel.
- Refine strategies with data-driven insights.
Unified Payment Stack
Meritto simplifies fee collection with its payment and financing platform, which offers:
- Flexible payment plans, including zero-cost EMIs.
- Instant online approvals for collateral-free loans.
- A one-view dashboard for payment tracking and reconciliation.
This ensures students can manage finances easily, improving enrollment rates.
Alternatives to Purchased Leads
With Meritto, institutions can leverage modern, ethical lead-generation strategies such as:
- Search Engine Marketing: Target prospective students searching for relevant programs.
- Social Media Advertising: Use lead ads to capture inquiries directly from platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
- Retargeting Campaigns: Engage students who have visited your website but haven’t converted.
- Content Marketing: Publish high-value blogs and videos to attract students searching for answers.
Why Choose Meritto?
Meritto’s CRM in higher education is trusted by over 1,000 organizations worldwide, including India’s top universities and international institutions. By combining automation, compliance, and personalization, it transforms the enrollment process into a seamless, student-focused journey.
It’s Time to Scale Enrollments
With Meritto, you can generate quality leads, build trust, and achieve enrollment success—all while staying compliant with global data laws.
Schedule a demo today to see how Meritto’s higher education CRM can revolutionize your admissions process. Let’s build a smarter, more successful future for your institution.
