How do I get leadership to rethink name-buys?
We’ve relied on the same name-buy conversion plan for years — buy a list, send a few emails and a postcard, then stop if they don’t convert. Leadership seems to be very hesitant to change this approach, despite how much student behavior has changed. How should we update this approach to actually reach and engage today’s students?
Here’s what I would do.
Start with data.
I’d look for the dozens of studies out there that show how families are actually finding universities nowadays. Then I’d start digging into your own data to answer:
How is the purchased list performing overall?
Are there student segments where it’s actually working? What can we learn?
How has conversion changed over time?
If results are strong, good. If not, the school is wasting money. Either way, the argument is clearer with data.
Make change with a “pilot.”
The best way to create change in risk-averse places is through a pilot. Pick 384 names at random from the purchased list, and try:
Targeted digital ads where they already are (social, gaming, streaming).
No outreach at all (wouldn’t it be fun to see if they convert the same!).
Keep nurturing them, even if they don’t “convert” to inquiry. The funnel isn’t linear, and neither is their decision-making.
Try a completely different email approach (like the one below).
With statistically significant results, change will be easier to sell.
If leadership won’t budge, optimize what you send.
Many of the vendors running name-buys and batch print/email campaigns deliver the same thing to everyone (and students can tell). I’d stop that immediately. Instead:
Make mail useful. Address it to the household. Send one truly useful piece early in the process that guides them through the college search and becomes the reference they return to when they feel overwhelmed. Don’t send a ton of stuff. They hate it.
Make emails tools, not noise. Families are facing big decisions—what to study, where to live, how to pay. Can your emails help them sort through those choices? Can you prompt reflection, offer comparisons, or teach them how to weigh options fairly? Let me hold your hand while I say this… 🫴🏼 A link to majors or a vague statement about affordability is not helping anyone.
This isn’t just about college search. This is how you make change happen anywhere.
Find the data. Launch a pilot. Measure the results. Then either double down—or shift course with confidence. It’s not flashy, but it works.
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