Effective communication doesn’t just happen. It happens when the actions we take consider not only what our goals are, but also when we shape our messages and methods to the opinions, needs and preferences of the people with whom we want to influence. Effective communication:
- Has a measurable impact on our ability to achieve our mission;
- Can help develop a culture where people feel valued and respected;
- Creates dialog that contributes to mutual understanding and builds partnership;
- Equips people with the information they need to achieve their goals.
Whatever you communicate, make it clear, concise, straightforward and accessible. At UNC Charlotte, there are numerous tools/channels available to you that can help meet your communication needs:
The Graduate School Marketing and Communications department offers the following suggestions and/or best practices to aid GPDs in producing outstanding communications.
Slate Communication Campaigns
Slate is a comprehensive platform where we execute lead generation and communication strategies through fully integrated channels (text messaging, emails, voice, social media, print communications etc.).
- What is included in the communication campaigns?
- Personalized Drip Email Campaigns
- Scheduled Email Sends
- SMS/Text
- Print Items – Postcards/mailers etc.
- What communication campaigns does the Graduate School run?
- Operational Communications
- The communications encourage and confirm important steps in the admissions process.
- Application Generation
- The target audience is prospects and inquiries.
- The communications encourage prospective students to start and complete their application.
- Application Completion
- The target audience is applicants who need materials, have yet to submit or have yet to complete payment.
- The communications encourage applicants to complete and submit their application.
- Yield
- The target audience is admitted graduate students who have yet to accept their admissions offer.
- The communications encourage them to submit their enrollment intention form.
- Anti-Melt
- The target audience is graduate students who have accepted their offer of admission/enrollment intention form.
- The communications encourage enrolled student retention and engagement before they begin their program.
- Audience-Specific
- UNC Charlotte Seniors – Encouraging UNC Charlotte seniors who meet GPA requirements to consider pursuing graduate studies.
- International Applicants – Encouraging international applicants to submit application/materials/payment.
- Operational Communications
- How can I see the send dates for communications in my Google calendar?
- You can add the “Graduate Admissions Marketing | Email, SMS and Print Calendar” to your Google calendars using your @charlotte.edu account.
- This a reminder that many of these campaigns are drip communications, so the initial date listed is the first possible date that contacts in that list receive the communications.
Website/Webpage
Your college communicator (see list below) is your resource for website updates, etiquette and branding. Reach out to them for guidance. If you have difficulty finding your current web contact, reference this website or submit a OneIT Help Ticket.
A new video is available to assist prospective students in smoothly navigating the application process. We encourage you to consider including this embedded video on your program webpage and subscribe to the Graduate Admissions channel on YouTube.
Your website or web page acts as your glass door － your audience can peek in to quickly glance over the information, and then walk into additional pages to learn more. As such, it is important your first impression gives the viewer enough information to want to learn more. While a website or web page is a repository of information, not all that information needs to be in your opening paragraph or first page.
Five MUSTS for your program’s homepage or opening paragraphs:
- Program name with the degrees available.
- Short description (less than 50 words) of your program and what a degree in it will get them. Use keywords that a prospective student might search for on Google. For instance, if you are in the Gerontology program, use the term “senior citizen” in that paragraph and not just the term gerontology.
- Make sure there is a call to action. If you don’t have one, try ‘Apply Now’ and link viewers to the Graduate School Admissions portal: https://gradadmissions.charlotte.edu/apply
- Your contact information, i.e. phone, email, social media. Be sure to include the Graduate Admissions website where they can learn what’s required to apply: http://gradadmissions.charlotte.edu
- Current content, i.e. deadlines, news, student/faculty/research spotlights. Make sure your information is up-to-date and that all web links work.
Other considerations:
- If you share a website, make sure your page is no more than three clicks down from the main landing page of your college or department.
- Keep it simple. Allow viewers to easily move between pages or paragraphs in a logical way. Even if you have very little to say, make what you do say impactful and educational.
- If you use images or video, make sure they are;
- Not just aesthetically pleasing, but telling your story;
- Follow brand standards and are professional looking;
- Located deeper into your site or further down on your homepage － do not use them as the first thing a viewer would see for search reasons;
- Short in length when using video. We would recommend no longer than 60 seconds.
- Proofread! Check your spelling, grammar and all hyperlinks to other websites, pages or resources. Please be mindful to check your ‘Apply Now’ links (https://gradapp.charlotte.edu/apply), as the URL has changed with the use of Slate.
Things to avoid:
- Placing your entire program content in the first paragraph on your site or page.
- Use of PDFs – if you want to list your course overview, list them as text on a secondary page – not in a PDF. PDFs are forever on the web and when your course changes, a new PDF doesn’t necessarily replace the old one.
- Use of infographics without alt text or descriptions. Content a graphic is not readable by search engines and they often do not render well on mobile devices.
- Using the term Click Here to help viewers navigate. If it is not easily understood where to go next, revise your text. Additionally, always “embed” your hyperlinks － embed means to hide the link within a specific text.
Your college communicator (see list below) is your resource for website updates, etiquette and branding. Reach out to them for guidance. If you have difficulty finding your current web contact, you can reference this website or submit a OneIT Help Ticket.
Social Media and Blogs
Social media is a wonderful tool for talking about your unit to a vast audience on a simple, yet communicative level. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or the array of blogs on the internet, are free options that can supplement your communication efforts. University Communications maintains social media policies and best practices that should be considered.
Considerations:
- Social media is not a stand-alone practice. It should supplement your communication efforts. Make sure you have a repository, such as a webpage, to drive your audience.
- Social media content needs to be just that, social. These are online communities created to share information, ideas, personal messages and more. If you are not communicating value to your audience, then you are not contributing to your community.
- Make sure you can “feed the beast.” Social media must have current and constant posts. Dedicate the time and personnel to accomplish it for 52 weeks a year.
- If you use multiple social channels, do not replicate your posts across platforms. Your audience wants to read content pertinent to each platform or discussion.
- Share your content with like communities and interact on your social accounts. Keep building your community even outside your particular social channel.
- Be sure to include a call to action and drive your audience to your repository where more information can be found.
With the advent of GPDNet, program directors can easily have a group conversation on any published topic. Your fellow GPD might have a best practice you could learn from. In the GPDNet forum, program directors can ask for advice or offer it to others by using the comments box at the end of each news item. UNC Charlotte’s GPD network is a strong one so be sure to tap into it.
News/Publicity
Sharing your stories is an important aspect of the collaborative effort found in effective communications. News stories about your students, faculty, research, industry, career outlook or upcoming events, give readers a better understanding of what happens in your program, department, college or university.
Tips:
- Determine just what is news. Ask yourself “Who would care and why?” before you begin.
- Write with the layperson in mind.
- Keep it short. 500 words is a good baseline.
- Use photography/video only if you have quality pictures/video that adds to the story.
- Publish on your program website/page; college website, social media, newsletter, blog or any other communication tool your program, department or college might have.
- Share with your College Communicator. (See list below). There are University policies pertaining to the dissemination of news, as well as branding, graphics and websites. Your Communicator knows them. Additionally, your Communicator has the ability to escalate your story to University Communications and external media.
- Share your news with the Graduate School: grad-comm@charlotte.edu.
College Communicator Contact Information (near bottom of webpage)
Events
Information sessions and/or open houses are a great way to engage your audience (primarily prospective students) on campus, at your college and with your faculty.
Thoughts:
- Plan ahead. A suggested period is two months in advance.
- Reserve your room/location, date, and time at the start － before you send out invitations.
- Book your faculty to attend and include their names/areas of expertise on your invite or agenda at the start.
- Set up an RSVP method either through your College Communicator, within the Slate portal or via a simple email reply. Make sure you have a detailed agenda tied to your RSVP form and invite.
- Advertise and invite!
- Post to your website/page;
- Notify your College Communicator;
- Place on the campus events calendar;
- Notify Graduate Admissions (Maryanne Maree-Sams, Graduate Counselor) to post to Slate and on the Graduate Admissions website. Graduate counselors might be able to attend your event to explain the application process or discuss funding opportunities.
- Contact your prospective students, current undergraduates and others who have shown interest in your program, department or college, and personally invite them to attend. Follow up with a second invite if necessary.
- Make sure the event itself looks professional. The University has a helpful event planning resource page to assist you.
- Keep a list of attendees with their contact information including email and telephone number.
Graduate Admissions has created a Google Doc template for you to use as a guideline to create a program-specific brochure. The template can be found in the Google Docs Template Gallery under ‘Brochures & newsletters’ and titled ‘2022-10_GraduateSchool_ProgramBrochure_GoogleDocsTemplate’.
- On your computer, go to Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, or Forms.
- At the top right, click Template Gallery.
- Click the template you want to use.
- A copy of the template opens.
GPDs can request copies of the Graduate Admissions brochure and/or program listing, which details the University, benefits of graduate education, testing, admission and tuition. If your audience is unfamiliar with UNC Charlotte and our region, you may want to request a few copies from Maryanne Maree-Sams in Graduate Admissions.
