Marketing/recruiting ideas

The following marketing/recruiting ideas have been provided by Kentucky adult educators.  Adult education providers who have additional ideas should e-mail them to Melissa.Wireman@ky.gov.

Make sure your program’s telephone number is listed in the phone book in such a way that a prospective student could find the number, i.e. listed under “adult education” rather than listed as part of the school board or community college or other organization.

Your adult education program should either have a Web site of its own or a presence on your fiscal agent’s Web site so the public can find you by doing an Internet search.

Take every opportunity to have a booth or table at community fairs and events.  The person working the booth should be outgoing and vivacious and should actively invite people into the booth with a handout or small trinket.  As you’re handing the giveaway to the visitor say something such as, “Do you know someone who needs a GED?  We can help!”

To create a welcoming environment at the adult education center, some programs have voluntary “greeters” who provide a warm welcome and handshake when a prospective or returning student comes in the door.  The greeter helps orient the person and introduces them to an instructor or someone who can help them.

Some programs use high school clubs (such as the Beta Club) who are looking for public service activities to distribute marketing brochures and flyers throughout the county. 

Most small newspapers will print practically any local news.  Some ideas:

• With the student’s permission, send the newspaper a photo and brief news release when a student earns a GED, KEC or other accomplishment. 
• Invite the newspaper to cover the annual GED graduation.  If the newspaper can’t send someone, take photos and send them to the newspaper with the list of graduates.
• Ask the newspaper to publicize your hours of operation, special events, family literacy activities, etc.
• Send the newspaper a profile of new instructors, along with a photo.
• Develop a brief description of your center that can be used at the end of every news release regardless of the subject. 

Every program now has a video tape with KYAE TV ads.  Some ideas for use:

• Meet with the managers of local commercial channels and local cable outlet and talk to them about the level of educational attainment in your county – go armed with facts and figures.  Ask the manager to use the spots as Public Service Announcements (PSAs).
• Meet with the manager of your local theater and present the same type of information.  Ask that the ads be shown as a PSA before movies. 

Radio and TV ideas:

• Most radio and TV stations have public information programs and are usually looking for possible guests.  Contact the station’s news director to pitch adult education ideas.

Get names and contact information from prospective students who call your center.   Add them to a mailing list if they don’t enroll within a couple of weeks.  Have ongoing follow-up through regular mail, e-mail or telephone calls.

Adult educators have reported the following types of advertising have been successful in their counties.

• Classified ad promoting adult education services in the “Want Ads” section of the newspaper
• Yard signs with the adult education program’s contact information
• Bus advertising
• Billboards