Building An Upward Mobility Machine
Project Overview
Forsyth Tech Community College provides learners of any background a path for upward mobility through affordable and practical education programs in Winston-Salem, NC. But even though the campus had state-of-the-art facilities driving the educational experience, its core marketing technology needed a lift.
In order to fulfill its role as “A Place of Promise,” Forsyth Tech partnered with Electric Kite on a new student-centered website, built out a system of automated communications to prospects and enrolled students, and helped the school put its best digital foot forward with a series of new and continual optimizations.
The results? New enrollment records and a promise fulfilled.
Our Role
- Experience Strategy
- Content Strategy
- Web Design
- Web Development
- Copywriting
- Student Enrollment Marketing
The Challenge
Helping Students Find Their “Place of Promise.”
The school works hard to make sure its programs help all students find their calling and advance their careers. But its website had grown bloated and clunky; its technology stack was dated. In short, the school’s digital footprint just wasn’t doing justice to the remarkable work they do in Winston-Salem and the surrounding region.
We knew we could make others recognize Forsyth Tech for the star that it is.
The Process: How We Did It
We started by understanding how school administrators wanted to convey that higher education is a viable path for everyone. Forsyth Tech commits serious resources to ensure every student has every opportunity to succeed — on campus and beyond. We followed that up with research with prospective students — many of whom are first-generation students — to understand their goals, questions, and fears. Specifically, this research process included:
- 368 user surveys
- 10 prospective student interviews
- 8 parent interviews
- 3 targeted user segments, with personas and journey maps
- Prototype testing with 6 prospective students
- Comprehensive content strategy
The creative result was a brand-new website focused around users’ needs that answers their top questions. We also integrated the site with the school’s CRM, Element451, and implemented advanced site search functionality to optimize for site discovery.
THE EK TEAM DIDN’T JUST REDESIGN A WEBSITE; THEY CREATED A DYNAMIC SPACE THAT RESONATES WITH OUR STUDENTS’ JOURNEYS AND NEEDS.
Devin Purgason
Hello, Website Success!
Once the new website was live, and emails and texts were automating, the results were speaking for themselves. Users were sticking around longer, exploring more pages, and bouncing less. The website traffic soared, and the feedback? Phenomenal! People loved the new vibe and the way Forsyth Tech presented itself online.
The Results
25%
reduction in student phone calls
10%
increase in enrollment year-over-year
61%
increase in RFI form submissions
10%
increase in enrollment year-over-year
Lessons Learned and What’s Next
Through this journey, we were reminded that collaboration is truly the secret sauce. Challenges turned into opportunities because we combined our expertise with Forsyth Tech’s vision and commitment to helping everyone achieve their potential. We faced a few hurdles, but with teamwork, flexibility, and creativity, we made it happen.
Future Adventures Await
The story doesn’t end here. With a solid digital infrastructure in place, Electric Kite and Forsyth Tech continue to work hand-in-hand, optimizing the school’s CRM to make student recruitment and retention a breeze. We’re also continuing to monitor and optimize the website through ongoing validation testing, content refreshes, and activation of our content strategy.
Cheers to a Bright Future
As we wrap up this tale of teamwork and triumph, remember that collaboration makes the dream work. Forsyth Tech’s journey is far from over. And with Electric Kite by their side, the future looks as dazzling as ever.
Working with Electric Kite was a game-changer for us at Forsyth Tech. I’m so impressed by how their innovative approach has helped us break new ground in student engagement and enrollment!
