Phone Engagement

Setting the Tone & Direction of the Call

Introduce the student to the general direction and purpose of the call.

• “Calling to talk with you more about the courses you are interested in.”

  • Assures student that they’ll get info about their course of interest

• “…answer any questions for you…”

  • Assures student that they’ll get their questions answered

• “…and possibly help you get started today.”

  • Plants the seed for the idea of how easy it is to start before we get into the conversation.

• “But first, let’s talk about the course…”

  • Make this an immediate progression from the introduction above to the course.

Discovery

Question 1 -- What are your goals?

Confidence is important, not just in assuming the sale, but also in assuming the call itself. Start your call from a position of strength rather than a position of weakness. Start by asking an open-ended question that will get the student talking about their reasons for inquiring in the first place.

• What are open-ended vs. closed-ended questions?

  • • Closed-ended questions only require an easy one-word answer like ‘yes’ or ‘no.’

    • Open-ended questions require a qualitative answer, meaning the answer will be much longer and more informative.

• Always start out asking the student what their goals are for the degree.

  • • e.g., “What interests you about this course?”

Question 2 -- Why Straighterline?

The next step is to ask the student why they want this course from us.

• Sometimes it’s helpful to jump-start their thinking by offering an answer to the question you just asked.

  • 1. • Here, double questions are your friend: “And what interests you in doing this degree with Straighterline? Is it the cost and flexibility?”

  • Not only will this approach save you time in having to explain your question to a student, it also may provide them with mental clarity on why exactly they want this course (e.g., “Oh yeah, I need the flexibility because I work full-time and have two kids, etc.”)
    

  • When the time comes to get the student to sign-up, you will rarely fail when you remind them of the reasons they gave you to pursue the course (e.g., “I think this course’s flexibility would be a good fit for you, especially since you are working two jobs right now and aren’t able to leave work in the middle of the day to go to a class. This program offers you the ability to do your coursework on your own time and complete is at your own pace.”)

Question 3 -- What is your education background?

When it comes to education background, this is where we want to get the college the student is currently attending or hoping to attend.

• • • Make sure it is one that our courses transfer into.

Educate Student on StraighterLine & Course(s)

Moves the student from a position of answering your questions to hearing from you about their specific course of interest. Provides a preview to the next part of the discussion (format, costs, etc).

• Say something like, “Now that we've talked about why you are interested in this course, I'd like to go into a little more detail about how our course format is set up here at Straighterline.”

Solution

Point 1 -- Discuss Course Specifics

• After you have gleaned information during the discovery phase, you can now move into a discussion of the course specifics.

• You will go on to share the course description.

  • Course Length – Tell the student that the course is self-paced and can be completed as quickly or slowly as they need.

• Let them know they have support through tutoring and student support services.

Point 2 -- Explain Program Format

• • • When it comes to explaining format, don’t overload the student with too many details about how the course is set up. Just cover the necessary bases without getting too deep in the weeds so they have an idea what to expect.
      

Point 3 -- Explain Costs/Fees

• • • Once you’ve explained the program format, now is the time to explain the costs so the student knows exactly what he or she will be charged.

Point 4 -- Explain Applicable Discounts

• • • Depending on promotions throughout the year, this is the time to tell the student of any “good news” moments for discounts they might qualify for.

• • • • • Never give them the discounted fees first.

The Offer

Tip 1 -- Create Urgency

• This is a critical point of the call. It is here where you must draw together all the information you've gleaned from the call and use it to make the sale.

  • This is also the point of the call where you may have to overcome objections.
    

Tip 2 – Use the Information You’ve Already Gathered

• Here is where your previous active listening will be useful. You have now spent a lot of time with the student, and you should have quite a bit of information at your disposal to use at this time.

• At the point of the offer, all the information you gathered throughout the call is now appropriate to recall with the student as part of why this would be the best course of action for them. This is part of making the sale.

  • • Remind them of little things they said throughout the call that tell you they need this course.

      1. 1. This implicitly reminds the student that you were listening. People love being listened to, and when you remind students of things they said previously, it makes them feel like they’re important.

         2. It re-creates the urgency to get started. When you’re reminding a student of their own words, it’s tougher for them to object to starting. Say something like, “I remember a little earlier in the call when you told me you needed ______. I know this course can meet that need for you.”
            

Tip 3 – Assume the Sale

• • • Make efforts to assume the sale rather than asking for it.

    • Talk about the benefits of the course and our format and why it would fit them well, then remark that you’d like to help them begin the process.
      

Helping a Prospective Student Select a Course

1. Confirm what their Target School is:

   1. • If Partner College, search Course Equivalency Guide

      • If Non- Partner, discuss their course need or degree interest

2. Ask if their school advisor has given them specific courses they should enroll into or how many courses they need to take

3. Ask if student has a specific degree in mind

4. Once you have verified the necessary courses and aligned them with the course equivalent help student through the enrollment process

If student does not know any specific courses needed for their degree program, use the following tools and strategies to help determine and recommend best possible courses:

• • • Course Recommendation Algorithm or Top Loved Courses

    • Discuss with prospective student which subjects they are most comfortable and offer possible course recommendations that will make the lead the most successful

How to Wrap Up a Call

Often times you will have students who are long-winded and want to talk to you beyond needed SL services. In situations such as these, remain vigilant and redirect the conversation by following these wrap-up steps below.

1. Summarize what has been discussed in a brief sentence or two. Example: "So we have covered pricing, membership and the courses you are interested in enrolling into. You are looking to enroll in the next week."

2. Share next steps. "I will be sending you an email shortly with information about ACE and the course equivalency guide for our Microbiology course".

3. Lastly, share contact information and expectation for the next communication. "I will give you call next Saturday at 2pm, if you have any additional questions feel free to reach out to me at any time my contact information will be provided in the email."

4. Farewell. "It was nice speaking with you, and have a great day!"

Helpful tools to Help Students Determine Credit Transfer:

• • • School Degree Recommendation

    • Course Recommendation Algorithm

    • College Credit Transfer Guide

    • Transcripts Sent by Destination