Welcome! The webinar will start in a few minutes A few housekeeping - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Welcome! The webinar will start in a few minutes A few housekeeping items: This session will be recorded and sent to all registrants Attendees are muted, but the chat and Q&A are open! What do you want to learn from today’s session? This slide deck and the resources we discuss during today’s call will be sent to all registrants 1

Webinar Series Building Your Fall 2020 COVID Communications Plan Part 1: Assessment and Planning – Thursday, June 25 Part 2: Key Audiences and Messages – Thursday, July 9 Part 3: Executing and Optimizing Your Plan – Tuesday, July 21 3

AGENDA Context The messaging timeline How to choose the right communication channel Best Practices to optimize the messages Q&A 4

Context: The COVID Journey Institutions and students continue to face unprecedented challenge after unprecedented challenge On-Campus Execute Shifting Build Campus Transfer to Virtual Guidelines on Fall Window of Opportunity Contingent Remote Closures and Fall Plans Plans Learning Institutions Dynamics Hybrid Stay the Course Evaluate Re-visit Adjust to Move Make Evaluating Options for Transfer Fall Summer Remote Grading Home Fall Plans Plans Learning Decisions Gap Year Students

Context: Goals and Motivations Most students and institutions want the same thing – to be back on campus – but often for different reasons Students Institutions On-campus instructional experience More control over student experience On-campus social/extracurricular experience Better infrastructure Don’t want to be at home Necessary for financial viability

Achieving Balance for Safe Return to Campus Student behavior is the biggest wildcard Can (and will) students… - Follow institutional guidelines? - Forego the social nature of college? Can institutions… - Create guardrails and backstops to keep everyone in line?

CONTEXT

To Recap

Communications Basics, Elevated Data Feedback Segmentation and Analysis Content and Execution Messaging

Departmental Approach to Sending Results in Results in Financial confusing Aid conflicting Student Registrar messages: Accounts messages: Advisor: You need to review Advisor: You are cleared to Student Parking your grade type Life Register Registrar : Your add/drop dates Student Registrar : Your registration date is have been revised Monday Financial Financial Financial Aid: You might be Aid Aid Financial Aid: You haven’t signed eligible for a new COVID grant your loan document ad I have placed a hold on your account Student Accounts: There is a Athletics Advising new COVID payment plan Student Accounts: You have an Financial outstanding balance Aid

Coordinated Approach to Sending Step 1 (Office A) Desired Activity Step 2 (Office B) Student Generate a compelling, specific, action-oriented message from a trusted sender (in Office X) Step 3 (Office C) Step 4 Results in a Student Centered (Office D) message from a Trusted Source: Petra, You are eligible for a COVID grant that may impact your course registration decisions. Add/drop ends on [date] so Set up an appointment ASAP and we can determine your payment plan options.

Messaging Timeline

Messaging Timelines Differ When and why things need to be done matters differently to the student and the staff I’ll get to it when I get to it; it’s a month away Why aren’t they getting this done so they can get the next thing done? 15

Task Breakdown Differentiate between tasks and outcomes Desired Outcome What When What is the Does the student How long What does specifically does it motivation for doing have what they does it take to the data has to be HAVE to it? (carrots and need to complete do? show? done? be done? sticks) the task? 16

Task Breakdown Build communications around key tasks for each segment Registration Resolve Determine Confirm Complete Select Review Attain outstanding alternative access to COVID grading Degree Advisor account cadence of key forms preferences Audit Clearance balance courses resources 17

The Bottom Line communication > Over Effective communication

Choosing the Right Channel Download this chart at https://www.signalvine.com/covid-19/tool-choosing-the-right-communication-channel

Messaging Infrastructure: Know your desired outcome, use your channel, iterate X Scenario Planning Timeline Communication Maximizing Plan Messaging •4 Possible Fall options •Amount of Time needed to incorporate •based on JHU •Who is communicating •Identifying the highest ideas/policy/planning epidemiology value person to initiate •What •Taking action on plan •cognizant of •Clarity on desired •With which students institutional realtity •Cadence of updating behavior and value of •Why the plan action •When X •Personalized to each •On which Channels: student Website, email, •Cadence of outreach general/emergency •Modifying messaging text, personalized based on student texing response or student behaviors 20

Back to Communications Basics Clarify the call to action Track the data Leverage polling functionality Pick the right sender Share highest performing Choose the appropriate channel messages across the institution Establish a cadence that escalates Continue to iterate and test new as deadlines approach messaging protocols Acknowledge completed actions and remove students from continued outreach 21

Sample Communication Timeline Breaks down what you want to know vs. what your students want to know Topics broken down by where students are in their academic journeys Editable PDF available: https://www.signalvine.com/covid-19/tool-sample-com munication-timeline-for-fall-2020 22

10 Tips to Optimize Messages to Students 10 tips to optimize messages to students to create proactive, caring, directional messages Read the full blog: https://www.signalvine.com/covid-19/10-tips-to-optimize-messages- to-students 23

Q&A and Additional Resources Expert consultations on COVID messaging -- sign up with your Account Manager COVID Communications Toolkit: Planning for Fall The Vine (Current Signal Vine Customers) See a demo! contact@signalvine.com