Collegial Conversations - Daniela Locreille

Through these conversations, we hope to share the fresh perspectives of a few idea generators and thought leaders in international student recruitment. Periodically, the Marketing and Recruiting Network will ask respected colleagues to answer three questions. Visit often to learn more about the most recent and relevant trends in this dynamic field, and to contribute to its development.

Daniela Locreille

Daniela Locreille is the marketing manager for international and graduate markets for Hobsons, a provider of educational and recruitment information worldwide. Hobsons has grown into a global presence through 32 years of educational and career publishing experience, and has offices in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Belgium, and Australia.

What do you see as the most critical element in trying to attract globally mobile students to a particular country? Why?

Competition is the most critical element. Competition can be made up of various elements, including: price, quality, security, and ease of paperwork. Students that desire an international education know that they can become global without the need to cross oceans or an entire continent. The country whose government assists in facilitating paperwork, with schools that offer top education and that enhance future job opportunities, will win the recruitment competition. Students today have zero tolerance for delays and countries that do not facilitate student visas quickly.

What particular obstacles (in terms of threats or challenges) prevent recruiters from being effective? How can colleagues overcome those obstacles?

There are four primary obstacles that all recruiters face:

1. Time - The recruiter does not always have the time to invest in researching his/her specific market abroad. Recruiters must become “internationally minded” to be able to start to understand how and why students behave the way they do. Successful international recruiters must network, observe and, if possible, travel to discover firsthand how students and parents operate. It is necessary to attend fairs abroad and talk to the student and the parents, build relationships with your international students on campus, and talk to the international community within your city.
2. Message - The marketing message is also a challenge for many recruiters. In the international market, a “one message fits all” strategy does not work. Success happens when recruiters create different messages, in different languages. These messages should target different countries that reach the audience through traditional (student fairs) and nontraditional (virtual communities) avenues.
3. Relationships - Networking and building trusting relationships are key to international student recruiters. It is critical to take the time and constantly liaise with international high school counselors and EducationUSA advisors. These individuals are an incredible source of information, because they deal directly with students. They are a critical element in how to best shape the communication plan.
4. Representation - If you can't travel yourself, make sure that you have the right representatives abroad representing your institution. Building relationships with the right representatives is worth the time investment. These individuals should know what your needs are and serve as your “eyes” and “ears” in the country.

Ten years from now, how do you envision the landscape of marketing and recruiting in international education?

It is going to be fierce. As much as technology will help us reach more students, keeping the attention of these Millenials will be harder, because they will be bombarded by messages from hundreds of recruiters/competitors from various countries trying to influence their decision. With an audience that is growing and diversifying rapidly, we must continue to build our brands and invest the time and money to understand our target audience before they go somewhere else.