134 Additional Annual Enrollments from Beauty Schools Directory Leads
A Case Study with Georgia Career Institutes
I have been with GCI since 2006 and Beauty Schools Directory has been an important part of our success from the beginning.
–Cathy Thomas, GCI Lead Marketing & Admissions Coordinator
Georgia Career Institute (GCI) saw 134 enrollments in one year by using Beauty Schools Directory (BSD).
This is the power of using the number one online directory for beauty schools in the nation. With 90% of BSD leads never going to a school website to fill out a form, these directory leads are a great addition to your current marketing efforts to generate additional enrollments for your school.
GCI is a three-campus school with locations in Georgia and Tennessee, offering programs in Cosmetology, Esthetics, Nail Technology, and Massage Therapy since 1975. With a strong brand reputation, GCI generates inquires through referrals, community events, strong high school partnerships, and digital leads.
Beauty Schools Directory is the second highest lead generator of digital leads for GCI, with their own website being the first.
“We have a great admissions team,” Cathy Thomas, GCI Lead Marketing & Admissions Coordinator says. “Leads are automatically set-up to receive texts and emails to remind and inform the lead that we are here to help them reach their career goals. Until a lead opts out, we will continue to send communications.”
How BSD Leads Become Your New Students
Step 1
A lead fills out the find a school form on BSD.
Step 2
This lead enters your CRM system.
Step 3
BSD sends out an automatic SMS greeting (optional, no additional charge).
Step 4
A school representative calls the lead.
Step 5
Schedule a tour with the lead.
Step 6
The lead is now ready to enroll.
What if the lead doesn’t respond?
Send engaging follow-ups via text and call the lead until they answer. Be aggressive that first week.
How are appointments scheduled?
Follow-up appointments are booked to discuss financial aid and answer more questions. Most leads today need multiple appointments before they’re ready to enroll.
GCI enrolls BSD leads at 3 percent, which is the average most schools convert our leads at. If you’re savvy to enrollment conversion, then you know that most beauty schools convert their own branded digital leads much higher – usually around 8 to 12 percent.
But what makes BSD leads worth the lower conversion is the overall cost-per-enrollment.
Last year, GCI averaged a $778 cost-per-enrollment, which is far below the industry average of $1000 – $1500.
With GCI opting to use Beauty Schools Directory to generate more leads, it paid off big for them—giving them an additional 134 enrollments last year alone. Remember: The majority of BSD leads don’t fill out school lead forms. BSD leads are nearly impossible for schools to generate on their own.
“BSD is a trustworthy partner,” Thomas said. “They provide schools with marketing resources to stay current in the beauty industry and offer scholarships. GCI even uses BSD’s articles and graphics for marketing campaigns!”
Although we love hearing from partner schools, we can’t take all the credit. No doubt their rockstar admissions team is doing a stellar job with follow-up and booking appointments. We asked Cathy how they’re pivoting their strategies to meet the demands of Gen Z.
Cathy Thomas’s Gen Z best practices
Make interviews short
Provide virtual tour options
Send texts with links to relevant info like career information and financial aid
Build trust with rapport
Looking to add Beauty Schools Directory leads to your marketing strategy? Get additional enrollments with similar results! Request a free consultation today.