A necessary innovation for better student connections

Marion Technical College is in the business of preparing local students for global success. Founded in 1970 in Marion, Ohio, MTC offers more than 60 majors, transfer programs, and certificates, allowing students to save time and money by removing delays to their education.  With shorter time to completion, MTC students are jumping into their careers quicker and earning a salary sooner.

Nearly half of MTC students live in Marion County and 60% of them work while attending. To the staff at Marion Tech, ensuring a smooth educational journey for students is at the heart of their mission.

Although staff and faculty have been integral to keeping current students on track and ready for success, the admissions team, led by director of admissions and recruitment, Tony Box, knew they had to do more to connect and serve their prospective students in today’s digital age.


Solutions designed to meet students where they are

Box and his team recognized that in order to reach today’s students and rise above the digital noise, MTC would need to adapt fast. Going virtual meant overhauling current recruitment processes to include fully mobile capabilities and implementing the type of communication today’s students expect—fast, digital, and in their preferred channels.

To engage meaningfully with prospective students without additional staff or resources, MTC utilized Element451’s marketing automation tools and its library of pre-written and designed email campaigns to scale up their email communication. And they didn’t stop at email. The team went from not having the ability to use SMS text messaging in their recruitment to having it be a cornerstone of how they build relationships with students.

MTC partnered with Element451 to implement our student engagement CRM as its new all-in-one platform for:

Packs: a full library of pre-built emails and campaign communications

SMS texting as part of a multi-channel messaging plan

Unique microsites across the student journey

Having a truly mobile application is a requirement these days. I can see that it only takes a few minutes for prospects to apply on their phones.

Applying online means saving time for busy students

MTC staff are fully aware of the realities of their students. Like many students around the nation, community college students are struggling more than ever to balance education with full-time jobs and family responsibilities. That’s why it’s  crucial that applying for college isn’t just one more stressor to add to the list.

MTC can now boast a user-friendly, fully-mobile application experience that dramatically speeds up the application process for students, while streamlining the routing, following up, and decision making process for admissions staff.


Not the last great innovation for these first time CRM users

Before Element451, MTC did not utilize a CRM for their recruitment, marketing, and engagement. While going from no CRM to an AI-powered platform that seems to do it all might seem overwhelming, Box and his team had no trouble adjusting.

The meetings we've had and the people we've met were very flexible and reassuring. The implementation process and ongoing assistance requires people willing to help and who understand our lack of expertise. We found this with Element451.

Plus, the Element451 platform requires zero prior CRM experience, zero coding skills, and zero certifications. 

With a dedicated customer success team at the ready to answer questions and to make the big ideas come to life, MTC is now looking forward to their next round of optimizations and projects.


Quick Facts About Marion Technical College

Offers Associate of Arts, Science, Applied Business, Applied Science, Technical Studies and one-year and short-term certificate programs.

Marion Technical College Steps Into the Digital Age with Element451

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