Join the Pre-app-a-thon!!!
From AFSWiki
Contents |
Overview
Many students have recently expressed interest in becoming AFSers. December 2011 and January 2012 are the ideal time to be in touch with those students to encourage their participation in a 2012 Summer or Fall program. We are turning up the focus and resources to contact as many students as possible, with the aim that 350 new students will begin the application process - the first step along their AFS journey.
We are asking that all available staff and volunteers contribute 2-3 hours between December 1 and January 15 to connect with 20 students to encourage them to take the next step by submitting a preliminary application. Your time investment is greatly appreciated as support for reaching the organization's sending goal, which ensures that as many students as possible can experience the AFS mission on our study abroad programs.
Next Steps
1. RSVP for Training
The Sending Department is offering special training for this project. For those of you new to calling students, this training will provide all the basics. For those of you with a little more experience under your belt, we still encourage you to attend, for a bit of a refresher and the latest tips and tricks.
- No more trainings are scheduled at this time
2. Request a list of students
The 2012 Pre-App-a-Thon is over! Thank you for your help. If you're interested in making lead calls in your area or to students interested in a certain country, please contact Lauren Kelley at lkelley@afs.org or afsinfo@afs.org.
Request the list no more than 3 business days prior to when you plan to make your calls. You will receive your list by email within 2 business days. Feel free to provide your preference for contacting students interested in specific countries or who are in a particular geographic area within the US. We will do our best to send you a list of students according to your preferences. We also appreciate your openness to following up with other students. If you have questions, please email afsinfo@afs.org.
3. Make your calls
- Review the Pre-app-a-thon Training Powerpoint for a refresher.
- You will want to make sure you have a quiet place from which you can make your calls, and that you call between 5:00-8:00pm, local time.
- Utilize the Talking Points For Contacting Leads and encourage students to sign-up for an Online Info Session and/or submit a preliminary application. Be sure to provide the promotion codes so student's can save $25 off their preliminary application fee. (Staff Promo Code: STFd5Xp6428 ; Volunteer Promo Code: VOLd5Xp9632)
- Be sure to read over the AFS Study Abroad FAQs and have an overview of the available Year, Semester and Summer 2012 programs.
- Take the opportunity to talk with parents if you reach them, and encourage them to sign-up for the Parent Online Info Sessions.
- If you're ready to look into answers to some more challenging questions, please check out How to Answer More Challenging Questions
- Use these Lead Management Email Templates to follow-up with your calls.
- If you don't know the answer to a specific question a student asks, please reach out to staff. You can provide 1-800-AFS-INFO, ext 1 (1-800-237-4636, ext 1) and afsinfo@afs.org to students and parents. We are happy to follow up with students and families you've been in touch with. Also, feel free to reach out yourself to lead management staff with your questions.
4. Return your spreadsheet
- Sample Pre-app-a-thon Student List and Instructions
- Complete the following columns on your list:
- Call Date: Enter the date you made the call
- Call Outcome: Select option from the dropdown list.
- Comments: Provide as many details as possible, including:
- Student’s interest level
- Did you sign them up for an Info Session? Did you provide the pre-app code?
- Did you send an follow-up email?
- Does the person need a follow-up call?
- Are they interested in the future? What year?
- Submit your spreadsheet with the call outcomes
- Once your list is complete, email your results to afsinfo@afs.org.
5. Results: 428/350 (Goal from December 1 - January 31, including regular pre-app generation)
- Training Attendee List
- List of people who have requested lists:
- Anna Henry - Community Developer, San Francisco Bay Team
- Floyd Van Weeldon - Compliance and Intercultural Education
- Matthew Drouhard - Coordinator, Outbound Program
- Carolyn Sharratt - Volunteer Development
- Brittany McLean - Volunteer Development
- Sarah Krile - Volunteer Development
- Meryl Lewis - IT
- Michelle Woods - Sending Travel Coordinator
- Tara O'Conner - Outbound Programs Coordinator
- Kimberley Elcess - Volunteer/Returnee, E-Z Pass
- Traci Larson-Lee - Team Development Specialist
- Dana Reinoos - Sponsored Programs NSLI-Y
- Erin Abrams - Sponsored Programs
- Liz Wyman- Volunteer Resources
- Timothy Hymanson - Sponsored Programs
- Evelyn Volpa - TDS
- Carolyn Louderback - Volunteer Resources
- Paola Visconti - Compliance
- Matt Closter - Quality Assurance and Compliance
- Joseph Friedman - RMCQA Compliance
- Emily Kimler - Compliance
- Jeana Rude - Grand Canyon Team
- Jenny Davis - Program Development
- Kelly Vetter - RMCQA
- Allen Evans - Outbound Sponsored Programs
- Sarah Owens - Sending Staff
- Jill Woerner - One World
- Sara DuBois - Sponsored Programs
- Anthony Mayer - EZ Pass NY
- Keiko Tamura - Sponsored Programs
- Anne Parker - Outbound Programs
- Erin Betlock - South Central Hosting
- Ann Smith - Volunteer, Baltimore
- Kyria Tarnowski - TDS Michigan
- Troy Henri - Outbound Programs
- Noah Niermann - Hosting
- Kendall Speten-Hansen - Outbound Programs, Scholarships
- Gabriela Villarreal - Community Developer, Chicago
- Traci Larson-Lee (second list) - TDS, Chicago
- Erika Dani - Hosting
- Mary Jo Brock - TDS
- Keri Dooley - ET
- Rori Vibar - RMCQA
- Eva Crawford - Outbound Sponsored Programs
- Karen Powers - Grand Canyon Team
- Siri Engstrom - Alaska (Fairbanks)
- Ann Steglich - Michigan Team
- Rebecca Himschoot - Alaska
- Margaret Peterman - CD, Greater West Metro
- Lee Gerstein - Hosting
- Caitlin Schnieder - Hosting
- Andrianna Betts - Hosting
- Christa Thurston - Hosting
- Amelia Jenkins - Alaska Team
- Nancy Cranston - Alaska Team
- Matthew Drouhard - OP Coordinator (second list!)
- Pre-apps generated by person (21 total):
- Meryl Lewis – 1
- Timothy Hymanson – 1
- Tara O'Connor – 1
- Paola Visconti – 2
- Noah Niermann – 1
- Brittany McLean – 1
- Christa Thurston - 1
- Kelly Vetter – 1
- Carolyn Louderback – 1
- Jenny Davis – 1
- Floyd Van Weelden – 2
- Erin Abrams – 1
- Matt Closter - 2
- Joseph Friedman – 2
- Margaret Peterman (and volunteers) – 2
- Karen Powers – 1
