How USB's can Benefit the Open Day Experience
The practice of universities operating an 'open day' has become very common over the last decade or so. Many institutions recognise it as an important contributor in helping prospective undergraduates decide on where their futures ultimately lie. A great deal of planning is therefore required to ensure that the initial impression given at each event is one that helps to ultimately contribute positively towards a student's decision.
In general, many open days follow a typical format in allowing people to explore the campuses; find out more information about the courses on offer and also give an impression as to the overall university experience. The thing that essentially differs between institutions is the content on offer, and how it is delivered to each individual who visits, this is especially the case when looking at the physical marketing elements such as welcome packs and guides, which are commonly given out to each student at the start of the day.
The Challenge for Open Days
The challenge arises within universities in being able to provide relevant and bespoke material to each student whilst also being able to stand out from competition and remain cost effective. In most cases it's unlikely a university will have the time or the resources to produce packs catered for each individuals need's, therefore the question must be asked as to whether alternative methods of producing content which remains engaging and informative are available. One way this can be accomplished is by uploading more specific/comprehensive information onto a USB Flash Drive while keeping the welcome booklet as a general guide.
USB sticks and USB cards make great handouts for any student as they can hold considerably more data in a variety of different formats. As well, such devices encourage people to go away and find out more about the university beyond their initial visit. Compared to welcome guides they remain relatively cost effective to produce; are considerably more portable and can also be branded onto to stand out.
Upload more information to a more portable format
How can Universities use USB's for Open Days?
There are many different ways USB's can be used to help improve the overall impression left on students during open days. The most effective of these would be to upload information onto them that is relevant while also detailing the various aspects of their potential experience, whether that be through course guides; accommodation, sports clubs and societies, info about getting around the local area or even tips as to what students can do in their spare time!
As with any other business, the objective for a university should be to try and communicate the salient qualities it possesses to any prospective investor, therefore content developed to capture the interest of students and help give them all the information they require will no doubt reinforce their decision making.
Overall picking a university these days is not a simple process. Often the choice to go doesn't necessarily come down to the course or institution itself, but a variety of different factors pertaining to the individual, thus it becomes important for institutions to try and capture prospective students with content that is relevant whilst also capturing their interest.