Imagine a prospect with a scholarship worth over $80,000 in their hand, yet they still struggle to connect that funding to your institution to complete their enrollment. This is the reality for many military-connected students and their families navigating the complex web of Veteran education benefits, such as the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
For school marketing and admissions teams, the pain point is clear: underutilized Veteran education benefits represent a massive missed opportunity. It’s not that the benefits don’t exist; it’s that the institutional outreach, communication, and application process fails to translate the benefits’ value clearly and concisely. If a student struggles to understand how their funding applies to your program, they are likely to choose a school that makes the connection seamless.
The strategic challenge isn’t acquiring the enrollment lead, it’s helping them unlock the full power of Veteran education benefits by optimizing your outreach process.
1. The Language Barrier: Translating ‘Benefit’ into ‘Value’
Veterans and their spouses are used to military terminology and acronyms. They view the GI Bill as an entitlement or a resource, not a sales benefit. Your outreach must respect this perspective and provide clear, value-based translation.
The Strategic Shift: Move away from generic references to the “GI Bill” and focus on the direct, quantifiable value it provides at your institution.
Focus on the Financial Outcome: Instead of simply listing “Accepts GI Bill,” your landing pages and communication should state the financial gain, such as: “The Post-9/11 GI Bill covers 100% of in-state tuition and fees for your [Specific Degree] program.”
Segment by Benefit Type: Outreach to a Yellow Ribbon applicant should look different than outreach to a Transfer of Entitlement (TOE) recipient or a spouse using MyCAA. Military Friendly® data indicates that targeted outreach based on the specific benefit being used increases engagement because it shows you understand their unique financial journey.
Proactive Clarity: Don’t wait for the student to ask the complicated questions. Provide highly visual, jargon-free checklists that clearly outline the four or five non-negotiable documents they need to start.
2. The Credibility Problem: Marketing Benefits vs. Verifying Support
When marketing financial aid, trust is paramount. Veterans are skeptical of any organization that appears to capitalize on their benefits. Your outreach must demonstrate that your support is genuine and not just a recruitment tactic.
The Solution: Embed Policy Transparency
Marketing and admissions teams must work directly with the VA Certifying Officials (SCOs) to align messaging with institutional policies.
Highlight the Human Connection: Feature your SCO team members. Show their faces, share their direct contact information, and emphasize their role as guides through the VA system. This personal touch builds immediate credibility.
Address Transfer Credits Upfront: A major anxiety point is the transfer of military training. Your outreach should directly address this. Use Military Friendly® best practices to promote clear policies on granting credit for military experience (CCE). Promoting a simple “Military Transcript Review Checklist” is a high-value tool that converts interest into an actionable next step.
Use the Gold Standard: Your credibility is instantly elevated when your outreach is aligned with the One Mission. One Standard. verified by a third party. This third-party data confirms that your commitment is comprehensive, allowing the Veteran to trust your claims about their benefits.
3. The Digital Roadmap: Guiding the Student to Enrollment
The student Veteran’s journey From Service to School often begins online. If they hit dead ends, broken links, or generalized FAQs, the engagement ends.
The Strategic Shift: Build a seamless digital roadmap where every outreach step has a clear, low-friction action.
Optimize for Mobile: A significant portion of benefit research is done on mobile devices. Ensure all links to benefit calculators, SCO contact pages, and degree programs are optimized for easy reading and interaction on a phone.
Create Benefit-Specific Landing Pages: Instead of linking general admissions, link directly to a page focused solely on their benefits question (e.g., “Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits at [Your School]”). This reduces cognitive load and keeps the student on a precise path.
Nurture with Clarity: Use email sequences to follow up after an initial inquiry, providing one single piece of value per email. Example: Email 1 delivers the Credit for Experience policy; Email 2 delivers the SCO contact information.
The Results-Focused Takeaway
Optimizing your outreach around military benefits is not just about bringing students in, it’s about setting them up for success from the very first touchpoint. When you clearly and proactively help them connect their hard-earned benefits to your academic mission, you are eliminating friction, building trust, and driving highly qualified enrollment.
If you’re interested in learning more about how Military Friendly Membership can help you develop programs, build awareness, and drive response, you can connect with our team HERE.
