Reaching Out to Students Before Fall Semester

A few weeks ago we discussed using this summer to gear up for fall semester in your campus mailroom. Hopefully by now you have implemented a package tracking system and trained your staff on using it, but you may not have engaged your students yet. With the start of the semester just a few weeks away, it’s time to reach out to your students. Let them know when and where they can expect to pick up their packages when they arrive on campus and remind them about their notification options with our package tracking software. Not only will this prepare them to receive their packages in the fall, it will also remind them that’s it’s time to start ordering their text books!

But how can you go about reaching out to your students when their biggest worry of the week is how many times they’ll be able to hit the beach? Here are some helpful hints for connecting with them during these lazy summer days.

• Send a Mass Email: Though students may not be as attentive when it comes to checking their university email during the summer as they are at school, they still pop in occasionally, especially towards the end of the summer when they begin ordering their books. Send out a mass email to your student body explaining the protocol for picking up packages once the semester starts. Be sure to reiterate that they can choose their preferred notification method with our package tracking system, so they should set their preferences before the semester starts.
• Create a Page on Your Site: Surely you have a “For Students” section on your website, a place where you post resources and news for current students. Create a page within this section that explains the package pick up process and detailing how students can login to our package tracking software and set their notifications options.
• Use Social Media: One habit that doesn’t stop for students when they leave campus for the summer is their social media addiction. They are sure to scan their Twitter feeds and scroll through their Facebook News Feeds daily, if not multiple times per day. Use this to your advantage! Post announcements when the first batch of student text books start rolling in to your mailroom, briefly explain the pick-up process (linking to the page on your site for more information), and give short instructions on setting up and receiving notifications with our package tracking system.

These are just a few suggestions for connecting with your students before the semester starts in the fall. Do you have a unique way of reaching out to them during the summer months? Share it in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you!