Marketing Automation entlang des Lead-Lifecycles: Lead-Nurturing im Bewerbungsmanagement der FH Oberösterreich

Abstract

Competition for students in Austria is intense: universities account for roughly two-thirds of all students, while universities of applied sciences, teacher education colleges, and private institutions compete for the remaining market share. At the same time, the expectations of prospective students regarding modern information and decision-making processes have changed significantly in recent years. They now demand content that is not only accessible but also relevant and tailored to their individual situation. In an environment where every prospective student is being targeted, it is therefore crucial not to leave generated leads unattended. Rather, prospective students must be actively supported in their decision-making process from the initial contact through to enrollment—target group–oriented, with the right information, at the right time. At the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, lead processing and development are still handled predominantly manually and without comprehensive automation. This creates the risk that valuable prospects may turn away and choose other institutions instead. To remain competitive, a systematic and sustainable enhancement of the admissions management process is therefore essential. This thesis is divided into a theoretical and an empirical section, with the main focus placed on the empirical investigation. The theoretical part situates the concepts of marketing automation and lead management within the academic discourse by means of a systematic literature review. Six key factors influencing the effectiveness of lead nurturing are identified, from which a research gap is derived. The empirical part employs a qualitative, multi-stage research design. It comprises a strategic expert interview with a senior representative of the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, as well as several persona-specific interviews with integrated workshop elements. Based on defined personas, personalized lead nurturing journeys were developed, tailored both in content and timing to the typical decision-making paths of prospective students. In addition, core processes related to lead nurturing, such as the nurturing of applicants within the OBSY portal, were modeled. All results were presented in expert rounds, critically reflected upon, and iteratively refined. The findings demonstrate that marketing automation is an effective tool to systematically guide prospective students from first contact through to application. The modeled e-mail journeys address different informational needs—ranging from general orientation to concrete program-related decisions—and thereby enhance the effectiveness of communication. Overall, the thesis provides practice-oriented recommendations on how higher education institutions can structure and professionalize the lead lifecycle through marketing automation, while at the same time increasing the likelihood of successful applications.

Date of Award	2025
Original language	German (Austria)
Awarding Institution	Johannes Kepler University Linz
Supervisor	Andreas Auinger (Supervisor)