The Opportunity

The McCormack Graduate School’s Department of Gerontology at UMass Boston retained Belfort Group (BG) to generate leads and raise awareness for the 100% online MS in Aging Services and Graduate Certificate in Gerontology programs. BG’s primary objectives were to educate prospective students about the field of Gerontology, articulate the quality of the graduate programs being offered, and drive lead generation through digital marketing efforts and enhancements to the Department of Gerontology site.

The Strategy

BG learned that many students in the program were career-changers who cared for an aging family member and discovered a new calling in the process. Leveraging these insights, BG devised and executed an integrated marketing campaign tailored to resonate with this demographic. This initiative included the creation of branded landing pages, an informative packet, brochures, and strategic digital advertisements—all designed to showcase the unique benefits of UMass Boston’s Gerontology programs. Key campaign tactics focused on lead generation, including developing detailed personas to inform campaign targeting, identifying key statistics relating to gerontology to develop a message guide, and creating advertising concepts along with video for social media and programmatic ads.

The Result

BG generated 74 leads in total: 32 for the MS in Management of Aging Services and 42 for the Graduate Certificate in Gerontology; achieved a cost per lead metric that was more than 50% below the graduate program benchmark; and effectively increased traffic to the department website and enrollment interest in Gerontology programs.