Belmont University Achieves 10%+ Reply Rates & Predictive Yield Modeling with Mongoose

Three adults standing outdoors in front of a historic brick building, looking at a phone screen together.

Belmont University transformed its undergraduate enrollment communications using Mongoose Conversation Intelligence, moving from broad email blasts to hyper-targeted, conversational outreach. By combining segmentation, smart messages, and real-time analytics, the team maintains 10%+ reply rates and now uses student behavioral data to predict yield before deadlines hit.

10%+ reply rates on enrollment campaigns
Predictive insights into yield via behavioral response data
Segmentation + automation for personalized outreach at scale
Real-time sentiment analysis with Conversation Intelligence Dashboard
Campaign ROI tracked with UTM parameters
Easy onboarding + adoption across team roles

In a competitive recruitment landscape, Belmont University is standing out by getting personal, and it’s paying off.

With more than 8,900 students, Belmont University’s enrollment team faced a familiar challenge: how do you cut through the noise of unread emails and marketing clutter to create meaningful, two-way conversations with prospective undergrads?

The answer: Mongoose’s Conversation Intelligence Platform.

By adopting Mongoose, Belmont transformed its enrollment communications from generic email blasts into data-informed, highly personalized conversations, at scale.

The Challenge: Email Fatigue and the Need for Precision

Like many institutions, Belmont struggled with low student engagement from traditional communication tactics. Emails were piling up and reply rates were dropping. The enrollment team needed:

A more conversational channel
Real-time, two-way interaction
Tools to target outreach and track results

And just as important: a strategy that could scale.

The Solution: Surgical Segmentation Meets Smart Messaging

Belmont implemented Mongoose Conversation Intelligence for undergraduate recruitment. They leaned heavily into:

Smart messaging to automate common workflows
Segmentation based on CRM and application data
Conversation analytics to guide campaign refinement
Team inboxes for counselor and ambassador follow-ups

As Lindsey Hurst, Director of Enrollment Marketing & Communications, explained:

“We’re trying to be surgical with who we’re reaching out to. We personalize as much as possible, protect our opt-out rate, and increase our reply rate through relevance and timing.”
Lindsey Hurst, Director of Enrollment Marketing & Communications at BElmont university

Impact: Real Conversations, Real Results

Belmont now uses Mongoose across the entire enrollment journey, starting with initial inquiry and extending all the way through yield efforts. Campaigns include:

Application deadline nudges
Personalized yield outreach
Intent-to-enroll check-ins
Tennessee Free App Week promos

Students are responding, literally and figuratively.

“Mongoose is not just a means to an end; it’s a resource. Students know they can reply and get help from an actual person.”
lindsey hurst

Measuring—and Predicting—What Matters

Using the Conversation Intelligence Dashboard, Belmont doesn’t just send messages, they measure everything:

10%+ reply rates year-round
Smart surveys to predict intent to deposit
UTM links to track ROI across channels

“The ability to segment and set goals around reply rate and sentiment has been a game-changer for how we think about success.”
Lindsey hurst

That insight now powers a more accurate enrollment forecast. Lindsey added,

“We’re future-casting conversion rates across the pipeline. The students are telling us what they plan to do, and we’re using that to prioritize who our team follows up with next.”

Why It Works: Flexibility, Creativity, and Confidence

From smart surveys to emoji-filled nudges, the platform’s ease of use is key:

“This is one of the easiest tools to learn on our team. But it’s also one of the most powerful. You can be as creative as you want, and that creativity turns into impact.”
Lindsey hurst

It’s no longer just a texting platform, it’s a strategic communications engine. Lindsey added,

“We don’t want to be in the business of repeating the same tactics that aren’t working. Mongoose gives us the tools to pivot, personalize, and improve…and the results speak for themselves.”