Think of Unibuddy less like writing an email, and more like WhatsApp. Nobody wants a formal wall of text from a future friend - they want a real conversation. Here's the creative brief for getting your messages right.
Write it like you you would say it
If you wouldn't say it out loud to a friend, don't type it to a prospect.
Keep messages short and break them up - two or three short lines beat one long paragraph.
Skip the "Dear Student" formality. You're a person, not a call centre!
A bit of personality goes a long way; an emoji, a "haha," an honest aside. That's what makes the difference between chatting with a human, rather than querying an AI chatbot.
Find common ground
Before you dive into answering questions, get curious:
Are they from a similar part of the world, or do you speak the same language?
Did you enjoy the same subjects at school?
Do you share a hobby or interest you could talk about?
A quick "oh I love that too!" does more for building trust than any amount of accurate information.
What resonates vs. what falls flat
Opening a conversation
❌ Falls flat: "Dear Student, thank you for your interest in our University. Please let me know if you have any questions regarding our courses."
✅ Resonates: "Hey! Thanks for reaching out 😊 That's amazing that you're looking at Psychology - that was my UG course! What's on your mind?"
When you're busy and can't reply properly yet
❌ Falls flat: Leaving it on read for two days, then sending a long, overdue essay of a reply.
✅ Resonates: "Got your message! Just heading into a lecture but I'll get back to you properly this evening 👍"
When you genuinely don't know the answer
❌ Falls flat: Guessing, or giving a vague answer that sounds confident but might be wrong.
✅ Resonates: "Great question - I don't want to give you the wrong info, so let me just double-check and come back to you."
The difference isn't how much you know. It's whether the reply sounds like it came from a real person who's actually paying attention.
Be speedy - or at least, don't go quiet
We've all felt the sting of the two blue ticks with no reply. Don't put a prospect through that.
Aim to reply within 24 hours where you can.
If you don't have the full answer yet, a holding reply beats silence every time: "Got your message, I'll get back to you soon!"
Struggling to keep on top of messages? Tell your university supervisor - the role is meant to fit around student life, not the other way round.
Keep the conversation going
Don't let a great chat be a one-off:
Point them towards your Content - any videos or articles you've created give them a real flavour of student life.
Encourage them to message you again to let you know how they got on with applying, or follow your uni's socials.
If you haven't heard from someone in a while, a gentle check-in ("good luck with your exams!") goes a long way.
Your toolkit
Saved Answers are there for the repeat questions (entry requirements, accommodation, funding) - just make sure to personalise each one before sending so it doesn't read as copy-pasted.
Out of Office lets students know when to expect you, so you're not under pressure to reply while you're away. Set it before you go quiet.