We have created our own student lifecycle—representing the categories of students, where they fall in the “learning phase” of their life, and how to craft a message that resonates at that critical point.
Lesson #1—Know where your target audience is in the student lifecycle.
As you know, the key messages for the career changer and the working adult learner are far different than the high school senior, or even the transfer student. We can examine barriers to enrollment and highlight the relevant key motivators, which may include career advancement, self-fulfillment, increased pay and better overall quality of life as a result of higher learning.
Lesson #2—Message is critical.
We rely on many years of education marketing and campaign development experience to craft and communicate the relevant key messages to your specific target audience. Messaging and copywriting is one of our greatest strengths, based on a strong strategy and supported with compelling design. Equally important, we can help identify the differential advantage of your college or university and/or specific degree program.
Lesson #3 — Placement is paramount.
A great message is wasted if it doesn’t reach your prospective students where they live, work and play. Again, depending on where they are in the student lifecycle, we can help you select the most effective marketing channels.
If you haven’t produced that YouTube video you’ve been talking about, now’s the perfect time! YouTube just launched a new section specifically for colleges and universities, called YouTube Edu. From complete courses to campus events to information about schools, this distinct channel will make it easier for potential students to find you.
From a branding perspective, you can use this channel to create a video viewbook or video news releases. For those in online learning, it provides a great venue for demonstrating how online learning works. And, of course, student success stories are more impactful in video than print. Going green on campus? Why not share some of the activity with a video diary of progress. Plus, this is another channel that can integrate well with your overall social media initiatives on Facebook and Twitter. As video continues to grow in the online space, it will become a mainstream component of our education marketing strategies moving forward.
If you work in marketing and communications for a college or university, you know the value of social media. However, sometimes it can be challenging to convince others at your organization the importance of integrating social media into the overall strategic marketing plan. Perhaps you have been looking for some quantifiable research to back up your ongoing argument to increase the social networking and blogging for your institution. Well, look no further! Our friends at The Nielson Company have released a comprehensive report that “reveals the new global footprint of social networking.”
Click here to read the Nielsen article and download a PDF report.
The report states that over two-thirds of the global online population visits member communities, which includes both social networks and blogs. In fact, “member communities” has now surpassed personal email, and claimed its spot as the fourth most popular online category. And, according to the report, it is growing twice as fast as the other four sectors (search, portals, PC software and email).
Other key findings pulled directly from the report include:
- One in every 11 minutes online globally is accounted for by social network and blogging sites.
- The social network and blogging audience is becoming more diverse in terms of age: the biggest increase in visitors during 2008 to “Member Community” Web sites globally came from the 35-49 year old age group (+11.3 million).
- Mobile is playing an increasingly important role in social networking. Nielsen found UK mobile Web users have the greatest propensity to visit a social network through their handset, with 23 percent (2 million people) doing so, compared to 19 percent in the US (10.6 million people). These numbers are a big increase over last year – up 249 percent in the UK and 156 percent in the US.
So, now you are armed with the marketing research you need to justify your social media mission. See you on Facebook!
This won’t come as a surprise to the “for-profit” schools out there that have based their enrollment management procedures around rapid, personalized response from highly trained enrollment counselors. The model works well for several reasons, many of which have been validated in a recent survey of nearly 2,000 prospective students.
From an enrollment perspective, the research shows that a speedy response to student inquiries is important, but it doesn’t replace an engaging discussion with an enrollment counselor who can explain how their particular offering addresses the student’s specific needs and concerns. Sound familiar? This is a basic marketing principle in which we demonstrate to potential customers how they can benefit from a specific product or service. It’s further proof that selling education is becoming more “productized” than ever before.
The lesson is simple: be sure to have your core brand messages clearly defined and that everyone in your institution understands why and how to utilize them. From answering the phone to greeting students (in person, on campus), to writing personalized emails to prospective students, don’t forget the attributes that make your college or school unique. Speed and personalized attention is expected, however, telling your differentiated brand story in a compelling way is what can make you distinctive in the mind of a future student
So, answer inquires quickly with a high level of personalization, and focus on what makes your offering unique and relevant to each student.
Many schools fear the cost of “branding,” especially right now. But over the long term, effective branding initiatives can actually save money. How? I’m so glad you asked.
By establishing core messages and communicating them consistently, you can make an impact on your audience faster than sending fragmented, inconsistent messages (which can be more costly to create and disseminate). If you are consistently sending out the core brand message over and over, you will spend less money reinforcing the message in the long run.
Another way consistent branding saves money? There’s no need to reinvent the wheel every year with another branding initiative. Stick to the core brand messages that differentiate your school—those shouldn’t change (unless you make significant changes to your school that warrants a rebranding program). I should clarify that your ad campaign can change year-after-year to keep the message fresh, but the essence of the brand generally remains the same. We can freshen it up, update it, but the personality of your institution is timeless.
While the traditional transfer student moves from a two-year university to a four-year institution, “reverse transfer” students are leaving four-year universities to attend community colleges. According to a recent article in Inside Higher Education, “reverse transfers” may be an overlooked growing student population. As cited in the article, according to the American Association of Community Colleges, about a third of all two-year students attended a four-year institution prior.
As tuition continues to increase and the recession goes on, many students are returning to the less expensive two-year option closer to home. Many community colleges see this as an excellent opportunity to market to this often overlooked segment. Remember, when a student decides to leave a four-year program, they have a number of choices as to where they will continue their education including online programs, community colleges and vocational/technical schools. This is the time to create that differentiating message about your institution.
The key marketing message to this audience should not only be about affordability (because everyone in your category can claim that), but also about the personal and more engaging learning environment (with smaller classes, etc.). What sets you apart? Why are you the best choice for a “reverse transfer” student? What services do you have in place that will cater to their learning needs? How flexible are your course schedules? Can you make the complicated process of transferring credits easier? Asking a few simple questions can help you determine where you may need to “fill in the gaps” to capture the attention of this fast-growing population of students.
When I noticed the first new TV commercial for Kaplan University, I was intrigued. Then, when I caught the second TV commercial in the new campaign, I was impressed. Yes, I will admit that I was compelled to watch because I work in higher education marketing and branding and this was something new. However, I was equally impressed by the strong, powerful, bold message that is often absent in higher education. Well done.
Leaving nothing to chance, Kaplan’s savvy marketing team and agency (Ogilvy & Mather) carried the message over to the Website. The social networking aspect of the campaign greatly enhances the message and continues the conversation well beyond the commercials or print ads. Well done, indeed.
I’m constantly preaching the importance of a strong brand message that truly differentiates your institution. This is not an easy task. Kaplan took the essence of what makes their university unique, crafted a differentiated brand story, and translated it into a compelling ad campaign. And, equally important, Kaplan had the courage to stand up and make this bold statement.
As you may know, many colleges and universities in the US have been offering what Kaplan is proclaiming for years—offering flexible online learning options beyond the traditional classroom environment. The difference is that Kaplan has communicated it in a compelling, memorable, and motivating campaign. They own this message, at least for a little while, until the next big idea.
Have you noticed more TV ads for colleges lately? As competition for students in higher education is heating up across the nation, more and more universities are dedicating resources to branding. In many cases, this includes broadcast advertising. According to a recent article in the Salt Lake Tribune, there are three universities in Utah that are investing in media campaigns to build enrollment and enhance public image. Weber State University, Utah State University and Utah Valley University are among the first to take the lead in branding via mass media.
Before you consider any type of mass media advertising, make sure you have defined the top key brand messages you want to convey. Be diligent about sticking with these messages consistently to keep your brand strong and effective throughout all your communication channels. With limited marketing dollars for media expenditures, make every message count! You can do this through a well-defined brand story and consistent delivery.
Remember, the brand story encompasses your core messages and brand promise—the expected emotional and functional benefits of the educational experience you offer . . . the guiding star for your institution to use in order to stay on track and stay consistent.