In preparation for the launch of Remington College’s online campus, we were delighted to help with the strategic brand and message development for the Website.
We helped establish the core benefit messages, and developed the brand story for Remington’s new online campus. Additionally, I wrote content for the new Website, which launched in late summer (http://www.remingtoncollegeonline.edu). The key messages focus on the convenience and flexibility of the new online degree and diploma programs, as well as the high level of personalized service and support provided to online students. We also developed a digital brochure for the online programs.
The majority of Remington College’s students are working adults who may be supporting a family. The new online programs cater to this audience by offering a flexible learning format and course structure for a more manageable learning experience. Students have the opportunity to achieve a more balanced life with a flexible online learning system designed to fit their busy schedule with work and family.
In support of the College’s online marketing initiatives, we have also provided the strategic messaging for audience-specific online campaigns. With the goal of increasing leads for specific degree and diploma programs, individual campaigns were created to capture online leads from targeted audience groups.
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.
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.
According to a recent article in Inside Higher Ed, online enrollment is on the rise. Expensive commuting costs and a deteriorating job market are some of the factors contributing to the growth of online enrollment.
From a marketing perspective, this is an ideal opportunity for colleges to extend their geographic reach and capture those non-traditional students. As a former marketing manager for a company that specialized in developing and marketing online degree programs for traditional colleges and universities, I can tell you the key messages are simple, but powerful: convenience, flexibility, learning on your schedule. The flexibility of online learning, especially for non-traditional students and adult learners, opens up a whole new world of possibilities (and prospective students).