| In planning for this fall and spring, I thought that it | | | | skills. |
| would good to take a look a good marketing plan | | | | Now, do you have a good idea of your competition? |
| and some objectives around that. | | | | Do you know their messages? How many |
| First off, you want to take a look at your unique | | | | applications do you cross with them? What are your |
| brand message, and what are the key benefits you | | | | advantages? Are you more economically friendly? All |
| are trying to convey. For example, let say your | | | | of these things need to be examined. These are |
| message is "Achieve your dreams", what benefits | | | | typically your peer institutions. I say build relationships |
| are you trying to convey to prospective students? | | | | with them, ask them what they are doing and what |
| Some benefits would include affordability, accessibility, | | | | vendors they have had success with. It is a give and |
| small class sizes, student-teacher interaction, making | | | | take relationship, offer some snippets of what you |
| connections and enrichment for life. The overriding | | | | are doing, while asking them what they are. |
| goal of the brand message would be to strengthen | | | | The absolute most crucial thing to the higher |
| the college brand and build short and long term | | | | education marketing plan is your website or what I |
| support for the college. | | | | call the "front door" to your university. High school |
| After achieving the first measure, you want to take | | | | and non-traditional students are as media savvy as |
| a look at your geographic audience you are trying to | | | | ever and the website is key. It is important to make |
| reach. Are you expanding out beyond 50 mile range? | | | | sure your website is easy to use, offers updated |
| Are you nationwide? It is important here to maximize | | | | content (no past events) and a distinct call to action. |
| your strengths and bolster any geographic | | | | This call to action is request information, download |
| weaknesses you may have. In your weak geographic | | | | application, or talk with admissions rep online. At this |
| areas, consider advertising in some of the strongest | | | | point, it would also be important to track as much |
| venues in the area (largest FM stations, billboards, and | | | | demographic information as you can and of course |
| some internet presence). | | | | views, visits, clicks, time on site, etc.. |
| Next, lets take a look at brand awareness on your | | | | In your outreach efforts, it needs to be a |
| own campus. The most important thing here is to | | | | multi-faceted approach. First, you need to have a |
| get everyone on board (not just marketing or pr | | | | strong online presence, consider using a couple of the |
| folks) to consistently portray and bolster the key | | | | most reputable vendors out there, make sure they |
| benefits of attending school there. You never know | | | | have strong traffic and are optimized with Google |
| when a prospective student and their parents will be | | | | well. Next, build relationships with businesses and high |
| walking around, asking questions. It is a must for | | | | schools in the community, have regular contact with |
| them to get a positive, tremendous first impression. | | | | both. Make sure you also have relationships with |
| It is no different here than when you walk into a | | | | pillars in the community, and that they are constantly |
| corporate office and you are greeted by a positive | | | | aware of what is going on with your school. It is also |
| secretary, versus one who would rather not be | | | | more important than ever to have a mobile web |
| there. Make sure that everyone is a "positive | | | | application for smart phone users. Recent statistics |
| secretary". | | | | show that over 50% of cell phone users next year |
| At this point, lets examine your typical audience. First | | | | will be smart phone users. The key is to offer unique |
| though, are you trying to draw just domestic | | | | content or promotions via the mobile application only. |
| students, or grad and international as well? That will | | | | If you are trying to draw international students |
| be in working with other departments on campus to | | | | consider a print publication advertising campaign. The |
| determine that. Your typical audiences would include | | | | international market might not have the access to |
| high school students, their parents, counselors and | | | | the internet that the American student has. |
| teachers. If it goes beyond that, it could also include | | | | If you plan accordingly, craft a consistent message, |
| international agents, high school parents in other | | | | spend your marketing budget wisely, and know your |
| countries, and even the unemployed, underemployed, | | | | competition, the students will beat a path to your |
| and currently employed folks seeking to bolster their | | | | door.best, Matt (marketmpb). |