Instruments of promotion in international Higher Education Marketing

19 June 2008 Prague Ulrike Koch German Rectors Conference / GATE-Germany

Introduction
Marketing forces play an increasingly important role in higher education and most universites now find themselves in a highly competetive environment. The challenge in 2008 for international student recruiters is the same as it's always been: To effectively communicate your message to your target audience.

The big difference now: Deciding when, where, how and why to use the ever-evolving array of communications tools at our disposal, and at the disposal of affluent, globallymobile students around the world.

The recuitment funnel

Marketing Enquiries Applications Registrations Students Graduates

What customers are you looking for?

Executives Bachelor Graduates
from around the world

Teachers
anies ts & Comp Studen Individuals Students from the region
from the upper semesters

Econ omis ts

nies ional Compa Reg

University Graduates
from specific fields of study

People
without academic background

Qual ified Engineers empl oyee Graduates s

from around the world

Who is your target audience?

Colleagues Bachelor Graduates
from around the world

Teachers

itutes cation Inst r Edu ther Highe o

Students
from the upper semesters

Emeriti

Stud e

n ts

tes earch Institu Res

Media Sponsors

Pupils abroad

Co-o pera tion partn Government ers

Image & Reputation

Interessensweckung u. Suchfeldeingrenzung

Informationssammlung und Spezifizierung Entscheidungskriterien

Informationsbewertung und Anbieterpriorisierung

Bewerbung u. Bewertung Anbieterfeedback

Kaufent- Entstehung scheidEntscheidungsung zufriedenheit

viele Anzahl Entscheidungssubjekte wenige

Defining characteristics of your university Reputation: Result of past actions (academic) Image: The portrayal over a short period: (marketing communication) Marketing is an important tool to position and brand your institution is an investment in the future

Positioning
a) How does your target market see you?

Interessensweckung u. Suchfeldeingrenzung

Informationssammlung und Spezifizierung Entscheidungskriterien

Informationsbewertung und Anbieterpriorisierung

Bewerbung u. Bewertung Anbieterfeedback

Kaufent- Entstehung scheidEntscheidungsung zufriedenheit

viele Anzahl Entscheidungssubjekte wenige

b) What about the students perception of you?

National or supra-national (consortia) support Choose target countries over time Building the image with the right values Begin to build a relationship with the right environment of the prospective target Support academic & commercial approach to create greater visibility

Levels of Higher Education Marketing

University

Departments

Courses

Requirements of the marketing process

Environmental analysis

Aims of the university

Marketing strategy

Operative Marketing Mix

Action

Controlling of success

Organisational analysis

Who is your target audience?

Where is your target audience?

Identify your target group

Checklist: Situation analysis

1 2 3 4 5
How do you define and confine your market? __________________________________ Which channels /agents are involved in the distribution and what influences their behaviour?_________________________ Which competitors are active in your market? __________________________________

To what extent do public instances influence your policy? ________________________

What is the actual situation of your institution? Strenghts and weaknesses? ____________

Checklist: Market analysis

Which customers should be adressed with the product?______________________________ How is the situation of your customers ? _____________________________________

What is the reason (and the purpose) for buying your product and which alternatives do they have? _____________________________________

Research at the point of departure

First hand analysis: Selecting information at the point of origin, (observing students; conducting surveys; etc.) Data mining & data reduction: Conditioning of available information (national reports, international higher education surveys, etc.)

Where are improvements needed

Positioning ?
of the university and their offers in the market (clear, understandable, transparent)

Concentration ?
what are your core competences & which meet the needs of your target groups; define your niche(s) and highlights

Continuity ?
of your strategic marketing communication, supply-side policy (cost-benefit ratio, content, resources)

Consider ?
establish(ed) networks, strategic partnerships, co-operations

Check priorities

Marketing strategies
A. Print Materials
Existing Catalogues Brochures Posters Other print materials Improvements Needed

Marketing strategies
B. Technology
Existing Social Networking Blogs Websites DVDs / Video /CD ROMs Improvements Needed

Consider all places of contact

University Schools Education & Career Fairs Conferences Internet Campus visits Science festivals

From contact to customer

University Places of Contact Instruments of Marketing

Targeting

Portfolio

Targeting

Mission Statement

Customer Care

*)

*)

Customer Management Contact level #2

Target Audience

Contact level #1

*) undifferntiated / multisegment / individualised

The students decision making process

Trigger interest, narrow down targets Collecting information & specify decision criteria Evaluation of information & prioritisation of provider Application & evaluation Feedback to provider

Decision to buy

Emergence of decision satisfaction

many Number of decision subjects few

Requirements for universities

Research the market to meet the demands Handling first contacts & continuing contact care Choice of appropriate marketing communication arrangements Controlling & measuring arrangements Professionalizing the acquisition of customers

Planning of the marketing mix

which which which which marketing instruments design intensity chronological order

Marketing instruments
1. Ads | online & print 2. Cobranding 3. E-mail Communication | Newsletters 4. Event Marketing 5. Fairs | Conferences | 3rd party events 6. Folders | Brochures | Student Guides & Prospectus 7. Interactive Web Components | Social Networking | Online Marketing 8. Movie & TV Spots | Radio 9. Merchandising & Give Aways 10.Multimedia Marketing 11.Search Engines | Directories 12.Personal Communication | direct & indirect 13.Placard | Poster | Banners | Postcards 14.Press | PR 15.Sponsoring 16.Telephone Advising 17.Website

Education Fairs / Study Abroad Fairs

Goals of Education Fairs
Access to large numbers of students Support for the campuses international efforts Support for study abroad office

Study abroad fairs

Education fairs represent one of the most efficient ways of meeting large numbers of qualified students for many education institutions. While many institutions will employ a number of methods to recruit their students, education fairs often form the core activity in their annual marketing plans. Education fairs are successful for many institutions because of a number of reasons. 1. The companies that organise fairs attract good numbers of prospective students with appropriate entry qualifications to your institution all you have to do is turn up with your marketing material to meet them. 2. Education fair providers enable you to reach a far wider potential audience than your own marketing efforts would through their advertising, marketing, media and professional contacts.

Study abroad fairs

3. Fairs offer a very good platform on which to meet all of your existing student contacts enquiries from your database, applicants, offer holders, the parents of current students and even alumni. 4. Fairs are an excellent way of researching a country or city market what kinds of students are coming to meet you? Are they interested in your subject strengths? Are they able to pay your tuition fees? Have they heard of your institution already? What school or university have they attended? All questions and their answers are valuable to your market research and contribute to an improved marketing effort in the future. Education fairs may form the central thrust of your marketing and communications campaign to recruit students, or they may be an added extra to your other efforts. Whatever the situation is in your own institutional plans, however, fairs must be regarded as an integral part of your overall strategy, which contribute to the overall success of your plans.

From contact to customer

University Places of Contact Instruments of Marketing

Targeting

Portfolio

Targeting

Mission Statement

Customer Care

*)

*)

Customer Management Contact level #2

Target Audience

Contact level #1

*) undifferntiated / multisegment / individualised

Website & Fair

University Website
Goals of websites Multimedia presentation of the university Meet with interested students Raise profile program Support study abroad office and the recruiting funnel Develop relationships with on-campus partners http://www.virginia.edu/ http://www.gla.ac.uk/

What else .
Ads | online & print Cobranding E-mail Communication | Newsletters Event Marketing Fairs | Conferences | 3rd party events Folders | Brochures | Student Guides & Prospectus Interactive Web Components | Social Networking | Online Marketing Movie & TV Spots | Radio Merchandising & Give Aways Multimedia Marketing Search Engines | Directories Personal Communication | direct & indirect Placard | Poster | Banners | Postcards Press | PR Sponsoring Telephone Advising Website

A1

Website & Web 2.0

Using Chats, Blogs and Online Discussion Forums
as a tool for international student counselling of prospective students at fixed hours. Possible themes: how to choose a course admission reguirements how to apply financial aid summer schools fairs
http://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/beratung/chat/index.htm http://www.mitadmissions.org/blogs.shtml

31. dia A1 Chatters & Blogggers: - Student Couselling - International Office - Alumni (MIT) - Guest (MIT)
Administrator; 2008.06.17.

A2

Website & Web 2.0

Using National Blogs
as a tool for marketing your study destination to target groups Communicate all the latest news, information and tips: upcoming fairs (visit us in Heidelberg) local agents local contacs (embassies)

e.g. German Blog at New Zealand Educated

http://www.newzealandeducated.com/de/blog

32. dia A2 Chat (def.): Simultanious written communication between at least two users (instant messaging) . Professionals often archive chatting protocolls for the public. Blogs (def.): chronological contributions to different themes, which can be complemented or commented by other users (=online-diary) . Online-forums (def.) Discussions concerning themes, with/without moderators, seldom simultanous. In contrast to blogs they can have differen caterories and subcategories. Social Software def.) Internetusers forming a special community. e.g. YouTube, Wikipedia, Second Life, Xing
Administrator; 2008.06.17.

Website & Web 2.0

Using Social Software platforms
You Tube Wikipedia Second Life Xing to promote your university (with others).

Study Destination University of Canterbury, NZ: You Tube, University as Study Destination
http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=HVw6DcEjGec

University Portrait University of Cologne, Germany: Wikipedia,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Cologne

Website & Science TV

Using films and spots professional guidance)
(under

to spotlight and promote your universities research activities.

DFG Science TV
http://dfg-science-tv.de/

There is so much more e.g. directories to be continued

Any questions?

Thank you!
Ulrike Koch koch@hrk.de