Date post: | 11-May-2015 |
Category: |
Marketing |
Upload: | lipman-hearne-inc |
View: | 245 times |
Download: | 0 times |
How Branding Helped Transform a 2-Year Institution Into a 4-Year Success:
The Young Harris College Story
1/9/13
1. Listen and push hard when it comes to branding.
2. Measurement is essential.
3. Embrace and encourage stealth applicants.
4. Focus on net revenue not discount rate.
Summary
Lessons Learned
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar 2
• Vision and Goals
• Our Approach
◦ Branding
◦ Enrollment
◦ Paid Media & Inquiry Generation
• Results
Agenda
Agenda
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar 3
Vision and Goals
• 2007: President Cathy Cox initiated plan to
transform from a 2-Year “transition” school to a
4-Year liberal arts destination
• Master plan included:
◦ Establishing new, distinctive academic programs
◦ Improving and building new campus facilities
◦ Doubling enrollment
◦ Redefining the brand
Vision and Goals
5 2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar 5
Goals in redefining the brand:
• Stay true to the College’s foundational beliefs
• Leverage the best of the old and the necessities of the new
◦ Utilize innovative strategies for prospecting and recruitment
• Generate unprecedented new interest in YHC
◦ Ultimately, accelerated the campaign to meet targeted
enrollment goal of 1,200 students by 2015 (9 years early)
• Leverage strong collaboration between Admissions and
Communications & Marketing
Vision and Goals
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar 6
Our Approach
Increase enrollmentof qualified, good-fit
students.
Position YHC in theminds of key audiences.(Get in the consideration
set.)
BRAND ENROLLMENT
The Virtuous Circle
Defining the YHC Brand
Key Brand Inputs
Competitive Analysis
InternalPerceptions
ExternalPerceptions
Core Institutional
Vision
Reasons to Believe
BRAND
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar 9
Defining the Young Harris ExperienceUncovered the essence of Young Harris College by speaking with stakeholders during campus visit
Defining the YHC Brand
• Overall, the “Young Harris Experience” was difficult to describe by all
• However, everyone was on-message and used similar words or phrases to describe YHC’s unique essence
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar 10
YOUNG HARRIS COLLEGEBRAND
PLATFORM
POSITIONINGFor those daring enough to take the undiscovered path, Young Harris is the perfect environment, deliberately adapting to the evolving world
PROOF• Strong connection to global responsibility and citizenship (inspired by the Methodist
foundation)• Size creates: intimate relationships, widespread leadership opportunities, enduring
bonds• Appalachian setting with three ecosystems allows for unparalleled learning and extra
curricular opportunities• Unique programs such as Outdoor Leadership and Business/Public Policy have been
created to connect to world and changing education needs• Leadership personifies Young Harris College and is central to the close-knit
community• History of being a stepping stone to success and notable achievements for its four-
year grads• Growing access to resources—natural, financial, human, athletic, academic, etc.
MISSIONYoung Harris believes in a lifelong drive to “Educate, Inspire, Empower.” Through its liberal arts education and unique natural environment, YHC encourages intellectual curiosity and educate the whole person, with diverse educational, recreational, social and cultural experiences. This will help prepare students for the ever-changing world so they will exemplify environmental awareness, stewardship and service to the community.
YOUNG HARRIS COLLEGEBRAND
PLATFORM
PAYOFF
“I have the confidence to challenge myself to take chances and succeed”
POSITIONINGFor those daring enough to take the undiscovered path, Young Harris is the perfect environment, deliberately adapting to the evolving world
PERSONALITYThe intelligent risk-taker and steward for change
Characteristics:• Bold• Dedicated• Enterprising• Actively conscious• Warm
PLEDGE
We are committed to providing an
unexpectedly personal and accepting
environment that embraces exploration of
all kinds
PROOF• Strong connection to global responsibility and citizenship (inspired by the Methodist
foundation)• Size creates: intimate relationships, widespread leadership opportunities, enduring
bonds• Appalachian setting with three ecosystems allows for unparalleled learning and extra
curricular opportunities• Unique programs such as Outdoor Leadership and Business/Public Policy have been
created to connect to world and changing education needs• Leadership personifies Young Harris College and is central to the close-knit
community• History of being a stepping stone to success and notable achievements for its four-
year grads• Growing access to resources—natural, financial, human, athletic, academic, etc.
MISSIONYoung Harris believes in a lifelong drive to “Educate, Inspire, Empower.” Through its liberal arts education and unique natural environment, YHC encourages intellectual curiosity and educate the whole person, with diverse educational, recreational, social and cultural experiences. This will help prepare students for the ever-changing world so they will exemplify environmental awareness, stewardship and service to the community.
YOUNG HARRIS COLLEGEBRAND
PLATFORM
PAYOFF
“I have the confidence to challenge myself to take chances and succeed”
POSITIONINGFor those daring enough to take the undiscovered path, Young Harris is the perfect environment, deliberately adapting to the evolving world
PERSONALITYThe intelligent risk-taker and steward for change
Characteristics:• Bold• Dedicated• Enterprising• Actively conscious• Warm
PLEDGE
We are committed to providing an
unexpectedly personal and accepting
environment that embraces exploration of
all kinds
PROOF• Strong connection to global responsibility and citizenship (inspired by the Methodist
foundation)• Size creates: intimate relationships, widespread leadership opportunities, enduring
bonds• Appalachian setting with three ecosystems allows for unparalleled learning and extra
curricular opportunities• Unique programs such as Outdoor Leadership and Business/Public Policy have been
created to connect to world and changing education needs• Leadership personifies Young Harris College and is central to the close-knit
community• History of being a stepping stone to success and notable achievements for its four-
year grads• Growing access to resources—natural, financial, human, athletic, academic, etc.
BIG IDEA
Venture unconventional
ly
MISSIONYoung Harris believes in a lifelong drive to “Educate, Inspire, Empower.” Through its liberal arts education and unique natural environment, YHC encourages intellectual curiosity and educate the whole person, with diverse educational, recreational, social and cultural experiences. This will help prepare students for the ever-changing world so they will exemplify environmental awareness, stewardship and service to the community.
YOUNG HARRIS COLLEGEBRAND
PLATFORM
We believe you should aspire to goals that others may think unattainable – to dare
yourself to embark on undiscovered paths. We believe in embracing uncertainty
with curiosity and intelligence, knowing that, if we don’t, what we risk most is letting
our true potential remain unrealized. We believe no one should live a life defined by
“What if?”
It is with this philosophy in mind that Young Harris forges ahead on its mission to “Educate,
Inspire and Empower.” To create an environment where close relationships form, grow,
and thrive, often in unexpected ways—and endure beyond our campus. Where you feel
the sort of support needed to risk and achieve—to become decisive, self-assured
and empathic leaders. An environment grounded in the belief that educating the whole
person isn’t just about academics, but also about developing morals, integrity and
humanity—qualities all too often overlooked in higher education.
This is Young Harris College. A place filled with infinite opportunities that asks only one thing in
return: your willingness to be bold, to risk greatness – to venture
unconventionally.
Big Idea Manifesto
Expressing the YHC Brand
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar15
We believe you should aspire to goals that others may think unattainable – to dare
yourself to embark on undiscovered paths. We believe in embracing uncertainty
with curiosity and intelligence, knowing that, if we don’t, what we risk most is letting
our true potential remain unrealized. We believe no one should live a life defined by
“What if?”
It is with this philosophy in mind that Young Harris forges ahead on its mission to “Educate,
Inspire and Empower.” To create an environment where close relationships form, grow,
and thrive, often in unexpected ways—and endure beyond our campus. Where you feel
the sort of support needed to risk and achieve—to become decisive, self-assured
and empathic leaders. An environment grounded in the belief that educating the whole
person isn’t just about academics, but also about developing morals, integrity and
humanity—qualities all too often overlooked in higher education.
This is Young Harris College. A place filled with infinite opportunities that asks only one thing in
return: your willingness to be bold, to risk greatness – to venture
unconventionally.
Big Idea Manifesto
Expressing the YHC Brand
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar16
Creative Goals
Brought the YHC positioning and big idea to life in a way that:
• Conveys YHC’s key points of differentiation
• Communicates the personality and character
• Communicates how the College’s unique environment drives personal exploration
• Builds awareness of YHC’s 4-year college status
• Connects with the target audience
Expressing the YHC Brand
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar 17
Young Harris College Brand Messages
Expressing the YHC Brand
Key messages to be communicated:
• We believe the greatest risk is letting true potential remain unrealized.
• Educating the whole person isn’t just about academics.
• The Enchanted Valley is our classroom.
• More than networking, our deep relationships are genuinely part of who we are.
• Daring to risk greatness doesn’t end at graduation.
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar 18
New Enrollment MaterialsCreative Concept:
We believe the greatest risk is letting your true potential remain unrealized.
Dare to _____.Why study, teach, lead here?
Expressing the YHC Brand
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar 19
Road piece: What will you dare to be?
Expressing the YHC Brand
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar 20
Road piece: What will you dare to be? We want you to explore, experience and accomplish everything you’d expect at college—plus a few things you’ve never thought of before…We believe you should aspire to goals others may think unattainable. Dare to embark on undiscovered paths. Go beyond your comfort zone and take a chance on yourself.
Expressing the YHC Brand
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar 21
View book—The experience at YHC was indescribable. Until now…
Expressing the YHC Brand
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar23
View book—The experience at YHC was indescribable. Until now…
We believe the greatest risk is letting your true potential remain unrealized. At Young Harris College, it’s our goal to ensure that doesn’t happen.
Expressing the YHC Brand
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar24
View book: Outside of the classroom
Expressing the YHC Brand
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar25
View book: Outside of the classroom
There’s a go-getter attitude on campus, so it’s natural to lead or even create your own organization.
Expressing the YHC Brand
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar26
View book—Dare To: Save the world one person at a time
Expressing the YHC Brand
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar27
View book—Dare To: Save the world one person at a time
“A small liberal arts school is not what I had in mind. But now I realize any other place wouldn’t have been me. My friends get lost at big state schools and don’t have the closeness that I have here.”
“I take on as much as I can handle – academically or socially – because I’m interested in tasting a little of everything. That’s what college is for, and that’s what a liberal arts education does best.”
Expressing the YHC Brand
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar28
View book—Dare To: Stay on top of my game
Expressing the YHC Brand
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar29
View book—Dare To: Stay on top of my game
Expressing the YHC Brand
“It all comes together here. My coach, professors and teammates help me balance academics with athletics so I can maintain my 4.0 while we win a championship...
No one would look out for me like the people at YHC.”
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar30
View book—Dare To: Embrace power
Expressing the YHC Brand
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar31
View book—Dare To: Embrace power
Expressing the YHC Brand
“I want to work on academic and policy problems, then help implement…solutions. I’ll take the responsibility to keep things in balance.”
“This place opens up new parts of my psyche. I look off to the mountains and feel very much alive and inspired to do anything.”
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar32
View book—Dare To: Follow my dream to the stage
Expressing the YHC Brand
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar33
View book—Dare To: Follow my dream to the stage
Expressing the YHC Brand
“[Vienna is] my favorite place. The opera house is gorgeous, and I know someday I’ll be back to perform.”
“Honestly if I’d gone anywhere else I wouldn’t be as good as I am now. Young Harris brought out my true talent and personality.”
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar34
View book—Dare To: Venture out on my own
Expressing the YHC Brand
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar35
View book—Dare To: Venture out on my own
“My training translates to job opportunities…Instead of taking lavish vacations, Americans are seeking thrills closer to home. And they will hire me to lead those rock-climbing or kayaking adventures.”
Expressing the YHC Brand
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar36
Parents & Outcomes Brochures
Extending the YHC Brand
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar 37
Print Advertising
Extending the YHC Brand
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar 38
Website and Virtual Viewbook
Extending the YHC Brand
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar 39
Enrollment
Enrollment
Strong Admissions team• Excellent leadership• Solid Admissions funnel metrics• Accurate predictability
Changing dynamics of student search• Open to encouraging “stealth applicants”
Increasing retention• On par with peer institutions despite recent shift to four year
college
Challenging discount rates
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar 41
Addressing the Discount Rate
Carefully managing the discount rate to support enrollment and revenue goals • Focused on total net revenue, not discount rate
• Shaping the applicant pool academically and by ability to pay in order to improve profile and manage the discount rate
• Designing a financial aid leveraging strategy that directly supports enrollment and revenue goals
Need to build brand equity in order to increase willingness to pay• Looking to bring discount rate down over time
Enrollment
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar 42
Paid Media & Inquiry Generation
Paid Media & Inquiry Generation
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar 44
Digital is a key piece of college & university ad plans
• On average, digital is 50% of Lipman Hearne’s clients’ media plans
• Maximize paid search
• Display complements SEM
• Awareness/image oriented media drive website traffic
• SEO a key component
Paid Media & Inquiry Generation
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar 45
Paid Media & Inquiry Generation
Inquiry Generation Ad Campaign
ObjectivesIncrease attendance at Visitation DaysGenerate inquiries
Media strategyUse call-to-action messaging around key event dates by:• Leveraging behavioral targeting to reconnect with
students once they have visited YHC.edu• Use high composition vehicles to efficiently target key
audiences• Geo-target for better efficiencies
Media plan parametersPrimary target audience: ProspectsGeography• State of GA: 80/20 N-S split for Display• National: Search-only for signature programsTiming• Prior to Visitation Day events
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar 46
Inquiry Generation Ad Campaign
Paid Media & Inquiry Generation
Media Channels
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar 47
Title of Image Slide-1
Website Traffic
Paid Media & Inquiry Generation
Steady increase in traffic year over year
Source: Google Analytics 9/29/10 – 5/31/11 to 9/29/11 – 5/31/12
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar 48
Title of Image Slide-1
Advertising Stats
Paid Media & Inquiry Generation
re:fuelView Thru
Post Click
visit campus 715 3,163
homepage 480 10
admissions 55 8
degrees majors 25 4
request info 4 6
application page
10 3
virtual tour 0 1
PandoraView Thru
Post Click
visit campus 1,347 13,419
homepage 560 33
admissions 69 29
degrees majors 28 17
request info 5 8
application page
13 6
virtual tour 1 2
Banners and clicks driving a significant amount of “post-view/click” traffic• And traffic from “clicks” is turning into traffic on other pages
* view thru: when the user has seen an ad but not clicked on it and still ended up on the destination website within 30 days* post click: when the user has clicked on an ad and ended up on the various pages in the destination website after clicking.
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar 49
Google, Yahoo! & Bing hit their daily budget consistently suggesting opportunity for increased spending
Grew traffic further by increasing budget just within Google
Paid Media & Inquiry Generation
Source: Google Adwords
Search Marketing
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar 50
Tracking ResultsDeveloping comprehensive “Marketing Dashboard” to track key metrics• Paid media activity (search results,
online ad performance)• Website traffic and engagement• Admissions results (e.g., inquiries, apps,
accepts, enrolled)• Social media engagement• Media relations influence (mentions,
reach, etc.)
For paid media, goal is to directly tie ads to web traffic and, ultimately, conversion• Requires setting up appropriate coding
and tagging for ads and website
Paid Media & Inquiry Generation
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar 51
Results
Title of Image Slide-1
Increase in Visits to YHC.edu
Results
Source: Google Analytics
Visits: calculates how many times a person comes to your siteUnique Visitors: calculates how many different people come to your site
Nov 2010 - Jun 2011 Nov 2011 - Jun 2012120000
150000
180000
210000
240000 203,696
245,912
Visits Increased by 21%
Nov 2010 - Jun 2011 Nov 2011 - Jun 201250000
70000
90000
110000
130000
150000
89,167
140,603
Unique Visits Increased by 58%
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar 53
The ResultsIncreased Inquiry• Prospective student visits up by 24% over the
previous year• Record attendance at all visitation days• 14% increase in total applicants
Increased Enrollment—2012-2013:• Largest freshman class in YHC history – 437• Total new students – 465• Record total enrollment – 1,035
Results
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar 54
The ResultsImpact on Campus• More student housing• Orientation program incorporated Dare To
concept• Increased awareness and buy-in from students,
faculty, and administration
Impact on Marketing• Extremely positive reaction in the field• Captures attention and initiates conversation
Impact on Future Goals• Accelerated enrollment goal and increased
budget to support growth
Results
2012 AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Webinar 55
Thank you.