Marketing Research:Marietta Main Street &

Marietta CollegeLauren Morain, Tanner O’Connor, Nikki Hannaway,

Paige Griffith and Lily Wang

Meet the Team

Lauren MorainSenior Management Major, Pittsburgh, PA

Tanner O’ConnorSenior Marketing & Sports

Management Major, Marietta, OH

Nikki HannawaySenior Marketing & Ad/PR

Major, Columbus, OH

Meet the Team

Paige GriffithJunior Marketing Major,

Marietta, OH

Lily WangSenior Marketing &

Accounting Major, Chengdu, China

AgendaBackground

Research Problem DevelopmentChange in direction of the project

Research problems chosen

Exploratory ResearchFocus group findings

Secondary Research Why do we need to collaborate

What can we learn from others

SurveyDevelopment of questions

Results

Recommendations

Questions

Background Information● Marketing Research course with the mission of helping the local

organization Marietta Main Street, previously Restore Marietta

● Marietta Main Street is an organization devoted to the improvement of downtown Marietta

● Currently looking to increase the amount of college students shopping downtown

● After exploratory research, new problems that needed to be researched were discovered

● All three groups researched different areas in order to provide Marietta Main Street with the best information

Research Problem Development

● Manager’s Decision Problem: How can Marietta Main Street and businesses attract more college students to downtown businesses?

● The original list of potential research problems was developed with this manager’s decision problem in mind.

● Important note, these are the original research problems developed. After more research, the topic of research changed and ultimately the research problems changed.

● The reason for changing will be discussed in a few minutes.

Original Research Problems1. Investigate the availability of student wants and needs downtown. 2. Determine the benefits of collaborating downtown events with on

campus events.3. Research the most effective marketing strategies to reach college

students. 4. Investigate businesses willingness to offer student discounts. 5. Research current college student awareness of stores and products

available downtown. 6. Research college student purchasing habits within stores downtown. 7. Analyze the accessibility of downtown to Marietta College students. 8. Determine if there are students who want a bike path to downtown. 9. Determine the benefits of having a directory board downtown in

Marietta. 10.Analyze the effectiveness of extended store hours in helping to bring

more college students to downtown stores.

Change In The Project

Jeff Siegler Class Discussion Segmenting Audience

1) Gather information pertaining to the best events for the college to collaborate with Marietta Main Street.

2) Analyze faculty and administration's willingness to serve on the Marietta Main Street board for directors.

Final Research Problems

Target Administration’s Perspectives

Exploratory research helps determine the best research design, data collection method and selection of subjects.

Focus Group DemographicsOccurred

on Friday, October 23, 2015 at 8AM in

Riggs Board Room

Merchandise downtown does not appeal to students

I have prior commitmen

ts “The Broke College Student” story

Munchies in Marietta, Student

discounts, MC Gear, college

events downtown

It’s too much time

Can I sit on the Board of Directors?

Secondary ResearchWhy do we need collaboration?

Benefits to Institutions● Further advancement of a

campus’ civic mission● Growth in student

understanding and potential for informed citizenship

● Opportunities for students to learn new skills and acquire new tools

Benefits to Communities● New perspectives and insights

sparked by interaction with college community

● Access to knowledge and research on campus

● Expanded resource base● Grant opportunities● Credibility for own efforts

Secondary ResearchWhat can we learn from others?

The University of Scranton

● University-Downtown

Engagement Initiative

● “Show It, Save It” Program

● Addition of downtown map on

school website

Albion College● Developing an abandoned

building into a collaboration site○ Office space for college

functions○ Space for community

members and college students to create new small businesses

Secondary ResearchWhat can we learn from others?

Baltimore Collegetown Network (BCN)

● Network of several colleges working to attract students to the Baltimore area for secondary schooling

● 3 different publications promoting the benefits of attending college in Baltimore

● Half-price tickets to local cultural venues

● 1 standardized internship form

Philadelphia Area Efforts● Targeting 3 distinct groups

○ Campus Visit/Philadelphia for potential students to the area

○ Campus Philly for enrolled students

○ Career Philly for students post-graduation

● Each site contains pertinent information for each group

attract

engage

retain

Survey Results

89 respondents from MC faculty and Administration

Why faculty and administration are not involved in downtown community?

Lack of Time

Don’t live in Marietta

Not regular shoppers in area

Please check all of the activities you would be willing to take part in.

1. Holding classes downtown2. Serving on Marietta Mainstreet Board3. Holding college events downtown4. Supporting a student run organization

33.75%

80%

55%

27.5%

1 2 3 4

Other:

● Valley Gem Cruise● Merchants and

Artists Walk

Additional Findings“College Themed Nights” would be favorable

Student Discounts would be enticing

It’s important to have a strong relationship with downtown for MC

Collaborate with MC in hosting events downtown

Additional Findings ContinuedCollaboration between businesses and students with internships and

class projects would be beneficial

Continue ExplorEtta

Extended hours

Market on Campus and Promote MC downtown

More Community Service opportunities with downtown businesses

Recommendations●Establish events together

○ Navy Blue & White Day

○ College night

●Work or internship opportunities for students with downtown businesses

●Having class in downtown locations○ Business students -- meeting with People’s Bank

○ Public Relations students -- consulting project

○ Marketing students -- visit and do marketing research

○ Graphic Design & Advertising students -- creative work

●Selling and Promotional Opportunities○ Student Discounts

○ Marietta College Gear

○ Promote Businesses on MC Campus

●Liaison between downtown businesses and Marietta College

●Build a strong relationship with the new college president

References Jackson, A. "NACUBO." : Putting their towns on the map. Retrieved from:

http://www.nacubo.org/Business_Officer_Magazine/Magazine_Archives/September_2005/Putting_Their_Towns_on_the_Map.html

Kurlich, N. (2015). “Albion Pleiad”. Collaboration space coming downtown. Retrieved from: http://www.albionpleiad.com/2015/10/collaboration-space-coming-downtown/

Leiderman, S., Furco, A., Zapf, J., Goss, M. (2002). Council of independent colleges. Building partnerships with college campuses: community perspectives. Retrieved from: http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED481879.pdf

University of Scranton (2015). Opportunities for downtown & area businesses. Retrieved from: http://www.scranton.edu/about/community-relations/opportunities.shtml