Simmons College Honors Program: Comprehensive Marketing Plan

2012-2013 Academic YearDeveloped by Mercedez Lemieux, Marketing Intern for the

Honors Program

Objectives• Increase current student engagement with our brand• Honors Liaison• Honors Student Advisory Board• Walking tours, teas, & cafés

• Increase visibility within the Simmons community• Re-focus marketing efforts to target specific consumer

segments

Target Audience(s)• Freshmen-entry students• Age: college-aged

• Sophomore-entry students• Age: college-aged

• Transfer students• Age: college-aged

• Dix scholars• Age: 24+• Commuter

• Across all segments:• Demographics• Gender: female• Generation Y• Education: attending/will

attend Simmons College full time

• GPA: 3.4+• Geographics• Location: Boston, MA (and

surrounding neighborhoods)• Psychographics• Lifestyle: Achievers*

*Based upon ‘How to Discover the Best Appeals for Target Publics’ – Linda P. Morton

SWOT AnalysisStrengths Opportunities

• Established consumer base• No competing brands• Top management realizes the

importance of re-vamping current marketing efforts

• Company can expand its online presence and control its positioning strategy within that channel

• The increasing demand for ways a consumers can competitively differentiate themselves

Weaknesses Threats• Current marketing efforts are

outdated• Does not have a clearly

differentiated positioning strategy• Promotional materials are created

and distributed by outside departments unrelated to the company itself

• Student group affiliated with the brand is disorganized & inconsistent with their marketing efforts

• Diminishing program engagement with consumers as they mature within the program

• Limited number of professors able to teach Honors courses creates an imbalance in which types of courses are offered

• Negative perception of Honors requirements for entry

Rationale: Engagement• Participation in Honors

events & Honors student groups is very low • Majority of active

members are freshmen• Losing member

engagement as they grow through the program

1% 8%

90%

Engagement within Honors

Upper Classmen within HLHonors Liaison MembersTotal Honors Population

Rationale: Market Segmentation • Current marketing efforts

geared towards only 1 target audience: freshmen-entry consumers• Does not accurately address

other 3 target audiences:• Sophomore-entry Simmons

students• Transfer students• Dix Scholars

Market Research• Conducted interviews with:• 2 student life deans/directors• 7 leaders of student groups (also members of Honors)

• 2 organizations were found to be absent of Honors presence• 1 organization was unresponsive

• Questions asked:• What do you/does your organization want to see from Honors?• What could be done to boost attendance at Honors events &

increase participation from your students?• How do you get your students involved & attending events- and

keep them involved?• Suggestions/additional comments

Research Findings• Attendance at events is a struggle across the boards• Personal invites to relevant student groups• Perception that Honors events are exclusively for Honors

students• Be mindful of days, times, and location of events

• Coursework on relevant issues• Monthly informal event (same time, same place) for

consistency• Co-sponsor events w/ relevant student groups

Key Takeaways/Suggestions

Implementation Tools & Resources

• Social Media efforts:• Create Twitter account and establish following• Re-format Facebook and foster an engaged community

• Informational materials:• Existing website• Create flyers for events, courses, & academic opportunities• Send email updates about opportunities & deadlines• Distribute electronic newsletters

• Current consumers (monthly)

Action Steps• Continue current consumer newsletter• Update existing website & link to social media sites• Maintain Facebook & Twitter as separate media strategies• Facebook: events, weekly posting (continuity), highlight

achievements• Twitter: relevant articles, things going on on/around campus,

announcements, deadlines

My Recommendations• Promotional materials: Memory On Hand bracelets• Joining benefits/incentive• Branded swag w/ a purpose

• Create Honors Program Instagram• Link to Twitter/utilize photos in tweets• One more way for the consumer to engage with our brand

• Improve marketing efforts of Honors Liaison (student group)• Develop a how-to guide on marketing efforts to be distributed to

the Honors Liaison executive board• Oversee marketing efforts to ensure they align with the Honors

brand/image• Increase co-sponsorship of events on campus w/ relevant

student groups