You'll probably not be surprised to learn that email is a big part of our communications strategy. How big? Well, in the last 12 months we have sent over 225,000 emails to prospects, applicants, current students and alumni. So although they might not be as publicly visible or permanent as the website or prospectus, they make up a really important part of our marketing communications mix and they offer some unique features that we try to fully harness.
Yes, email is 'cheap' (less than 1p per email), but they are much more valuable to us than that. The flexible nature means that we can target them much more easily to an individual's needs, and increase their relevance to them. They also offer useful tracking options, so we can see which messages are working and follow up on these accordingly. They're also instant, and during a nervous application cycle, people seem to appreciate it!
Email marketing serves as as useful communications tool to remind people that we are thinking of them and to provide targeted offers of courses and services they might find useful. They also reinforce our other print and digital messages, and it is important that maintain the same design integrity as our other communications.
It's easy to get email wrong, so here are a few best practice tips to ensure that we are delivering the best quality messages to the right people.
With winter setting in and the Christmas break not far away, it’s time to think ahead to next year’s Applicant Day cycle starting in January. From now onwards and throughout the spring term, applicants will be receiving offers from their prospective institutions. Their task is now to hone their five or so application choices and decide where they really see themselves studying and living for the next three or more years. And that’s where Applicant Days are designed to help.
By the time Applicant Days come around, the priority for most applicants is figuring out the distinctions between courses at different universities. It’s likely that they’ll be visiting elsewhere too, and directly comparing institutions and courses. Our cycle of Applicant Days running between January and the start of May provides opportunities for applicants to visit us throughout the period that sees their offers come in and decisions having to be made.
The subject sessions at Applicant Days are the perfect opportunity for departments to engage with their applicants at this stage in the application cycle and really show off the many benefits of our courses. It’s then our job in MRA to build the rest of the days around these sessions and help reinforce the value of the whole ‘Chester Experience’ – the result hopefully being to convert attendees into budding 2013 entrants.
I’ve been having a look at some of the survey feedback about what prospective students most enjoyed about last year’s Applicant Days, plus things they thought could be improved upon. A summary of this data will be forwarded to Faculty Deans over the next couple of months.
In the meantime, here are a few illustrative quotes from last year’s survey and our top tips for planning successful subject sessions.
Friendly information from the experts
Given that applicants are taking the time to visit us to find out more about their course, it’s important that they’re able to meet with relevant subject staff where possible. Being able to meet and ask questions of the people who will actually be teaching them leaves visitors better informed and able to envisage what their time with the Department will be like. Previous visitors have also been impressed with the friendliness of staff and an altogether personable approach that really helps Chester stand out from the crowd:
"I liked the relaxed, friendly atmosphere”
“Very friendly and welcoming Professor, plenty of opportunity for questions”
“I was pleased to meet a member of staff I will be working with in the future”
“A specific course teacher would have been helpful”
“It would have been nice to have talked to someone who actually ran the course”
Help from current students
Of course, the real experts in student life at Chester are our students! We know from visitor feedback there’s nothing better than getting information straight from the horse’s mouth. Involving current students in subject sessions - perhaps through Q&As or tours of the department - is a great way of contributing to the day’s personal touch , not to mention a great resource and help to staff.
“There were students from first and second year speaking which helped to get a feel for the university from a student’s point of view”
Timely and relevant information
A number of those who decide to visit us on an Applicant Day will have already visited us at one of our recent Open Days. It’s worth being mindful of this when planning what you will be delivering on Applicant Days as it shouldn’t simply be a case of repeating the same old formula.
“It was disappointing that it was exactly the same information and presentation that I had received on the Open Day I attended”
Notwithstanding this, remember that our visitors are further along the applicant ‘journey’ than before they applied: they will now be seeking specific information about modules, field trips, assessment methods and so on, and comparing this to their other offers. They are also likely to be in a better position to absorb positive messages about graduate employability at this stage; another key area for differentiation between institutions.
Keeping it informative, engaging and professional
… Not too much of a tall order, right?! First and foremost, applicants want to come away equipped with in-depth, relevant information about what their chosen course will entail. But as the recent parent’s blog post on our campaign site highlights, visits to events like Applicant Days are all about getting a ‘feel’ for the place and people at a university. We’ve had some great feedback from applicants who have been really inspired by meeting enthusiastic staff and students, seeing departmental facilities and engaging in activities as part of the subject sessions:
“Great tutor. Interaction. Ability to ask questions. Good to see equipment”
“I enjoyed it when we did a small workshop as it was fun and not too pressured”
“I enjoyed seeing the facilities and previous students’ work”
“We enjoyed the way [the tutor] sold both the course and the University. He was informative, interesting and held our attention throughout the session”
This is all worth thinking about when planning the format and delivery of your sessions. In terms of timing, do make sure to use the full time allocated for the subject sessions (this is your one chance to really sell the course – seize it!). Equally, please make every effort not to overrun as delays tend to impact on the rest of an applicants’ day, which was noted by some in last year’s survey feedback.
Of course, there are always going to be latecomers, and occasions where the best planned schedules go awry! Due to the variety of our programmes and the nature of Applicant Days as being designed around applicant choice, it’s inevitably difficult making ‘one size fit all’. The best feedback from staff and students has been where sessions have been adaptable and tailored to fit the occasion – often, this is when we are able to demonstrate Chester’s personal touch at its best:
“It was small and informal ... it made it very easy for me to ask any questions and get the most out of my day”
Finally, think about the overall impression given by the materials you use on the day and update them as required. If you’d like any advice on printed materials or would prefer to use a PowerPoint template that integrates with other materials used by MRA, please let us know.
Myself and Mark Hoddell will be in contact with relevant colleagues about the forthcoming Applicant Days – but if you do have any questions or queries in the meantime please get in touch:
If you’ve read one of my previous blogs, you’ll probably be aware that one of the consistent themes is often based around the premise of creating a stronger bond with the prospect and developing some sort of sense of loyalty to the brand. It’s fundamental to any business that wants to be successful or even survive. And it’s why so many businesses now work so hard to encourage you to leave your personal details with them. They want to know exactly who you are, and what your buying habits are, so they can begin to interact with you in a way that is relevant to you. Customers are always the lifeblood of any organisation and universities are no different.
Whilst our immediate goal may not be repeat business, which is often the main objective of building brand loyalty, it is necessary to keep our prospects and applicants engaged and interested throughout thevarious stages of their decision making process.
Previously…
In my previous blog, I discussed the aftermath of the Open Day, putting it into context of where it falls in a prospect’s decision making process. With applications now starting to flow into the admissions office, the process of making offers has begun. Hence, it is now that the arduous task begins of trying to convert these applications into enrolments.
Extra, Extra…
In terms of how you can begin to engage with your applicants, a department or course e-newsletter is a good starting point. Universities are in a very fortunate position that makes it relatively easy to engage with our prospects. By virtue of an applicant’s application, not only do we know that they are considering the University as one of their five choices, but we also have a wealth of information on exactly who they are and what they are interested in. This immediately gives us the ability to create very powerful personalised and targeted marketing communications.
So, you’ll have seen that I wrote about the ‘University
of You’ campaign and described a series of activities and marketing
communications that we put together to generate applications for 2012
recruitment. I described how we planned the campaign, how we constructed it and
how we executed it. I finished by saying how successful it had been. And it was
very successful in a particularly tricky year, with the University of Chester
being one of the few universities in the North West to recruit to target.
On target in 2012
And it’s perhaps this success that has led us to do
something very similar to kick-start recruitment for 2013. While the materials
have changed and the presentation of our marketing communications has evolved,
the core messages of the campaign stay broadly the same. And as I wrote then,
that’s because the messages are true – Chester’s unique offering creates unique
graduates in a crowded and competitive graduate market place. It’s a strong
message and one that really seems to resonate with prospective students.
With the Open Day season complete, we can all collectively breathe a huge sigh of relief and reflect positively on what worked well and what didn’t work so well. All in all, I think all the University’s Open Days went very well with some record numbers in attendance, and I would like to congratulate Anna Long and Mark Hoddellfor doing a sterling job in co-ordinating these events. Months of blood, sweat and tears go into ensuring these events run without a hiccup. Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a little, but they work flaming hard at making them a success.
Step in the right direction
In an earlier blog, I talked about the difference an Open Day can make to prospective students, with it often a determining factor on whether or not to apply. With the encouraging numbers in attendance and the fact that so many departments put so much effort into making the Open Day experience a positive one, it would be an easy mistake to make to think that the task of marketing your course is now done. Far from it unfortunately, but a successful Open Day is obviously a step in the right direction.
Question, can you remember how old you were when you first thought about going to university? 18? 25? or 50? Maybe even aged 11!
Back in the day
Thinking fondly back to when I was 11 years old I recall reading ‘Smash Hits’ magazine, covering my bedroom walls with freebie posters of East 17 (for my sins) and copying the very latest dance routines on MTV to perform at the next school disco.
Dreams of going to university during my final year at primary school were, to say the least not on my radar. But that was 1994; my equivalent in 2012 is much more clued up, ambitious and focussed on what they want from the future.
Savy School Kids
Hard to believe I know, but on the 3rd and 4th July this year approximately 200 Cheshire Year 6 primary school children demonstrated this shift in university awareness.
They attended an ‘Introduction to University’ event on our main campus, and before taking part in a jam packed schedule of teambuilding and aspirational workshops the students were asked how they currently felt about going to university.
The result?
Well out of the 200 little tots 86% said they would like to go to University. 86% who would have thought that?
Ok so you may think that’s just one group. Well, a few weeks later a further 30 Merseyside youngsters attended a campus event and of these budding scholars 85% confirmed they also had aspirations to go to university in the future.
Pre-empting your thoughts ‘that’s great Laura but why are you telling me this?’
I think it’s important to get an ‘A’ in our homework and embrace the prospect that whilst these little ones are learning about the past and present, they are also thinking about the future and in particular, their future.
The Lynx effect
Long gone are my secondary school experiences of future choices which took place in a broom cupboard style office opposite the ‘Lynx Africa’ drenched boys toilets (and if you were wondering no I didn’t pursue a suggested career in Travel and Tourism or make it as a famous actress).
Rather today, many Outreach, Widening Participation and academic colleagues just like us are working with thousands of youngsters providing quality information, advice and guidance on progressing to Higher Education, shouting ‘If you want to go to university, we will show you how to get there!’
Back to the Future
So over the next academic year when you see hundreds of our mini enthusiasts teamed in caps and gowns proudly strolling around campus to their mock graduation, not only do they look super cute but will be well informed about the journey to university and encouraged to achieve their hopes and dreams, whatever they may be.
The figures above illustrate that it’s never too early for students to think about their future so let’s support our schools and their students, work together and Olympics style ‘Inspire a generation!’
With the summer now fully in motion, sport is truly on everyone’s minds and if it’s not, you will be forced in some way to back “Our Greatest Team” in the Olympics. From television to chocolate, clothing to fast food, the Olympics have created a massive marketing bubble and you just try and escape it!
That is the influence of marketing, like it or lump it its everywhere! I think I am more aware of it this year than any other. It probably started way before I realised, but the first time it really hit home was in the build up to the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations.
A right Royal re-brand
First up was a rebrand with a bit of a twist, when Unilever changed its classic yellow lid and label on its iconic Marmite pots, replacing it with a red top and a union jack logo. This rebranding machine went a step further with a name change to Ma’amite, in quirky homage to the Queen. Hot on their heels with their very own ‘royal rebrand’ was bread maker Kingsmill, whom aptly re-branded their bread Queensmill. This promotion, however only ran for two weeks, as they probably took the view that any longer would risk confusion, and dilution of the brand.
Love it or hate it (see what I did there) these are great examples of the creativity, interest and anticipation that, amongst other things marketing can create.
Since the Jubilee, marketing teams across the world having using sport as a key leverage for their product or service. With Euro 2012 warming things up we saw the typical Nike Vs. Adidas campaigns, added to this clothing retailer H&M got a piece of the action by using David Beckham to flog some underpants.
Marketing Aces
From one sporting tournament to another, the 2012 Wimbledon Championship was packed to the rafters with British expectation and interest. It’s no revelation that marketing plays a major part of Wimbledon, however what was most impressive this year was with the likes of HSBC, Robinsons and Evian and their integration of social, digital, print (packaging) and television mediums in well-constructed and engaging marketing campaigns.
From ball suppliers, to being the official ice-cream or wine of a tournament, you can’t help but realise that sport is big business. In some quarters they say it has gone too far, and it’s more about making money out of the sport rather than supporting or promoting it. Just look at the brilliance of Bradley Wiggins at the weekend, who’s winners jersey was plastered with so much sponsorship it could have been mistaken for another colour rather than yellow (maybe ‘Sky’ blue?).
Overstepping the mark
Recently there is an opinion that marketing has over stepped the mark, using a more aggressive ways to engage with consumers. Rightly or wrongly the 2012 Olympics Games has come in for similar criticism, with Olympic silver medallist Amir Khan asking what message does sponsorship deals with the likes of McDonalds send across?
When attending the Chester leg of the Olympic Torch Relay, I couldn’t help but be hit by the sheer marketing force sponsors Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung. Shouting over speakers and handing out flags, did give it a great carnival atmosphere, but was it too much?
Bold or Brilliant
That said there have been some marketing campaigns associated with the 2012 Olympics, which I have to admit have really hit the mark. One of the most interesting and possibly most bizarre campaigns is British Airways ‘Home Advantage’ - which actively tells us “Don’t Fly”. Tongue and cheek or not, it is certainly a brave marketing decision.
This campaign centred around a great television advert of a BA plane driving around the streets of London, whilst also being supported by a heavy online and social media presence.
See a plane go down your street?
The BA 'Home Advantage' campaign website allows you to enter your postcode to see the plane taxi down your street, how cool is that?
With over 100 years of Olympic Games marketing, I am sure that we can all learn a lot from their marketing strategies and well executed campaigns. No, not jumping on the latest band waggon but:
Being not afraid to be daring sometimes
Integration of your campaigns
Being creative at all touch points
Not underestimating the power of social media
Now there go, there are no excuses now. We can all achieve gold in our marketing.
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