SimpsonScarborough: Intelligent Marketing for Higher Education

An article I used as a resource for my upcoming book Marketing Colleges and Universities from a Service Perspective to be published by CASE this spring is Casting Call for Consultants by Andrea Jarrell (CASE Currents, Jan. 2002). In this article, Andrea spelled out nine questions/decision points in hiring a consultant. They were:

1) Know what and why…you should know what your needs are and why you need a consultant (instead of doing it yourself) before you begin.
2) Check the relevancy of a consultant’s experience
3) Make your RFP work… be as specific as you can and be honest about your needs and budget
4) Have your cake and RFP too…screen the consultants you send the RFP to for connection to your culture
5) Ask the right questions in your interview…
6) Dance with the one who brought you…make sure the person giving the “pitch” is the one who will be working with you
7) Find someone you like
8) Get it in writing…makes sure everything that is expected is down in writing
9) Establish trust….’nuff said

I must admit writing this blog entry is part therapeutic. I just found out that I, and my firm, will not have the opportunity to work with a prospective partner that I would have bet the farm with which we were a perfect match. This led me to be a bit introspective. I am a firm believer in learning from every success and setback. Indeed, I also firmly believe that that we learn more, and grow more, from our setbacks. As part of this process, I of course reached out to my contact to receive any feedback they would feel comfortable providing. However, it occurred to me I would also reach out to you, the reader and ask the following questions:

What do you look for in a consultant?

What has proven to be the keys to a successful relationship between you and a consultant?

Have there been times that you were sure you had a perfect match between you and a consultant you hired and it was a big bust? What happened?

I would like to get your reactions to these questions and indulge in a dialogue on the topic. I will also use your responses as the basis for my input on a panel discussion I am scheduled to participate in for CASE’s conference. This is the Integrated Marketing and Branding Conference in Seattle on May 19-21.

I look forward to hearing from you!

-- Tom Hayes

Posted by Meredith Simpson at 09:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Branding and strategic planning should be closely coupled. In this ideal world your long-term strategic plan outlines your long-term business objectives (including reiterating your commitments to your core mission, and any major changes, extensions, investments, etc.) and your aspirational brand identity (desired reputation points and associations). Likewise your annual plans track and measure your current business performance (rankings, admission yields, graduation rates, faculty recruitment and retention, media hits and exposures, alumni engagement, donor participation, etc.) along with your current brand image and positioning (current brand awareness, reputation, associations, etc.). Doesn’t this sound like Nirvana, Utopia and the Holy Grail all in one?!?! Well, sometimes theory and best practice do not always reflect current reality – but that’s no excuse for not setting out to more closely align your business and brand planning processes!

I mention this now because a recent client project made me think of how branding initiatives usually stem from some ‘trigger’ event. These ‘trigger’ events come in the form of changes in leadership (new presidents, chancellors, deans, vice presidents, etc.), the close or launch of a campaign, fluctuations in performance (unfortunately, usually of the undesirable kind), reactions to trends (decreasing number of college bound children), and as a client just realized the opportunity of transitioning from a school within a college to an independent college within the university. Whatever the ‘trigger’ event may be, the important part is to now view branding as an ongoing process, not just a simple project, and to incorporate branding into your annual and long-term strategic planning. And remember, you’ll never find nirvana, utopia or the Holy Grail if you don’t set out to do so!

-- Lo de Janvry

Posted by Meredith Simpson at 05:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So, I did a presentation this morning at the Spring meeting of an organization called CUPRAP, the College and University Public Relations Association of Pennsylvania. The first snap! snap! to CUPRAP is for holding the meeting at the old Hotel Hershey where a chocolate bar accompanies your room key and “kisses” are on your pillow at night. (Note to self….take kids for weekend this summer.) The second snap! snap! to CUPRAP is for effectively filling a gap somewhere between CASE and AMA. The organization now has almost 400 members and has expanded well beyond Pennsylvania and PR. They have members from the surrounding state and in areas including media relations, the Web, marketing, etc. Board Member, Ray Betzner, from Temple University, described how CUPRAP is testing new names which more appropriately describe the current and future scope of the organization. If you work at an institution basically anywhere in the northeast or Mid-Atlantic, look into becoming a member.

Posted by Meredith Simpson at 01:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There’s a lot of talk out there about “elevator speeches.” As branding becomes more and more popular, most colleges and universities are embracing the idea of getting on that proverbial “same page” about how an institution is described and positioned. But, in a lot of ways, we are only making baby steps. An example of what I mean can be found here on the Centre College Web site. I was delighted to find this page and see that Centre College has obviously put a great deal of effort into developing its elevator speech. But, when I read, “Here are 10 paragraphs that succinctly describe Centre,” I realized something was terribly wrong. 10 paragraphs? Is this elevator going to Saturn? This is not an elevator speech. It’s a statement of the College’s history, size, successful alumni, recent notable news, location and a whole bunch of other stuff that doesn’t belong in an elevator speech. I’ve read it three times and I still really don’t understand how Centre is different from other colleges. I know it’s a top-50 national liberal arts college; but there are 49 other schools who can claim the same thing. I also see a lot of familiar (non-differentiating) words, “transforming,” “value,” “personal,” and “success.” For a lesson on elevator speeches, go to this site. It includes a super funny video and a strong message about what an elevator speech really is and why it’s so important.

-- Elizabeth Scarborough

Posted by Meredith Simpson at 10:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you haven’t heard about the University of Maryland’s or the University of Cincinnati’s branding campaigns of the last six to eight years, you need to set aside a few minutes right now to go and read about them. I just got home last night from an Academic Impressions conference on branding that was held in Charlotte. I was teamed up with four other fantastic presenters; two from Lipman Hearne who really know their stuff (Jim Bernard and Joselyn Zivin), Terry Flannery from University of Maryland, and Mary Stagaman from University of Cincinnati.

Terry shared Maryland’s positioning statement and talked about the process they went through to develop it, generate buy-in throughout her campus, and launch it internally and externally. Then she described Maryland’s wildly successful “ZOOM” campaign, the first designed to bring the brand strategy to life. Finally, she transitioned over to the current “Fear the Turtle” campaign which builds on the original brand positioning through an updated and revised creative strategy. It’s an absolutely fascinating story with great measurable ROI.

Mary’s story at University of Cincinnati is equally incredible. She was put in charge of marketing eight years ago; the first campus employee to have the word “marketing” in her title. Her budget back then was $0! She is now responsible for managing a vast marketing team and budget and is a great case study for best practices in marketing and branding. You can learn about her branding initiative here.

If you ever get the chance to attend a conference where these fantastic women are telling their story, you must attend. Mary is a food & wine connoisseur so if you call her up and offer to take her to dinner, she might even give you a private lesson. She can school you in branding AND help you find a great red zin to pair with your pork!

-- Elizabeth Scarborough

Posted by Meredith Simpson at 03:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

My long time friend and colleague, Roy Adler, and I have just had our book: University Marketing Mistakes: 50 Pitfalls to Avoid published by CASE. This book outlines common mistakes made by institutions on a daily basis with regard to marketing. Each example is real and all too familiar for many of us. (The names of the institutions have been changed to protect the authors!) The purpose of the book is to learn from others missteps and hopefully serve as a source for those responsible for marketing at their schools to use as leverage in their presentations and discussions with “higher ups.” We have attempted to use humor whenever possible to soften the point in some cases and laugh at ourselves in others.

This book was not written because Roy and I have all the answers. I often state that I make 5 to 6 mistakes a day (as I write this I am under quota). This book was written so we can learn from each other. There is so much to learn and so much to share. Sometimes the best lessons are learned the hard way. Perhaps through books like this you can benefit from someone else’s pain (always a better solution in my mind)!

I also invite you to share mistakes you have seen in your experience in marketing higher education. I would love to begin a dialogue with you. I would be happy to share your experience or observation with our readers. Your name does not have to be attached. I will also give my best shot at suggesting ways to help avoid the mistake as well. Of course, your solutions are always welcome too!

One of my favourite quotes I picked up in high school wrestling. It was given to me in the form of a plaque to motivate me to carry on. I gave the same plaque to my daughter when she was cut from field hockey her freshman year in high school (she went on to become a team captain and win the coaches award in subsequent years).

It is: "Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson. Making mistakes is very much a part of the human experience. Learning from them is optional. Let’s learn together!

--Tom Hayes

Posted by Hailey Proctor at 09:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A week ago, College of the Holy Cross’s Ellen Ryder and Kristine Maloney and I visited with the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities’ Tony Pals and Tony Wagner. “The Tonys” provided an update on the U-CAN (University and College Accountability Network) campaign, which is NAICU’s response to the U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings of colleges and universities. The site went live on September 26th after many months of planning.

What is U-CAN’s goal? The site “is designed to give, in a common format, prospective students and their families concise, Web-based consumer-friendly information on individual private colleges and universities.” How does it work? I’ll use the Holy Cross page as an example. The college was able to submit institutional information of its choosing and provide a hyperlink to their own website’s “At a Glance” data. U-CAN provided electronic templates for Holy Cross to use and now hosts their information.

My friends at Augustana College called me last week and said they want to provide prospective students with more than just the information U-CAN requested. They believe they should take credit for all of their successes, not just those that fit the U-CAN template, and they are also willing to expose their warts for all to see to achieve full disclosure. They not only created a U-CAN page, they are also distributing “Open Book” (Download file), which shares the good accountability measures and takes responsibility for turning around the bad.

I say bravo on these approaches. But, long-term I worry that these efforts will remain unknown to high school seniors, their parents and high school counselors. A full-court marketing approach is needed. Without it, all of the good news will remain unread, unlike the USN&WR rankings.

-- Teresa Valerio Parrot

Posted by Meredith Simpson at 03:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Rob Moore, from Lipman Hearne, and I are presenting together at an Academic Impressions conference on branding in January. On a planning conference call today, the conference head, Betsy McNair noted that Rob and I use similar, yet slightly different, definitions of branding. We both agreed this is absolutely fine because we each emphasize different nuances of the concept which fit our own corporate brands. How’s that for differentiation? But, the point lingered with me a bit today so eventually I googled “definition of branding” and found some interesting stuff.

I found a blog on “defining branding” that included definitions like “it’s a story that we tell ourselves and eachother,” (which I like) “it’s a promise” (which is tired), “it’s whatever we can do to be like Nike/Starbucks/Coke” (which is hollow and completely misses the point), and “the brand is what you tell your friends about afterward” (which I am stealing).

I found another interesting blog that will be fun to visit every once in a while. It has a “bookshelf” with recommending reading on branding and a bunch of good stories on corporate branding. If you peruse the entries you will quickly notice it’s written with a research bent; that’s probably why I like it.

Finally, I found an interesting take on branding compiled into a periodic table of brand evolution terms. There are also some worthy downloadables including a paper on “drip marketing,” a term I admit I haven’t heard yet.

I also found a couple links to my own Web site. Thank goodness!

-- Elizabeth Scarborough

Posted by Meredith Simpson at 12:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The President of Iran spoke at Columbia University on Monday. Columbia was ALL over the news here in New York City. It makes a marketer wonder, is any PR really good PR? While I am sure many (maybe even most) had an emotional reaction to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad being featured as a “guest speaker” at one of our nation’s most notable universities, you have to marvel at the manner in which the event was handled. Columbia President, Lee Bollinger, demolished him for 15 minutes in his introduction. He said, President Ahmadinejad exhibits “all the signs of a petty and cruel dictator.” He also said, “'we invited you, but we don't agree with what you stand for.” They are now saying that Bollinger’s insults to the President are insults to the entire country of Iran. So, what effect does this media attention have on the image of Columbia? Some say it’s damaging and others suggest the University’s future state funding requests may be in jeopardy. But, I bet Columbia will emerge stronger than ever. They reinforced their brand, which rests partially on free speech ideals, in the most public way possible. I’m certain the decision to invite President Ahmadinejad wasn’t made for the express purpose of brand-building, but I bet it’s an outcome just the same.

-- Elizabeth Scarborough

Posted by Meredith Simpson at 03:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At least 10 times a year, a client asks me to lead a possible name change study. I’m surprised it’s as popular among colleges to consider a name change. First, because getting your publics to switch to the new name is so difficult. (I grew up near Towson University and I still stumble and call it Towson State.) And, second, because the process of choosing a new name and developing the associated logo, wordmark, visual identity etc. is so time consuming and contentious. Case in point, University of Missouri-Rolla will become Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) on January 1, 2008. This is a great example of a good name change for a good reason. But, if your institution is considering a name change, you might want to check out a blog that is chronicling the name change process and is written by Andy Careaga, the University’s Director of Communications. Andy’s blog provides some pretty interesting insight for anyone who is facing the challenge of managing a name change like the one for UMR….I mean Missouri S&T.

-- Elizabeth Scarborough

Posted by Meredith Simpson at 11:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

My friends over at Stein Communications did me a big favor today. I am working with IPFW to help them shift their University Relations and Communications department from being totally focused on print to being focused on communications in the much broader sense…and specifically, on embracing digital media more fully. It struck me that Stein and a lot of other creative firms inside and outside of higher education, have gone through a massive paradigm shift in the last 5-8 years.

Stein was 100% a print-focused firm 5 years ago. But, then they hired Terry Hamrick, who I have dubbed Stein’s “electronic communication evangelist.” Terry spurred massive change at Stein. The organization that was once totally focused on providing print solutions to colleges is now a leader in the interactive world. How did they go about supporting this change? Who did they have to hire? Who did they have to retrain? How did they bring together the wild-haired designers from the “print side” with the geeks from the “Web side?” They explained how they managed this transition to the folks at IPFW today and one of the attendees at IPFW told me he “took four pages of notes.” It strikes me that most colleges are trying to manage a similar transition and organizations like Stein that have already been through it can provide some good advice on how to organize your print organization for a Web world. Hey guys, how about doing a session on this at the AMA. Well, in the meantime, everyone can settle for reading your newsletter.

-- Elizabeth Scarborough

Posted by Meredith Simpson at 04:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Kenny Aronoff, a good buddy who was John Mellencamp’s drummer for 17 years and now is one of the most in-demand percussionists worldwide, kicked off a European tour last Friday at famed Wembley Arena in London.

At his invitation, my best friend and I flew over for the show, pre- and post-festivities and, we hoped, two day’s witness to all the trappings of the rock star life. What we learned from seeing the 62-year-old John Forgarty, former front man for Credence Clearwater Revival in the 60’s and 70’s, is a perfect lesson for higher education marketing leaders.

Fogarty drew more than 7,000 fans on day one, and then was slated to play before 100,000-plus at a mega concert the next night in Germany. How does a guy who hasn’t changed a lick in a generation-plus still maintain such a dedicated following?

He differentiates from the competition, and then integrates his assets in everything he does. At the sound check Fogarty was in jeans, white shirt and hardly stood out from the crowd. At the show, he was in a checkered shirt and red bandana against a giant backdrop of a swamp scene reminiscent of the Louisiana bayou. To the crowd he talked, it seemed, with a Cajun accent, though he is from the San Francisco Bay area.

And through his hits – from “Proud Mary” to “Born on the Bayou” – he had the crowd eating from his proverbial hand. Outside the arena, the London-based crowd was six-deep buying tee shirts, bandanas and a gaggle of other bayou-related Fogarty apparel.

“He just keeps doing what he does well,” Kenny told us backstage. “It is an art.”

And we can all learn from that. Fogarty has a single message and brand, one that differentiates him from competitors – from Jimmy Buffett to Tom Petty to Neil Young. He has worked hard to build and maintain that brand, and he has treasured it. College and university marketers must do the same.

Develop a clear, succinct brand that differentiates, and then keep your eyes focused on that message. Not for a year or two, but as far out as we can see. That is how to make the big time.

-- Christopher Simpson

Posted by Meredith Simpson at 04:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This blog entry is going to be one of many to center around positioning. I’m hoping that this informal, yet substantive form of communication can be a place for the higher education marketing community to have a conversation on this important topic. I invite you to add your thoughts and experiences to this ongoing dialogue.

I’m convinced that positioning is the most critical piece of the marketing puzzle and that colleges and universities need to tackle it first. Just as integrated marketing communications is a way to bring focus to myriad messages, positioning is a way to bring focus to those messages.

Most importantly, good positioning will ensure institutions select the right messages – ones that resonate with and prompt support from key audiences. Good positioning lies in the convergence of three key areas: 1) what you institution does well; 2) what things are important to your stakeholders; and 3) what things you are doing better or more consistently than your competitors. Finding this positioning core is what I like to call triangulating your brand (see a graphic illustration this concept here).

Too many times, colleges and universities embark on positioning without focus, only to create a set of messages that tries to show how they can be all things to all people or that just describes the institution rather than its benefits to key stakeholders. This lack of focus or uniqueness is what got them into trouble in the first place, and these vague messages will not solve their marketing problems.

I challenge anyone reading this on a college or university campus to sit down with a piece of paper and pen or your laptop and try to identify your school’s position in the marketplace. If you can complete this exercise in one sitting, then you are to be congratulated, because your campus is three steps ahead of most. That is, only if your brand positioning and key messages are known, recited and lived by those on your campus.

If you can’t list your institution’s positioning messages, or if you can but they don’t really differentiate or triangulate your brand they way I described above, I encourage you to start reading up on positioning and how it can be a powerful tool for leveraging your institution’s assets in the higher education marketplace. Numerous articles, books and blogs touch on the subject. I would suggest these blogs:

Mantra’s What’s Your Brand Mantra Blog [http://brand.blogs.com/mantra/]
Laura Ries’s The Origin of Brand [http://ries.typepad.com/ries_blog/]
Futurelab’s Marketing & Strategy Innovation Blog [http://blog.futurelab.net/2006/07/]

I also welcome anyone’s thoughts and experiences on higher education brand positioning to be added to this blog.

CT Turner
Partner, SimpsonScarborough

Posted by CT Turner at 02:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A Reuters news story posted February 25th detailed a leaked Starbucks corporate memo from coffee Chairman Howard Schultz on his perceptions of the “watered down” Starbucks brand. The concept got me percolating! While the country is captivated with the gossip filtering from the Anna Nicole and Britney sagas, I find myself equally mesmerized by the concept that Starbucks’ homogenization has led to the “sterilization” of the Starbucks experience and opened up the door for the latte-fast food competition in their market.

In an attempt to grow quickly, Starbucks’ brand has become commoditized so sufficiently that even McDonald’s now is considered a competitor. To add insult to injury, a recent Consumer Reports study (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16951509/) rated the quality of McDonald’s coffee above that of Starbucks. Who would have guessed that tidbit five years ago when buying a $4 venti skim latte?

Why do I share this cup of knowledge? It is a wake-up call to all of us to think carefully when we launch our brands and expand the scope of our influence. Make sure that your unique educational experience is not lost to a mass produced look and feel, ensure that your logo doesn’t overshadow your institution, and guarantee that your brand and messaging stay true to your roots. Also, periodically review your list of competitors both from a quality standpoint and from a consumer standpoint. Although you may scoff at those you view as lesser competitors, periodically ask yourself: do students value your superior product and view an education from your institution as money well spent?

The article concludes by quoting again from Chairman Schultz’s memo: the ‘“current state of affairs” had allowed competitors “to position themselves in a way that creates awareness, trial and loyalty of people who previously have been Starbucks customers. This must be eradicated.”’ A parallel to a college or university’s current students, alumni and donors can be made. Is your credibility with those closest to you a mug half full or a mug half empty? Maintenance of relationships can be time consuming, but it is much easier than rebuilding loyalty or trying to attract new customers. Just ask Starbucks.

(For full disclosure purposes, I have to admit that I am addicted to Starbucks coffee, and even my five-year old daughter can rattle off her favorite drink: “kid’s hot cocoa barely warm with extra whip.” Chairman Schultz—you had me at “hello.”)

-- Teresa Valerio Parrot

Posted by Teresa Valerio Parrot at 03:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I just read a great article called Expanding and Rebranding in University Business online that was written by Erik I. Parks, President of the Harrington College of Design, in Chicago. In the article, President Parks talks about the "rebranding" process in a way that might surprise some college administrators...but would likely receive cheers from most college marketers.

In discussing the rebranding process at Harrington, President Parks first talks about changes to the curriculum and the College's location. He describes that in rebranding the College, organizational structure was a key consideration. He said, "[Rethinking the organizational structure] was one of the most critical [steps]; it indicated a willingness to change how we did business and made decisions.”

Finally, at the end of the article, President Parks talks about some of the changes the College made with regard to its visual identity and advertising strategy. He addresses these issues in a tone that basically suggests, "this is the easier part of the rebranding process." And, he's right. Branding or rebranding an institution involves so much more than desiging a new logo or putting a fresh coat of paint on marketing materials or the Web site. Decisions regarding your organization's brand should challenge you to address fundamental assumptions about who you serve, what you offer, and how you deliver that product or service to your targets.

It's refreshing to see a college president who truly embraces the fact that branding an institution involves so much more than just adjusting the marketing plan. It forces an institution to make tough decisions about program offerings, organizational structure, location, pricing, delivery systems and, often, so much more. As President Parks put it, "Some rebranding acts are little more than window dressing. What we've undertaken is a significant change in how we conduct ourselves-and that's ongoing."

-- Elizabeth Scarborough

Posted by Elizabeth Scarborough at 12:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As chair of the American Marketing Association's 2007 Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education, I would like to invite you to join me and over 400 of your colleagues November 11-14, 2007, in San Diego. Please bookmark the AMA site—registration information and next year’s schedule should be available in July or August. Looking forward to seeing you in California!

-- Elizabeth Scarborough

Posted by Teresa Valerio Parrot at 04:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)