Advertising and Marketing
This is one area that seems to be getting scrutinized by school administration as a result of current economic conditions. It is becoming a tougher call either way. You can spend a lot of money carpet bombing an advertising campaign in pursuit of a dwindling student pool, or conduct technical studies to determine if a narrowly-focused marketing plan is better in these difficult times. Unless your institution is loaded with Title IV programs, I recommend pursuing the latter plan, if not for the sake of saving money in your marketing budget. The more difficult economic climate is going to force more applicants to the government money. Those institutions offering Title IV assistance will, therefore, continue to grow, regardless of the economy. Those not qualified to offer Title IV will be faced with draconian budget cuts.
Austin,
Discounting is not allowed by the Commission. Check with your program specialist for specific guidance on your school's situation.
Patty Aronoff
Is it legal for an institution to advertise their tuition on discount websites such as Groupon or Living Social at a discounted rate?
Julie,
Many see education as changing their lives. They have a certain goal or dream and expect those outcomes.
Patty Aronoff
I have been seeing a lot of students reaching out just because they are looking for a solution to a current bad situation they are in. Marketing has a hard job trying to reach out to those that are passionate about wanting to go back to school for a specific career.
We are working on identifying our market now by starting with military base advertising, both on the Internet and with base newspapers. I believe, however, that lack of regional accreditation hinders our efforts. The regional accrediting bodies seem to have a corner on the market, to the detriment of worthy institutions attempting to grow.
Wade,
Marketing strategies can be very expensive with little return. Focus on those that hit your target market with solid results. Look into personally developed leads from those you enroll.
Patty Aronoff
