Developing an Operational Student Marketing Calendar

1. SACRAO 2007 Little Rock, Arkansas Developing an Operational Student Marketing Calendar Linear & Functional Task Calendars Susan Blake Associate Dean of University Admission And Enrollment Services Kennesaw State University www.kennesaw.edu/admissions

2. Kennesaw State University Profile • Public • 20,000 enrollment • Third largest institution in Georgia • 60% women • 90% claim to work • Average age 25 • Average SAT 1060 • Opened in 1967, became a university in 1995 • On campus apt housing/2000 residents • 20 miles north of Atlanta • Semester calendar • Inexpensive tuition/fees, $3200 annually • Banner SIS since 1997, (currently 7.x) • KSU Reorganized to create Enrollment Services in 1995 (Admissions, Registrar, Financial Aid, Testing, Orientation)

3. Student Marketing Calendar An integral part of the Strategic Enrollment Management Plan of the KSU Office of University Admissions and Enrollment Services • There are four key components of a strategic enrollment plan: • Student Marketing – ultimate goal enrollment • Retention – moving student from enrollment to graduation • Success – meeting institutions goals’ and students’ goals • Resources – to support enrollment and RPG • Head, Joe F. “Student Marketing Calendars: A Principal Enrollment Management Tool,” The SACRAO Journal, Vol 15, 2002, pp. 42-47.

4. Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM)Recruitment Funnel Sequence Traditional Drivers High-Tech Electronic Drivers Recruit a Graduate!

5. Kennesaw State University Office of Admissions Marketing Plan Operational Budget $$$ Recruitment Budget $$$ Personnel Academics, Course Offerings Personnel Budget $$$ Travel Budget $$$ Customer Service The fundamental marketing forces, used singularly or in combination, to enhance the performance of the strategic marketing plan and calendaring.

6. Student Marketing Calendar Campus (Internal) Events are Fundamental Drivers That Impact Scheduling • Graduation • Registration • Special Events (Visitation, Orientation, Testing, etc.) • Campus Lulls (Fall & Spring Break, exams, term breaks) • Deadlines

7. Student Marketing Calendar External Events are also Fundamental Drivers That Impact Scheduling • Holidays • Public School Schedule (Start & End dates, breaks) • Conference Dates (Prof Staff out of office) • National Test Schedules • Special Area Events

8. Student Marketing CalendarsMeasuring Marketing Results Preparation or Lead Time Must Be Considered • Direct mail • Telecounseling • Advertisements • Email • Campus visits

9. Student Marketing CalendarMeasuring Marketing Results Time Table is Developed to Move Through the Funnel With Maximum Positive Impact • Maximize contact pool • Maximize collection of applications • Maximize acceptances • Maximize deposits • Maximize enrollment

10. Student Marketing CalendarMeasuring Marketing Results Planning Ahead Allows You to Make Use of Calendaring for Layering Opportunities • Direct mail return cards • Reply literature • Telecounseling • Road or high school visits • Campus invitations

11. Student Marketing Calendar What is the real objective of developing an operational marketing calendar? • Tickler System for activities designed to convert prospects to applicants and on through the funnel

12. Student Marketing Calendar Conversion Performance • SAT/ACT score report response • Campus visitations • Scholarship deadlines • Housing/Tuition deadlines • PSAT/SEARCH registrations • Decision notice date • Handling volume and turn around • Financial Aid deadlines • Registration appeal/access/timing • Advertising/direct mail placements • Application deadlines • Literature development

13. Developing Your OperationalStudent Marketing Calendar How do we reach them? Where to begin?? Who are we? Who do we serve? What’s our timetable?

14. Step 1: What is your mission? The mission of the Kennesaw State University Office of Admissions is to attract, service and enroll satisfactory numbers of qualified students according to directions received from the Board of Regents, University faculty and central administration.

15. Step 2: What are your markets? Fundamental Market Analysis Research/Homework • Feeder Counties/States (populations/projections) • Feeder HS – number of applicants to enrolled • Feeder 2 year schools – Transfers • Feeder Student type: Traditional, Non-traditional, Residential, Commuter • Expanded Markets (international, honors, etc.)

16. KSU’s Primary Feeder Counties Custom graphic may be designed at http://monarch.tamu.edu/~maps2/

17. KSU’s Primary Feeder Counties

18. Step 3: Determine the Tasks • What is the task? • What unit is responsible? • Which person(s) is/are responsible? • Timing of task?

19. Determining Tasks • Daily/Ongoing tasks • Monthly tasks • Semester/Quarter tasks • Seasonal tasks • Annual tasks

20. Step 4: Schedule your TasksDetermine the Timeline for your Marketing Plan What student marketing tasks are to be completed during each month? Develop a linear calendar and an operational calendar. Linear answers WHAT and WHEN, Operational answers WHO and HOW …May June July August . . .

21. Monthly Marketing CalendarQuick Reference The Linear Approach May • Enforce Fall Application Deadline • Support Fall Priority Registration June/July • Publish Georgia High School Directory • Support Fall Orientation This Calendar of Events is a flexible list outlining an operational marketing strategy for the Office of Admissions. This monthly strategy is conclusive to organization and goal setting.

22. Monthly Marketing Outline • August • Support fall registration • Mail catalogs to statewide high schools • Inventory recruitment supplies • Begin preliminary planning for recruitment travel/tours and high school visits • Mail letters to Certificate of Merit prospects • Mail JEHP letter to high school counselor • Continue placing newspaper and football ads

23. Monthly Marketing Outline • September • Distribute Georgia High School Directory • Begin PROBE tour (mid September through November) • Continue SEARCH mailing, minority focus, honors, etc.

24. Monthly Marketing Outline • Fall PREVIEW for Adult/Non-Traditional • Annual Staff Retreat • - Begin fall high school visits: Phase I • - Telecounseling to incomplete, readmits, graduates, prospects and other target • groups • Request computer list/names from area high schools • Develop fall freshman profile • September (cont.)

25. Monthly Marketing Outline • October • GACRAO annual conference • Mail Joint Enrollment Honorview announcement • Continue recruitment programs/ PROBE tour • Conclude SEARCH mailing, minority focus • Place radio and newspaper ads for spring semester deadlines and registration • Telecounseling to incompletes, readmits, graduates, prospects and other target groups.

26. Monthly Marketing Outline • November • Attend Georgia School Counselor Conference • Continue recruitment programs/PROBE tour • Enforce spring semester application deadline • Telecounseling to incompletes, readmits, graduates, prospects and other target groups.

27. Monthly Marketing Outline • November/December • Support spring priority registration • Prepare summary reports supporting fall recruitment activities • Compile freshmen new student profile (statistical analysis of first time college students) • Begin scheduling spring recruitment activities (including Two Year Colleges, High Schools, and corporate visits)

28. Monthly Marketing Outline • January/Spring Semester • Support spring semester registration • Begin spring high school visits: Phase II • Begin spring programs: Transfer College Tour, NSFFNS, etc. • Telecounseling to incompletes, readmits, graduates, prospects and other target groups.

29. Monthly Marketing Outline • February/March • SACRAO, College Board and other professional conferences • Host Annual SDU workshop for High School Counselors • Request Student SEARCH list for the next recruitment year • Continue transfer college PROBE • Continue high school visits: PHASE II • Host Cobb high school counselors – Kennesaw State University orientation (luncheon/breakfast if possible)

30. Monthly Marketing Outline • March • Request University System Certificate of Merit list • Place radio and newspaper ads for summer term deadline and registration • Continue high school visits and special programs • Conclude PROBE Transfer College Tour • Telecounseling to incompletes, readmits, graduates, prospects and other target groups

31. Monthly Marketing Outline • April • Enforce Summer term deadline • Conclude Spring high school visits: Phase III • Contact publications office to review literature needs • AACRAO and other professional conferences • Telecounseling to incompletes, readmits, graduates, prospects and other target groups • Gather data necessary to execute large bulk mailing to support fall enrollment • Plan bulk summer/fall mailing (theme, geography, numbers)

32. Monthly Marketing Outline • May • Begin processing Certificate of Merit prospects • Begin annual recruitment mailings • Dream Jamboree • Telecounseling to incompletes, readmits, graduates, prospects and other target groups • Execute local bulk mailing project to support fall enrollment (approximately 200,000 – 350,000 notices) • Begin update of Georgia High School Directory

33. Monthly Marketing Outline • June • Check on office materials and supplies/inventory • Begin processing SEARCH prospects and mailings • Place radio and newspaper ads for fall semester and registration • Telecounseling to incompletes, readmits, graduates, prospects and other target groups

34. Monthly Marketing Outline • July • Annual Report • Attend Governor’s Honors Program • Special follow-up mailing to Governor’s Honors participants • Special mailing to Certificate of Merit winners • Conclude High School Directory Updates • Telecounseling to incompletes, readmits, graduates, prospects and other target groups

35. Operational Task Calendar Details and Assigns Tasks • Developed for each internal operation within your office • Names person/persons responsible • Defines tasks • Lists frequency of tasks • Gives start and finish dates for time-sensitive tasks

36. Operational Task Calendar

37. Operational Task Calendar

38. Operational Task Calendar

39. Operational Task Calendar Other areas included: • Professional Enrollment Support Reports • Professional Activities (Attendance at Professional Organization Meetings) • Professional Development Leadership (Elected Positions, Presentations, Publication, Consulting) • Annual Staff Retreat • Functional Area Retreats

40. Specialized Recruitment Market Calendars Within the overall marketing plan are special initiatives which need specific marketing calendars. Examples at KSU: • Joint Enrollment Honors Program • Minority Recruitment Program • Home School Recruitment Plan • Hispanic Recruitment Plan

41. Specialized Recruitment Market CalendarsMinority Counselors

42. Targeted Student Marketing CampaignExample: Focus on PARENTS "Oh, that's my mom. Have you two met?” “Shopping for college is a often a family affair, especially for first-time families” - Jeff Wendt Greentree Gazette

43. Targeted Student Marketing Campaign(currently under way, 2nd year at KSU) • Focus: Parents of target population • Purchased 5000 search names, direct mailed to ‘Parents of …’ (not random) • Pointed parents to newly developed ‘Parent’s Web Page’, with a counter page, requiring zip code

44. Targeted Student Marketing Campaign

45. Targeted Student Marketing Campaign

46. Research -Assess the Results • Was there a correlated increase in applications from each zip code? • Was there a correlated increase in enrollment from each zip code?

47. Saturation Direct Mail Saturation Direct Mail Typically Carries a Theme And Builds Awareness Examples: Approx. 600,000 sent to primary geographic areas. • Kennesaw State College now Kennesaw State University • KSU announces semester conversion • KSU becomes a residential campus

48. Saturation Direct Mail • Down side: Reply card response fairly low percentage return • Up side: Reply cards make it easy to research applicants and enrollments correlating to response

49. Student Marketing Calendar HE WHO HESITATES ……. http://www.kennesaw.edu/admissions sblake@kennesaw.edu