Strategic Marketing Plan

1. Strategic Marketing Plan

2. Purpose • The purpose of the strategic marketing plan (and planning process) is to develop a coordinated and effective approach for marketing IST for our five “product” areas: • Resident undergraduate instruction/degrees • On-line undergraduate degrees • Resident graduate degrees • On-line professional degrees and certificates • Research

3. Marketing Plan Outline 1. Executive Summary 2. Background and Related Activities 3. Challenges and Issues 4. Service Portfolio 5. Situation Analysis 5.1 SWOT Analysis 5.2 Customer Analysis 5.3 Competitor Analysis 5.4 SEO Analysis 5.5 Branding Analysis 5.6 Collaborators and Partners  6. Market Segmentation 7. Alternative Marketing Strategies 8. Selected Marketing Strategies 9. Conclusion

4. Related Activities • University marketing research • Conducted by PSU Dept. of University Marketing • Conduct of surveys, focus groups and analysis (especially related to impact of Sandusky scandal and aftermath) • Branding and positioning utilizing PulsePoint Group • Web redesign (the Polaris Project) supported by Phase2 Technologies • IST Branding and positioning • Effort supported and led by Jordan Rednor to investigate the IST brand and develop concepts for improving the IST brand • IST On-going marketing efforts • Focus on undergraduate recruiting • Utilization of social media, new web presence for perspective students, etc.

5. Challenge

6. Service Portfolio & Customers Service Portfolio • B.S. in Information Sciences & Technology • B.S. in Security and Risk Analysis • B.A. in Information Sciences & Technology • Minor in IST Potential Customers • High school students within PA and North East • Existing Penn Sate students with undeclared major (DUS) • Penn State students at other campuses seeking relocation to UP • Foreign national students

7. SWOT Analysis • Strengths • Penn State Brand and Alumni Association • Placement rates, starting salaries • Student experiences (clubs, in-class projects, internships, problem-based learning) • On-line program • Faculty experiences and research • Weaknesses • Cost (high tuition, lack of scholarships) • Confusion of “core identity” • Lack of national rankings • Discoverability • “Shotgun” recruiting • Penn State rigidity in acceptance of credit/life skills

8. SWOT Analysis continued • Opportunities • Employers seeking our products (adaptable, people, skills, scope) • Emerging applications: big data, bio informatics, crowd sourcing, EA • Underserved Information Science options in Northeast • Adult learners and returning Veterans • Collaboration with other Colleges (especially Smeal) • Threats • Competition within Penn State • Entry of other i-Schools in undergraduate programs • Decreasing demographics in Northeast • On-line MOOCs and for-profit universities • Continued erosion of state support • Devaluing of traditional college education

9. Customer Analysis Where IST students come from

10. Factors Affecting Choice of IST Based on Survey results our recruiting emphasis should focus on career opportunities, placement and showcasing of successful graduates

11. Competitor Analysis • Primary competition to IST are members of the iSchools, especially in the North East • Carnegie Mellon University: School of Information Systems and Management • Drexel University: College of Information Science and Technology • Rutgers, School of Communications and Information • Syracuse University: School of Information Studies • University of Maryland: College of Information Studies • University of Pittsburgh: School of Information Sciences • Comments • Penn State has competitive costs (but very limited discounts/scholarships) • Penn State IST unranked due to lack of library science curriculum • Penn State IST is unique in SRA offering

12. SEO Optimization • Wikipedia • College Search Tools • Rankings • General web search

13. Market segmentation • High School Students in PA • 900 K HS students • High School Students in surrounding states • 1.3 M in New York • 800 K in Ohio • 600 K in New Jersey • 400 K in Maryland • Division of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) students • 3000 UP students • Change of major students • Engineering/Smeal students • OCONUS students • 6000 Undergrad PSU students

14. Alternate Marketing Strategies

15. Emerging Actions Marketing and Outreach General IST strategic marketing plan Enhanced and new marketing components New events Startup Week 2.0 New Social Media Activities 2017 Facebook group Dean’s blog Enhanced presence in social media Wikipedia enhancement • Organizational changes • Revamp Undergrad Office • Add full-time support for recruiting • Improve DUS relations and knowledge • Increased attention/monitoring • Procedural changes • Review/revised admission filters • Ease transition to change of majors • Remove fee for IST minor • CRS system • New Curriculum • New web design & development course • New “mini-MOOC” service courses • Entrepreneurship minor

16. Continued Analysis and Actions • Define the product • Characterize the audience • Define and refine the message • Develop and test new materials and media • Evaluate and refine Potential IST students

17. Questions?