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Simmons College Honors Program: Comprehensive Marketing Plan. 2012-2013 Academic Year Developed by Mercedez Lemieux, Marketing Intern for the Honors Program. Objectives. Increase current student engagement with our brand Honors Liaison Honors Student Advisory Board
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Simmons College Honors Program: Comprehensive Marketing Plan 2012-2013 Academic Year Developed by Mercedez Lemieux, Marketing Intern for the Honors Program
Objectives • Increase current student engagement with our brand • Honors Liaison • Honors Student Advisory Board • Walking tours, teas, & cafés • Increase visibility within the Simmons community • Re-focus marketing efforts to target specific consumer segments
Target Audience(s) • Freshmen-entry students • Age: college-aged • Sophomore-entry students • Age: college-aged • Transfer students • Age: college-aged • Dix scholars • Age: 24+ • Commuter • Across all segments: • Demographics • Gender: female • Generation Y • Education: attending/will attend Simmons College full time • GPA: 3.4+ • Geographics • Location: Boston, MA (and surrounding neighborhoods) • Psychographics • Lifestyle: Achievers* *Based upon ‘How to Discover the Best Appeals for Target Publics’ – Linda P. Morton
Rationale: Engagement • Participation in Honors events & Honors student groups is very low • Majority of active members are freshmen • Losing member engagement as they grow through the program
Rationale: Market Segmentation • Current marketing efforts geared towards only 1 target audience: freshmen-entry consumers • Does not accurately address other 3 target audiences: • Sophomore-entry Simmons students • Transfer students • Dix Scholars
Market Research • Conducted interviews with: • 2 student life deans/directors • 7 leaders of student groups (also members of Honors) • 2 organizations were found to be absent of Honors presence • 1 organization was unresponsive • Questions asked: • What do you/does your organization want to see from Honors? • What could be done to boost attendance at Honors events & increase participation from your students? • How do you get your students involved & attending events- and keep them involved? • Suggestions/additional comments
Research Findings • Attendance at events is a struggle across the boards • Personal invites to relevant student groups • Perception that Honors events are exclusively for Honors students • Be mindful of days, times, and location of events • Coursework on relevant issues • Monthly informal event (same time, same place) for consistency • Co-sponsor events w/ relevant student groups Key Takeaways/Suggestions
Implementation Tools & Resources • Social Media efforts: • Create Twitter account and establish following • Re-format Facebook and foster an engaged community • Informational materials: • Existing website • Create flyers for events, courses, & academic opportunities • Send email updates about opportunities & deadlines • Distribute electronic newsletters • Current consumers (monthly)
Action Steps • Continue current consumer newsletter • Update existing website & link to social media sites • Maintain Facebook & Twitter as separate media strategies • Facebook: events, weekly posting (continuity), highlight achievements • Twitter: relevant articles, things going on on/around campus, announcements, deadlines
My Recommendations • Promotional materials: Memory On Hand bracelets • Joining benefits/incentive • Branded swag w/ a purpose • Create Honors Program Instagram • Link to Twitter/utilize photos in tweets • One more way for the consumer to engage with our brand • Improve marketing efforts of Honors Liaison (student group) • Develop a how-to guide on marketing efforts to be distributed to the Honors Liaison executive board • Oversee marketing efforts to ensure they align with the Honors brand/image • Increase co-sponsorship of events on campus w/ relevant student groups