Transcript John Carroll University: A Marketing Opportunity & Image

CCCU
Tampa Workshop
New Perspectives on the
Research Findings
January 19, 2003
Goals of the Workshop
 Summarize
 Update
highlights of the research
with post-9/11 research findings
 Organize
for implementation within
functions and across campus teams
 Develop
short- and mid-term strategies for
executing recommendations
Research Audiences
Rising
Juniors
Rising
Seniors
2002
2001
High
School
Graduates
2000
Prospects
Inquirers/
Parents
1986
Prospects
Inquirers/
Parents
Admitted
Students
1986
Inquirers
3
Research Highlights
Timing of the Search
Use of Information Sources
Role of Parents
Image
Financial Issues
Competitive Positioning
Research Highlights:
Timing for Admissions
Marketing
 Prospective
students are beginning the
search process earlier, many before the
junior year in high school.
 Parents
are starting even earlier.
Timing of College Search (2000)
50
40
28.2%
27.4%
30
21.0%
21.0%
18.0%
20
10
19.6%
17.1%
8.8% 8.8%
5.9%
6.0%
3.5%
0
Bef ore F resh m an
Y ear
Bef ore F resh m an
Y ear
Du rin g S op h om ore
Y ear
Inquirers
Bef ore m id - p oin t of
Ju n ior Y ear
S p rin g of Ju n ior
Y ear
S u m m er af ter Ju n ior
Y ear
Parents of Inquirers
5.8%
2.4%
F all of S en ior Y ear
Research Highlights:
Use of Information Sources
 Personal
contacts and printed materials are
the most popular sources of information.
 The
campus visit is the most powerful
recruitment tool at all stages of the search.
 Parents
are more influential in the college
search than typically seen in the collegebound student marketplace.
Parents’ Influence in Choice of
College/University (2000)
(Very
Influential)
5
4
3.49
3.49
3.34
3.41
3.44
3
2
(Not at All
Influential)
1
Prospects
Inquirers
Parents of
NonMatriculants
Inquirers Matriculants
Research Highlights:
Use of Information Sources
 Most
prospective students are using the
Web at all levels of the college search.
 Students
think of email and chat rooms as
“personal” communications.
Use of Source
100
93.0%
94.9%
80.7%
80
51.8%
60
47.3%
40
20
0
18.9%
7.0%
Printed materials
4.7%
The Internet
Yes
Personal
contacts
No
Personal
communication
via e-mail/chat
rooms
Research Highlights:
“Big Picture” Image Issues
 Students
have a narrower and less positive
view than their parents of a Christian
educational experience.
 Christian-related
issues affect prospective
students’ decisions throughout the
admissions funnel.
Market’s Definition of a
Christian College or University
 The
first word or phrase that comes to mind
when prospective students hear “Christian
colleges and universities”:
“Religion” (5%)
“Christian environment” (5%)
“Christian faith” (4%)
“Church” (4%)
Research Highlights:
“Big Picture” Image Issues
 The
concept of the liberal arts is not wellunderstood by the CCCU market.
 Top
negatives focus on concerns about
small size and a sheltered, protected
environment.
Research Highlights:
Academic Quality Image Issues
 Prospective
students and their parents think
about specific majors and future outcomes
when they measure academic quality.
 Prospective
students tend to assume the
CCCU colleges and universities lack
academic rigor and intellectual freedom.
 An
all-Christian faculty is less appealing to
prospective students than to their parents.
Research Highlights:
Student Life Image Issues
 Prospective
students have a “siloed” image
of student life on Christian campuses.
 Prospective
students are becoming
increasingly interested in:
Personal growth
Development of moral character
Community service
Research Highlights:
Student Life Image Issues
 Impressions
of social life become more
influential at the enrollment decision stage.
 Understanding
of the integration of faith and
living as well as faith and learning evolves; it
is not immediately grasped by prospective
students.
Research Highlights:
Financial Issues
 Prospective
students tend to think about
“sticker price;” parents about net cost.
 Perceptions
of value are closely linked to
academic quality, preparation for the future,
and character development.
 Parents
want evidence of the marketability
of the degree and personal growth.
Research Highlights:
Competitive Positioning Issues
 Among
prospects, top competitors tend to
be public universities.
 Among
inquirers, there is a shift toward
private universities.
 Among
accepted students, they hone in on
Christian colleges and universities.
2002 Research:
Implications for the CCCU
Methodology









On-line survey
Partnership with FastWeb
Data collected in March 2002
Sample: FastWeb database of students
Over 73,000 high school seniors surveyed
Recruited via e-mail
Screened to be sure (1) senior in high school and (2)
thinking about attending college in the next year or
two
Incentive: Entered into a drawing for a $500
scholarship
Follow-up survey with students was conducted in
June 2002
Preliminary Data
Religion – Top Mentions
None
23.4%
Roman Catholic
21.0%
Christian - Not listed
17.3%
Baptist
12.1%
Methodist
5.5%
Lutheran
4.9%
Presbyterian
2.9%
Jewish
2.5%
Latter Day Saint (Mormon)
1.9%
Pentecostal
1.5%
Churches of Christ
1.4%
Buddhist
1.4%
Assemblies of God
1.2%
Episcopalian
1.2%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
Religious Trends

The voices of prospective students who are
Christian are well-represented in this database.

Increasing proportions of students are responding
“none” to requests for religious preference.
Decreases competitive advantage at the
prospect development stage.
Implications for Christianoriented Recommendations

Use language about Christian orientation carefully
at the prospect and inquirer stages.

Connect character development and personal
growth to the Christian value system.

Appeal to parents to support Christian education in
a culture facing a rise in secularism.
Preliminary Data
Have the events of September 11th changed your mind in
terms of (1) the schools to which you applied
or (2) the rankings of your preferences or (3) both?
Yes, changed schools
only
3.0%
Yes, changed
preference rankings
2.6%
Yes, changed both
schools and rankings
7.6% say “yes”
2.0%
No change
88.0%
Not sure
4.4%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Preliminary Data
Have the events of September 11th affected
your preferred institution?
Not sure
2.7%
Yes
5.4%
No
91.9%
Impact on College Search

Remarkably little impact of the 9/11 tragedy upon
the choice set of prospective students.

Post-May 1st data suggest that choices remained
stable.
Preliminary Data
Geographic Location
Ideally, how far from your permanent home
would your college/university be?
< 1 hour by car
21.2%
1-2 hours by car
22.1%
2-3 hours by car
17.2%
3-4 hours by car
11.7%
4-5 hours by car
7.8%
5-10 hours by car
9.5%
> 10 hours by car
10.5%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
The Pull Toward Home

Travel distance has become a larger issue, with
prospective students indicating a desire to stay
closer to home.

Because the ordering of college choices has not
been significantly affected, distance from home
does not appear to have become an overriding
issue.
Preliminary Data
Geographic Location
Which of the following best reflects the setting
of the school you would most prefer to attend?
Major city
21.3%
Rural
community
or small
town
15.6%
Where would you most like
to go to school?
Northeast
26.2%
South
20.9%
Midwest
19.9%
West
Large town
to medium
city
63.1%
12.6%
Southwest
7.1%
Mid-Atlantic
6.1%
Northwest
6.1%
Outside the U.S.
1.2%
0%
25%
50%
75%
Marketing Geographic Location

Christian colleges and universities in suburbs and
rural areas have an opportunity to capitalize on
students’ wavering interest in major cities.

Christian schools within smaller or safer cities
should bring attention to the “best of both worlds” –
vast resources and relative safety.
Preliminary Data
State of the U.S. Economy
How concerned are your parents and
you about the state of the U.S.
economy? (A)
2.90
What influence do you think your
perceptions of the state of the U.S.
economy will have on your choice of
college or university you will attend?
(B)
3.60
1
2
Scale A: 1 = Extremely Concerned and 5 = Not at All Concerned
Scale B: 1 = Will Heavily Influence Choice and 5 = Will Not at All Influence Choice
3
4
5
Economic Forces

The economy is having a far greater effect than the
tragedy of 9/11 on college choice.

Early communications about financial aid resources
and counseling are of paramount importance in the
foreseeable future.

Careful examination of current funding practices is
a top priority.
Changes in Priorities

The quality of a specific major (more than overall
reputation) continues to be a top priority.
Get information about specific majors in the hands
of inquirers.
Provide linkages on the Web site to relevant
departments, students, and alumni.

Campus atmosphere has continued importance.
Accelerate efforts to develop a fuller image of
campus life.
Provide more details about provisions for student
safety.
Recommendations
Hallmark Themes
Communications/PR Recommendations
Admissions Marketing Recommendations
Campus Team Strategies
Hallmark Themes for the CCCU
 Academic
Quality: A high-quality education
in a secular world.
 Christian-centered Community: A close-knit,
Christian community that emphasizes
character development and spiritual growth.
 Future Orientation: Preparation for life as
well as a living.
 Financial Investment: The value proposition.
Ideas for First Steps:
Short-term Strategies
Short-term Strategies

Be bold in defining the uniqueness of the Christian
experience, but use “cascading” language.

Monitor the effectiveness of on-campus visits at all
stages of the recruitment cycle.

Increase emphasis on all dimensions of the social
experience, especially at the acceptance stage.
Short-term Strategies

Use the hallmark themes from the research to
develop a distinctive institutional identity.

Prepare a signature statement that both captures
the institutional identity and supports the CCCU
organization.

Develop a definition of academic quality that best
describes the institution.
Internal Marketing:
Case Study #1
Using the Research to
Encourage Buy-in
Organized to Launch

Negotiation of/follow through for quantified
expectations
 Attention to right-hand/left-hand
coordination
 Selection of one message/signature
statement
 Development of integrated
communications plan
Outlined Signature Statement

X College Pact with students:
Preparation for life
Academic quality
Christian-Centered community
Total value

Used throughout the College and messages
all flow from this central theme.
Educated the Institution

Shared research results and strategies for
action. Conducted a series of meetings
with:
faculty,
senior management team,
enrollment teams, and
all communications staffs.
Built Bridges

Solicited support from other directors and
their staffs to implement strategies.
 Developed working relationships with
physical plant, food service, bookstore,
post office, computing services.
 Educated senior management about the
necessary trade offs to execute a strategy.
Early Results



President’s cabinet is meeting to prioritize and
fund new initiatives.
College community is excited about new focus
on common purpose and message.
Faculty and staff understand shared
responsibility for recruitment.
Ideas for Next Steps:
Mid-term Strategies
Mid-term Strategies

Begin to direct marketing efforts to prospective
students early.

Build communications flows based on the first point
of contact, not the calendar.

Offer a service orientation to early inquirers.
Funnel Vision: Case Study #2
Shaping the Top of the Funnel
Defined New Strategy

Decided to build top of admissions funnel.

Addressed concerns surrounding strategy to get
buy-in and institutional investment.

Collected relevant data:
Historical data for admission activity, aid awards,
and college performance in a single file: trends,
gaps, relationships
Clarified Desired Outcomes

To grow inquiry pool to drive desired
conversions to applicant pool
 To increase applications from distant
markets to fill residence space
 To reduce the difference between
commuter and resident quality profiles
 To increase net revenue to meet growing
demands on budget
Stimulated the Inquiry Pool

Increased Prospects
Invested more in
tried-and-true
sources
Added sophomores
Added freshmen
Found new lists
Maintained old
selection criteria
 Improved Conversions
 Mailed earlier
 Personalized
salutation and
message
 Replaced printed
brochure with
personal letter
Power of Early Cultivation:
Response Rates for First Year
Class
Junior
Soph
Frosh
NRCCUA
16.3%
24.7%
24.4%
PSAT
7.8%
16.3%
Power of Personalization

Open House invitations mailed to same number
of inquiries each year:
First year responses: 489
Second year responses: 953
Increase of 95%

Only difference between years:
Changed from pre-printed invitation to personal
letter of invitation
Com & Res Application Trend
7000
6000
5000
4000
Com
Res
3000
2000
1000
0
1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Mid-term Strategies

Adapt the CCCU hallmark themes to develop
institutional communications that apply to all key
stakeholder audiences.

Choose a consistent institutional “look” to be used
for all constituencies.

Use the CCCU logo to add visibility to the
organization.
Target
Markets
Target Markets

Parents

Males versus females

High-ability students versus “bread-and-butter”
candidates versus others

Students who attend church more than once per
week versus once per week versus less than once
per week
Parents
 Prospective
students gave even higher ratings
to their parents’ role than parents did
themselves.
 Parents have a propensity to look at the big
picture.
 They attach higher priorities to the special
opportunities provided by a Christian education.
 They see a stronger linkage between
academics and faith.
 Financial aid plays a more dominant role in
defining cost considerations.
Parents

Craft a communications flow for parents, based on
the messages in the research.

Send a series of personalized letters.

Concentrate on communicating the benefits of
integrating academics and a Christian-based
community from the outset.
Parents


Create separate agendas for parents and students
for on-campus events.
For parents:
Making the case for value
Faculty – Who they are
Continuation of family values
Financial planning
Safety and security
Career counseling and services
Parents

Provide evidence of investment value:
Job placement records
Lists of companies that visit the campus each
year to recruit students
Holistic success stories
Gender

Overall, the demographic profiles of the men and
women are remarkably consistent.

At the prospect and inquirer stages:
Men rate “recreational athletic facilities” and
“varsity athletics” as significantly more important
Male prospects gave a lower priority to
“preparation for future careers.”
Gender

Male inquirers:
A liberal arts education is a lower priority

Admitted men:
Not as price sensitive
Less focused on certain community issues
Recommendations for Men

Use direct marketing initiatives to get males and
their parents involved in the college search earlier.

Communicate with males in follow-ups to the direct
mail initiative.

Evolve to messages about continuing the Christian
values.
Recommendations for Men

Alert male inquirers who express an interest in any
form of athletics to activities on campus through
email communications.
Increase retention of “at-risk” population
Promote the opportunities of the geographic area
Invite to sports events
Include testimonials from men on campus

Showcase the best sports and recreational facilities
for tours, publications, and on-line media.
Academic Ability

Representation of top students increases between
the prospect and matriculant stages of the
admissions funnel.

Late arrivals to a Christian education are not the
strongest students.

The use of information sources is relatively
consistent across categories of student quality.
Academic Ability

Students in top 10% indicated a higher level of
familiarity with Christian institutions.

Parents are seen as more influential by high-ability
matriculants.

Best statements for high-ability students mirror the
aggregate results.
Academic Ability

Carry the hallmark themes into any direct marketing
initiatives intended for high-ability audiences.

Use the message themes about integrating faith
and learning, fostering family values, and spiritual
growth.

Begin the cultivation of high-ability students through
direct marketing to high school sophomores.
Academic Ability

Include communications with parents in the
recruitment plan for high-ability students.

Take steps to identify high-ability students early.

Enlist strong students to call high-ability candidates
at the application stage of the admissions process.
Frequency of Church Attendance

Pockets of prospects who attend church more often
can be found in the Southeast and the Midwest.

The length of time students have known about
Christian colleges and universities and when they
began the college search are not linked to their
church attendance.
Frequency of Church Attendance

The biggest shift in how students designate their
religious status takes place between the prospect
and inquirer stages of the admissions funnel.

Tracing just those who attend church most often
reveals a rise in Evangelical Christians (from 54%
inquirers to 82% matriculants).

The most promising market for recruitment is the
dedicated churchgoer.
Intention to Apply to a Christian
College or University
9 4 .1 %
100
100%
9 6 .8 %
7 5 .1 %
80
% Yes
6 4 .4 %
6 0 .1 %
60
3 9 .4 %
40
3 0 .5 %
1 4 .8 %
20
0
C h u rc h le s s th a n
o n c e a we e k
P ro sp ects
C h u rc h o n c e a we e k
In q u irers
C h u rc h m o re th a n
o n c e a we e k
N o n -M atricu lan ts
Frequency of Church Attendance

Collect information about immediate family,
relatives, and friends who are graduates of
Christian colleges and universities on response
cards.

Use this information to establish communications
with and among prospective students, friends who
are graduates of Christian institutions, and the
college or university.
Frequency of Church Attendance

Continue to cultivate early interest through
churches and youth groups.

Consider providing financial incentives for student
involvement in community service.

Attend to the language used in describing the
Christian experience, especially among lessfrequent churchgoers.
Frequency of Church Attendance

Create hyperlinks on the Web with affiliated
churches and youth groups.

Reach out to the parents of prospects who are
actively involved with their churches.
“The future is not a gift.
It is an achievement.”
Harry Lauder
Summary Highlights
“We know these things for sure.”





The college search is starting earlier for families.
The use and influence of the Web represents a
major change in market behavior.
Public universities are major competitors of
Christian colleges and universities.
The phrase “liberal arts” is not helpful in clarifying
image or communicating value.
The Christian mission plays a major role in the
college decision-making process.
“We know these things for sure.”

Because of its perceived fragmentation, a Christian
campus experience is an underdeveloped building
block of the Christian identity.
 Prospective students have concerns about the
relationship between the Christian influence and
intellectual life.
 Academic excellence is intertwined with preparation
for the future.
 Parents are more involved in the college search in
the CCCU market.
 Perceptions of value are shaped by impressions of
an institution’s ability to offer tangible outcomes and
cultivate character development.
Ideas for Next Steps:
Campus Team Strategies
Short-term Strategies

Develop student and faculty profiles to be used for
various outreach activities.
Advantages of Christian faculty
Portrayal of whole person (students and faculty)

Develop a unique description of the intimacy and
the atmosphere of the campus community.
Mid-term Strategies

Begin allocating new resources toward the Web
and other electronic communications.

Make careful decisions about which print media
should be continued.

Build a depth-and-breadth Web site for admissions
marketing and for other key audiences.
Incentives for Action
Incentives for Action

Frame of reference
Analysis paralysis
versus
Management by fact
“Silver bullet”
versus
Incremental changes
Incentives for Action

“Good knowledge leads to good fortune.”
 59 % of inquirers had some interest in applying.
 Potential impact on admissions funnel:
10,000 inq’s @ 10% = 1,000 app’s
10,000 inq’s @ 15% = 1,500 app’s
 No longer need to operate blind at top of the
funnel.
 Many recommendations do not add costs.
Incentives for Action

“Give me the freedom of a tight strategy.”
Context for creative talent
Ready, untapped market:
21% of prospects indicated some level of
interest in a Christian college or university;
33% are on the fence.
Many recommendations do not add costs.
Incentives for Action

“In the race for quality, there is no finish line.”
Focus on cultivation of early interest.
Preserve your distinctiveness.
Adopt “organic” decision-making strategies.
Use the research in all areas of communication to
help you work SMART.
Thank you
for the privilege of serving
the CCCU.