Where Do We Go From Here? Strategic Marketing/Recruitment Plans

KCTCS Marketing Goals Overall goal - To develop an strategic, customer- focused marketing plan and process at both the System and college level that supports both the KCTCS Strategic Plan and KCTCS Transformation.

KCTCS Marketing Goals Goal 1: Establish a professional, consistent brand that resonates with all college stakeholders. – Strategies/Actions: Continue UK/U of L sports media buy - capitalize at the local level. Execute recommendations from college brand assessment. Reinforce and maintain branding standards – add additional components Identify and tell college stories. Develop an internal communications plan to promote college pride.

KCTCS Marketing Goals Goal 2: Develop a proactive, strategic public relations strategy that promotes and enhances the image and reputation of KCTCS. – Strategies: Update college crisis communication plans/blind websites. Create an annual editorial calendar. Develop a plan to embrace new media. Develop and execute a college Super Sunday, Adult College Fair, Transfer and Transformation public relations plan/effort. Foster message of school spirit through observance of Community College Month.

KCTCS Marketing Goals Goal 2: Develop a proactive, strategic public relations strategy that promotes and enhances the image and reputation of KCTCS. – Strategies: Increase the effectiveness and usage of the KNECT system at the college level. Communicate the new re-direct at the college level. Rollout out a college Twitter program. Update and enhance Facebook and YouTube efforts by creating a cross-functional editorial calendar to enhance retention, school spirit/pride, etc.

KCTCS Marketing Goals Goal: 3. Enhance our online marketing and communications efforts. – Strategies: Develop and execute a SEO plan at your college - complete execution of Phase 1 SEO. Create a social media team and plan at your college. Launch college Twitter program. Develop social media editorial calendar for the college. Work with web consultant to assess content and usability of college website. Promote mobile application. Test Facebook/Twitter advertising.

KCTCS Marketing Goals Goal: 3. Enhance our online marketing and communications efforts. – Strategies: Create prospective student web forms. Create online viewbooks.

KCTCS Marketing Goals Goal 4: Establish a strategic marketing communications process and plan. – Strategies: Develop an integrated college marketing plan. Create an college editorial calendar.

KCTCS Marketing Goals Goal 5: Develop and execute marketing and communication plans for college-wide programs and initiatives. – Strategies: Develop and execute marketing plans for the following: – Learn on Demand. – Fire Commission. – Grant-related projects.

KCTCS Marketing Goals Goal 6: Enhance the marketing services and tools available to support the college’s programs and services. – Strategies: Execute a college photography shoot that supports the stories developed for your targeted audiences. Establish AdPro as the repository for all marketing materials. Conduct college marketing material need assessment. Provide training. Execute college photo shoots.

KCTCS Marketing Goals Goal 7: Continue to strengthen the perception of the college’s role in higher education among policymakers and the thinking/talking public. – Strategies: Execute local public relations plans to support any public advocacy efforts.

KCTCS Marketing Goals Goal 8: Embrace a market-research approach to determine customer perceptions, needs and wants. – Strategies: Continue mystery shopping and create a rewards program to celebrate mystery shopping results. Share the results of the 2011 prospective student research study with campus leadership and others who are responsible for outreach. Utilize the results of the 2011 prospective student research study to develop marketing plans and programs. Utilize 10% of college marketing budget to conduct local research. Select one marketing effort to measure during the academic year. Conduct a web usage study.

KCTCS Marketing Goals Goal 9: Assist the college in the development of a comprehensive outsourced student services delivery model that provides a seamless, scalable, virtual 24/7/365 student services call center help desk for current and prospective students. – Strategies: Execute a communications and marketing program for Phase I of the call center at the local college. Create a system/process to track and follow-up with prospective students who express interest via web form. Execute a communications plan for the Phase II rollout at the college.

KCTCS Marketing Goals Goal 10: Communicate and promote financial aid and scholarship programs to assist prospective and current students with obtaining the assistance they need to receive an affordable education. – Strategies: Enhance financial aid information in Viewbooks. Enhance Financial Aid brochure.

KCTCS Marketing Goals Goal 11: Develop and execute strategic recruitment programs and materials for prospective students. – Strategies: Work with college recruiters to create effective marketing and communications plans/materials including enhancing Viewbook and developing materials for guidance counselors and parents. Work with college marketing teams to incorporate identified college stories in all recruitment materials. Offer recruiters a “cafeteria plan” of direct recruitment programs. Work with recruiters on a direct mail program to use the ACT list. Develop and execute public relations activities to support the Super Sunday initiative.

KCTCS Marketing Goals Goal 11: Develop and execute strategic recruitment programs and materials for prospective students. – Strategies: Work with recruiters/others responsible for dual-credit on communications plans/materials. Develop and execute public relations/recruitment activities to support the Adult College Fairs. Embrace SEO, SEM and other online marketing efforts at the local level. (see goal 3) Develop both system-wide and college specific recruitment TV/radio and print ads.

KCTCS Marketing Goals Goal 12: Develop and execute marketing strategies to promote the Go 2 Work/HWHD Jobs. – Strategies: Identify HWHD student profiles. Incorporate the GoYou/Go2Work branding guidelines in all college recruitment materials. Develop materials/marketing support for Workforce Solutions.

KCTCS Marketing Goals Goal 13: Create an internal marketing plan to increase the retention of our students. – Strategies: Create and execute Twitter program. Create a college pride/spirit program to foster a sense of community.

KCTCS Marketing Goals Goal 14: Develop and execute marketing strategies to promote the Go2Transfer program. – Strategies: Rollout the GoYou/Go2Transfer branding standards at your college. Execute marketing/public relations effort to support the Foundations of Excellence transfer initiative. Work with local public universities to develop joint marketing activities – UK Transfer Event, MSU Event, etc.

KCTCS Marketing Goals Goal 15: Develop and execute marketing and communications plans to support KCTCS Transformation. – Strategies: Assist Transformation Communication Manager with the development of local communications plan. Assist Transformation Communication Managers with the use of the toolkit on an on-going basis to share consistent messaging about Transformation. Identify effective Transformation communication tools. Assist Transformation Communication Managers with faculty/staff orientations and listening tours.

KCTCS Prospective Student Research

Research Design A Comprehensive Market Analysis 800 Older Prospects, with no college degree and not currently enrolled in postsecondary education (Telephone/online) 740 Younger Prospects, junior & senior high school students (Telephone) 350 Parents of high school students (Telephone) 320 Teachers & Counselors (On-line) Eight (8) Focus Groups (“At Risk Students”, minority & rural) - Louisville- Hazard - Hopkinsville- Somerset

Brand Assessment

Rationale 2011 Prospective Student Research Study RECOMMENDATION Optimize the growing brand awareness and positive image of KCTCS by integrating it with a strong college brand development program to enhance imagery and knowledge among traditional and nontraditional prospects alike. We recommend KCTCS conduct a brand audit at all colleges. Horizon Insight

Rationale Execution of the Transformation Initiatives will rely on a strong branding/messaging foundation at both the system and college level. Fundamental to any future marketing efforts is a comprehensive, consistent and professional communications efforts.

Assess the adoption of the new branding guide policies Assist the colleges and system office in determining the consistency and effectiveness of the messages currently being communicated to all stakeholders (primarily prospective students, workforce partners, donors) Assess current marketing resources and needs. Determine the extent and effectiveness of college integrated communication efforts GOALS

Assessment Process PHASE 1 – Branding Questionnaire – each college/system PR Director will fill out a questionnaire regarding their general branding/marketing efforts. Marketing Plans/Materials – each college/system PR Director will submit marketing plan and samples of external communications materials.

Assessment Process PHASE 2: College/System Office Onsite Brand Assessments A Stamats team conducted a one-day visit to each college and the System Office that consisted of meeting with the college president along with group meetings with faculty, college leadership, recruiters, integrated marketing teams, etc.

Assessment Process PHASE 3: College/System Office Brand Assessments Reports A Stamats team conducted a one-day visit to each college and the System Office that consisted of meeting with the college president along with group meetings with faculty, college leadership, recruiters, integrated marketing teams, etc.

SYSTEM MARKETING FINDINGS

High Quality Deliverables Regular market research Integrated marketing plans Detailed budgets Professionally designed communication tools Internal offices feel well-served by the team Super Sunday Telling Our Story workshops SO PR/MARKETING TEAM STRENGTHS

Materials designed by SO not as functional as needed Lack of appropriate tools Recruiting materials should be more local and differentiate the colleges Lack of education in design tools Current recruitment designs overly busy Web sites are not easily navigable Lack of window envelopes cause additional expense Learn by Term/Demand is misunderstood and undervalued KCTCS designs too traditional-student focused Not enough resources for Workforce Solutions Lack of graphic design resources SO PR/MARKETING TEAM CHALLENGES

Report back to the colleges and leadership on this assessment Next Steps: results presented to SO leadership team and PLT Next Steps: results presented to PR/Marketing team Do a time usage study on the design team Next Steps: time usage study completed Next Steps: evaluate results and adjust responsibilities Next Steps: submit SNA for production assistant Nest Steps: outsource more graphic design work Streamline Today’s News Next Steps: continue to work with web to develop more robust intranet More fully integrate Go You! campaign RECOMMENDATIONS

Revise the UK/UL advertising to promote local colleges as system members Next Steps: develop new TV/Radio spots Next Steps: present concepts to PR Team at this meeting Reconsider the approach to internal and external marketing Next Steps: Do extensive functionality research/survey with member colleges before creating new designs or campaigns Next Steps: Work with teams of users to develop materials that would be most useful (recruitment materials team) Re-purpose or re-format the Peer Team meetings Next Steps: add more professional development topics to meetings RECOMMENDATIONS

Prioritize Workforce Solutions Next Steps: Create a team of Workforce coordinators to develop materials and resources Create a premier marketing organization structure Next Steps: Create team of presidents to develop premier marketing structure needed to support KCTCS Transformation Next Steps: Provide more graphic design support via outsourcing Standardize College PR Team Resources Next Steps: Provide marketing planning support and training Enhance Viewbooks RECOMMENDATIONS

New TV/Radio Spots

MARKETING CALENDAR

August Graduate Photo Shoot New TV/Radio Production Print Viewbooks Finalize Media Buy Select Cafeteria Plan Launch College Twitter Programs Produce Updated Branding Materials Purchase ACT List

August Create Prospective Student Web Form Conduct Intelliworks Training Conduct Web Usage Study/Web Assessment Create College Editorial Calendar Tools

September College Photo Shoots – Sept 4-6 Big Sandy – Sept Owensboro – Sept Somerset UK/U of L Sports Campaign Begins – September 2: U of L featured game (UK vs. U of L) – September 8: U of K featured game (Kent State) UK/KCTCS Transfer Event PR Retreat – September

September SEO Launch I-High Test Mystery Shopping Launch Web Form/Intelliworks Launch Online Viewbooks Conduct College Marketing Resource/Capability Assessment

October UK/U of L Sports Campaign College Photo Shoots – Oct 2-4 Southeast – Oct Elizabethtown – Oct Bluegrass – Oct West Kentucky I-High Test Launch Facebook/Twitter Ad Test PURL Direct Mail

October Prospective Student Web Form/Intelliworks Begin Development of Guidance Counselor/Parent Materials GO KCTCS Student Service Center Launch Launch Cafeteria Plan

November UK/U of L Sports Campaign College Photo Shoots – Nov. 7 – 9: Hopkinsville – Nov. 13 – 15: Ashland I-High Test Facebook/Twitter Ad Test Prospective Student Web Form/Intelliworks

December UK/U of L Sports Campaign I-High Test Facebook/Twitter Ad Test Launch HomeTeam Marketing Prospective Student Web Form/Intelliworks Complete SEO – Phase I

January UK/U of L Sports Campaign Cafeteria Plan I-High Test Facebook/Twitter Ad Test HomeTeam Marketing Mystery Shopping Prospective Student Web Form/Intelliworks Super Sunday Material Production

February UK/U of L Sports Campaign Super Sunday – February 24 Featured UK/U of L Basketball Games Cafeteria Plan I-High Test Facebook/Twitter Ad Test HomeTeam Marketing Prospective Student Web Form/Intelliworks

March UK/U of L Sports Campaign Cafeteria Plan I-High Test Facebook/Twitter Ad Test HomeTeam Marketing Mystery Shopping Prospective Student Web Form/Intelliworks

March Complete Guidance Counselor/Parent Materials Launch GO KCTCS Student Service Center

April Cafeteria Plan I-High Test Facebook/Twitter Ad Test HomeTeam Marketing Prospective Student Web Form/Intelliworks Begin Viewbook Development Community College Month Celebration Adult College Fairs (?)

May Cafeteria Plan Facebook/Twitter Ad Test Prospective Student Web Form/Intelliworks Viewbook Development

June Viewbook Development Prospective Student Web Form/Intelliworks