Building the University Brand from the Inside-Out: The Higher Learning Commission’s Academic Quality Improvement Project (AQIP) and its Implications.

Fort Hays State University Lawrence V. Gould Provost Tonja Vallin Academic Marketing Specialist

Degrees Offered Bachelor of General Studies Bachelor of Science in Leadership RN to BSN Bachelor of Arts in Sociology Bachelor of Science in Justice Studies Master of Liberal Studies *Bachelor of Technology Leadership

Challenging Times: When Marketing Matters Wii fm Stiffer competition Student has shopper mentality Return on investment— promotion versus integrated marketing Faculty are more tolerant

Integrated Marketing: The Essential Elements An integrated marketing approach will look outward from the institution toward new partnering opportunities, new customers and a changing marketplace, maintain a focus on strategic solutions, integrate the assets of the organization with consistent and coordinated messages, listen carefully to the learner/consumer and depend heavily on research, database management and continuous improvement.

A Brand Leadership Strategy Make a promise that matters Communicate your promise Live your promise Strengthen your promise

Integrated Marketing Communications Relationship Management Brand Marketing Direct Marketing Customer/Learner

What is a Brand? More than a logo and tagline A promise Something you can trust Built on differentiation Built on superiority

What is the Purpose of a Brand? It’s purpose is to elicit an “emotional response” from those who are potentially interested in an institution.

Internal Branding: Don’t Make a Promise You Can’t Keep. “building the brand-driven business” today is equally about internal branding and the avoidance of making a promise you can’t keep.” “We’re Affordable” “We’re Friendly” “We’re Successful”

Make a Promise You Can Keep Have effective and efficient operations. (Execution and consistency)

Make a Promise You Can Keep Communicate to your internal audience.

Internal Communication Strategies Customer Service (Telephone Training) Faculty and staff orientations bulletins Video and powerpoint available on intranet Tigers on a mission: Brand Evangelists

Build a brand that provides an experience. Make a Promise You Can Keep

Academic Quality Improvement Project (AQIP) and its implications. AQIP’s organizing logic: 1. Institution wide effectiveness 2. Clarifying and improving processes 3. Learner/customer relationship management 4. Management by measurement

Implications Implication one: Making a promise you can keep *ownership for high quality execution on a daily basis. Implication two: Using AQIP to communicate the essentials of the promise *faculty and staff need to “touch and feel” brand

Implications Implication three: The promise as a basis for operations. Implication four:Using AQIP to strengthen the brand promise. Service quality: every time an employee gets to touch a customer or a customer get to touch the brand, the company reinforces the brand or diminishes it.

Management by Measurement

A Brand Leadership Strategy

Affordable (touchpoints) Tuition $ $ number Transcript fees Scholarships -- 80% Minimal IT requirements

The Special Case of Branding at a Distance: Phoenix-Sizing the On-line Experience. Affordable Success User Friendly

Success (touchpoints) Smarthinking.com Counseling services Small class sizes Flexible degree programs Faculty advising Job placement after graduation Fostering community-on-line and beyond

Friendly (touchpoints) Customer service bulletins SWS services (self service) On-line admissions and scholarhips Telephone Etiquette Open houses on-line Open houses around the state Faculty interaction Faculty on cover E-certificates

Powerpoint