Marketing on a Shoestring LERN Annual Conference 2009 Presented by Kassia Dellabough, Senior Consultant

MARKETING What is it?

What is Marketing? Everything you do every day in your programs Every interaction with customers & prospects All the ways you portray your program Everyone is on the Marketing Team!

Four No Cost Image Makers Logo Slogan "Information That Works!” Your Program Name Testimonials

The Five W’s WHO: All your staff and teachers WHEN: Every customer interaction WHERE: At every customer contact point WHAT: Every communication opportunity WHY: Because image is long-term

Ways You Portray Your Program The place you hold your courses/events Your stationery The way you reject potential teachers How you say “hello” Your hold button –How long is someone on hold? –Is there music? What kind? Your course/event selection Your phone number And when it is YOU = ALL STAFF….. What do YOU get excited about???

KEY CONCEPTS You can’t be everything to everybody Numbers are your friends - make data-driven decisions Shift from product management to customer management Segment your market & target promotion efforts Think generations Be unique, not a copy-cat

Tip #1 Define Your Product Describe your product or service in a way that is meaningful to others (both inside and outside) your organization (Benefits, benefits, benefits) Tell people what you do for them Communicate what you do best

Tip #2 Develop Your Image Fun Friendly Efficient Innovative Comprehensive Low Cost Product Leader (Nike) Product Specialist (Providing certain types of classes better than anyone) Market Specialist (Providing classes for a specific segment)

Your Image Beliefs Attitudes Perceptions Impressions

The Power of Your Image

Understanding Your USP Unique Selling Proposition: –The image you want to project –TO the target audiences you want to reach –Your uniqueness –An important benefit you render to your participants

A good USP addresses a void, fills a gap or another specific need and does so in the minds of the prospective participants. You must zealously tell your participants how you are different and what void or gap you have filled.

No Trespassing Sends a strong message to others about your strengths Makes it clear what piece of the market you own Keep Out

Mental Real Estate Establishes your territory Lets people know what belongs to you

Finding Out Your USP Staff Brainstorm Lunch with Your Best Participants Survey Your Most Active participants IDEA: ask for feedback

Tip #3 Support Front Line Staff Current information Empowered decision-making Respect - solicit ideas

Everything We Do is Marketing 19

Tip #4 Host Focus Groups for Bridging Generations Get feedback from representative Be clear who you are targeting Host focus groups for feedback

Tip #5 Hire an Intern Invite Gen X and millennial to design your materials IDEA: hire design interns from local schools

Work by Matt Delbridge

IDEA : talk to your printer about cost-saving production ideas Paper options Layout for efficient printing Distribution/mailing option Tip #6 Talk to Your Printer

Tip #7 Use The Internet

IDEA : rubber stamp cost $7.95 Tip #8 Collaborate

IDEA : small start-up company donated vinyl sign

IDEA : HAVE FUN! Tip #9 Share Your Enthusiasm

10 TIPS from LERN Members Distribute your brochures to local hair salons, says Brian Burke of Blinn College. He distributes 2,000 brochures to local hair salons, and says each one gets read ten times before being thrown out.

TIPS from LERN Members Take care of your best customers, says Lynn Wright of Portage Lakes Career Center. She says it works out financially for her program. She send her best customers a coupon for a free course. It’s a great way for them to bring a friend or attend themselves free of charge.

TIPS from LERN Members & attendees There’s nothing better to motivate your existing participants than to display business cards of past participants says Modjeh……. It’s great marketing, great motivation for existing participants, and a good way to show off your program’s success.

TIPS from LERN Members & attendees Up sell on the phone When someone signs up on the phone, ask them, “Oh, have you heard about…..(another related class)?” The technique works for Lauren of Danville Parks and Recreation.

TIPS from LERN Members & attendees Give a few free tickets, and sell out! A couple of free tickets can generate lots of sales, says Nicole Blazin of San Ramon, California. “We do a kids acting class and we give a couple of tickets to each family. And then we sell extra tickets to the families, and sell out the event,” she says.

TIPS from LERN Members & attendees Professional managers provide in-class testimonials In his “Integrated Marketing Communications” classes, Raymond Rocha of Gateway Community College has professional managers come into classes and say why they prefer grads from his institution. It’s a great no-cost internal marketing technique that promotes great word-of-mouth publicity from current participants.

TIPS from LERN Members & attendees Great source for marketing tag lines In creating a marketing tag line for your target audience, find their source of inspiration, says Jeffrey Spencer, LaGuardia Community College, Long Island City, NY. He surveys magazines his audience reads, looking for advertising themes. It gives his program a starting point that they know is already successful with their market.

Your Tips?

TOP IDEAS Change Your Marketing Behaviors Collaborate with printers, students, new businesses, media, teachers, staff... “spread the word” to the influentials Promote your success Listen, listen, listen

THANKS!