define yourself: branding a community college that's everything to everyone

DEFINE YOURSELF: BRANDING

A COMMUNITY COLLEGE that’s EVERYTHING

to EVERYONE

#CCbrandIng @zhhender @vispoint

Introductions

Zac VisionPoint Marketing

@zhhender | @vispoint | #CCbranding < < <> > >

About VisionPoint> Established in March 2001 & located in Raleigh, NC with team of 20 > Serve: Large & Small; Public & Private; Grad, Post-Grad, Undergrad, CC > Specialize in online marketing consultation and execution in higher ed > Web, branding, inbound marketing, strategy, consultation, etc. > No ‘one size fits all’ approach (focus on what’s right for the client) > Speaking on HE marketing at CASE, AMA, eduWeb, + regionally

Agenda

1. Intros

2. What is a brand?

3. Branding in Higher Education

4. 5 Steps to Building Stronger Brands

5. Results: Looking Back


What is a ‘brand’? (Special thanks to Paul Isakson)


BRAND =

COLLECTIVELY, WHAT

PEOPLE SAY, FEEL & THINK

ABOUT YOUR PRODUCT,

SERVICE OR COMPANY.

©2008 Paul Isakson

A STRONG BRAND =A COLLECTION OF COHERENT IDEAS AND EXPERIENCES WITH A PRODUCT OR SERVICE OVER TIME.

©2008 Paul Isakson

a person’s perception of a product, service, experience or organization

What is a ‘brand’?

A GREAT BRAND IS A GREAT STORY.

©2008 Paul Isakson

CAMPAIGNING

©2008 Paul Isakson

STOP CAMPAIGNING.

START COMMITTING.

©2008 Paul Isakson

CAMPAIGNING =

CHANGING YOUR CORE

BRAND MESSAGE TO FIT

WHAT YOU THINK PEOPLE

NEED OR WANT TO HEAR

TODAY SO THAT THEY BUY

YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE.

©2008 Paul Isakson

CAMPAIGNING = MARKETING FOR SHORT TERM GAINS

©2008 Paul Isakson

POLITICIANS CAMPAIGN

©2008 Paul Isakson

CAMPAIGNING LEADS TO A CONSTANTLY CHANGING STORY.

©2008 Paul Isakson

PEOPLE AREN’T SURE WHAT TO THINK OF YOU.

©2008 Paul Isakson

YOU DON’T REALLY HAVE A BRAND.

©2008 Paul Isakson

YOU HAVE A PRODUCT OR SERVICE WITH SOME POTENTIALLY INTERESTING MARKETING.

©2008 Paul Isakson

NO LOYALTY

©2008 Paul Isakson

STOP CAMPAIGNING

©2008 Paul Isakson

and s

COMMITTING

©2008 Paul Isakson

COMMITTING =BUILDING YOUR BRAND ON CORE PRINCIPLES THAT NEVER CHANGE.

©2008 Paul Isakson

COMMITTING = MARKETING FOR LONG TERM GROWTH

©2008 Paul Isakson

MEAN JOE GREENE

HILLTOP(TEACH THE

WORLD TO SING)

BOTTLE(SHAPE)

POLARBEARS

HOLIDAYS

SECRETFORMULA

HAPPINESSFACTORY

GRANDTHEFTAUTO

REFRESHMENT

HAVE A COKE AND A SMILE

ROCKWELL

COCA-COLA MAKES YOU HAPPY

Brand Molecule: The Brand Innovation Manifesto by John Grant©2008 Paul Isakson

NIKE HELPS YOU BE VICTORIOUS

AIRJORDAN

LEBRON

BOKNOWS

NIKETOWN

NIKE+

THESWOOSH

NIKEPLAYGROUND

TIGERWOODS

THEHUMAN RACE

RUNNINGCLUBS

RONALDINHOVIDEO

REVOLUTIONTV SPOT

DON IMUSTHANK YOU

LETTER

JUST DO IT

Brand Molecule: The Brand Innovation Manifesto by John Grant©2008 Paul Isakson

COMMITTING =CREATING AN EVOLVING COLLECTION OF COHERENT BRAND IDEAS AND EXPERIENCES OVER TIME

©2008 Paul Isakson

COMMITMENTS CREATE

BRAND LOYALISTS©2008 Paul Isakson

DEFINE WHO YOU ARE & WHAT YOU STAND FOR.

COMMIT TO IT.

©2008 Paul Isakson

IF YOU DON’T DEFINE YOUR BRAND, SOMEONE ELSE WILL.

©2008 Paul Isakson

START COMMITTING

©2008 Paul Isakson

A GREAT BRAND IS A GREAT STORY.

©2008 Paul Isakson

Speaking of stories . . .


colleges are a lot like white sedans.

Unless you have a STRONG BRAND

there’s little reason for prospective students to choose

you over another offering in their considered set.

= safety

= class

= performance

= fun

Branding in Higher Ed Why is this SO important for CCs?


Current-state of CCs (the GOOD news!)


Community colleges are “one place where we are out in front of other countries.” – Richard Riley, former U.S. Secretary of Education

The BAD news ...


Regarding their offerings, Community Colleges are EVERYTHING to EVERYONE(How the heck do you brand THAT?!)

CC Target Audience

BAD(most) Community College brands are really

The case for strong brands in CCs> Similar to buying a car, education is a high involvement process

> Decision to attend an institution of higher education is expensive, long term and provides many options to choose from

> Too many choices, too little time

> Audience is generally very unclear on what CCs offer

> CCs face a lingering negative perception (last resort)

> The reputation of a school is a huge factor in the decision-making process for most students

> Trust has been lost: fewer and fewer believe that going to college and possibly taking on debt is going to lead to success

HUGELYThe bottom line: Higher Ed has become a

competitive industry

Colleges & Universities125

Some schools have ‘stronger’ brands than others


There’s only so much you can control

5 Steps to building a stronger brand


About Wake Tech> Chartered in 1958, First opened its doors in 1963 > Largest CC in North Carolina, serving over 69,000 students > 5 campuses, 2 training centers > 1st All-LEED campus in the U.S. > Hallmark programs: Nursing, Culinary Arts, Simulation & Game Development > Recently revamped website & brand with VisionPoint

Discovery1 #CCbrandIng @zhhender @vispoint

Primary Research


Usage Habits - Events> Respondents were asked to answer questions about their needs

and usage habits of the website.

In a stakeholder survey with approximately 150 responses from 5 different perspectives/levels across the college, we asked to choose the attributes that best fit Wake Tech:

> Accountable

> Friendly

> Established

> Diverse

> Service Oriented

Top Attributes

Competitive Landscape


Other Community Colleges

Nearby Universities

Competing Private Institutions

I am a Phoenix

The Kaplan Commitment

Capella University: Matter

Let Nothing Stand In Your Way

0 to Bachelor’s in 2.5

Education for the Future

Where Dreams Take Flight

Get There.

Competitive Landscape Takeaways

> Compete directly with partners

> Mix of public and private competition

> Not much direct CC competition

> You are competing against perception/confusion as much you are against others with similar offerings (“I didn’t know they did that.”)

> Great Opportunity: establish your brand without having to be too reactionary to competition (‘own’ who you are)

Wake Tech holds a unique competitive position:

Stakeholder Interviews


Groups

Staff Employers Leadership Curriculum Students Continuing Education Students


Sample Stakeholder Interview Questions

> Tell us about your unit/offering

> Tell us about your role here

> What are the goals for your unit/offering?

> What are the biggest challenges you face?

> Who is your target audience?

> What do you want to communicate?

> What is the school’s brand?

Themes from Staff> Affordable but high quality

> A central cog to the community

> Large college with diverse offerings

> Passionate about making a difference in students’ lives

> Wake Tech’s culture inspires faculty/staff to make a difference

> Responsive growth as community and industry changes

Employers


Themes from Employers> Evolving, improving offerings

> General community unaware of full extent of offerings

> See Wake Tech as a ‘bridge’ (to opportunities)

> Faculty and staff are extremely helpful and passionate

> Current brand and personality is decentralized with no clear message

> Provides practical, real-world education

Leadership


Themes from Leadership> Want Wake Tech to be the first choice, not the last resort

> ‘All things to all people’

> Expect high quality work from students, faculty and staff

> Responsive not reactive

> “Best kept secret in Wake County”

> Mission driven, want a culture that inspires people to make a difference

Students


Themes from Curriculum Students> College is well respected in the community and within the college

> Good relationships with universities foster obtainable path to a 4-year program

> They desire a stronger sense of community

> Knowledgeable and passionate faculty who care

> Wake Tech exceeded their expectations

> Breadth of offerings available

> “Easy to get in, hard to get out”

Themes from Continuing Education Students> Found experience welcoming and friendly

> Faculty is very motivational, and helps students gain the confidence necessary to break out of their comfort zone

> Wake Tech is their key to a better life

> Extremely appreciative and grateful (this group gets it)

Aggregate Themes


Aggregate Themes> Passionate people that want to make a difference (they care)

> Welcoming, friendly and encouraging environment

> Exceed expectations (always room for improvement)

> Challenging academics

> Dependable and accessible

> Responsive not reactive (able to adjust to changing times & needs)

> Diverse (breadth of offerings)

You should have a solid understanding of your college’s

culture, its competitive landscape, its business goals,

and its target audience.


Brand Attributes2#CCbrandIng @zhhender @vispoint

Brand Attributes are> Words or short phrases that encompass the personality of a brand

> Inspirational

> Rallying points

> The foundation for brand development

> Criteria for tactical and strategic decisions

Brand Attributes are NOT> A detailed description of what you do

> Granular

> Your organization’s tag line

innovative

stylish

intuitive

cool

casual

easy-going

friendly

=

Brand Messaging Workshop


Compassionate

PassionateInvolved

Accessible

Helpful

Welcoming

Approachable

Friendly

Hard Working

Disciplined

People Focused

CommunityCaring

Empowering

Motivational

Fulfilling

High QualityExcellent

Successful Resource

Results Oriented

Credible

Leader

Challenging

Prestigious

Pride

Exceeding Expectations

Well Known

Traditional

Necessity

Dependable

Safe

PracticalUnassuming Passive

UtilitarianSimple

Convenient

UsefulStrait forward

AccountableTrustworthy

Aggressive

Cutting Edge

Edgy

Technological

Bold

Innovative

State of the ArtRe-inventing

Hands-On

Flexibility

Agility

Evolving

Broad

DynamicNimbleEver-Changing

DiverseStepping Stone

Bridge

Life Changing

Transitional

Guide

Facilitator

Affordable

Economic

Low Cost

Compassionate

PassionateInvolved

Accessible

Helpful

Welcoming

Approachable

Friendly

Hard Working

Disciplined

People Focused

CommunityCaring

Empowering

Motivational

Fulfilling

High QualityExcellent

Successful Resource

Results Oriented

Credible

Leader

Challenging

Prestigious

Pride

Exceeding Expectations

Well Known

Traditional

Necessity

Dependable

Safe

PracticalUnassuming Passive

UtilitarianSimple

Convenient

UsefulStrait forward

AccountableTrustworthy

Aggressive

Cutting Edge

Edgy

Technological

Bold

Innovative

State of the ArtRe-inventing

Hands-On

Flexibility

Agility

Evolving

Broad

DynamicNimbleEver-Changing

DiverseStepping Stone

Bridge

Life Changing

Transitional

Guide

Facilitator

Affordable

Economic

Low Cost

Passionate, Motivational High Quality,

Top-tier

Useful, Applicable

Leading Edge

Agile, Dynamic, Responsive

Transitional, Life Changing

Accessible

Friendly, Welcoming

Diverse

Brand AttributesWAKE TECH-SPECIFIC

> Reputable

> Welcoming

> Passionate

> High-quality

> Life-Changing

> Diverse

> Value

> Accessible

> Responsive

COMMUNITY COLLEGE-WIDE

The Story3#CCbrandIng @zhhender @vispoint

A brand is the essence of one’s

own unique story.

3 concepts


Stories of Wake Tech


Freedom to fly

Brand AttributesWAKE TECH-SPECIFIC

> Reputable

> Welcoming

> Passionate

> High-quality

> Life-Changing

> Diverse

> Value

> Accessible

> Responsive

COMMUNITY COLLEGE-WIDE

Our goal is to take what is truly unique and amazing about Wake Tech and create a compelling story out of it

LIFE-CHANGING JOURNEY

Execution4


The Logo


“A logo is less important than the product it signifies; what it

means is more important than what it looks like.”

Paul Rand

LIFE-CHANGING JOURNEY

Welcoming Beacon

Lights the Way

Inspiring & Warm

Logo Treatments


Commit5#CCbrandIng @zhhender @vispoint

Successful branding is what you do, not what you say or show.

!Successful branding requires delivering consistently positive

experiences for your constituents. It comes from keeping your promises to them, from earning their trust that your brand will do its best at every point of contact to deliver on what they

want and expect from you. !

To be the light that guides the way…

Living the brand#CCbrandIng @zhhender @vispoint

Two Years Later (the BRAND come to life)


CAREERS IN HEALTH SCIENCES

2901 Holston Lane | Raleigh, NC 27610919-747-0400 | health.waketech.edu

The future is in your hands.It is a choice, to follow or lead.Those who attend Wake Tech are aware of the possibilities and know that Wake Tech can be the start of a life-changing journey.

Are you a Wake?Share your success story!Submit your story to: [email protected]

Thank you!follow VisionPoint: @vispoint | @zhhender follow Wake Tech: @waketechcc•

For more Higher Ed marketing insights, industry trends and case studies subscribe to our monthly email newsletter eduInsights. Sign up online by clicking here or go to: visionpointmarketing.com/eduinsights


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define yourself: branding a community college that's everything to everyone

Marketing

great brand

john grant2008 paul

brand innovation manifesto

happy brand molecule

core brand message

revamped website brand

inbound marketing

interesting marketing