how to market and grow new academic programs

HOW TO MARKET & GROW NEW ACADEMIC PROGRAMS!

How to Market and Grow New Academic Programs David Black

Vice President for Consulting and Market Research

March 30, 2012


•  Need to grow enrollments — revenue

•  Drive to keep relevant in the marketplace

•  Missed opportunity

How’d We Get Here


•  Not assessing the market

•  Faculty driven

•  Not grounded in reality

•  Lack of planning and foresight

•  Lack of marketing

Common Missteps


•  Faculty

•  Market gap

•  In-demand

•  Admissions, marketing, advisory panels

•  Lack of marketing

Identify Programs


•  Competitor

•  Delivery format

•  Interest

•  Demand

•  Demographic

•  Intangibles

•  Values and outcomes

Feasibility study


•  Begin earlier

•  Develop key marketing messages

•  Create a marketing plan

•  Career services and other support offices

•  New only ONCE

Involving marketing and admissions


•  Messages

•  Market and segments

•  Outreach

•  Scholarships

•  Coordinate across departments

•  Craft a marketing plan

•  Budget

•  Outreach

•  Recruiting

ALL OF THIS BEFORE the program is approved and ready to be offered to students

Core Marketing


•  Conversations and observations

•  Entrepreneurial

•  Ongoing

Create a Marketing Culture


•  Break-even points

•  Faculty considerations

•  Facilities, capacity and access

What else?


•  Sustainability

•  Delivery formats

•  Reinvestment

Emerging conversations


Questions and Answers


Contact Janet Sieff at 412-904-3133 or [email protected] www.psandl.com

how to market and grow new academic programs

Education

market faculty

market research

core marketing messages

support offices new

foresight lack of marketing

key marketing messages

marketing plan career

demand admissions