Sh Shak aking g th the e Sn Snow Globe: e: How to to Shift a College to to Support Ma Market eting Megan Shearin
At At a Glance: The Darden College of Education & Pro rofessional Studies • 1 of 6 academic colleges • Enrollment: Roughly 3,500 students • 13 Undergraduate Degree Programs • 60+ Graduate Degree Programs • 13 Professional Certificates • 239 Faculty • 38,000+ Alumni
Ab About the e Posi sition • Vacant position for multiple years • Temporary employee to assist with the website and events • Scattershot approach dependent on the interests of faculty • First person to have a broad focus on marketing & communications
Col College St Struct cture: Graduate Prog ogram Direct ctor ors • Program marketing and recruitment • Admissions to the program • Advising and problem solving • Academic continuance • Scheduling and curriculum review • Program assessment
Wh Why a snow globe? • Change is like a beautiful snow globe. The buildings stay the same, but the environment around it changes.
Act Action on Step eps
Ac Actio ion: Asse : Assess ss • Determine the needs • Meetings with department chairs to solicit feedback • Understand their perspective, challenges and pain points • Feedback is vital to success • Challenge: Doing while learning
Wh What I heard…. • No one is “telling our story” • No one knows about all of the great things we are doing • Lack of recognition for accomplishments • Deeper, underlying issue: • Not feeling valued for their work and efforts
Ac Actio ion: Id : Identif ify a y and F Fin ind Ch Cheerle rleaders s • Identify and win the support of influencers • Not everyone will be an advocate
Ac Action: Operationalize the marketing office • Promote the business and mission of the organization • Improve marketing & communications effectiveness • Achieve marketing & communication efficiency • Communicate business impact of marketing • Institutionalize procedures
Cr Crea eate e a Bea Beat System em • Allows us to more deeply understand the programs, people and issues of a particular area • Strategic approach to find and tell the best stories • Beat contact can help departments publicize the people, programs, and happenings of the department • Allows for flexibility and cross-training • Content generation for various platforms and channels
Act Action on: Website Before
Ou Outcome • Larger interactive image and message After • Prominent news stories with images to enhance storytelling • Incorporation of brand video
Action: Revamped Social Media Channels • Outward and newsworthy content for brand awareness and reputation • Visual, multi-channel content to help reinforce storytelling and drive website traffic • Creation of a YouTube Channel to host videos
Suc Succes essful ul So Social al Medi edia a Posts ts
Act Action on: St Stor orytelling infog ographics cs • Transform data into a story through infographic • Visual and digestible • Great for folks with limited budgets
Ke Key Takeaways • Don’t waste time on naysayers • Be prepared to drink from a firehose • Be flexible
Questions?
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