We are launching a school-wide strategic planning effort today at The Derryfield School in Manchester, New Hampshire. The only all day, independent school in New Hampshire, The Derryfield School inspires bright, motivated young people to be their best and provides them with the skills and experiences needed to be valued, dynamic, confident, and purposeful members of any community. Derryfield has been a strategic marketing client of ISA for the past two years, working with our firm to build a new positioning and brand platform. Today, we launch school-wide focus groups and listening sessions with students, parents, faculty, staff, and other key stakeholders.
Just How Important is a Logo?
Just how important is that graphic identity of your college, university, or school? We are asked this question often by clients. It turns out that it is very important, but for reasons you might not really consider. Here are four reasons why we think a strong graphic identity is critical to favorably positioning your institution in the minds of constituencies, and some of the pitfalls that schools and colleges fall into along the way.
Consistency - Visit 150 campuses and you will find 1500 logos. It it hard to gain traction around any common market position if your own school or college confuses the brand by having different graphic identities. This is perhaps the most common pitfall we see in the industry. Walk into any school bookstore and you might find five different versions of the school logo, seal, or athletic mark. Think about the Nike "swoosh" or the McDonald's "M": they never deviate from their look. Consistency is critical.
Purpose - It is similarly important to use the right mark for the right purpose. At most, schools and colleges should have three marks: (1) a main promotional logo to be used informally on 90% of print and electronic media, (2) a seal, which is the mark of authenticity of an institution, to be used on transcripts and formal documents (not on the side of a physical plant van), and (3) an athletic mark, which is used only for athletics and does not need to have ten different variations for each sport. A common pitfall we see is that schools and colleges will use their seal for promotional purposes. Bad idea.
Persona - A great icon needs to communicate something endearing, purposeful about your organization. It needs to tell a story, rather than just be a clever mark. Our "lighthouse" logo is important for ISA in two ways for storytelling: (1) it places us on the Northwest coast where there are lots of lighthouses, and (2) lighthouses help steer in the proper direction and away from missteps in turbulent times. That's what ISA does with strategy.
The 70 Mile an Hour Test - A great icon needs to be discernible, even when driving past a billboard at 70 miles an hour. I once heard a researcher say that the three most recognizable icons in the world were the McDonald's "M", the Nike "swoosh", and the cross of the crucifix. What do they all have in common? They are absolutely simple.
I think graphic identities are the foundation of a strong promotional agenda. Not because they are cool, clever, or faddish. No, because they actually communicate something really important. They tell a story. And, we all know people love a story.
A picture says more than a thousand words.
We Have a Problem Called Funding
We have three critical problems in education today. They include funding sources, increased competition with other nations, and an outdated approach to teaching. Let's pull apart the challenge of funding today.
Just a quick scan of media in education over the past two or three years would demonstrate that we are in a funding crisis in education. From public, state universities - which have become increasingly tuition dependent - to private colleges and independent schools, we are seeing the challenge of diminishing sources of income for operations, let alone professional development or innovation. After the global economic crisis, most schools and colleges found themselves seeking new revenue sources and potential audiences. Where does that search lead them? Or, better yet, in the quest for new or improved funding sources, what potential solutions are we seeing in the landscape of schools and colleges? here are a few that we are observing in our work across the country.
1) Online Learning as a Retention Tool - We are seeking a renewed interest in online learning as not only a tool for increasing new enrollment, but a viable tool for retention. When college students cannot access the classes they need in four or five years to graduate, their persistence drops. Online education provides an avenue not only for revenue, but access to high demand classes in order to graduate. Just last week the University of Hawaii system launched a major campaign called "15 to Finish", calling current students to maintain at least 15 credit hours per semester to finish the school in four years. Online learning is a component of the advising process.
2) Online Learning as a Market Tool - Independent schools are getting in the mix as finally seeing online learning as a viable tool for opening up new markets for students, as well as adding a lower cost entry into their product line. Some are ahead of the curve, such as the Online School for Girls by the National Coalition for Girls Schools, working as an association cohort to bring online learning to the masses.
3) Optimization is Reaching the Tipping Point - After cutting budgets in travel, professional development, and salary increases, most schools have maxed out their ability to optimize the expense side of the ledger. The next step is cutting core programs and services if they don't see new sources of funding.
4) Increase Use of Fixed Assets - Rather than seeing their campus sit idly through evening, weekend, or summer hours, we are seeing an increase in how to use fixed assets more efficiently. Currently we are working on two research projects than include a refocused effort on summer programs as both revenue and recruitment tools.
If this sounds like a lot of bad news, it is, but there may be a silver lining. Most great advances and innovations in industry result from an urgent need to improve performance or respond to changing external circumstances. In this new era of finance, I think we all need to be mindful that the funding solutions that emerge from this might be important game changers for education in the future. We are indeed at a pivot or inflection point in the world of education. The future will be determined by how we respond to it
Innovation Vs. Integration
With all the talk surrounding innovation in modern culture, I think we are missing an important outcome that innovation nearly always breeds: integration. Rapid advancements in product or program development have historically given way to the integration of that innovation into mainstram program offerings. We see it all the time in other industries, and now I believe we are seeing it in education.
Remember when you had your first record player or turntable? And, then you acquired a cassette tape player. Soon, we realized these advances would be best if served up together, so we created a stereo system, pulled together by an amplifier that served as a hub that several other components plugged into. This was followed by the integration of the cd player, then the massive leap into video with the addition of the TV. And, now we are seeing the computer and Internet jumping into this family entertainment system. Innovation drives integration.
There are many examples of this theory in various industries. But, what does it mean for education? Colleges and universities know that, while once a true Blue Ocean Strategy, online learning and evening and weekend programs are now simply part of the integration lexicon of offerings. Once innovations in their own right, they could not stand alone.
Innovation is great, but it always breeds perhaps a more important component - integration. What do you think this means for your school, college, or university?
When Good is Good Enough
What can you do when good is good enough for the consumer? In other words, what do you do when you are a high quality-high cost provider of education battling in a marketplace where "excellent" is not the brand attribute desired by most families or students? I have been thinking about this question a lot lately as I think it is at the heart of the challenges faced by many high quality, small, private colleges, universities, and schools across the nation.
It strikes me that, since the economic recorrection, more schools and colleges are struggling with their value proposition. This gets manifested in many ways, but primarily through lagging enrollment or demand, or higher discount rates. Let's be clear here. It is not that the marketplace of potential customers does not believe they are a good school. Rather, it might be just be that the marketplace does not think that an "excellent" choice is needed, but that "good" is good enough.
This is akin to the philosophy of buying a car. While many consumers might really like the high end performance, safety, and luxury of a Mercedes, they understand that don't need it. What they do need is a smaller portion of those brand attributes in a lesser cost option. So, they choose Honda or Toyota. The result is that their purchase delivers "good" rather than "great".
Many of the outstanding, high quality, high cost independent schools and colleges are fiercely working in this same battle. I think the mistake they are making is trying to change the consumer mindset. It is very difficult - nearly impossible - to move a consumer choice from "good" to "great" if "good" is all they really desire. "Good" will get them into a strong college or a solid job after graduation, without super-high debt loads. Good enough wins.
Maybe the real strategy challenge is to stop trying to change the mindsets of consumers that they must purchase "great" or "excellent" and focus only on those families and students who really desire those attributes. The question then remains whether we have over-built our capacity beyond the number of viable consumers for our "great" product. What do you think? How is your school or college working through this dilemma?
Advancement in a Turbulent Landscape
I just finished a wonderful morning speaking at the North Carolina Association of Independent Schools (NCAIS) Advancement Conference at Cannon School in Concord, North Carolina. The focus of the talk was the various shifts and trends that are impacting - or even impeding - our progress in the advancement realm. On the docket were issues reaching from demographics, consumer attitudes, marketing challenges, enrollment management, and development initiatives. Feel free to download the PDF file here and a shout out to Bill and his crew at Cannon for making this such a great event.
Real, Live Customer Service?
In the age of the Internet, consumers are being conditioned now more than ever to create and manage transactions online and through virtual phone calls. Whether booking a hotel, car reservation, or campus visit, the push to self-serve transactions is ubiquitous in every industry. As a result, much of "live" customer support is dying a slow death as a result.
My experience lately - especially with big box brands - is that the quality of live phone and on- site receptionist service is getting worse. Staffers in those positions seem less capable and competent than in the past. And, they seem to be severely lacking in basic customer relation skills, such as friendliness, apathy, and focus.
Whether or not your school or college heavily uses online transactions to support clients, I encourage all organizations to take a hard look at how effective your live support is at the moment. If your brand promise includes small classes and personal attention, you had better make sure you are demonstrating this in the service process. In other words, walk the walk, don't just talk the talk. It may be the one key ingredient to differentiate your school in a sea of sameness in the landscape of bad service. The staff member that answers the phone or greets the visitor is the president or head of school at that moment in time. There is no interaction that is more important.
Did You Mean to Post That?
With all of the different social media communication tools that schools and colleges have now at their disposal, I continue to notice an interesting phenomenon. I follow countless schools and colleges on our ISA Twitter account as a way to get a read on their collective marketing and communication strategies. I continue to notice that there is often a communication gap between the school's brand and intended messaging and what they are posting on social media.
If your school or college has adopted a specific positioning platform or messaging construct, wouldn't it make sense to live that concept out through social media strategies? Most schools and colleges spend a lot of time and money birthing a brand to live out on the web and in print media. Why aren't the photos, videos, and other content they post to social media also communicating the same message? My guess is that they are disconnected by personnel or division: the right hand is not talking with the left.
I remember when you might look at a school or college website next to their view book and find they did not appear similar simply because they were produced by different vendors. I suspect the same issue is at work here. Social media is a mainstream communication tool and must be managed by the professionals, just like any other medium.
Don't confuse activity with meaning. Just because you can post something interesting doesn't mean you should post it. Communicate with meaning in your social media and make sure it builds upon your brand.
Is Education The New Renaissance?
Just like other educators and trend-watchers, I have spent a lot of time writing and speaking about the changing landscape of American education. From pricing to delivery to the nexus of skills that we expect students to acquire through education, it is evident that we are in the midst of a pivot point. However, I find that most of what I am reading from others describes the future as nearly a myriad of doomsday scenarios, while I believe that we are simply on the cusp of a needed rebirth of education. There is no question that education will continue to experience change in the future, but I am not sure that the "sky is falling" and our system of education will fall with it. Here is why.
I believe we are in the midst of a new renaissance in education. The next decade will be marked by advances that will define the future, boggle our mind, and enhance the learning experience in the future. Progressive ideas in education will win out, with learner-centric focus, high integration of technology, and a more stratified set of consumer choices available. Education will be available to more people in different ways, from online learning to hybrid to in residence, each with a different cost and quality combination. What's not to like?
I also believe that integration always follows innovation. If that age old axiom is true, the current systems and processes will collectively work out their collaborative wrinkles and create a new system of learning, delivery, and pricing that will work in a integrated fashion. It will take time and energy, but it will create a stronger system in the long haul.
I really believe that we in the midst of a rebirth in education and it will produce exciting changes that we will all collectively witness. The only doomsday I think could happen are the schools and colleges that fail to innovate and determine where they stand in the mix of the new system. It will be difficult - nearly impossible - for all institutions of learning to do all things well. I think organizations will have to choose their strategy wisely from their core competencies and find the right market position for them. But, those that fail to acknowledge the change and the implications on their environment will potentially suffer consequences.
Is education the new Renaissance? I sure think it is has the potential to experience a rebirth unlike any other industry. As far as I can see from my experiences, the future holds exciting times to be embraced, not to be feared.
Choice Produces Stratification
A constant theme of virtually any discussion I have about the strategic future of education is the role of technology. Key issues inside this theme include the quality of future delivery of education, access and the range of audiences, and the decreased cost - and revenue - of an educational platform favoring delivery through technology. There are some folks in the discussion who believe that technology is the panacea that will kill the residential college and the role of independent schools.
The more I grapple with this issue I come to the conclusion that the future if education is a stratification of choices. Just like any other commodity - cars, phones, or hotels - there will be different price points, quality of delivery, and client service levels. MOOC's may play a role in the introduction of an institution to a consumer, but I don't think they will provide the whole consumer process. The end state will be more access to differing levels of education - access points will be diverse and far-ranging - and the key will be for schools and colleges to determine what space they want to play.
Sure, the times they are a changing. But, haven't we seen these trends in other industries. I don't think residential colleges will go by the wayside like the role if travel agents. They are far too important to the mainstream of Americana. But, they will have to adapt and address pricing in this context. It is an interesting time in the world of education. We have much to look forward to and much to learn along the way.
Reflections from The Summit
I am just traveling back from Boston, reflecting upon the EdSocial Media Summit held at Walnut Hill School today. If you are unfamiliar with the event, it is rapidly becoming the annual gathering of some of the brightest minds and social media evangelists. I spoke at the inaugural conference last year in San Francisco, and returned this year for a second talk on viral videos. About 160 gathered today to listen to the strongest thinkers in the social media business.
Keep in mind that we are a strategy firm - not a social media outlet. I am interested in social media as a marketing communication and engagement strategy. The tools are less important to me, but the consumer or client is most important to us. My takeaways? I have two that bear mentioning.
1) Social media is no longer an emerging media tool, but it is clearly mainstream. While it is still emerging, growing, expanding, and taking all sorts of forms and directions, it has clearly been adopted by the most traditional industry (education) as a primary means of communication with different stakeholders. The thoughtful attention that schools and colleges are placing into video production, engagement tools, and the ROI necessary to warrant the investment of human resources is rapidly growing. And, judging from the research shared today, more prospective college students are seeing social media as a primary information source to both explore and make final decisions about their future college.
2) The same old marketing adages still apply in the social media world. No new rules here, regardless of the tools. Know your audiences, their needs, their context, and their expectations. Understand that they want to see themselves in the picture in social media. And, always be client-centered in all that you produce in social media. The institutionally driven story has never been appealing, but it is even less appealing in social media.
Watch our Twitter feed and this blog for the photos and videos that emerge from today. All of the presentations were recorded and will be featured on the EdSocial Media site.
Ed Social Media Summit
I am heading to the Ed Social Media Summit in Boston today to speak on the topic of viral videos tomorrow. The Summit is a one-of-a-kind event that focuses on the use of social media as an educational tool - from management to marketing - and will feature some of the nation's leading voices in this area. Watch our Twitter feed as I will be posting some good takeaways from the conference. My talk on Viral Videos will be made public soon by video from the good folks at Ed Social Media.