HOBOKEN, NJ--(Marketwire - October 6, 2010) - Carol Aslanian, the nationally-recognized adult student and online education expert and Senior Vice President of Market Research and Advisory Services at EducationDynamics, the leading marketing information and technology services company dedicated to helping higher education institutions find, enroll and retain students, announced today that she will present the first annual EducationDynamics Marketing Boot Camp: What it Takes to Market Online Programs in Washington, D.C., October 28-29. The event will share best practices with higher education marketers on launching or expanding enrollments in their online programs.
At the two-day seminar, higher education marketers will explore characteristics of the online student, what prevents potential students from enrolling and what the online student of the future will look like. In addition, attendees will learn how to:
- Identify programs to launch online that will have greatest market appeal
- Use ROI to determine the best marketing tactics
- Communicate effectively with prospective online students
- Use mobile marketing as part of an effective media plan
- Integrate social media into promotional efforts
- Employ trend research in the strategic planning process
The seminar will also include a highly anticipated session on how to build "buy-in" within a campus for an increased budget. While online enrollments are growing, marketing budgets at post-secondary schools remain focused on recruiting for on-campus courses. To assist attendees in making their own case, EducationDynamics will preview a white paper that showcases best practices in advocating for a larger budget dedicated to marketing online programs. Data in the paper were collected through surveys of higher education marketing officers related to their efforts to secure additional funding for marketing online programs. The white paper discusses three principal strategies:
- Present your case effectively -- A critical component when requesting increased dollars to market online programs is to be able to state the case clearly, concisely and in the language that resonates best with the target audience. It may be necessary to prepare multiple "value statements," as the information that piques each decision-makers' interest may differ depending on their role within the organization.
- Identify, track and report success metrics -- "You can't manage what you can't measure" is a basic business truism. This point is driven home by results shown in the white paper: the largest proportion of survey respondents who had not yet successfully made their case for an increased budget had no formal metrics in place to measure the success of their efforts.
- Think, execute and communicate strategically -- To get to "yes," research participants used a few of the following strategies to effectively make their case: use the language of data-driven decision-making; shift the discussion from minimal increases in existing budget allocations to "budgeting by objective"; find advocates such as program heads or faculty leaders to help make the case; under promise, over deliver; and test, evaluate results and make data-driven decisions.
The complete white paper will be available for download in November 2010 at the EducationDynamics website (www.educationdynamics.com). For more information or to reserve your copy in advance, contact Howard Mandel at hmandel@educationdynamics.com.
"The anytime, anywhere delivery of online education is driving demand. But in order to meet that demand, higher education marketers must have the proficiency and skills critical to operate in a crowded and ever more sophisticated marketplace," said Aslanian. "Whether an institution is launching new online programs or expanding those they already offer, effective marketing and outreach will very likely require additional resources at a time when budgets are already strained. Knowing how to successfully address and overcome these constraints is imperative to growth."
Registrations are still being accepted; however, there is limited space available for this seminar. To register, visit http://www.educationdynamics.com/services/market-research/first-annual-online-marketing-boot-camp/.
Editor's Note: If you are a member of the media are interested in attending "What it Takes to Market Online Programs," please contact Lindsey Mikal at lmikal@csg-pr.com to arrange for your complimentary registration.
About EducationDynamics
EducationDynamics is higher education's leading marketing information and technology services company dedicated to helping institutions find, enroll and retain students. Its content-rich and highly visible education websites, including EarnMyDegree.com, EducationConnection.com, eLearners.com, GradSchools.com, StudyAbroad.com and its more than 50 special interest microsites, make EducationDynamics the premier provider of qualified prospective students for colleges and universities. In addition, the company offers a full suite of Web-delivered services proven to drive enrollment growth and reduce student attrition, as well as other innovative solutions including LeadWatchLive, its web-based inquiry management system. Through its Market Research and Advisory Services, the company brings a decade of proprietary research, unparalleled market and student intelligence and best practice insights to its clients. For more information, visit www.educationdynamics.com.
Contact Information:
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(937) 408-9321