Institutional Marketing Strategies & Communication Plans
The vision, mission, and message of an institution must be adopted and implemented from the top down. The means, then, by which these are conveyed and communicated to various audiences should likewise be developed and implemented as part of an institutional “master plan.” It is counterintuitive to allow the mission and message of the institution to be interpreted and conveyed as is deemed most appropriate by each department for each program; such can quickly become a case of “each doing what is right in his own eyes.”
The primary outcomes sought by the creation and implementation of an comprehensive strategy should be evident: a consistent institutional message that is effectively and appropriately communicated through various means to various audiences; better management and control of marketing spending for all areas of the institution; reliability in setting and meeting deadlines; creative collaboration to arrive at the best possible solution(s) to every marketing challenge; and consistently dependable and innovative deliverables, on time and on budget.
Before developing a master plan, we must determine a process that ensures the effectiveness of the plan. If we want to make sure we’re addressing the right issues, we have to make sure we are asking the right questions. Those questions and their respective answers provide the framework by which a process for developing an effective institutional marketing strategy can be created.
Our Process:
Identifying the Need: Who is your college and what are its objectives?
Identifying the Target Audience: Who is your college trying to reach?
Determining the Message(s): What does your college want to convey?
Developing the Strategy: Seeing the big picture
Determining the Methods: Where does your college find and reach its audience?
Developing an Institutional Strategic Marketing and Communications Plan