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About GDA Integrated Services
Market Research Telemarketing
Integrated Marketing Plans
Direct Mail
Integrated Communications
Website Design
Electronic Communications
“Guaranteed Visibility”
Printed Communications
Public Relations Counsel
Video Production Fundraising Communications
GDA Integrated Services is a market research, consulting and services firm specializing in customized, integrated marketing solutions to help colleges and universities compete successfully for students, funding and visibility in the 21st century.
Services include:
2006 Tri-State Conference
Integrating Print and Electronic
Communication Flows
Presenters:Christopher SmallJonathan Steele
How Do Students Communicate with Colleges?
GDAIS conducts on-going research with college bound high school students from the applicant and inquiry pools of colleges and universities across the country in order to find out how students approach the college search process.
When do students begin their college search?
Before their senior year: 95%Before their junior year: 58%Before their sophomore year: 20%Before entering high school: 2%
How have students received most of their information about colleges?
Information mailed to their homes: 51%Internet: 46%College fair/night: 12%Visit to campus: 9%High school guidance counselor: 6%College guide book: 6%
Which format do they find most useful in their college search?
Paper: 51%Electronic: 35%Both equally: 14%
Which format do they prefer to use in their communication with the admissions office?
Paper: 44% Electronic: 42%Both equally: 14%
Students described how they were most likely to contact a college in which they became interested:
Very likely
Likely Not likely
A college's Website 42% 47% 11%
A college search Website 39% 40% 21%
An e-mail to the college 32% 46% 22%
A letter or postcard to the college
25% 31% 47%
A telephone call to the college
6% 29% 65%
Who is listening?
As many as 75% of most colleges’ inquiries do not realize they are even in your inquiry pool.
Fewer than 20% consider you among their top five choices
One in ten is a realistic applicant
Interpreting the Research
Students are starting the college search earlierMore students are using the Web for college information and skipping traditional communication patterns Students still like to read print publicationsElectronic is quickly catching print as the medium of choiceColleges need to develop a 24 month integrated print and electronic communications planPay attention to those who are listening to you
Don’t be afraid to promote the distinctiveness of your institutionFocus on features and benefitsTiming is everything
Investment benefitsConsumption benefits
Getting MORE from Your Communication Flow
Keep messages clear and concise
Limit messages to one at a time
Don’t be afraid to repeat messagesIntegrated print and electronicAlways have a response mechanism to see who is paying attention - The bounceback principle
Respond quickly to those who respond to you
Develop ways to measure the effectiveness of every communication deviceDon’t forget the phone!!!
Getting EVEN MORE from Your Communication Flow
Too many audience constituenciesInternal vs. ExternalNavigationAnonymity (post and pray)No follow-through
Solutions:Use e-mail to make communications active (rather than passive)Single-Message Mini-websitesCapturing Data
Problems with College Websites:
Encourage them to respond:Call to action – in print and online
Have them log in
Pay attention to what they say
Follow up
Develop one-to-one relationships:
Don’t smother them with automation
Make it personal
Chat with them
Call them
Send them personal notes
Communicating with Students: Develop a dialog
Mix official and unofficial sourcesCoordinate print with electronicFocus on single messages, and use timing to tell the storyAlways include a Bounceback mechanism
Out-bound Messages
Segment your audience constituenciesDrive them to your Website with e-mail – the Bounceback PrincipleGuide them to the messages YOU want them to hearDevelop a series of single-message communications, spool them out over timeTrack their progress and get feedbackMeasure your results and adapt
Communicating with Students: E-mail
E-mail is cheap – too cheap, (we’re bombarding students)CAN-SPAM, blacklists, and whitelistsSender ID and SPF – Doesn’t that have something to do with sunscreen?G-mail: Google enters the scene with e-mail, IM/Chat - Are you ready?
57% from Hotmail27% from Yahoo16% from AOL, MSN, and Comcast (per Return Path)
The Pitfalls of E-mail
Instant Messaging is growing exponentially as a communication mediumOnline Chats vs. IM: host them on your site or join the students on Yahoo, AOL, and Gmail?Blogs: helpful or harmful?Podcasts: build these on content (don’t make a blah-cast)RSS: the new way of delivering web contentSocial Networking: facebook.com, MySpace.com (WOM Marketing in the digital medium)Where we’re headed:
Increased customizationContent on demandData management will be critical
What’s Next
Keep an eye on these trendsStudents will adopt new technology fastestThey expect and demand colleges to keep up
Don’t lose focus: the old rules still applyBuild a communication flowMake your case over timeUse a mix of print and electronic communicationRepeat messages until it hurts!Get feedback from students and tailor your appealIt’s still about people: personal connections and good stories
Great, now I have a headache…
GDA Integrated Services
33 Main Street, Suite FOld Saybrook CT 06475
860-388-3958fax: 860-388-0595
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