welcome to our workshop employer engagement: building effective business relationships uvac...
TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to our workshop
Employer Engagement: Building Effective Business Relationships
UVAC Conference 2013
Today’s workshop
Understanding and exploring relationships and that you can have/or could have with employers
Identifying and developing relationships that you can have employers
Understanding and exploring relationships
Employer satisfaction studies
Student satisfaction studies
Research to support the development of new courses
Research to support the recruitment to new courses
Understanding perceptions of the University
Research to explore how a University’s offering can best be matched to the needs of employers
Define the business issue
Which decisions will be made as a consequence of this research?
Who will be using the findings of the research?
What are the research objectives?
Who will be involved in the research?
What are the outputs of the research?
What are the timings and budgets
Brief
• A great brief is the key to a great research project
• By having all the ingredients in the brief means that the original need for the research can always be referred back to
Building new relationships with employers
Why do we need to build new relationships?• Due to government cuts, there is increased
pressure to generate other revenue streams• New government initiatives to promote –
Higher Apprenticeships, Traineeships and Technology initiatives
• Exploring new opportunities between education and business
Attracting new businessMarketing methods
Initial outlay
Targeted Impact (control over the output)
Return on investment
Social mediaWebsitePR
High Low High Low
ExhibitionsConferences Networking
Very high High Low Low
Advertising Very high High Low Low
Direct mail Very high Average Average Average
Marketing methods
Initial outlay
Targeted Impact (control over the output)
Return on investment
Hosting events
High High Average Average
E-marketing Low Average Average Average
Lead generation
High Very high Very high High
Lead generation
• Lead generation can increase the effectiveness of other marketing activity
• Lead generation is an interactive method of gathering intelligence in REAL TIME
Attitudes to lead generation
A telephone call is only perceived as a sales call when delivered in an unprofessional manner!
How do you use lead generation?
Re-active • “We need more people at an event NEXT WEEK”• “We need more people to sign up to a course NOW!”• “We need employers to sign up new apprentices NOW!”
Proactive • Long term strategy • Integrating with other marketing activity • Building relationships • Building a valuable database• Raising awareness
During campaign Test approach and
refine Update CRM with notes, new email addresses and
names
Post campaignMeasure the
success of the immediate results
Plan follow up activity
Update CRM
Campaign Planning Targeted data – CTPS checked
Punchy + RELEVANT call approach
Post campaign activity resourced
Tips if you use an in-house lead generation team
• Play to the strengths of your team• Allocate dedicated blocks of time • Review and give support where needed• Set targets • Ensure pipeline management is being
completed
Tips if you use an outsourced lead generation partner
• Regard the relationship as a partnership – working towards common objectives
• Provide a clear brief including expected outcomes
• Speak up quickly if the results are not matching your expectations
• Provide feedback on a regular basis• Ensure pipeline management is being
completed
Key to lead generation
• When considering your approach or offer, take a moment to put yourself in “the shoes” of your prospect – why would they be interested?
• Professional persistence is worthwhile. Do not be put off by not being able to reach your ideal prospect immediately!
Lead generation works!
“You were and are a great choice. Taking that call from you four years ago was a great moment for me and for the department.”
