Virginia Western-VCCA 2008

By Margaret Boyes and Debbie WeeksBy Margaret Boyes and Debbie Weeks

Virginia Western Community CollegeVirginia Western Community College

How does aHow does acommunity community college college “Express “Express Yourself” Yourself” without a without a printed printed schedule?schedule?

ObjectivesObjectives

• Demonstrate that a printed schedule may not be the death of college enrollment.

• Show how a creative marketing approach that is versatile and allows for targeted messages can energize promotion, affect enrollment, and may even be more cost-effective.

Intended AudienceIntended Audience

• Anyone interested in eliminating a printed schedule.

The Tale Began…The Tale Began…• Not with a meeting

• Not with a note

• Not with an email

• Not with a passing conversation in the hallway

• But by hearing the news through the college grapevine

Just The Facts, Ma’amJust The Facts, Ma’am• Virginia Western had been

experiencing declining enrollment for all of the ‘05 and ‘06 semesters

• The directive was to eliminate the printed schedule

• There was a little over two months before fall registration was to begin

• Our community had been getting the class schedule in the newspaper

Planning? What Planning?Planning? What Planning?

• Can you say PANIC?

• Now, think quickly!– Timing with market research firm on

campus. Use data wisely.

Market Research…Market Research…

• Sandra Golden and Associates– Focus groups (14), community perception

study (400), two-day workshop

• What did they find?– The largest segment of our population was

between the age of 50-59 (28.5%)– The second largest segment was age 17-29

(26.5%)– People wanted to hear from Virginia Western

via direct mail, which we were not doing– The overall awareness of the college was

good, but could be improved

Personal ResearchPersonal Research

• VCCS Distribution Email

• Sandra Golden Associates– The Community College of Baltimore

County.

• Summer 2002– Eliminate mailing to outlying zip codes in

Baltimore County that had lowest draw rates– Stop mailing schedule to currently enrolled

students. Instead, send a post card announcing early registration dates/times, etc., and that schedule was available for pick up on campus

• Spring 2003– Suppressed additional zip codes

• Fall 2003– Eliminate class schedule mailing to all county

residents, except those residing in six zip codes immediately surrounding three main campuses

– All other residents received brochures

CCBC -- Their StoryCCBC -- Their Story

• Winter/Spring 2004– Eliminate all residential mailings of class schedule– First time they produced combined winter/spring

course schedule, which they also did for summer/fall

– Residents received a brochure– NOTE- during this process, data they received

revealed no significant correlation between enrollment and receipt of schedules or brochure within a particular zip code

• Winter Spring 2005– For this semester, they honored a request by

someone to mail schedules to the six surrounding zip codes near their three main campuses

CCBC -- Their StoryCCBC -- Their Story

• Summer/Fall 2005, Winter/Spring 2006, Summer/Fall 2006– No residents were mailed class schedules.– With budget cuts in ‘06, they also mailed a

postcard versus the brochure, which they sent to zip codes with at least 25 students previously enrolled.

– For fall 2006, the direct mail recruitment postcard was replaced with Link, a 12-page magazine style recruitment brochure with online component, stories demonstrating CCBC’s impact and value, and a center spread promoting credit and non-credit programs.

– This piece was mailed to all Baltimore County residents.

CCBC -- Their StoryCCBC -- Their Story

Now, back to Virginia Now, back to Virginia WesternWestern

• What do we do now?• Clear up some misunderstanding

– A course schedule would be on campus for those who’d like to stop by or for those who’d like one mailed to them

• Develop a Strategy– Use our new theme to get the message across

– Utilize direct mail for total service region coverage

– Change our web site to be more user friendly

– Utilize student ambassadors to field calls and mail requests for schedules

Roll Out…Roll Out…

• And here’s how we did it.

Postcard #1Postcard #1

It arrived in early July to coincide with the fall schedule posting on web

Fall BookletFall Booklet

It arrived about two weeks after the postcard

Express Express Change!Change!

Roanoke newspaper ad

Postcard #2Postcard #2

It arrived about three weeks after the booklet, and two weeks before the opportunity to enroll for courses ended.

OurOur message was key message was key• Express Change!

• Utilize top 10 reasons to attend Virginia Western

• Promote benefits of online registration• Provide a number to call if a printed

schedule was needed by mail• List registration period and first day of

classes

Why this theme?Why this theme?

• It allowed for flexibility of messages

• It allowed for visual flexibility

• It allowed for showcasing the college

• It allowed for creativity

Why this theme?Why this theme?

• It allowed for a great tag linewith a memorable message– Express achievement, ambition,

compassion, courage, diversity, excitement, hope, humility, joy, motivation, opportunity, possibilities, promise, respect, success …

Some Market Research Results …Some Market Research Results …

• Some of the community perception findings:

– We needed to stick with a theme. Do not change it every year or often.

– People wanted to hear from us via the mail.

– Second choice was through the Internet with the newspapers garnering third place.

– Overall awareness of Virginia Western is fairly good, but could be improved.

– Of the 400 respondents, 48% said they saw advertising that was specific to Virginia Western.

You Look Marvelous You Look Marvelous Dahling…Dahling…

• The rationale for the visuals and cohesiveness of our new look and our new message.

Our course schedule booklet–Our course schedule booklet–the OLD way…the OLD way…

2007-08 academic year’s booklets

Our semester booklet–Our semester booklet–the NEW way…the NEW way…

Web advertisementWeb advertisement

Leaderboard advertisement on Roanoke.com, the online version of The Roanoke Times, promoting fall registration and driving viewers to our web for course listings.

fall08vwcc2.swf

The redesigned web scheduleThe redesigned web schedule

Fall ’07-June mailer

Promoting the new initiative-Promoting the new initiative-the postcard seriesthe postcard series

Postcard seriesPostcard series

Fall ’07-August mailer

Postcard seriesPostcard series

Spring ’08-October mailer

Postcard seriesPostcard series

Spring ’08-December mailer

Second iterationSecond iteration

Our Our semester semester bookletbooklet

Postcard series-second iterationPostcard series-second iteration

Fall ’08-July mailer

SUCCESS!SUCCESS!

• Student services saw about 100 more students per day for the first two days of registration.

• When other pieces appeared in houses and with the additional media coverage, there were spikes in the number of students seen by counselors.

• After classes began and for the first two weeks of classes we were at an 8% increase in FTES.

Enrollment Comparison-Fall ’06-Fall ’07Enrollment Comparison-Fall ’06-Fall ’07First fall semester without a printed schedule.First fall semester without a printed schedule.

As of October 22, 2007, the As of October 22, 2007, the college’s Fall FTES were college’s Fall FTES were 2.6% above Fall 2006.2.6% above Fall 2006.

Through October 22, 2007Through October 22, 2007

Enrollment Comparison Enrollment Comparison Fall ’07-Fall ’08 FTESFall ’07-Fall ’08 FTESSecond fall semester without a printed schedule.Second fall semester without a printed schedule.

Through September 9, 2008Through September 9, 2008

As of September 9, 2008, As of September 9, 2008, the college’s Fall FTES the college’s Fall FTES were 7.4% above Fall 2007.were 7.4% above Fall 2007.

• Printed Schedule – Fall 2006 – 48 pages, offset paper,

8.5” X 11”– 137,000 print quantity

• Printing cost $37,063• Design cost $1,900• Insertion cost $16,440•TOTAL = $55,403

Whadya Pay for Alla That?Whadya Pay for Alla That?

• Postcard – Fall 2007– Glossy card stock, 9” x 6”– 146,000 print quantity

• Printing cost $2,527• Paper cost $2,128• Handling cost $1,500• Postage cost $9,556•TOTAL = $15,756

» X2 = $30,352

Whadya Pay for Alla That?Whadya Pay for Alla That?

• Booklet – Fall 2007– 16 pages, glossy paper

8.5” X 11”– 146,000 print quantity

• Printing cost $16,370• Handling cost $1,513• Postage cost $11,004•TOTAL = $28,887

Whadya Pay for Alla That?Whadya Pay for Alla That?

So, whatcha doin’ now?So, whatcha doin’ now?

• Keeping on track.– Still plan to use Express Yourself.

– Still plan to utilize direct mail, which we also are using to communicate with high school students.

– Continue to do other media as we have done.

– We have stuck our big toe into the Internet world of Facebook, and we’ll see how that continues to grow for us.

Thank you!Thank you!

Questions?Questions?