10 SIF Project 4: Contact Person: Technology-Driven Branding, Marketing, and Recruitment Strategies Tony Gauvin, Associate Professor of ecommerce and Bruce Smith E-mail: tonyg@maine.edu Office: 834-7519 Program Description: To achieve financial stability, UMFK needs to meet its enrollment goals. Thus, this proposal seeks to further develop UMFK s technology-driven marketing and recruitment strategies to attract prospective millennial students into academic programs that meet the workforce needs of Maine, as well as to conduct a market analysis for new high-demand programs that will serve new populations in the state. UMFK has excellent web designers, programmers, and technicians; however, is lacking in web marketing experience. This project will help address Internet and web marketing and recruiting recommendations provided by Eduventures and SEM Works and monitor expected outcomes for success by developing and implementing a closed loop Internet Marketing and Recruiting Strategy. UMFK will engage an Internet marketing consultant with key UMFK personnel to develop an Internet Marketing and Recruiting Strategy consistent with current potential student desires and college selections models, implementation methods for those strategies, and metrics that can used to refine and measure progress of the strategy. It is expected that strategies would include Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Search Engine Advertising (SOA), Internet advertising, social networking, and e-mail marketing campaigns. A web development contracting team and student interns will be hired to implement the specific consultation recommendations and develop the automated behavioral and performance metric system. Training of key UMFK personnel on the new implementations and performance and behavioral metric systems will be conducted to ensure knowledge transfer and enable more effective use of the Internet-marketing channels in the future. The consultants and contractors will remain with the project through one entire marketing cycle (one academic year) of developing desired strategic marketing objectives and outcomes, help create marketing messages specific to the Internet media channel, measure progress towards achieving the outcomes or objectives and further refine marketing messages and techniques based on the analysis of the performance metrics and behavioral data. The project will cover two additional marketing cycles were refinements and adjustments will be implemented to ensure the long term success of this project. Relation to SIF Priorities and Serve Citizens of Maine: This proposal is consistent with the following FY 2012 Strategic Investment Fund priorities: 1) Enrollment Management proposals that expand recruitment activities; and 2) Marketing proposals that market the unique aspects of our universities and their programs, while complimenting the System-wide branding and marketing initiative. In addition, this proposal zeroes in on UMFK s first strategic goals to: 1) Strategically position and market UMFK as a quality experiential-learning campus that capitalizes on its unique character and strengths, including its quality academic programs, small size, personal attention, geographic location, and cultural setting; 2) Develop, adopt, and periodically assess a program-centered approach to recruitment and admissions that provides UMFK s academic programs with a sustainable number of demographically diverse college-ready students; and 3) To ensure stable financial resources sufficient to sustain the achievement of the University's mission and educational objectives and to advance institutional improvement now and in the foreseeable future.
Benefits to the state include a more educated workforce, attract revenue from out-of-state students to help keep education affordable and accessible for Maine residents, so our economy has the entrepreneurs, employees and leaders we need for a strong quality of life. Outcomes: The following measureable outcomes of this project will be tied to UMFK s Enrollment Management Plan and include: 1) Increased enrollment and exposure for UMFK s academic programs and special initiatives 2) The creation of an online brand for UMFK consistent with UMFK s vision and mission 3) The creation of program specific recruitment and marketing websites built with the specific intention of recruiting potential students to UMFK. This website will be similar to UMFK fact sheets and marketing brochures and serve to entice the visitors to explore UMFK offerings by linking into the existing UMFK website. 4) Search engine optimization of the new UMFK program marketing websites along with the existing UMFK site allowing WWW users to find the websites when performing WWW search based on their educational and career objectives. The current website s all in one construction does match up well with current search engine algorithms. 5) A automated mechanism and a strategy for the collection and analysis of Internet user s behavioral data to enhance targeting, positioning and differentiation of academic programs and UMFK initiatives 6) A mechanism and a strategy for the collection and analysis of Internet market technology performance data 7) A comprehensive and cohesive strategy for using Internet social networking to enhance brand and communicate the UMFK story as well as serving as an advertising and communications medium. 8) A strategy and implementation for using Google Ad Words and Adsense to drive more potential students to our websites and possibly generate additional revenues to offset costs of marketing. http://www.google.com/intl/en/ads/ 9) The transition of topical knowledge from the consultant/contractor team to UMFK faculty/staff and students through formal and informal training sessions. 10) The proposal can serve as a pilot project for other rural UMS campuses. Lessons learned from this project are easily implemented at other campuses. Benchmarks: By the end of year 2, enroll an estimated 75 more students, generate 120 acceptances, 180 applications, 325 inquiries, and 1,000 hits to our website. More importantly in the long run, by piloting and measuring various marketing and recruitment strategies and tactics, learn from this investment how to adjust our marketing so it is more cost-effective in the future. Project Schedule and Milestones: September, 2011 prepare and circulate RFP for Consultant and Contractors October, 2011 --engage Internet-marketing consultants and begin process of evaluating UMFK Internet marketing needs and develop recommendation to satisfy needs. January, 2012 Encage contractor team begin implementations of the recommendations and behavioral and performance metric analytical engine March, 2012 - complete implementations and begin collecting performance and behavioral data April August, 2012 collect and analyze behavioral and make adjustments as necessary to the Internet marketing implementations and messages September, 2012 - assess success of the project by looking at students enrollment at UMFK and greater interaction with the CRSD and Acadian Archives 11
12 Project Duration: The project is intended to be completed within fiscal year 2012. There will be some refinements of the system in FY 2013 and 2014 after systems metrics are evaluated and adjustments are determined. MS Project will be used to refine and track the project as it is implemented. Requested Investment and Budget ($182,960): Please see the detailed budget, which further explains the components of this integrated branding, marketing, and recruitment proposal. The budget includes costs for project coordinator ($8,000), benefits ($3,960), web and admission student employees ($16,000), a Search Engine Optimization Reviewer ($45,000), a Web Developer ($30,000), new program market analysis ($25,000), employee training ($10,000), supplies and materials ($5,000), and advertising/marketing pilots ($40,000). Scalable, Transformative, Innovative: This project is designed with scalable marketing and recruiting techniques. Marketing strategies using the Internet have become a tool for innovation and transformation by adding value to an institution. Increased Efficiencies, Cost Reduction, Generation of New Revenues: The Internet is the preferred medium for information gathering of the millennial generation, with 84% of potential college students using the Internet to make choices about which college to attend. Internet marketing provides the biggest bang for the buck in terms of advertising exposure. This would increase efficiencies (less money spent) and effectiveness (greater reach and results) of UMFK marketing efforts. Such efficiencies and effectiveness makes UMFK a good steward of the public monies. (Source: Eduventures, College Search and the millennial generation, High School Juniors and seniors) Broad Multi-University Impact: n/a Collaboration Across Universities: Make SIF reports available to sister universities so they can benefit from what we learn. This will help us compete effectively with community colleges and private universities, including the for-profits. n/a University Matching : n/a
Self Sustaining: After the awards time period runs out, UMFK personnel with be highly-skilled with the tools they need to continue with the marketing and recruiting techniques. If effective, project will be integrated into UMFK budget. 13
Application for Strategic Investment (SIF) for FY2012 (July 1, 2011 - June 30, 2012) Submitted by: Les Tony Gauvin Phone: 834-7519 Campus: UM UMA UMF X UMFK UMM UMPI USM SWS (if more than one campus will participate in the project, check the box of the campus that will be responsible for administering the funds) This request is for (check one box only): a NEW project that will start on July 1, 2011. The title of the NEW proposed project is: Technology-Driven Marketing and Recruiting The proposed project manager is: Bruce Smith, EM Dean ADDITIONAL funds to be added to EXISTING SIF award project #: Project title: Dept ID: Managed by: Fiscal Year --> FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 EXISTING APPROVED Requested for Year AWARD (if Year Starting Year Starting Year Starting Starting Year Starting Number of years of additional applicable) July 1, 2011 July 1, 2012 July 1, 2013 July 1, July 1, 2015 SIF funding requested: ENTER A BUDGET FOR EACH YEAR THAT YOU ARE REQUESTING SIF FUNDS x 1-year Regular Rate Compensation Project Coordinator 8,000 0 0 0 0 2-year Fringe Benefits 3,960 0 0 0 0 3-year base budget Temporary Rate Compensation 0 0 0 0 0 Fringe Benefits 0 0 0 0 0 0 Student Employee Web & Admissions 16,000 0 0 0 0 Independent Personal Services Market Analysis 25,000 Independent Personal Services SEO Reviewer 45,000 0 0 0 0 Independent Personal Services Web Developer 30,000 Supplies and Materials 5,000 0 0 0 0 Travel 0 0 0 0 0 0 In the SIF application narrative, describe any potential financial impact on other System universities, e.g., revenue / savings / costs. Equipment w/unit cost < $5,000 0 0 0 0 0 0 Equipment w/unit cost => $5,000 0 0 0 0 0 0 Other (identify) Training 10,000 0 0 0 0 Marketing/Advertising Other (identify) Pilots 40,000 0 0 Other (identify)l Requested Investment from SIF $0 $182,960 $0 $0 $0 $0 University or Other Match $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 TOTAL $0 $182,960 $0 $0 $0 $0