Preliminary Audit Report

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Lawrence G. Golden

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Audit Report prepared by Sandra Golden & Associates March 2005 2 Table of Contents Topic Page Introduction 3 Summary of Key Recommendations 4 Observations and Strengths 6 Recommendations: Integrated Marketing Plan 8 Research 12 Curriculum/Curriculum Delivery 13 Services 17 Recruitment 19 Inquiry Follow-up 25 Retention 26 Promotion/Marketing Communications 28 3 Introduction Sandra Golden, President, and Lawrence Golden, Executive Vice President, Sandra Golden & Associates, visited Western Nebraska Community College on March 2 and 3, 2005, to conduct an audit of its college marketing and public relations programs and activities. They met with more than 120 individuals, representing faculty, administration, support staff, college relations, admissions and support services, CBIT, WNCC and high school students, parents and counselors, and community representatives from the overall service area, Alliance and the Guadalupe Center. Our thanks go to these individuals for their time and information. We especially want to thank Shari Rosso, Heath Martin and Dr. Tim Alvarez for organizing and coordinating our visit. Prior to the visit, the consultants reviewed college print and promotional materials, as well as college data and previous research. These are analyzed in the following report, along with additional information and observations based on the meetings. Discussed in the audit ...

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Enya

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Audit Report prepared by Sandra Golden & Associates March 2005

Table of Contents Topic Introduction Summary of Key Recommendations Observations and Strengths Recommendations: Integrated Marketing Plan Research Curriculum/Curriculum Delivery Services Recruitment Inquiry Follow-up Retention Promotion/Marketing Communications aPeg 34 6 1 28 1 31197 25 2286 2

3 Introduction Sandra Golden, President, and Lawrence Golden, Executive Vice President, Sandra Golden & Associates, visited Western Nebraska Community College on March 2 and 3, 2005, to conduct an audit of its college marketing and public relations programs and activities. They met with more than 120 individuals, representing faculty, administration, support staff, college relations, admissions and support services, CBIT, WNCC and high school students, parents and counselors, and community representatives from the overall service area, Alliance and the Guadalupe Center. Our thanks go to these individuals for their time and information. We especially want to thank Shari Rosso, Heath Martin and Dr. Tim Alvarez for organizing and coordinating our visit. Prior to the visit, the consultants reviewed college print and promotional materials, as well as college data and previous research. These are analyzed in the following report, along with additional information and observations based on the meetings. Discussed in the audit report are the consultants observations and recommendations. Summaries of the group interviews/focus groups are available in a separate document. Interviews from the audit will look at what is happening now, what perceptions there are of image, what individuals feel is effective in marketing and what they feel could be improved. Consultantsr ecommendations introduce each section in bold/italics. Following each is a discussion for each recommendation. Marketing will be analyzed in the broadest sense to include: market research, curriculum delivery, services, promotion, recruitment, inquiry follow-up and retention. In addition to the on-site audit, Sandra Golden & Associates will be conducting a community perception telephone survey. Results of this will be analyzed in a separate report. Together, these two reports will present a base of data and marketing recommendations to enable the college to develop a strategic marketing plan.

4Summary of Key Recommendations The report that follows will discuss in detail our observations on image and marketing and an analysis of what approaches the college can develop and implement to enhance this image. Listed below are priority recommendations, all of which are further discussed in the report. Integrated marketing plan Develop a college-wide marketing team and integrated marketing plan. Such a plan needs to involve a broad constituency, approach marketing broadly, be action-oriented, and consider an overall college-wide approach. Research Use information from community surveys for marketing implications and baseline. Develop on-going systematic approaches to measure and evaluate marketing efforts. Curriculum/ Curriculum Delivery Continue to evaluate and expand, as appropriate, curriculum and flexible delivery options. - Expand curriculum offerings, as appropriate, particularly through partnerships with workforce development, health care, and educational organizations - Expand flexible delivery options as appropriate to better serve the non-traditional student Continue development of programming through CBIT and Alliance Center Enhance targeted program marketing Services Review and enhance phone answering Review and enhance internal communication, including reinstating staff meetings Add housing when possible Recruitment Continue and enhance a pro-active recruitment program in the high schools, community, and for special targeted groups, including Hispanics.

5 Inquiry Follow-Up Implement a comprehensive college-wide communications flow system to do written and telemarketing follow-up through the inquiry/admissions/registration process and track information for future decisions. Retention Develop and analyze data on retention and add new programs to assist students as needed. Continue support services through programs such as YES, SI. Use direct mail, e-mail, phone calls for retention. Promotion/Marketing Communications Develop a written, pro-active marketing communications plan to outline strategies, messages, tools, audiences, budget and evaluation of publications, advertising, media and other marketing communications approaches. Develop a consistent graphic design, with available templates, and consistent messages/slogan to create an enhanced image and branding for the college, and apply this to all key pieces. Develop key facts, benefits and testimonials to create this message. Enhance and/or create major print pieces, including a first contact piece, upgraded schedule, program or program cluster pieces, financial aid piece, CBIT materials and an external newsletter. - Create new materials and/or enhance existing materials as discussed in the report. - Enhance the schedule as a marketing piece and evaluate distribution. Also create a template design for advertising, with a campaign theme approach, while still allowing for a variety of advertising purposes. Review media used for advertising as well as schedule distribution. Continue and enhance media relations, and continue efforts to redesign the web site.

6 Observations and Strengths Western Nebraska Community College serves a broad geographic area of 12 counties, primarily rural, with a relatively small population base. It also draws students from adjacent states, as well as internationally. Its main campus is in Scottsbluff, with Centers in Alliance and Sidney. The college has many strengths on which to build and many successes in serving its students. Further, there are very concrete approaches and activities, outlined in the recommendations of this audit report, that can be implemented and will have an impact on enrollment and student success. Among strengths: • The college has a friendly, caring atmosphere and is well known and respected in the community. • Capable faculty and staff are in place across the board and are supportive of enhancing marketing efforts, including the executive team and employees at all levels. The president was acknowledged in many of our audit groups for his long-standing positive leadership in the college and community. The new college relations and admissions directors, who will lead the enhanced marketing efforts, are both very capable and knowledgeable about the directions needed to move the college forward in these areas. The audit and research further testify to the commitment to moving forward on this initiative. • The college offers a broad range of transfer courses, career programs and customized training, with some programs unique to the area such as aviation maintenance and the planned Powerline program. • Flexible scheduling currently includes some offerings in the evening, weekend, and on-line. • The Center for Business and Individual Training will be opening a new facility with state of the art technology and including a number of important curriculum areas. • The college has nationally recognized sports teams, with outstanding community attendance and media coverage. • Its music/theatre program is also well recognized. • The college has worked closely with business and workforce development in the area. Representatives we met with indicated there is also great potential in expanding these types of programs. The new Alliance Center director was

• • • • • commended for relationships he has established with these community representatives. 7Students had positive comments on the institution, calling it caring, friendly, and understanding student needs. The Guadalupe Center does a good job of serving the Hispanic community with a variety of programs. Special support programs, such as YES and SI were praised for their assistance. The college has on-campus housing. Opportunities to expand this will also be important. WNCC has a significant enrollment from neighboring states, as well as internationally, adding to its diversity.

8 Recommendations Integrated marketing plan Develop a college-wide marketing team and integrated marketing plan. Such a plan needs to involve a broad constituency, approach marketing broadly, be action-oriented, and consider an overall college-wide approach. The college needs to develop an overall college-wide marketing team and integrated plan. A full marketing plan would include all areas referred to in the marketing cycle/model that the consultants discussed in the audit. (Copy follows) It includes research, curriculum delivery, services, promotion, recruitment and personal contacts, inquiry follow-up and retention. To be most successful, marketing needs to be understood by and involve a broad base of college personnel and the plan needs to have wide input in its development and implementation. Such a coordinated overall marketing plan would identify goals, target audiences, activities, along with action steps including milestones, timelines, person responsible and evaluation outcomes. The audit and research will serve as initial steps to provide this data, recommendations and understanding for the marketing plan and directions. A workshop involving a broad base of college personnel is further recommended as a way to disseminate this information, create buy-in and motivation and involve a team to create the plan through an organized process and structure. Once the plan is developed it needs to be implemented and monitored, under the leadership of a permanent Marketing Task Force. The college community also needs to be kept informed of marketing plans and progress.

9 As the chart shows, marketing is an on-going process, focused on meeting student needs. Effective marketing considers the following elements: Research. We need concrete answers to questions such as why students choose our institution, how they found out about us, what services and programs they want, etc. These answers can come from such sources as formal research studies, focus groups, logging responses to inquiries. Product: Curriculum/Curriculum Delivery. Here we look not only at what you are teaching, but also when, where? Are alternative delivery methods such as TV, Internet, short-term classes, evenings and weekends part of the mix? Product: Services. How customer-friendly are services from phones to front line offices? Promotion/Marketing Communications. How effective are print materials, ads, media, and the web in reaching target audiences with the right message? Recruitment/Inquiry Follow-up. What kinds of personal recruiting are included, from high school visits, to fairs, Speakers Bureau, contact with campus visitors? Is there a follow-up system that moves students from inquiry through application and enrollment? Does the system track the yield through the various stages and include segmented, sequential contacts and communications? Retention. How well are we retaining students and providing services such as early alert, orientation, tutoring, mentoring, etc., to encourage student success? Evaluation. How do we evaluate our efforts and build a system to improve and implement changes?

01 Include reaching community stakeholders and audiences, in addition to students/potential students, as a full PR/marketing plan is developed. While much of the focus of typical college marketing plans is to reach and serve students, the college has many other stakeholders and audiences (see chart below) who need to be informed of the colleges mission, directions, value and needs in order to gain their support as well. How to use marketing communications effectively to reach all these audiences is discussed in more detail in the promotions section of this report. What should be understood is that a colleges marketing and overall public relations messages are interrelated and should create a shared image and branding. The same ad or news story that features successful alumni, for example, not only attracts potential students, but also helps create an image for legislators, business leaders, donors and the public that highlights the colleges value in providing trained workers for economic development. As WNCC continues to enhance its image and communicate its message, it is important that each of these audiences is reached as part of its marketing communications. Target audiences Higher education serves a diverse set of target audiences, many of which are listed below. Typical Target Audiences in Higher Education Students Business Potential students To employ students Employees/prospective employees: To use college for education and Faculty training of their employees Administrators To serve on career advisory committees Support staff Community groups/civic leaders Board members Education groups and leaders Alumni Legislators Donors Voters, taxpayers Media Individuals who may attend college events

11In looking at this list, we can group them into four major areas for attention and action desired: Key Audiences - Marketing Communications Internal (To have knowledge of the institution and help promote that image) Help internal audiences gain knowledge of the institution and understand their role in internal and external communications. Potential students and student influencers (To attend) Understand the value and benefits of an education at a community college to encourage enrollment. Community (To gain support, including votes, donations) Understand the value and impact of the college to the community and the benefits available to its citizens so they support its goals and activities. Media (To gain information and carry the message) To establish open lines of communication with key media and provide materials that they are likely to use; To establish an internal understanding of the role of the media and what kinds of stories they are looking for.

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