Sep 28th 09 Posted by Brenda Harms

Time for Change – Have You Asked the Right Questions?

If indeed you are considering taking on my challenge of raising the issue with your administration about making some changes to your adult student programs I will caution you to start at the beginning – find out what your students want. So often in higher education we have a tendency to roll out the program that a department is “willing” to allow us to have. Or we design course delivery modes... read more

Sep 25th 09 Posted by Fritz McDonald

Why Should You Worry about Analytics?

Recently, Stamats hired Matt Arnold as our new Interactive Media Consultant. Matt brings an extensive background in interactive media, including more than six years at Capella University where he led communication strategy and managed the online experience. In addition, he has successfully led interactive and technology projects for the National Marrow Donor Program, Medtronic, UnitedHealth, Allstate,... read more

Sep 21st 09 Posted by Becky Morehouse

Starting with end in sight – defining objectives in research studies

The first step in any research project is preparing a written statement of clear research objectives. Beginning with unclear objectives can waste time, effort, and money, as well as produce information that does not sufficiently address the questions at hand. In addition, how you collect the data, the questionnaire content, and the analysis are all driven by the objectives. When developing study objectives... read more

Sep 18th 09 Posted by Eric Sickler

Sharpen Your Campus Visit Experience

A funny thing happened on the way to the campus visit. Well actually, it happened during the campus visit in a roundabout way. Findings in Stamats’ 2009 SUMMER TeensTALK® study shine a bright light on something you’ve probably assumed for years, but may have back-burnered for too long. As college-bound prospective students sorted through their college options late last year, those who placed greatest... read more

Sep 14th 09 Posted by Bob Sevier

Key Themes of Strategic Planning

In a previous post I outlined a broad definition of strategic planning (see here); there are four themes in that definition that deserve special attention. First, there is the idea that the planning process is strategic because it involves choosing how best to respond to the circumstances of a dynamic and sometimes hostile environment. This sounds easy, but it often is not. In fact, one of the greatest... read more

Sep 11th 09 Posted by Brenda Harms

Your Adult Student Program – What Has Changed?

Ask yourself this question seriously. I’m guessing your answer will be something similar to what I hear all across the country – not a whole lot!  Many institutions haven’t changed their programs’ offerings, delivery format, or marketing strategy in over 10 years. Sound familiar? This is shocking, especially considering the bold history that many institutions blazed with very progressive adult... read more

Sep 8th 09 Posted by Fritz McDonald

Making Movies: What YouTube is really All About: II

Fifteen Ways to Make Better YouTube Videos 1. Tell a story: It’s the oldest, most universal form of communication on the planet. Done well, it works every time. Get away from talking heads and roving interviews and study the way storytellers capture audience attention…and hold it. 2. Look for trouble: Without conflict, no one will be interested in what you have to say or show. It’s the essence... read more

Sep 4th 09 Posted by Becky Morehouse

Good Advice for Testing Creative

Due diligence is important when you’re ready to evaluate creative ideas. Obviously, testing with your target audience is an invaluable step to ensure that you’re on target. Whether testing copy, ads, visuals, or a new brand campaign, there are ways to gather helpful opinions—positive and negative—that will also be as constructive as possible for the creative team whose ideas are being evaluated. Here... read more