Get “Up to Speed” for Institutional Planning
This week I had the pleasure of speaking with several folks who had attended our Adult Student Marketing conference in San Antonio. We discussed how they were using the information they gathered at that event. The common theme among them was the notion of “perfect timing” for both the conference and Stamats’ release of the book Up to Speed: Marketing to Today’s Adult Student.
Many of our participants at this year’s event shared that their institution was looking at the adult student program in a new light as the situation on the more traditional student-oriented side of the house was getting more serious. One participant in particular shared that she was being included in long-range planning meetings with a very strong voice due to the fact that the adult student program was such a critical part of the institution’s health right now. Several of those I spoke with had indicated that they had been able to leverage the research and data from the book to really get the attention of their administration and provide actual data that was helping to drive the decision making.
Another participant shared that he has scheduled a series of mini-trainings utilizing both the book and the presentations at the conference to help bring his colleagues together and get them on the same page in regard to their program direction. And yet another participant has actually provided copies of the book to her branch campus directors. She said they are using it as a guide as they move forward with their setting of next year’s priorities. But perhaps my favorite is the comment from an old friend who referred to the book as a crash course in much of what a person who is trying to market adult and graduate programs needs to keep in the forefront of their mind as they make decisions.
Whatever your use of the information provided, the key is to USE it. Even if some of the data tells you something that you didn’t particularly want to hear, at least know you have a point of reference. And I would be anxious to hear how more of you are capitalizing on what you learned to help others at your institution do a better job in serving adults!
If you are interested in purchasing Up to Speed: Marketing to Today’s Adult Student please e-mail jillian.perry@stamats.com.
Photo by Irargerich
