Aug 18th 10 Posted by Becky Morehouse

As if we needed further evidence

We already know the web is important, but recent consumer data from Arbitron and Edison Research provide even more ammunition to convince presidents and CFOs that multi-channel communication that features online solutions is absolutely critical. Key points for higher education marketing from their 2010 findings: The Internet overall has surpassed TV as the most-essential medium in American’s lives:... read more

Mar 16th 10 Posted by Becky Morehouse

The Five-Second Brand

Late last year, Gen Y financial expert Peter Dunn blogged on MediPost about engaging Gen Y (generally defined as the more than 70 million Americans born 1977 to 2002) consumers. The basic gist of his post was that holding the attention of this “elusive and tech savvy” generation is developing a “five-second brand.” They live their lives buried in a mobile device so the five-second brand must... read more

Feb 2nd 10 Posted by Becky Morehouse

Did you Know? Interesting Stats about Working Moms and Mobile Services

Working moms, defined as women who are employed full-time and have one or more kids in the house, are among the highest spenders in the U.S. on cellular phone services, spending 21% more than the average cell user on their monthly bills. This is an important stat to consider for higher ed marketing because significant numbers of these “working moms” are the same ones who may be considering attending... read more

Jan 18th 10 Posted by Becky Morehouse

A Lesson from Product Packaging Marketing

As you are undoubtedly aware, and have heard over and over again when it comes to marketing your institution, we are selling an intangible service rather than a product. But there are some interesting lessons to be learned and ideas to be gleaned from the packaged goods industry. Below are a series of questions that product marketers are recommended to ask about their current or future packaging. In... read more

Oct 26th 09 Posted by Becky Morehouse

Interesting Stats on Graduate School Financing

In a recent report (200) by the Council of Graduate Schools’ Pressing Issues Survey, 49% of graduate deans reported that student financing is one of the most pressing issues they face. With the cost of graduate education rising and institutional budgets tightening, deans are concerned about how they will fund the increasing numbers of graduate students entering their universities. While there are... 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 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

Aug 17th 09 Posted by Becky Morehouse

Fastest Growing Teen Segment

I found an interesting article in a recent Quirk’s Marketing Research Review (June 2009) about the fastest growing minority group in America—Latinos (and particularly young Latinos). This ethnic group will have a significant impact on the higher education market in the short- and long-term. The article noted that today, about 34% of the Hispanic population is under 18 years of age, and about one... read more

Jul 31st 09 Posted by Becky Morehouse

Banning the Boring Research Presentation

When it comes to presenting research findings, “pretty good” isn’t enough. Whether we like it or not, the quality of the research is often judged by the quality of its delivery. The best way to make sure the findings have their fullest impact is to deliver presentations that are engaging and that actually provide meaningful, relevant insights to decision-makers. The most common problems with... read more

Jul 13th 09 Posted by Becky Morehouse

Happy Respondents = More Efficient Fieldwork

While gaining the attention and interest of a survey respondent is a huge challenge today, it is also becoming increasingly difficult to maintain their attention through to the bitter end. With phone surveys, a talented interviewer can stave off hang-ups, but what’s to keep an online (Web-based) respondent from dumping the survey and returning to e-mail or Facebook? Here are some ways to improve... read more