Apr 28th 09 Posted by Bob Sevier

A Brand Lesson from Kia

Last year I ran across an interesting print ad for the new Kia SUV. The ad featured a face-on view of Kia. Importantly, the grill did not feature the Kia logo. At the bottom of the ad were grills from different brands: Kia, Mercedes, Land Rover, BMW, Infinity, and Lexus. The ad implied that the only real difference between the Kia SUV and the other SUVs was the logo on the grill. I couldn’t... read more

Apr 20th 09 Posted by Bob Sevier

Does Strategy Matter?

At a recent board retreat, one member, in response to the major issues facing the college, asked, “Will being more strategic help us?” The answer depends on how you define strategy. If your definition of strategy is largely expansionist, (we need to offer more programs and be in more geographies with the hope of attracting more students) then the answer is “no.” Unfortunately,... read more

Apr 14th 09 Posted by Eric Sickler

THE most important question today

Measuring the return on your school’s marketing investments has never been more important. In these uncertain times, we’re doubly focused on helping schools collect, track and manage the return on their marketing investments. Tell us what recruitment program metrics and measures matter most to YOU right now… What do you consider to be the 5-7 most important measurable returns on your... read more

Mar 17th 09 Posted by Bob Sevier

The Curious Case of Curious Math…

Or Why Campus Visits Matter More than Ever Part I – Outlining Strategic Issues They say the true test of genius is the ability to make sense of two irreconcilable facts. Let me give you an example. Colleges tell me, on average, that 50-60 percent of the students that visit their schools enroll. Students tell me, at the same time, that they visit five to seven different schools. From a math perspective... read more

Mar 2nd 09 Posted by Bob Sevier

The Salman Rushdie Effect

Have you ever wondered why so few people, and almost no media, show up to hear your nationally known speakers. The answer can be found in what I call the Salman Rushdie Effect. Here’s the problem. Let’s pretend that you are a small college in the middle of Ohio. You contract with Salman Rushdie to present at your annual Great Speaker Series . Mr. Rushdie’s very savvy business manager... read more

Jan 7th 09 Posted by Bob Sevier

Marketing Resolutions for the New Year

By the time you read this, New Year’s Day will have passed and we will enter 2009 with an array of unparalleled opportunities and challenges. We offer the following “top 13” to help jumpstart your efforts so you and your institution will be successful in 2009. If you have a question about one of my resolutions please drop me a line (bob.sevier@stamats.com). 1. I will realize that great marketing... read more

Dec 18th 08 Posted by Bob Sevier

The Fierce Urgency of Now

Forty-one years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., stood before an assembly of clergy and lay people at the Riverside Church in New York. During the course of his message he uttered a phrase that I believe is especially poignant for the time in which we know live. Speaking about a growing opposition to the war in Vietnam, Dr. King said, “We are now faced with the fact, my friends, that tomorrow... read more

Dec 8th 08 Posted by Bob Sevier

Wise Moves – The Need for Leadership

Last week I had an opprotunity to present a webinar on wise moves in tough times with Kathy Kurz from Scannell & Kurz. Because it is likely that this topic will be with us for a while I wanted to pose a comment and then a question. As I look at our turbulent marketplace, I can’t help think that the most valuable resource of all is not $, but leadership. I think, in many respects, that our... read more