SUNY Ulster
Developing and implementing an integrated marketing program to lure adult learners to enroll at an affordable state university
DEVISING A CLEAR VALUE PROPOSITION FOR SUNY ULSTER AdultEdge PROGRAM
SUNY Ulster AdultEDge is the most reasonably priced way to advance an adult student’s career and potential. No one else in the region can provide the affordability, flexibility of scheduling with evening, personal support of advisors and other services to enable adults to they into their lives and lower anxiety about coming back to school. Go Gladys’s first step was to interview a number of successful adult students and graduates to understand their needs and wants.
DEFINING THE EMOTIONAL BENEFITS OF ADULT EDUCATION FOR THE INDIVIDUAL
Going back to college is a bit scary, a little embarrassing, and it’s hard to quantify if the gamble that will pay off. Based on research with current and past students, Go Gladys designed an ad campaign for use in OOH advertising, print ads and social media that resolved those issues. We invited people to re-think their lives, not be afraid and communicate that an associates degree or other certification will offer more advancement, a higher salary, a stronger résumé, and help an individual feel so much better about his or her self.
CREATING A HIGHLY ENGAGING SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN
Go Gladys performed a SWOT analysis of the SUNY ULSTER AdultEDge and recognized that Facebook advertising could be highly effective but recommended a type of career quiz to engage adults in a quandary about whether to enroll in further education. It was created to help bridge the big step that it takes for adults to contact the college. Ashworth proposed an entertaining way to engage people on social media – a short dynamic questionnaire in the BuzzFeed quiz style.
ENGINEERING A BRANDED INTERACTIVE CAREER COUNSELOR QUIZ
Participants are asked but not required to submit their email address for more information on financial aid, career services, admissions counseling session and application rebates.Upon completion the program returns a personalized message pertaining to the selected options with links to specific programs, courses and next steps towards admissions. The program and ad campaign was an unprecedented success and continues to be used two years later.
