Post on 24-Dec-2015
Simmons College Honors Program: Comprehensive Marketing Plan
2012-2013 Academic YearDeveloped by Mercedez Lemieux, Marketing Intern for the
Honors Program
Objectives• Increase current student engagement with our brand• Honors Liaison• Honors Student Advisory Board• Walking tours, teas, & cafés
• Increase visibility within the Simmons community• Re-focus marketing efforts to target specific consumer
segments
Target Audience(s)• Freshmen-entry students• Age: college-aged
• Sophomore-entry students• Age: college-aged
• Transfer students• Age: college-aged
• Dix scholars• Age: 24+• Commuter
• Across all segments:• Demographics• Gender: female• Generation Y• Education: attending/will
attend Simmons College full time
• GPA: 3.4+• Geographics• Location: Boston, MA (and
surrounding neighborhoods)• Psychographics• Lifestyle: Achievers*
*Based upon ‘How to Discover the Best Appeals for Target Publics’ – Linda P. Morton
SWOT AnalysisStrengths Opportunities
• Established consumer base• No competing brands• Top management realizes the
importance of re-vamping current marketing efforts
• Company can expand its online presence and control its positioning strategy within that channel
• The increasing demand for ways a consumers can competitively differentiate themselves
Weaknesses Threats• Current marketing efforts are
outdated• Does not have a clearly
differentiated positioning strategy• Promotional materials are created
and distributed by outside departments unrelated to the company itself
• Student group affiliated with the brand is disorganized & inconsistent with their marketing efforts
• Diminishing program engagement with consumers as they mature within the program
• Limited number of professors able to teach Honors courses creates an imbalance in which types of courses are offered
• Negative perception of Honors requirements for entry
Rationale: Engagement• Participation in Honors
events & Honors student groups is very low • Majority of active
members are freshmen• Losing member
engagement as they grow through the program
1% 8%
90%
Engagement within Honors
Upper Classmen within HLHonors Liaison MembersTotal Honors Population
Rationale: Market Segmentation • Current marketing efforts
geared towards only 1 target audience: freshmen-entry consumers• Does not accurately address
other 3 target audiences:• Sophomore-entry Simmons
students• Transfer students• Dix Scholars
Market Research• Conducted interviews with:• 2 student life deans/directors• 7 leaders of student groups (also members of Honors)
• 2 organizations were found to be absent of Honors presence• 1 organization was unresponsive
• Questions asked:• What do you/does your organization want to see from Honors?• What could be done to boost attendance at Honors events &
increase participation from your students?• How do you get your students involved & attending events- and
keep them involved?• Suggestions/additional comments
Research Findings• Attendance at events is a struggle across the boards• Personal invites to relevant student groups• Perception that Honors events are exclusively for Honors
students• Be mindful of days, times, and location of events
• Coursework on relevant issues• Monthly informal event (same time, same place) for
consistency• Co-sponsor events w/ relevant student groups
Key Takeaways/Suggestions
Implementation Tools & Resources
• Social Media efforts:• Create Twitter account and establish following• Re-format Facebook and foster an engaged community
• Informational materials:• Existing website• Create flyers for events, courses, & academic opportunities• Send email updates about opportunities & deadlines• Distribute electronic newsletters
• Current consumers (monthly)
Action Steps• Continue current consumer newsletter• Update existing website & link to social media sites• Maintain Facebook & Twitter as separate media strategies• Facebook: events, weekly posting (continuity), highlight
achievements• Twitter: relevant articles, things going on on/around campus,
announcements, deadlines
My Recommendations• Promotional materials: Memory On Hand bracelets• Joining benefits/incentive• Branded swag w/ a purpose
• Create Honors Program Instagram• Link to Twitter/utilize photos in tweets• One more way for the consumer to engage with our brand
• Improve marketing efforts of Honors Liaison (student group)• Develop a how-to guide on marketing efforts to be distributed to
the Honors Liaison executive board• Oversee marketing efforts to ensure they align with the Honors
brand/image• Increase co-sponsorship of events on campus w/ relevant
student groups