ADVANCING WESTERN Western State Colorado University
2014
ADVANCEMENT: Advancement is a discpline involving messaging, outreach and relationship management designed to increase understanding and support among Western’s key constituents, including prospective students and their influencers, alumni and friends, government policy makers, the media, members of the community, and philanthropic entities of all types.
64 %
Number of Colorado high school students who have never heard of Western.
$20 million 10-year awareness gap
201 4 FOUNDATION SUPPORT OPPORTUNIT Y | 3
Advancing Western State Colorado University OVERVIEW
Western State Colorado University needs a more robust arsenal of communication tools as we seek to increase enrollment and advance the institution. Market research shows only 36 percent of Colorado high school students are even aware of Western. For more than a decade, the university has underinvested in advancement and outreach. During the same period, competitors have spent heavily on outreach, while state funding for higher education has dropped dramatically. Despite an uptick in enrollment recently, Western remains significantly behind its historical levels and current potential. We still need a major advancement effort to lift our brand, enrollment and fundraising. The Problem: Advancement We face challenges on several fronts, including declines in state funding, low enrollment, stiff competition and more. In order to grow, the university must confront three major challenges: Western has assumed a reactive approach to advancement for decades. Until recently, we relied on word of mouth for much of our recruitment and brand building. But our competitive environment has changed in two key ways: Funding Decline — For years, Colorado ranked seventh nationally in per-capita funding for higher education. Growth was not a priority. Colorado now ranks 49th in higher-education funding, with a 70 percent drop since 1980.. Demographic Shift — Fouryear residential colleges used to dominate the higher education landscape in America.
Market research shows only 36 percent of Colorado high school students are even aware of Western. A major demographic shift has shattered the industry, and now only 15 percent of college students live on residential campuses. As a destination university, Western now competes for a significantly smaller pool of prospective students. Until this past year, Western has invested little to establish a brand identity. There has
been no clearly defined story behind Western’s brand, resulting in conflicting messages. Also until this past year, Western invested little in basic marketing and promotion. With nearly two-thirds of Colorado high school students saying they have never heard of Western, the university’s brand faces an uphill battle. Meanwhile, competitors have spent millions on billboards and digital advertising, Western did not invest in building name awareness in core markets until the 2013-2014 school year. Competitors’ aggregate media spending over time has created an awareness gap (see graphic, Page 4) of more than $20 million. We must bridge that gap.
4 | 2014 FOUNDATION SUPPORT OPPORTUNIT Y
Our Competition’s Media Spend Over Time
Colorado ranked seventh nationally in per-capita funding for higher education. Growth was not a priority. Colorado now ranks 49th in higher-education funding.
201 4 FOUNDATION SUPPORT OPPORTUNIT Y | 5
This proposal will enhance the significant investments already made by Western to grow enrollment and move us forward. Purpose This advancement effort aims to dramatically improve every external touch point for Western. A key goal is to hone Western’s value proposition into a carefully polished message that advances our brand awareness among key constituencies – both in Colorado and nationally. Target audiences include prospective students, parents, professional influencers of prospective students (such as high school counselors), donors, alumni, legislators and the general public.
Strategy This proposal focuses on a multi-pronged strategy for advancing the institution and building brand awareness, with a keen eye toward maximizing return on our investment. We will engage targeted audiences with a laser-focused message during events, in one-on-one interactions and in targeted media.
This Includes: Better Messaging Compelling, on-target branding that communicates Western’s value proposition clearly, at every opportunity.
Improved Engagement Skills Western will carefully script every external touch point. People who communicate on behalf of the university will become better storytellers and presenters. Every member of the Western Nation should understand and be able to share Western’s elevator speech. Increased Awareness Western must execute a dramatic brand-building effort in order to play catch up with our peers. We will use a rifle, not a shotgun, to communicate Western’s story to targeted audiences.
Enhancing an Investment In the past 18 months, Western has invested $979,000 in advancement efforts, including rebranding the institution, launching a new website, creating an office of University Communications and launching Western’s first-ever formal advertising campaigns. Projected advancement spending over the next three years will total $1.129 million. This Advancement Proposal aims to enhance the significant investments already made by Western to grow enrollment and move us forward.
6 | 2014 FOUNDATION SUPPORT OPPORTUNIT Y
Crafting the Message
A well-delivered, compelling Western story forms the foundation for promoting our brand identity.
BRAND CREATION Western’s core messaging – our value proposition – drives the strategy and tactics behind our university’s advancement efforts. Western proposes engaging a branding firm with higher education experience that has created and delivered core messages for major universities in the past. The branding firm will refine Western’s story and deliver tactics and creative tailored to prospective students, influencers of prospective students, donors, stakeholders and other key constituencies. Estimated cost: $120,000.
_____ The Western Story = _____ Brand Creation + Presentation + Video Identity Piece
PRESENTATION CREATION Western’s spokespeople need a polished, carefully scripted presentation that is both inspiring and effective. Whether delivering the presentation on the road or on campus, they will ensure every audience member receives a carefully scripted Western story.
+ _
__Presentation Training _
_
The message will aim to impress, boosting enrollment, donations and Western’s reputation. The multimedia Western Way presentation consists of wellproduced videos and fact-filled slides that highlight Western’s strengths and inspire action.
201 4 FOUNDATION SUPPORT OPPORTUNIT Y | 7
Presentation Coordination and Project Management:
Presentation coordination and creation. Estimated cost: $10,000.
Video Identity Piece:
A three-minute movie that captures the Western story, has the highest production value and inspires action. Colorado Mesa University has a similar piece that is highly effective. Division 1 universities frequently spend $150,000 on similar videos. Our video would embed in the Western Way presentation, which we’ll show to campus visitors, host on western.edu, send externally through emails and push through social media. Estimated cost: $75,000.
Video Production:
The presentation we want to create also involves several brief video interviews with successful Western graduates, employers who have hired Western grads and more. Estimated cost: $20,000.
Presentation Training:
We must deliver Western’s message consistently, compellingly, every time. Professional presentation training will ensure our executive leadership team, Enrollment counselors, Financial Aid counselors and student ambassadors deliver Western’s message flawlessly. We will hold a training camp for our staff and create annual training sessions, so our student ambassadors are the best salespeople in the business. Initial training, plus three years of followup training sessions by Miller Heiman. Estimated cost: $20,000.
Crafting the Message
Est. one-time cost:
$245,000
“At a time when higher education marketing is more competitive than ever, there is no tool more powerful than video for showcasing the strengths of a university.”
– American Marketing Association
8 | 2014 FOUNDATION SUPPORT OPPORTUNIT Y
Building Our Brand ADMISSIONS OUTREACH
Western has been losing out to our peers, who purchase lists of prospective students and send them targeted messaging. Admissions bought 75,000 names of ACT and SAT test takers in the 2013-2014 school year, up from just 25,000 the year before. This accounts for the top of the admissions funnel, the sum of our prospects. Meanwhile, CU-Boulder buys more than 300,000, and the University of Denver buys more than 500,000 names annually. Western must make a major investment to catch up.
Email Outreach Success
During fall 2013 and spring 2014, Western invested $90,000 in an email effort with Fire Engine Red. It reached 407 prospective students. A newly purchased list provided us with 241 of those we reached. Of the 407 total, 77 have have sent us tuition deposits. Our calculations suggest the $90,000 investment generated net revenue to Western of $445,546. An additional $40,000 for lists would nearly double the
size of our prospect pool by adding an additional
100,000 names. An additional $100,000 would enhance
targeted email and direct mail to our entire pool of purchased names. This includes an expanded email campaign with Fire Engine Red and a phone campaign through Ruffalo Cody.
_-Digital advertising campaigns yielded_ a-200% increase in web traffic in ____many targeted geographic areas. Estimated Costs for Advancing Admissions Outreach:
• One year: • Three years: ADVERTISING AND
$140,000 $420,000
-
201 4 FOUNDATION SUPPORT OPPORTUNIT Y | 9
ADVERTISING AND BRAND BUILDING Colorado Mesa University spends $900,000 annually on advertising. Our University Communications budget allocates less than $200,000 for fiscal year 2014-2015. In previous years, Western spent less than $10,000 on advertising each year. Over time, this spending differential has opened a significant awareness gap that will be hard to close.
We propose a laser-focused, expertly targeted campaign, aimed at prospective students, their families, gatekeepers and influencers.
Digital Advertising: WHY: Western needs to own the digital space, because research indicates that’s where prospective students and their influencers are. • WHAT: Paid search, Google display ads, site retargeting, YouTube pre-roll and Pandora radio targeted at Colorado’s largest high schools, plus selected feeder markets, based on research. •
•
RESULTS: 1 0 m i l l i o n i m p r e s -
•
BACKGROUND:
sions per year. • ROI: Measured by web traffic and applications. In 2013 and 2014, fall and spring digital advertising campaigns by Western averaged a click-through rate four times the industry average and placed our name and message in front of 92 percent of college-bound students in targeted areas. The campaign yielded a 200 percent increase in web traffic in many targeted geographic areas.
Advertising and Brand Building
Annual est. cost: $100,000 Three years: $300,000
... a laser-focused, expertly targeted campaign, aimed at prospective students, their families, and gatekeepers ...
10 | 2014 FOUNDATION SUPPORT OPPORTUNIT Y
The Personal Touch: Engaging Stakeholders Tapping the marketing power of alumni, high school counselors, and campus visitors.
ENGAGING ALUMNI
ENGAGING GATEKEEPERS
Empowering Alumni Recruiters Roadshow
High School Counselor Events
These annual events convene in a restaurant or bar at lunchtime or happy hour, in Denver, Colorado Springs and selected markets with a critical mass of alumni. They are networking events for alumni. But Admissions recruiters share enrollment presentations, suggest ways alumni can help and hand out Western-branded polo shirts. The cost is $1,500 per event, with four events each year. Total estimated cost: $6,000.
Alumni Relations Admissions Liaison Western’s alumni are clamoring to help recruit prospective students. Western’s Admissions and Alumni Relations staffs are both maxed out. We propose creating a position for an alumni relations admissions liaison to engage and empower our graduates to support recruiting efforts. The cost is $40,000 for a contract employee, with no benefits and a small operating budget. Total estimated cost: $40,000.
High school counselors are among the most influential mentors helping juniors and seniors choose colleges. We plan annual events across the state for high school counselors at nice restaurants. They receive meals and Western-branded polo shirts in exchange for viewing a carefully scripted, 30-minute presentation. The cost is $1,000 per event, with 15 events each year. Total estimated cost: $15,000.
201 4 FOUNDATION SUPPORT OPPORTUNIT Y | 11
ENGAGING CAMPUS VISITORS Enhancing the Campus-Visit Experience Our most expensive recruitment efforts are bringing prospective students to campus. These visits must be memorable and carefully crafted. Render is a consultant offering researchdriven advice for creating a campus-visit experience that tells our story and inspires action. Estimated consultation costs: $12,000. Estimated execution cost: $15,000.
Concurrently Enrolled Students Hundreds of high school students across the state are also enrolled at Western. Most never visit Western’s campus. A campus visit, when we bring groups of concurrently enrolled students to Gunnison, would help solidify Western as the university of choice for these students. The cost is $5,000 per visit, five visits per year. Estimated annual cost: $25,000.
Engaging Stakeholders ESTIMATED TOTAL COST:
Estimated annual cost: Three-years:
$113,000 $285,000
12 | 201 4 FOUNDATION SUPPORT OPPORTUNIT Y
Sweetening the Pot With Selected Candidates FRESHMAN SCHOLARSHIPS: WESTERN FOUNDERS AWARD An elite scholarship of $5,000 for Colorado residents and $9,000 for students from other states with very high GPAs and ACT or SAT scores would help us attract higher-level prospects and allow Western to position itself as a more selective institution. Total estimated annual cost: $35,000. Estimated three-year cost: $108,000.
Scholarships create opportunities for prospective students, adding depth and diversity to Western’s student body. A Scholarship Analysis and Retention Study will ensure we attract the best possible students and keep them until matriculation.
TRANSFER SCHOLARSHIPS Our marginal cost for transfer students is minimal, since they fill seats in current classes. We propose targeting high-performing transfer students to boost our graduation rates and retention. The plan involves two strategies:
Total estimated annual cost: $75,000. Estimated three-year cost: $225,000.
1. A Phi Theta Kappa Founder’s Award of $4,000 for in-state students and $8,000 for out-of-state students who are high-achieving PTK members.
Robust, well-positioned financial-aid packages make college a reality for most Western students. But it’s important to be sure we spend every penny maximizing our appeal to incoming students. A scholarship analysis by Scannel and Kurz will help us spend more wisely to attract a more diverse group of students with a better overall academic profile. Total one-time cost: $50,000.
2. Add $500 to each scholarship for transfer students who qualify for the merit-based Scholars Award and Advantage Award. This will cost approximately $40,000 per year.
SCHOLARSHIP ANALYSIS
201 4 FOUNDATION SUPPORT OPPORTUNIT Y | 1 3
RETENTION No matter how many students we recruit, our enrollment will drop if we don’t retain students. Western has long needed a director of retention to work across campus at streamlining processes to ensure we lose as few students as possible.
Retention Study:
Western has three years of good data that a retention study can tap to identify and develop profiles of students most likely to leave Western. The study would then recommend intervention strategies to reduce attrition. It would use trend analysis and predictive modeling to pinpoint at-risk students and identify institutional policies or procedures that contribute to attrition. We would receive a set of recommendations to address challenges and help retain students already enrolled. Estimated total one-time cost: $50,000.
Scholarships and Retention ESTIMATED TOTAL COST:
One year: $210,000 Three years: $433,000
14 | 2014 FOUNDATION SUPPORT OPPORTUNIT Y
Western has invested little in basic marketing and promotion until this past year. With nearly two-thirds of Colorado high school students saying they have never heard of Western, the university’s brand faces an uphill battle.
201 4 FOUNDATION SUPPORT OPPORTUNIT Y | 15
Advancement Proposal COST SUMMARY: Crafting the Message TOTAL COST: One-time Cost:
$245,000
Admissions Outreach TOTAL COST: One year: Three years:
$140,000 $420,000
Advertising and Brand Building TOTAL COST: One year: Three years:
$100,000 $300,000
Engaging Stakeholders TOTAL COST: One year: Three years:
$113,000 $312,000
Scholarships and Retention TOTAL COST: One year: Three years:
$210,000 $433,000
GRAND TOTAL
One-time and One-year Costs: $808,000 Three Years, Including Contract Positions: $1,500,000 Budgeted New Advancement Spending by Western (IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE PROPOSAL) 2014-2017: $1,129,000
16 | 201 4 FOUNDATION SUPPORT OPPORTUNIT Y
Admissions purchased 75,000 names of ACT and SAT test takers in the 2013-2014 school year, up from just 25,000 the year before. This accounts for the top of the admissions funnel, the sum of our prospects. Meanwhile, CU-Boulder buys 300,000-plus names, and the University of Denver buys 500,000-plus names annually. Western must make a major investment to catch up.
2 01 4 FO U N DAT I O N S U P P O R T O P P O R T U N I T Y | 17
Timeline for Advancement Spending Year One Crafting
Crafting Message
and Presentation
Admissions Outreach
Advertising Campaigns
Year Two Crafting Message & Presentation
Admissions Outreach
Advertising Campaigns
Year Three Admissions Outreach
Advertising Campaigns
43% Engagement and Events
Studies
28.5% Engagement and Events
28.5% Engagement and Events
1 8 | 201 4 FOUNDATION SUPPORT OPPORTUNIT Y
Appendix A: Advancement Spending Since August 2012 $ 160,000 Name change and rebranding $ 37,000 New Website $ 172,000 University Communications Staff Salaries and Benefits $ 160,000 University Communications Operations (increased budget and reserve funds) $ 160,000 Admissions Computer System $ 200,000 Enhanced Admissions Budget ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$ 889,000 Total Spent Past 18 Months $1,290,000 Budgeted New Advancement Spending Over the Next Three Years (includes new $250,000 University Communications budget and VPA salary)
Appendix B: Enrollment Targets: 5-year Plan
Enrollment Targets 3,500 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
201 4 FOUNDATION SUPPORT OPPORTUNIT Y | 19
600 N. Adams ● Gunnison, Colo. 81231 Tel: 800.876.5309 ● western.edu