Institutional Positioning And Geographic Market Segmentation Applied To A School Of Business At A Four Year Public College PDF Download

Advice for colleges on how to identify, develop, and communicate a positive image for the institution is offered in this handbook. The use of market research techniques to measure image is discussed along with advice on how to improve an image so that it contributes to a unified marketing plan. The first objective is to create and communicate some positive common image ideas appropriate to all audiences, as well discrete images for different target audiences, including: current and prospective students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, the media, the community, legislators, and donors. The four ingredients of image building are covered: research, recognition, repetition, and recollection. Also considered are: who should be involved in building an image, positioning an institution among its competition, and implementing a marketing plan? Suggestions to successfully market the institution include: understanding the image evoked by the school's name, and clarifying the hierarchical structure of the school and how each subunit can maintain separate identify while contributing to the parent institution's identity. The college needs to determine whether current staff or outside sources should be engaged to build institutional image. Another factor is building image around the comparative differential advantage of the institution. A glossary and bibliography are included. (SW)