Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
Marketing and Communications Assessment
July 2004
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Public Relations
Reputation Management
Marketing Communications
The Communications Continuum
Awareness
Reach
Appreciation
Action
Behavior Change
Action
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Public Relations | Reputation Management | Marketing Communications
Attachment
Loyalty
What are we trying to accomplish?
• Enhanced service to Minnesota
• Informed, motivated employees
• Better recognition of contributions to Minnesota’s
vitality
• Expanded financial base
How will this project help?
• Assessment of current capacity and strategies
• Articulation of a one-year action plan
• Development of a longer-term strategic
marketing plan
The Assessment: The 4 x 4 Method
• The model
• The strategies
• The language
• The impact
Assessment Process
• Reviewed plans, collateral material, strategies,
speeches and other communications tools
• Interviewed over 50 trustees, presidents, chancellor’s
staff, faculty, staff and students
• Observed and participated in various meetings
• Advised the chancellor about opportunities
The Model: Indicators
1.
2.
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4.
Committed leadership
Precise and actionable plans
Adequate financial resources
Appropriate staffing levels/skills
The Model: Findings
• Times have changed; so must the model.
• Outstanding leadership who respect each other.
• Lack of agreement among leadership about system vs.
colleges/university public positioning
• Directional plans without specific goals/objectives
• Little collaborative planning/implementation
• Inconsistent funding of marketing; no master plan
• Talented staff, who generally work independently
• A new development function
The Strategies: Indicators
1.
2.
3.
4.
Aligned with the strategic plan
Targeted by audience
Pro-active and persistent
Able to be leveraged/replicated
The Strategies: Findings
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Good people doing good things
Outstanding publications. graphic identity
Excellent project management
Activity, not action
Delivered in campaigns
Not assertive enough
Broad (e.g. “underserved populations”)
Not well-leveraged
Public relations hasn’t been a priority
Employee communications hasn’t been a priority
The Language: Indicators
1.
2.
3.
4.
Emphasizes benefits, not features
Persuades and motivates
Is simple and easily understood
Avoids jargon, clichés and acronyms
The Language: Findings
• Too focused on the system rather than service to
the people of Minnesota
• Too focused on two-year colleges/programs
• Good statistics, facts, stories, case studies
• Multiple themes, tag lines
• Too focused on process and not on outcomes
• Documents are often too long, complicated
• Tendency to sound defensive
The Impact: Indicators
1.
2.
3.
4.
Measurable
Visible
Memorable
Satisfies leadership/stakeholders
The Impact: Findings
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Chancellor’s work is very well received
Doors have been opened—very important
Impact is hard to measure; metrics are missing
Hard to judge overall “bang for the buck”
Lack of collaborative planning and implementation
results in dissatisfaction
• Hard work doesn’t equate to progress
One vision for the system
All Minnesotans will know and appreciate the contributions
of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. Decision
makers will value equally the University of Minnesota and
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities in the same
manner. All students will understand they are part of a
larger educational enterprise. All graduates and
supporters will speak of the system as they speak of their
favorite college or university.
To get there, we would need…
• Consistent college and university names
• Aligned brand management
• 2-3 percent of gross system revenues dedicated to
marketing
• 10 years
An alternative vision for the system
The state’s decision makers—in government,
business, philanthropy, the communities of color and
the volunteer sector—recognize the importance of
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities to the
vitality of Minnesota. Their actions support the
system, its colleges and universities and programs.
Their words challenge the system to ever higher
levels of service and quality.
To get there, we will need….
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Clear and shared goals
Compelling messages
Pride
An effective, aligned leadership team
Assertive, targeted, regular strategies
Consistent, engaged relationships
Effective public relations
To think big!
The result?
The right people…
hearing the right messages…
at the right time to persuade them…
to take the right action…
for the right reasons.
Recommendations: The Model
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Add specific goals and objectives to the system’s plan;
include presidents in planning
Secure agreement about marketing the system vis a vis
marketing the colleges and universities
Articulate integrated marketing and PR objectives to
advance the system’s goals
Hire a public/media relations director
Maintain consistent funding for marketing and PR
Revisit naming policy
Recommendations: Strategies
• Balance the power of the system with the influence of the colleges and
universities
• Build strategic alliances and relationships
• Create news; don’t just announce it
• Aggressively pitch stories and op ed pieces; train spokespeople
• Target a small group of influential people (no more than 250)
• Leverage—get as much mileage as possible from each initiative
• Develop specific strategies for each legislator/government official
• Increase number and distribution of Performance
• Develop a system-wide employee communications strategy
Recommendations: Strategies
• Take the system to Minnesota.
-Schedule speeches and presentations
-Produce a video and small brochure about the system’s
contributions to Minnesota
-Include media interviews, meetings with community leaders,
meetings with faculty and students on every campus visit
-Hold board meetings on-campus; create news
-Encourage membership on boards and commissions
-Integrate the system more fully into college/university marketing
-Engage Minnesota leaders more regularly
-Locate the Chancellor’s Office in a free-standing building
Recommendations: Strategies
• Launch major events for FY 2005
-September: Chancellor’s State of the System
address in a public meeting
-Fall:
4-6 large, regional public meetings to “listen” to
Minnesota; present findings to legislature (builds
on CAC)
-Winter:
Lobby Day at the Legislature--EVERYBODY
-Spring:
System annual meeting; state-wide
awards program
• Don’t ever, ever, ever quit
Recommendations: Language
• Adopt new message system about service to Minnesota
“We educate Minnesota; we make it work.”
• Balance messages about certificate/diploma/associate
programs with baccalaureate/graduate programs
• Use consistent organizational terms (e.g.-Chancellor’s
office, colleges and universities)
• Emphasize benefits, results, achievements, value,
outcomes
• Write and speak simply, clearly and persuasively
• Be proud—not apologetic or defensive
• Seize teachable moments
• Remember that shorter is ALWAYS better than longer
Recommendations: Impact
• Invest in results not process
• Require staff to quantify contributions to achieving goals
• Add metrics to plans. “We will know we will have succeeded
when….”
• Measure outcomes not inputs
• Don’t do surveys to evaluate progress; shift energy to
targeted actions rather than research
• Resolve internal disagreements; don’t let them fester
Next step….
To develop a FY 2005 system marketing
and communication plan by September
17, 2004
more than the average consultant
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Public Relations | Reputation Management | Marketing Communications