This is the fourth article in a four-part series on Internet marketing best practices for higher education institutions. In the first article we explored some key ingredients of a web site presence that engages prospective students. In the second article we discussed keyword advertising via Google AdWords, and the third article highlighted the importance of solid web analytics. In this article we'll consider ways to unite your online and offline marketing efforts to better reach prospective students and increase inquiries and applications. The three previous articles can be viewed on the Strategies home page at www.hezel.com/strategies.

Though the Internet is a separate and unique channel for communicating with prospective students, one should remember that prospective students most likely will use multiple channels when researching and evaluating their higher education options. Good online marketing should complement offline marketing initiatives so that communications as well as branding messages are consistent. Does your higher education institution have a brand? Yes, it does (whether you like it or not). As a marketing manager, it is up to you to orchestrate your online and offline marketing efforts so that everything works together.

Here are some branding basics for delivering a consistent message and brand to prospective students:

1. Design of printed brochures should match design of website - when a prospective student returns to your website or brochure, create a sense of familiarity by using similar imagery, colors, and fonts to convey your message.
   

2. Web address should be on all business cards, brochures, printed materials, and offline advertising. - reinforce your website as a destination for accessing information about your institution 24/7.
   

3. Put your web address on the door of the admissions office - many prospective students will make unscheduled campus visits to a school to learn more. Displaying your website address on key campus locations that are frequented by prospective students is a must.

Advanced Integration of Online & Offline Marketing

Here are some more advanced tactics for uniting offline and online marketing:

1. Collect email addresses and other contact information at every point of dialogue. Admissions departments need to always look for appropriate contact points to gather valuable contact information. A key piece of data is the email address for the prospective student. Email addresses can be collected on the web site, via telephone, in person, via mail, or via partners. A good list of email addresses gives you the opportunity to implement email marketing campaigns that generate immediate results. Being disciplined about gathering contact information sounds like a tutorial on SalesForce.com, but higher education admission officers need to be good stewards of prospective student contact information. For those with a decent budget, consider investing in a customer relationship management (CRM) system that allows your team to track and manage prospective student contacts.
   
   

2. Kiosks represent a way for you to extend your brand into new places and time slots. We all are familiar with kiosks at airports and other public transit systems as a way to speed up operations. But kiosks can also be used by higher education institutions to introduce their brand to prospective students. For example, a kiosk would be valuable to students who are visiting a school when the admissions office is closed. Schools with larger budgets also could consider advertising their programs by placing kiosks in locations frequented by prospective students.
   
   

3. Allow current students to be part of the marketing process. In many ways the best people to educate prospective students about your programs are your current students. A passionate student body that is willing to communicate with your prospective students can be invaluable. A good example of this current and prospective student cooperation is www.owenbloggers.com. This is a blog run independently by current Owen Graduate School of Management students which gives prospective students an inside view into the Vanderbilt MBA program.

Facing the Reality of Prospective Student Expectations

A prospective student may call, mail, email, text message, fax, visit your web site or blog, visit your campus, or visit you at a college fair or trade show. How will prospective students perceive you? Most prospective students are comfortable with technology, and they have expectations based on their interactions with other organizations online. A marketing strategy that attempts to unite online and offline marketing initiatives under the umbrella of one brand gives you the best chance of delivering the message you want to deliver to prospective students about your higher education institution.

When a prospective student emails a request for a viewbook or printed brochure, how long will it take your team to mail it to the prospect? When the prospect receives the materials, will he or she be reminded of your website and receive a consistent brand message? We are operating in a multi-channel environment. You cannot execute good Internet marketing without considering how your offline marketing and communication efforts can best complement your online marketing.

Jonathan Weindruch is a consultant who has collaborated with Hezel Associates on several Internet marketing strategy projects. He has consulted with Diné College, Vanderbilt University, and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. Jonathan, a Fulbright scholarship winner, graduated magna cum laude from Vanderbilt with a major in economics and he also has an MBA from Vanderbilt with a concentration in general management. He is the owner of Websults LLC, a web site strategy consulting firm.

For questions or comments please contact Jonathan Weindruch at info@websults.com.

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