Benefit Testing CASE2004

Benefit Testing Market Test Your Message for Maximum Effect CASE Annual Assembly San Diego July 12, 2004

Introduction

Agenda

Why is it important?

Marketing terminology baseline setting

What is benefit testing?

How is it done?

How do you apply the results?

Break through.

The Passionate Pursuit of Perfection

Quality is Job 1

Ford

Don’t copy. Lead

Toshiba

Image communication

M’m! M’m! Good!

Frozen as nutritious as fresh

You’ve Got Questions. We’ve Got Answers

What can Brown do for you?

Why is Benefit Testing Important?

Why Is It Important?

Funds are not unlimited

You need to break through the clutter

You need to break through the clutter

It’s all about the brand

Funding

2001 study showed higher education marketing dollars to average 1.6% of education and general budgets

Funding

Of the 1.6%, approximately 45% was spent on publications and 8% was spent on Web sites.

Funding

You must maximize the limited dollars available to accomplish the task.

Breaking through the clutter

How do you know the message will resonate?

Breaking through the clutter

How do you know the message will resonate?

Sounding good on campus doesn’t always mean it works in the marketplace.

Is the message mission-oriented and market driven?

Is it coherent, distinct and memorable?

Is it coherent, distinct and memorable?

Is it a platform-builder?

Marketing Terminology

Benefit testing is a component of market research.

“ Marketing research is the collection, recording, analysis, and distribution of data and information about marketing problems and opportunities.”

Richard Sandhusen

Barrons

Market Research Types

Exploratory

Conclusive

Exploratory

It begins by defining the problem and collecting secondary data bearing on the problem

Conclusive

Collecting primary data, analyzing data, making recommendations and implementing findings.

Consumer Adoption Process Model

Awareness : learns of the product but lacks information about it

Interest : Potential buyers are stimulated to seek information about the product

Evaluation : Consideration of whether the likely BENEFITS of the new product justify trial

Trial : Makes a trial commitment to improver their estimation of the product’s value

Trial : Makes a trial commitment to improver their estimation of the product’s value

Adoption : Decision to make a full commitment or use the product regularly

What is Benefit Testing?

Benefit Testing

The process of conducting non-exhaustive, sample testing in order to develop an accurate and effective message.

Benefit

Something that promotes or enhances well-being; an advantage.

Benefit

Think in terms of how does the prospective student / donor / alumnus benefit from their interaction with your institution.

How is Benefit Testing Done?

Benefit Testing

Process

Discovery

Benefit Testing

Process

Discovery

Development

Benefit Testing

Process

Discovery

Development

Testing

Benefit Testing

Process

Discovery

Development

Testing

Analysis

Benefit Testing

Process

Discovery

Development

Testing

Analysis

Application

Benefit Testing

Discovery

Discussion with constituent groups in the campus community in order to develop themes of key strengths and/market differentiators

Benefit Testing

Development

Through analysis of discovery data, creation of benefit statements and supporting images with suggest benefits that the target market should reasonably expect to receive through interaction with the institution.

Benefit Testing

Testing

Methodologies can include F2F, focus group, or web-based. Web-based can provide the widest range of response and the most cost effective large sample.