To effectively manage an institution’s online presence, first you must build a comprehensive digital strategy across all platforms. Learn from the successes and challenges of one college’s roller coaster ride as they progress from no digital strategy to launching the governance model and content strategy for a redesigned, institution-wide website and online presence.

1. Building a Digital Marketing Strategy from Scratch: A Babson College Story Gene Begin Digital Marketing Director Babson College

2. Babson College Small, private college 14 miles west of Boston #1 in entrepreneurship for 18 and 15 consecutive years Approximately 2000 undergraduate and 1300 graduate students, representing more than 74 countries Undergraduate program (top 20 in business) Graduate program - MBA and MS degrees (top 40 in business) Executive education program (top 10 U.S. and top 15 in the world for custom programs) Babson Global, which works with corporate, university, government, and foundation partners to advance entrepreneurship education and Entrepreneurial Thought and Action® worldwide

3. Building a Digital Marketing Strategy from Scratch

6. Entrepreneurial Thought & Action (ETA) ETA uses “effectual” logic that is based on asking the following four questions: Who am I? (My identity as shaped by culture and context, skills, and abilities) What do I know? (My knowledge and training) Whom do I know? (My professional and social network) How do I bring these 3 elements into a network of participants who can co-create an opportunity? Source: Babson College Strategy , Version 2.1 ( May 2009)

7. Be a Politician… Assess the current campus landscape Resource needs Business unit goals Build relationships Internal (staff, faculty, students) External (alumni, governance) …but too much of a politician Deliver on the campaign promise!

8. Listen, Learn & Engage Benchmark Learn from not only the best, but those who have shared their mistakes Listen to your peers Campus experts #highered peers Industry experts Bring the experts to campus #edugurusummit

9. Building a Digital Marketing Strategy from Scratch

10. Where Does Digital Marketing Strategy Fit In? * As defined by Mark Greenfield, eduGuruSummit, March 2011

11. Graduate Ugrad Advancement Executive Education Goal Planning? Who is Our Preferred Audience? Granting Organizations & Foundations Alumni Governance HR Developers Working professionals Parents Faculty, Centers, and Institutes Policy Makers Educators/Academic Institutions Students (Prospective & Current) Guidance counselors Employers

12. Develop 3-Year Business Plan OUR PLAN Year 1: Laying the Foundation Team, Governance, Process AND Education Year 2: Advocacy Marketing Better alumni engagement => more participation => better student experience => better alumni engagement Year 3: The True Mobile Marketing Experience The next era of mobile marketing, live-social, geo-location and QR code marketing

13. Year 1: Resource and Goal Alignment Build out team to meet business unit needs AND institutional needs Hybrid, hybrid, hybrid Development resources Business unit goals Team experience 1 director, 5 digital marketing specialists 1 Senior DMM focused on Institutional web support (CSS and UI) 1 DMCM focused on UG web support and Institutional community management (SM) 1 Interactive Media Specialist focused on Executive Education web support (development) 1 DMCM for Alumni & Friends Network (content curator) 1 DMCM for Graduate School (TBH) LESSON LEARNED: Hire quicker. But still hire right.

14. Establish Governance Model True Web Governance * Establishes authority and accountability Defines the role of the campus units as it relates to the web and establishes how they will support web efforts Involves senior leadership * As defined by Mark Greenfield, eduGuruSummit, March 2011

15. Babson Governance Model WEBSITE SOCIAL MEDIA LESSON LEARNED: Clearly and continuously articulate roles & responsibilities.

18. To be treated as power users; individuals to be determined by digital marketing team

20. Access to edit content area by subsite level

21. Also, 200 faculty have access to edit so they can update their bio LESSON LEARNED: Continuous check-ins with business unit contacts on responsibility due to turnover

22. Digital Marketing Governance Support Model Online ticketing web support system for short-term needs Online project tracking for longer projects and integrated creative production plans Cross-functional support

23. Content Strategy Audit - Go be that politician across campus Assess - Asset type and channel Prioritize - Strategy and goals Build - 6 month plan Develop Creative production, curation and re-imagination LESSON LEARNED: There’s more content on your campus than you can ever imagine … or re-imagine! After 3 months, check in and start audit cycle again

24. FOCUS!

25. FOCUS! Develop goals, tactics, and ACHIEVABLE measurements Prioritize the aspects of your digital marketing mix that… A. Align to the institutional strategy B. Need the most help For us: B. Website redesign A1. Social media strategy, branding and guidelines A2. First steps of the mobile mix LESSON LEARNED: Focus on education and training first

26. FOCUS! Understand your limitations Engage with experts Mobile mix Media-buying SEO strategy LESSON LEARNED: Don’t bite off more than you can chew.

27. #higheredweb Manifesto

28. Break the Silos! IT and Marketing Faculty and staff Across business units

29. Educate. Educate. Educate. Be a change manager. “To do disruptive innovation, you have to be willing to be misunderstood for a very long time.” – Jeff Bezos

30. THANK YOU!Gene BeginDigital Marketing DirectorBabson Collegegbegin@babson.edu @gbegin http://www.linkedin.com/in/genebegin http://www.slideshare.net/gbegin