The document outlines a case study on enhancing the 'Creative Thought Matters' (CTM) messaging at Skidmore College to attract high-quality students. It details a research methodology involving focus groups with students, faculty, and alumni to assess perceptions and inform strategic improvements across web design, social media engagement, and admissions initiatives. Key recommendations include developing a compelling website, leveraging social media, and focusing on storytelling to connect prospective students with the university.

1. A Short Case Study in Brand Strategy, Web Design and Social Media cIcu Communications and PR Workshop November 30, 2011 Dan Forbush Executive Director of Communications Daniella Nordin Online Community Manager

2. Key Marketing Question How can we strengthen our Creative Thought Matters messaging so as to improve our ability to attract high-quality (AQR 8, 9, and 10) students?

3. Methodology We determined that qualitative research with key constituencies regarding general perceptions of Skidmore and specific CTM 2.0 ideas would be the most efficient way to develop an effective and actionable plan. This research by Mark Edwards and Company included: Focus groups on campus with 40 students, mostly high-achieving and HIE-involved juniors and seniors Focus groups on campus with 30 faculty from diverse departments Phone interviews with 12 faculty members A three-day online focus group with 30 young alumni Focus groups with 30 high-achieving junior and senior high school students at three private schools in Boston and New York area

4. Four ‘Levers’

5. 1 Connect CTM to consequence (jobs, careers, start ups, cultural impact, happiness) in Math, Science and Business particularly.

6. 2 Make the website and online presence the CTM 2.0 poster child.

7. 3 Shift from static “copy” to dynamic content through the voices and stories of the student, the alum, and the professor.

8. 4 Turn up the volume on CTM from Admissions through Year One.

9. CTM 1.0 versus CTM 2.0 awareness interest application acceptance attendance graduation CTM CTM 2.0

10. Project Plan Abbreviated

11. Key Question How can we best invest $150,000 in our Creative Thought Matters messaging so as to improve our ability to attract high-quality (AQR 8, 9, and 10) students?

12. 1) Create a Great Web Site 2) Creatively Employ Social and Mobile Media 3) Other Strategic Admissions Initiatives 4) Other Strategic Branding Initiatives Our ‘Four Levers’

13. 1 Create a Great Web Site

14. We Want a Site That: Powerfully communicates Creative Thought Matters, telling compelling stories that support the brand Has superb navigation and search capabilities, and impresses all visitors with its ease of use Is highly interactive and participatory and drives prospective students to engage with Skidmore Is tightly integrated with our social media channels

15. A New Approach to Home-Page Navigation

16. Another Home-Page Approach

17. A Fresher Look

18. Let ’s Expand This Idea

19. Creative Thought Works Profiles of students and alumni who exemplify creative thinking

20. CTW profiles will soon be exported to departmental pages

21. In CTW Portfolio Photo albums that spotlight creative work by students, faculty, and alumni

22. Notable Briefs about alumni, student, and faculty achievers In CTW

23. Student reports about high-impact experiences In CTW

24. To Launch in Summer ‘12 new Web design new content management system new Admissions ‘microsite’ new online viewbook new department called Creative Thought Works Collectively, these initiatives make up our core Web upgrade

25. Research November : Conduct focus groups with first-year students February - April : Test new top-level page designs in focus groups March - April : Refine top-level designs and build them out to rest of site May : Launch new top-level pages including Admissions microsite, online viewbook, and Creative Thought Works September – October: Conduct second round of surveys and focus groups. Modify site as needed.

26. Two Helpful Research Tools

27. iTracks

28. iPerceptions

29. 2 Creatively Deploy Social and Mobile Media

30. "It's great that I get to be a part of something that is already having a successful impact on prospective students," said Emmeline Taylor '14 , one of the student social media assistants. “ If we can encourage more incredible young minds to look at Skidmore simply because they saw us on a social media site then that is excellent!"

31. Emmeline is the student community manager of our private FB app from Inigral Students may connect in hundreds of communities: clubs, class year, major, residence halls, and interests (writers, rock bands, etc) 75 percent of the class of ‘ 15 have joined since May 31 percent of all Skidmore students have joined since mid-September

32. First-Year Students Really Like the ‘App’

33. Here ’s Why ‘ It was a lot of fun to use, and a GREAT way to make new friends.’ ‘ I found it very useful in remembering deadlines and dorm life information.’ ‘ It was great to start meeting people in my dorm and/or seminar, and to be able to ask questions to people.’ ‘ I loved getting to know people ahead of time and see who I was going to spending class and living with for the next four years!!!’ ‘ It was so helpful answering questions!!!!’

34. Daniella has enlisted seven students who: Maintain Facebook presence Blog weekly (at least) Tweet daily (at least) Post photos and videos Answer questions via Formspring Connect with students in Zinch Emmeline is one of them We ’re strategically using Facebook and other social media channels to drive interactions between prospective and current students

35. Rachel Cooper, a high school junior, posts request to connect with Skidmore science majors. Daniella refers Rachel to ‘Student-to-Student’ and Emmeline in particular A neuroscience major and tour guide, Emmeline connects with Rachel A Typical Interaction In Facebook

36. Rachel Cooper: Thanks so much! So what is your absolute favorite thing about Skidmore? And is there anything you don ’t like? Emmeline at Skidmore: Ah! I have so many favorite things! I love the professors because they are so committed to teaching. I also love the town of Saratoga – it ’s super cute and they always have really fun festivals that go on every month! My least favorite thing is that it’s so far away from home (Colorado). I miss my family a lot, but it has been great because I have a surrogate family here. I also don’t like how cold it gets during the winter, but … there is always hot chocolate in the dining hall and I’ve learned to dress in layers hahaha The Following Dialog Occurs …. This is What We Mean by ‘Engagement’

37. Emmeline ’s Blog She writes a brief review of Lee Jenkin ’s Pilgrims of the Night , performed this week in the Black Box Theater.

38. Emmeline ’s Twitter Page She tweets her blog post.

39. Emmeline ’s Formspring Page She answers a prospective student ’s question about how she deals with homesickness

40. Emmeline ’s answer is posted automatically to her blog

41. Emmeline also connects with prospective students in Zinch What is Zinch?

42. Admissions-specific Networks Lead generator enables us to target students by geography,ethnicity, GPA and SAT. In two years Cappex has generated 16,402 leads. For Class of ‘ 15 it generated 239 applications. Lead generator works like a social network. Our counselors and student reps directly message prospective students as in Facebook. Since June: 933 leads on prospective students. Fifteen have said they ’ ll apply. Features student-written reviews of collges that are shared on U.S. News ’ Best Colleges site. We enlist students to write about their Skidmore experience and pay Unigo to run a video on the Skidmore profile page. High school database predicts attendance probability based on profiles of past acceptees. Between Sept 2008 andSept 2011: 102,710 viewed Skidmore page and 324 added Skidmore to their consideration lists. Offers school-specific pages with key facts and link to request information. Between 2008 and 2011, Skidmore pages generated 133,135 views and 255 applications.

43. Our Communications Are Going Mobile as Well Our Soon-to-Be-Launched Platform for Mobile Devices (Our platform is Boopsie)

44. Events & News Facebook Page Twitter Feed

45. Foursquare Allows students to “check in” at certain places and ultimately achieve ‘mayor’ status Since April, 2011: - 41 Skidmore College venues - 165 followers - 5,004 check-ins Venues include: The Skidmore Shop Scribner Library Student Garden Career Services “ Deals" of various sorts are offered to students who check-in at these venues

46. Augmented-Reality Campus Tour Alex Chaucer, GIS instructional technologist, has developed a smartphone app that enables campus visitors to obtain information about a Skidmore building just by pointing their iPhone or Android at it. We ’re working with Alex to develop this app into a state-of-the-art self-guided campus tour.

47. Questions / Discussion? Dan Forbush 518-580-5746 [email_address] Daniella Nordin 518-580-5616 [email_address]