marketing plan

Marketing Plan – Fall 2013

Justin WhiteMaria EsplanaHector AmayaJesse Phelps

Table of Contents

1.0 Executive Summary 1

2.0 Situational Analysis 1

2.1 Market Needs 2

2.2 The Market 2

2.2.1 Market Trends 3

2.3 Student Services Division at Miramar College 3

2.3.1 Mission 4

2.3.2 Service Offering 4

2.3.3 Positioning 4

2.3.4 SWOT Summary 5

2.3.4.1 Strengths 5

2.3.4.2 Weaknesses 5

2.3.4.3 Opportunities 6

2.3.4.4 Threats 6

2.3.4 SWOT Conclusion 6

3.0 The Marketing Strategy 7

3.1 Critical Issues 7

3.2 Marketing Objectives 8

3.3 Marketing App 8

3.4 Marketing for Club Related Activities 9

3.5 Messaging 9

Table of Contents

4.0 Marketing Mix 10

4.1 Product 10

4.2 Price 11

4.3 Promotion 11

5.0 Online Marketing Strategy 11

6.0 Controls 12

Student Services of San Diego Miramar College: Marketing Plan

1.0 Executive Summary

San Diego Miramar Community College is a non profit junior college that attempts to provide the greatest education a 2-year institute can provide while also keeping prices low and affordable for its students and future applicants.

San Diego Miramar College was built in 1969. Today, Miramar College offers over 120 certificates, associate degrees, and comprehensive transfer programs to 13,000 students of all ages, ethnicities and backgrounds because of that, everyone will have the experience of new concept at Miramar College.

Miramar College is embracing change at a rapid rate. With the addition of new facilities, an increase to almost surplus in student numbers, and a technologically advancing world, Miramar College is embracing all of it with passion. Changing as needs or opportunities arise in order to provide an even greater experience to its students.

The Student Services of San Diego College helps make this happen. By listening to student opinions, gaining input, and then following up with noticeable changes, the Student Services is a crucial part of the College experience for students at Miramar.

2.0 Situational Analysis

The need for the Student Services building and all the resources has to offer speaks for itself. In other words, “the proof is in the pudding.” Without the tools the Student Services provides, students would have a difficult time achieving success, which is the sole purpose of the department, let alone apply for admission into Miramar College. However, the need for the implementation of a new marketing strategy is even more vital, and this is evident in the data collected by the class on how familiar students are with the building and department. If Student services isn’t reaching students in a manner that is up front and informative as well as appealing and captivating then the purpose of the programs is negated and rendered ineffective. The research shows that unless an approach is tailored to encompass students of both genders and of all stages in their education, theses students will never fully be able to utilize all the helpful programs that can be found in the department. It is our job as the students of Professor Hahn to develop and put in effect a marketing plan to accommodate these needs and expand the reaches of Student Services.

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2.1 Market Needs

Student Services key principles are rather straightforward: To assist students by providing information and services necessary to achieve their educational goals and make the most of their experiences at Miramar. Unfortunately the perception of attending community college in society tends to be one of distaste and creates the attitude of reluctance in those who attend. To put it simply, most student show up for class, endure the lectures, and are quick to carry on their lives outside these doors. No real effort goes into engaging with all the opportunities the school has to offer, both academic and extracurricular. And therefore, students don’t put forth active participation in their academic experience and the time they spend here to make the most of it.

HOURS SPENT ON CAMPUS 1 to 6 hours 1917 to 12 hours 19113 or more hours 117

2.2 The Market

Student Services offers a variety of services and these services include Admission assistance, qualitative assessments to aid in course placements, Student Council, Job and Career assessment, Disability Support, Extended Opportunities for disadvantaged students, Financial Aid, Health Services, Scholarships, and aid for our Veterans too. These services can be used by all students of many different backgrounds and place in college. Most students surveyed tend to be within the 17-25 range and in their first semester.

SEMESTERFIRST SEMESTER 160SECOND SEMESTER 116THIRD SEMESTER 109FOURTH SEMESTER 48FIFTH SEMESTER 33SIXTH SEMESTER 14SEVENTH SEMESTER OR LONGER

19

AGE17-25 309

26-35 133

35-50 39

50+ 10

Prefer not to 8

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2.2.1 Market Trends

The significant market trends are as follows:

The most used student services in Miramar College are the Admission, Assessment and the Financial Aid. The least used services are the Associated Students and CAL Works.

Most students spend their hours at classes at Miramar followed by hours spent at the library.

Most students still prefer Blackboard as means of getting information followed by school based internet/email and TV monitors in campus buildings.

Emails, signs throughout the campus and the campus website are most answers of the students when they were asked what they prefer getting information from for campus events.

If Miramar College would make a Student Life Navigator App, most students said that would definitely download it. Most students voted that they want the Student Information/ Activities, Counselor Appointment, app for picking the Right Courses/ Class, Transfer Information and financial aid information for the primary features for the app.

Majority answered “Yes” when they were asked if they would benefit from a freshman student orientation at Miramar College.

2.3 Student Services Division at Miramar College

The student services division at Miramar Colleges works to create a welcoming and inclusive experience for all students and strives to provide an environment that encourages student participation, inquiry and responsibility in order to ensure that success is achieved. The Student Services Goals and Objectives are designed to be integrated with the San Diego Miramar College Strategic Plan, which is created with the College Mission in mind and takes into account critical information. Environmental scan, current budget review of resources, departmental data, as well as strategic plan assessment data are key in critical discussion within Student Services when embarking upon Program Review self-study and Student Learning Outcome evaluation. Student Services takes the lead in the development of important planning documents such as the Matriculation Plan, Diversity Plan and Student Equity Plan. Each serves an important role

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in the college wide planning processes, which follows a participatory shared governance structure. In addition, the planning documents are designed with the goal of providing comprehensive and quality services to students. An integrative approach is critical to the success of the college planning process; Student Services is committed to participating in the necessary communication, collaboration, and coordination in order for an Integrated College Master Plan to meet the needs of students.

2.3.1 Mission"We, the Student Services Division, believe that students are the reason for our existence. We are dedicated to offering equitable and courteous services to our Miramar College community. We are committed to the development and empowerment of our students to their full potential."

2.3.2 Service OfferingThe student services at Miramar College are designed to offer:

• Student Access• Quality• Student Learning and Success• Integrated Planning• Efficiency

These combined are used to offer the best possible services at San Diego Miramar community college, to enhance the student wellbeing for an ever increasing population.

2.3.3 Positioning

As a community college, San Diego Miramar offers a wide variety of classes to an even broader demographic of students. Admittance is open to anyone who has received a high school diploma or equivalent, anyone who doesn’t have a diploma or equivalent but would like provisional admission status, or to high school students who wish to be enrolled as “special part-time” students. Students who do enroll as “special part-time students” must also meet a criteria for admittance. Admission is not based on previous experience with any college as Miramar is a 2 year college. San Diego Miramar College exists to provide the best possible 2 year education to all of its students in an affordable manor.

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2.3.4 SWOT Summary

The following outlines the most significant strengths and weaknesses to Miramar College Student Services and the opportunities and threats that exist within its environment. Our objective is to maximize use our strengths to take advantage of the opportunities our market presents, develop those areas that are weaknesses, and devise contingency plans to address threats if those should become a reality.

2.3.4.1 Strengths

College Reputation: San Diego Miramar is known as a good stepping stone (as well as a cheap one) into 4-year colleges and universities.

Dedicated Employees: Miramar College has a strong dedicated employee base

Amazing Facilities: Miramar College successfully maintains its image and usefulness.

Web Services: San Diego Miramar College’s webpage, http://www.sdmiramar.edu, promises to be of assistance to most if not all student needs, ranging from checking schedules, finding information, and scheduling appointments.

2.3.4.2 Weaknesses

Low funding levels compared with local UC, CSU, K-12 and other community colleges nationwide

Increase in student enrollment and demand, with limited staffing, has forced some offices to reduce the hours that some services are provided

Staffing has not grown with the college enrollment makes it difficult to meet the high volume needs of students

Hiring of hourly employees referred to as Non-Academic Non-Classified Employees (NANCE) is problematic. This group of employees, specifically student workers, has limited access to student records, thus making it difficult to perform the full scope of duties needed by various offices with high volume demands.

Increased demand from students for on-line resources to meet 24/7 need for access to information and support

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2.3.4.3 Opportunities

Potential revenue from auxiliary funds

Grant writing opportunities

Re-think current best practices to improve processes etc

Potential to explore improvement in delivery of services, and structure of services to effectively meet the needs of students in the current climate of budget strife

2.3.4.4 Threats

State-wide budget crisis

Fifty Percent Law limitations

San Diego Community College District hiring freeze

Limited eligibility for VETEA Funds

Admissions policies at some local universities has impacted student options

2.3.4 SWOT Conclusion

In conclusion, Student Services has invested a great deal of time to improving the program review and student learning outcome process and has worked to improve collaboration and integration of planning with the college in order to improve programs and services for students needs and overall efficiency of the division.

3.0 The Marketing Strategy

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The Student Services really has real no competition, at least in terms of immediacy. Whether it could be said Miramar College and its Student Services are competing against the other Junior Colleges in the San Diego region is hardly a question; each educational facility has its own distinctive features and qualitative services to offer. And what Miramar’s Student Services has to offer is a variety of help pertaining to educational goals and the future. However, Miramar does have some self-sustained competition, for not everyone is utilizing such goods. While there is no need to define the value of a good education or even the quality of the resources offered by the Student Services, there is a need to remind the beneficiaries that structuring their appropriate educational track and future is no easy task. Everyone wants the security of finding a job after putting in the hard work of attending school, or even just the satisfaction that they are on the right track in terms to accomplishing what they need in order to reach their goals. By properly penetrating the student body, they can ensure everyone optimizes the rewards of investing in their education and figuring out a way to market this is the sole aim of this project.

3.1 Critical Issues Majority of students are neutral concerning the possibilities listed on the

questionnaire. They are neither interested nor uninterested with the services being offered or may be offered.

News and event purposed televisions need to be placed in areas where students frequently pass. Not just the K building.

Students like the idea of being social. Nonetheless, a good portion of students surveyed are not up for future college-organized events.

Students don’t have clubs to join. The lack of clubs means less students staying on campus.

Need for on campus student orientation. Students feeling as if their experience in Student Services is rushed

Very Often Quite Often Sometimes Rarely Never 0

50

100

150

200

Free Entertainment Event At-tendance

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Very Often Quite Often Sometimes Rarely Never 0

50

100

150

200

Student Attendance Likelihood on "Campus Wide Break"

3.2 Marketing Objectives

The objective is to provide this valuable experience to as many students as possible in a positive and supportive manner. A positive, constructive and meaningful experience is the sought-after result of the San Diego Miramar experience. This experience may assist individuals to better understand the necessary skills that their future occupation demands and/or future 4 year college and empower them to realize the choices and options available to them. The objectives include:

1. Providing a crucial and affordable college experience to students through the current academic year and enable them to achieve greater success further down the road.

2. Accomplishing our program goals within budget

3. Analyze raw data to show (in)consistencies with known knowledge. As well as use it to show needs for change or improvement.

3.3 Marketing App

Many students opted yes for having an app that would allow them to really control their experience on the go. Having the new features in the school program, like getting an application on you cell phone and/or tablet to register for new classes, transferring, setting an appointment with a counselor or having all the information right in your cell phone about the latest news of what is happening in Miramar College. Once implemented, this is going to prove that it’s making an impact to all the students at Miramar College because this upgrade it’s a new step in the college, which has never been used or even considered. It’s very important that once students can

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have these new services right in their hands, that they can successfully take advantage of all the benefits that all this can give them. In the graph below, there are listed possible features for the application. Their importance is gauged by the number of students who selected it (on the right).

YES NO 0

100200300400

Student App

APP FEATURES

Student information/ activities 287Counselor appointment 269Picking the right courses/ classes 256Job information 153Transfer information 207EOPS 76DSPS 49Financial Aid 192

3.4 Marketing for Club Related ActivitiesAnother approach besides the app (but possibly integrated into it at a later time) is the introduction of clubs. Miramar College doesn’t have many noticeable clubs that are visible on their main website, or at all for the matter. From what the data implies, the students at Miramar College want to be social, but aren’t sold on the new ideas suggested through the survey. Based on the data, by implementing new clubs or encouraging students to start clubs, they would be more likely to attend events hosted by Miramar College Student Services.

3.5 MessagingMiramar College is a proud school, whom has given the message to all the students and will continue doing it, that every semester, things here get better and continue to give the same message to the community Miramar has over 120 certificates which are available to their present 13,000 students, hopping that this amount will raise very soon. This is why Miramar College wants to give the best service to all our community.

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4.0 Marketing Mix

Miramar College is a non-profit organization and fits the criteria as an organization, being an organization with Educational purposes. Its primary source of revenue is derived from contributions, which accounts for 91.5% of total income. However, to ensure they maintain facilities in top functional condition roughly just over half the total income received is devoted towards addressing these expenses. Therefore, by paying the tuition fees, individuals improve the quality the quality of the resources that become more readily available, such as the Student Services.

4.1 Product

The product offered by the Student Services is an unparallel dedication to improving the quality of attending Miramar College as well as recommendations and aide to students. Like anything, there is room for improvement as students feel like their experience is being rushed

0

40

80

120

160

When Using Student Services

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4.2 Pricing

Miramar College Student Services does almost everything within its power to minimize costs for its students. Although they are a Junior City College, they still value an ideal education as something everyone should be entitled to and make it affordable as well as offering an array and multitude of financial aid opportunities.

4.3 Promotion

Miramar College Student Services promotes itself and the college by offering scholarships to potential students. Working to increase the number of applicants they bring in.

5.0 Online Marketing Strategy

Although Miramar College has a highly interactive and informative online website, there is always room for improvement. When surveyed, students at Miramar stated they were pleased with using the website and different functionalities of the Student Services online resources and use it on a regular basis. Yet most participants in the survey remarked that their interactions with Student Services consisted primarily of Financial Aid and Admissions help. Based on the data we collected, the numbers also show that nearly half of the students use or prefer a system where they receive updates and school announcements via email or school website. This may or may not be because of the fact that they are the only real methods of communication available at this moment in time.

STUDENT SERVICES STUDENTS USED IN THE PAST Admission 363Assessment/ Course Placement 162Associated Students 33Career and Job Placement 63CAL Works 29EOPS 117Transfer Center 109Financial Aid 381Health Services 52Scholarship Office 53Veteran 42

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BEST PLACE TO GET INFORMED ABOUT MIRAMAR COLLEGENewspaper 66Television 97Radio 53Leaflets 59Posters 143Banner 74Announcement Board 143Online at SDCCD.EDU 297Your Smartphone 203

6.0 Controls

The purpose of this survey and project is to simply go from the unknown to the known. There are of course many preconceived ideas of how students were acquiring information and instructional use of the Student Services but at first glance it was clear many students were hardly aware of the new facility in which the programs were located. This project serves as a guideline of how to implement a marketing strategy to appeal to students of all ages, of all needs in getting ahead on getting what they can out of their education. By narrowing down what students are looking for in aid for their goals, we can then go about tailoring an approach that suits both parties.

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