Students and parents now have an expectation of 25x7 self service. They want to be able to complete tasks on their mobile device. They do not want to call a sales person or boot up their laptop. They want instant access via the mobile Web. Excellent 4 minute presentation by Christina Kerley at Rutgers University.
“Social Media and Mobile Marketing: Gaining a Competitive Advantage”
Prior to Mongoose, I have spent two years helping brands like the NHL, NFL Network, Pittsburgh Penguins, Cleveland Cavilers, OXY Acne Solutions, and MLB on TBS create and launch mobile marketing campaigns for the youth market. Even with major brands and more complex campaigns - the strategy is to “keep it simple”.
Prospective students are used to using their mobile phones in certain ways. Many have opt-ed in to receive text updates from their favorite shows or sports teams. National programs like this (and Barak Obama’s campaign for that matter) have set expectations in prospective students and parents.
Colleges and universities can gain by leveraging best practices and standards of what has worked in the commercial world. This allows the prospective students a comfortable environment to engage with your institution. The key is to leverage existing behavior - to make the experience comfortable and valuable to the prospective student.
The video below is a good introduction to launching a mobile marketing campaign. The video was not created specifically for higher education – but the same principles absolutely still apply.
60 Second Marketer is an online video magazine for the marketing community.
A frank perspective of the media consumption habits of young people. Media Snackers is a cool brand out of the UK. They offer training to youth-focused corporations who want to understand, explore and use social media to develop fresh new strategies and operations.
