More Than Rankings

Tufts' YouTube Admission Essay

2010-02-23T12:46:00.000-05:00

Briefly, I thought this was so neat. Not so much the idea which you can read about in the article by the New York Times but because of how original the entries were!

Not to mention that these 17 year olds seriously know how to utilize technology.

My favorites: the engineering expert with making videos, the lip synch singer, and WOW, this one is just cool !

Hits close to home - Delgado Community College

2010-02-03T10:36:00.003-05:00

If you have read about New Orleans college comebacks post-Katrina and haven't read this article from the Chronicle on Delgado, you need to. How that school is serving its community and could be serving even more is fascinating.

Check this out --

Enrollment Changes After Hurricane Katrina

Four years after Hurricane Katrina, universities in New Orleans are still struggling to gain back their pre-storm enrollment numbers. Three of the colleges listed below have recovered better than the others, experiencing significant increases in their undergraduate enrollments since 2006, the year after the hurricane. But not one of the six has matched its pre-Katrina level.

	2006	2009	% change
Southern University at New Orleans	1,709	2,740	+60.3%
Xavier University of Louisiana	2,272	2,666	+17.3%
Tulane University	6,533	7,210	+10.4%
Loyola University New Orleans	3,034	2,913	–4.0%
University of New Orleans	9,156	8,746	–4.5%
Dillard University	1,124	1,011	–10.1%
SOURCE: Brookings Institution; Chronicle reporting

Oh and did I mention who I'm rooting for on Sunday? WHO DAT!

Print's not dead yet!

2010-01-04T16:25:00.002-05:00

Happy 2010! We celebrated the new year in New York City with our most cosmopolitan friends. We dined together on our last night in the city and during the obligatory conversations about work, we went in to the print vs. digital communication discussion. Around the table were experts in magazine advertising/publishing digital advertising/web analytics, branding/customer engagement, a small business owner whose newfound passion is marketing and lead generation and myself. In each of our industries there are roles that print plays that digital cannot (at least not so far.)

We talked about the appeal of a weighty, glossy fashion magazine and the way the ads almost dominate the content. Contrasted to a website where we all admit to having very little recall of any of the online ads. In my husband's business, mailers don't bring in as many new patients as his SEO efforts, but printed pieces work better to keep current patients coming in. The context of this conversation eventually turned to the fact that we all can leverage our "age advantage" to learn these trends faster and more thoroughly than our superiors, prove our contributions in the context of each of our industries and secure our jobs.

For me, this has extra meaning because the parent company I work for is a printing company at its core and is learning to build other capabilities. Stein is far ahead of this curve, and has proved to be the source of much digital know how. So when I saw this article from the Boulder County Business Report titled "There's still a role for print in digital world," it made me think of the stance many of us have taken with clients. We still encourage them to invest in viewbooks, brochures for parents, and direct mail campaigns. Often this is for the tactile appeal, and we even recommend thicker paper to further capitalize on the feel of the books. Print can convey substance in a way that digital cannot.

The article notes the other advantage of print, that it allows for a sense of discovery. In print, we "run across articles" we weren't expecting, but online, we only really search what we KNOW we want to look for. Again, in the case of search, we're soliciting students who might not have any knowledge of an institution. They may not have ever considered a school that they had not heard of beforehand, and so let's impart some real information to them, enough to get them to keep looking.

Finally this author comes to the conclusion that we all have: craft an integrated strategy, utilizing the medium that can have the most impact. Market leaders are not the ones with only an innovative online presence, but the ones leveraging equally sophisticated print materials as well. Does this hold true for our clients in education? Or are they scaling back the print side too much? Are a few postcards going to work as well as more in-depth materials? Is it just as easy for our audience to click delete as tossing a viewbook in the trash?

the greenest conference materials I've ever seen

2009-12-03T16:07:00.007-05:00

I'm at a conference where the organizers handed out name badges and lanyards made from recycled materials. The handouts with schedules and notes are in a binder made of corrugated cardboard.

And check out this pen!

I have to say that I'm a bit wary about this post because even if the pen has a paper barrel and a bamboo clip, the top part still seems to be plastic and it might still be produced by children in south Asia. While I was impressed that the centerpieces used for all the banquet tables will be donated to a local Atlanta Habitat for Humanity project, I flinched when the speaker mentioned the conference's carbon footprint. I wanted to ask how many people flew or drove to attend? What about all the leftover food on the continental breakfast spread? I saw a paper recycling can but glass bottles and aluminum cans going into the regular trash. There are so many aspects to consider if you want to be truly sustainable!

At the same time it is respectable to take one or a few places where a motivated someone can reduce their impact and do just that. That's what I tell myself when I pour myself a glass of water from the cooler (same glass all day) and resist the iced down Dasani bottles.

Atlanta Opera Targets Young Professionals

2009-11-16T16:41:00.003-05:00

My husband is a season ticket holder at the Opera. He admits this interest stems from the joy of feeling elitist and well, sequined ball gowns at the Cobb Performing Arts Centre will do that for you! For me, I love any time I can hear an orchestra perform and though we are younger than about 80% of other patrons, the important part is being exposed to new things and appreciating the arts.

That's certainly the goal of Atlanta Opera's outreach to young people through facebook, twitter, and a membership program for "young professional arts enthusiasts." You get access to discounted tickets and a free drink at each performance. (They really know what's at the heart of arts enthusiasts!) I learned all of this from the special Aria that was handed to me as we walked to our seats (crummy cell phone picture below). It's shorter and much more fun than the regular program that everyone else gets from the ushers. And I suppose we should be flattered for being singled out for looking the part of the young professional.

The 4 page booklet gives a synopsis of the performance, a Down and Dirty Opera History with the witty subtitle 'Or at least enough to sound impressive at a cocktail party,' and a section on etiquette warning first-timers not to text during the show.

Although I found the dumbed down language to be a bit condescending: Use the restroom before the performance. Otherwise, hold it. I appreciated the effort they are making to make Opera accessible and appealing. The Opera is not unlike many other businesses and non-profit organizations whose audiences are aging and who realizes traditional avenues of marketing just don't cut it anymore.

I have told several friends already that Orfeo and Euridice was my favorite opera yet, although we still have Magic Flute and Aida to go this season. I guess the real test is if I become a fan on facebook? follow on twitter? join the Comprimarios? For now, we're just the young folks at the Opera who knew better than to text...

The Research University's News Source

2009-09-17T16:27:00.005-04:00

I had heard murmurings about Futurity.org over the last few months, but since it's official launch this week on the 15th, it's getting the coverage in the mainstream press it merits. Here's a write up from the Baltimore Sun about the consortium formed by the University of Rochester, Duke and Stanford to aggregate the very best research news from partner universities. (List of participants.)

What's remarkable about this initiative is the acknowledgment that the typical news channels lack the ability to properly cover research and science. The Sun article also talks about the changing motivations of the traditional papers where readers are more likely to read the people and leisure section instead of a science section. Twenty years ago nearly 150 U.S. newspapers had a science section, today fewer than 20 do.

"It's ironic that we have fewer writers in our major media focusing on science, while we have ever more issues that have a science base — from climate change to the health care debate, stem cells, evolution and swine flu — many of which are very controversial," said Cristine Russell, a former Washington Post science reporter who is president of the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing.

Futurity allows universities to feed the online news aggregators and bypass those pesky journalists completely. The top article for today is about germs lurking in showerheads, interesting and relevant enough that I immediately subscribed to the daily RSS feed. I read enough Perez Hilton updates on twitter, so this should balance out nicely :)

New Stein, New Office

2009-09-11T16:45:00.002-04:00

Although my blogging has fallen off drastically, it has been for good reason. We've been so busy at Stein, taking care of long standing clients, like Arizona State, and new ones, like Centenary College, that my regular posts were off the radar. Here's to those days being behind me!

We've also had changes to the leadership of Stein, and as a result, moved our office across town last week. We are out of the printing plant and have aligned with a division of RR Donnelley that focuses on creative, Premedia Technologies. It's great to be in a facility with dozens of other designers, production artists, project managers and proofreaders.

Here's my old, sad, dingy cube that I left behind and my new one! I even have a visitor's chair.

Facebook Fan Wars, More on Millenials

2009-07-30T17:29:00.003-04:00

Here's an article from the Chronicle describing the race between Texas A&M and Lousiana State University to acquire the most facebook fans of any university. The marketing and communications offices at both schools are legitimizing the contest and weighing in with press releases and the inevitable bragging rights. Does it really demonstrate that either school is a leader in social media or does it prove that they know how to get their thousands of alumni all riled up?

Read this humorous write up from a Millenial about the expert theses others write on Millenials from Fast Company. This is key for anyone who hasn't figured out that Millenials can't pay attention, yet need lots of attention or for anyone who just wants to know which book on Millenials rings truest.

Video/Images Worth Re-Posting

2009-07-10T10:09:00.003-04:00

Two things this week cracked me up:

#1 Colleges that were caught using photoshop to make their campus seem diverse.
Full article here. The most egregious example?

#2 Vendor Client Relationship in Real World Scenarios

Sometimes, I wish it were appropriate to say to clients, "We're not the taco stand."

The quest for the perfect college fair table drape

2009-06-26T15:05:00.007-04:00

I spent two days last week on campus with new Stein client, Centenary College. Besides the admission campaign we will be developing over the next 12 weeks (yes, very tight turnaround!) they asked us to replace the table runners that the admission staff uses at dozens of college fairs every year. Since Stein will be responsible for the creative concept on these materials, we will also coordinate with vendors to develop these secondary materials.

So today we met with Neal Zucker, president of Southern Tailors. They produced the table drape that graced the Stein booth at SACAC, some for our clients and for many other schools besides. Like this one for Stetson. The reason Centenary asked us to investigate a replacement set is because they were unhappy with the color of the runner matching the actual school color, more of a red than maroon. Their drape is laid out here under the Coke banner.

Neal explained to us that their current runner is nylon and that nylon only comes in so many colors. What he recommended is to print the colors in CMYK directly on another fabric. (The Coke sample is on poplin, which is machine washable and the most durable.) This means endlessly more color options, although he warns that color is always approximate.

In order to really do his job well, Neal has attended college fairs so he can observe counselor behavior! He started to say something about what a crazy bunch they seemed to be, when I interjected and warned him that he should be careful because that's where I come from!! We talked about the need for set up to be easy, for the drapes to be low maintenance and then griped some about all the inevitable wrinkles. Neal's advice? ROLL your drape!

Centenary also asked about some portable displays that they can use for on-campus events or programs held at hotels that would welcome students and families to admission events. Neal showed us the retractable banner displays they can do. Shown here in a sample for Atlanta Public Schools.

What struck me was the vivid color in these photos. Apparently retractable displays printed on fabric absorb color better than similar displays made of vinyl or paper. Neal demonstrated set up and portability for us and said that if you take care with the stand, these can last for a LONG time. So long in fact, that you might update the image and reuse the infrastructure. I'm confident in recommending these to my client.

Neal said some schools are ordering wide displays with a college seal and using them as a backdrop for a photo opportunity. He does a lot of business with commencement and alumni banners and gonfalons! Check out this podium hanger from Georgia Perimeter College (former Stein client)

Incredible how they can print such detail on fabric. This is ATL mayor, Shirley Franklin!

For anyone whos had to stand behind a table in a high school cafeteria, you understand that we don't need to give students any reason to judge your school before they even open their mouths to talk to you. An attractive display with consistent branding certainly can't hurt, right? Especially once paired with an admission counselor's charm and charisma! (and willingness to answer the silliest questions!)

Have a great weekend!

Twitter is the haiku of blogging

2009-06-10T15:35:00.004-04:00

According to a USA Today article, there is an art to writing good status updates. I'm talking about 0nes that don't make your friends and followers roll their eyes because you are "on your lunch break" or "watching TV."

What makes a good status update is personality. This is especially true on twitter where personality is what drives people to follow you. A quote from Alison Bailin Batz calls twitter "a medium that rewards interestingness. Her example is to not tell the world you just ate frozen yogurt but that the local shop was giving away free scoops.

Twitter has certainly been easier for me to execute the last few months than blogging. I strive to keep it interesting, and make totally separate updates to facebook from what I put on twitter.

Here are some of my favorite tweets from people I follow just in the last hour:

@reggriffin: Which would concern you most: Your steady showing up on "Cheaters," "Springer," or "The Bachelor/Bachelorette."

By the way, Reg was the most interesting seatmate I've had on a plane and we've since become each other's twitter followers and facebook friends. He gets points on this tweet for pop culture references, which Reg is great at, and for current events (Bachelorette debaucle from Monday's episode).

@mickhagen: Never date a girl with Hulk Hogan arms. http://bit.ly/16Hrwr

Because everybody loves a little photo shop now and again.

@tham: In mathematics you don't understand things. You just get used to them. -- Johann von Neumann

My coworker who manages to find all kinds of fascinating quotes.

@dockane: Marketing folks: Looking for a "green" printer? Here is the FSC certified list: http://tr.im/o3EL

Of course a useful tidbit always wins out. And I'm not just saying that because Stein's printing connections are on this list!!

Not just the message but the medium

2009-04-29T16:46:00.003-04:00

I've been operating under the assumption that blogging will bring me business.

That's why I started this blog -- to prove that I strive to stay on top of what's happening in higher education and in marketing, ultimately with the hope that some director of admission would find my blog and then seek out Stein to work on their marketing materials and strategy.

In nearly eight months, this exact scenario has not come to pass, but I have enjoyed a growing readership and becoming part of a network of higher ed marketing peeps that challenge what I do every day. As the first Stein staffer to blog, there was some uncertainty but now there's even a company blog, too. Not to mention the fame that being featured on SquaredPeg.com's Higher Ed Blogs You Probably Haven't Heard of Worth Reading. Truly, a month into the game, this was a thrill!

Additionally, the blog has not just helped with peers, it has proved useful in many existing client relationships. Some clients who have google alerts set up for their schools have gotten blog posts about my work with them in their inbox. But again, this is not generating the NEW "leads" that I thought it might.

So after deciding that yes, the content on More Than Rankings is useful and helpful, I had to get the word out to the crowd of decision makers in admission offices who may not read blogs! The quarterly print newsletter was born. Yes, paying for stamps and spending time writing on envelopes was about a three-week task, but actually writing the newsletter was easy! I expanded on the posts I had already written, added some relevant research from others and voila!

The take-away is this: No matter how relevant/important/inspiring your message may be, if it's not on the platform where your audience reads/listens/absorbs, then what's the point? That's why we're taking our conversations from print publications to the Web, from the chat rooms of the 90s to the social networks of today. It's a challenge to find the right words and a bigger challenge to communicate with the right media to ensure your message gets to the intended recipients.

In my own example, I solicited everyone for feedback, including colleagues and current clients, and so far have gotten a positive response. In fact, I hope it inspires Stein as a whole to begin sharing expertise in a similarly public way (and in a print format)! I'm already thinking about what to include in the summer issue and I have a VP Enrollment lined up for an interview which I may record and send out as an audio CD. The true test is yet to be seen, as the final mailing went out on Saturday to another 75 admission professionals who may not have any prior experience with me or the blog. I'll keep you posted...

Why Schools Don't Pay Me to Take Photos

2009-04-14T09:49:00.006-04:00

I'm at Arizona State this week, shadowing a photo shoot for this year's set of publications. ASU hired photographer Jerry Mucklow who has worked with some people from Stein for as many as twelve years!

We went to all four campuses yesterday and I was in total admiration of the process that Jerry and art director Bonnie go through to set up each shot. What is this story trying to tell? What are the restrictions for using the photo in the publication, like where will the headline go? Will the gutter be right in the middle of this faculty member's face? And then trying to make it a compelling, emotionally appealing photo on top of all that! It's no small feat.

Also inspired by the beauty of ASU's campuses and their impressive facilities, I decided to use my Blackberry and do my own photo shoot. As you will see, this is why our clients pay Jerry!

This was our first location of the day, the Power Road Farmer's Market. All the produce was displayed so attractively!This is the news studio in the Cronkite School of Journalism where students deliver newscasts in both English and Spanish!

This is the Arizona State tree, the palo verde (literally green stick/pole) all over the Polytechnic campus!

Here is the whole crew setting up the shot of the solar oven. It was the most challenging shot of the day because of how reflective the panels are. It takes a village to shoot a student and an oven...
This is our version of a solar oven. Yes, warming a chocolate chip cookie on the dash in the hot Southwest sun.
New art installation in Downtown Phoenix over the Civic Space Park. It's called “Her secret is patience” by Janet Echelman. It was just erected on Monday! The City of Phoenix press release found here. And finally, no trip to Tempe is complete without great eats. Bonnie introduces me to the Pita Jungle. The jalapeno-cilantro hummus might have been the best hummus I've ever had!

Take Responsibility for Your Online Brand

2009-04-10T14:08:00.004-04:00

It's not a secret that employers sometimes use social networking sites to scout you out. And I'm sure every parent who is suspicious about their child's online activity has preached to them about this.

What I didn't know is that the newest stat from a book called Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success states that ONE in FIVE hiring managers use social networks for background checks.

I concur with Keith Ferrazzi on this piece of advice that went out today on his Success Tips email.

Be your same self for all audiences.
Clean up your facebook along with the rest of your online presence.

Of course, after I post this, is someone going to tag me in now considered unprofessional pictures from seven years ago from a sorority theme party? I didn't say this would be a one-time spring cleaning kind of thing; it's ongoing.

In fact, I recently connected on facebook with some friends I met on my year in Ecuador as a Rotary Youth Exchange student. They are in law school/married/working and those days are a distant past, but a photo turned up from a pageant we all put on for each other where we were grouped by country. That year there were almost 100 exchange students and probably 60 were from the US, and for the pageant, we had American flag capes on while we rapped Row, Row, Row Your Boat. Of course our intent was patriotic (we all missed home intensely and for some reason, that song conjured up home) but now, ten years later, I saw that picture and I was embarrassed. Out of context, it seemed disrespectful and I immediately removed the tag.

I have other friends who try to leverage facebook for professional reasons and have TWO profiles. This to me seems more insincere because anyone who is looking for you will see that you are trying to maintain distinct presences: one socially and one professionally.

Whatever you do, make good use of privacy settings and keep up with it. You don't want to give anyone reason to negatively judge who you are and what you're made of by what they find online.

More Than Rankings goes Quarterly!

2009-03-31T12:15:00.003-04:00

If you would like to receive a HOT OFF THE PRESS copy of my quarterly companion newsletter to the blog, please email your name, title and mailing address to kathryn@morethanrankings.com!

Inside you'll find:

expanded recommendations for copy changes appropriate to the economy
innovative yield ideas
tips for online communities

Advertising Doesn't Work Anymore

2009-03-24T10:22:00.002-04:00

Truly inspired by this post on today's TalentZoo by Paul MacFarlane. Advertising in its previous conception is dead because we can't hide the truth about a product or experience.

What's new and exciting and STILL works today and can apply to our audiences in education is the following:

We are all performers and there are no more audiences. Everyone can be in the spotlight sharing opinions and reviews. Any current student can write about their student experience online, they can critique their professors or their campus visit. That means a higher level of commitment to building quality relationships with ALL constituents.

Brands are no longer in control of their brands. MacFarlane thinks "this is smart, because surrendering to the public can lead to increased trust and likability." Schools have long given control to outside sources like US News rankings and Peterson's guidebooks. Students posting YouTube videos and twittering about activities on campus is a further extension of the same idea. The essence of an institution does not come from the Office of Public Affairs -- it is seen through its graduates' success and the prospective students who visit and then go and tell their friends about their experience.

Successful brands are schools who do what they say they are going to do. And are seen doing it. The actual experience here is very important. If you claim to engage current students and alumni, share stories about how this synergy happens and examples of how it mutually benefited both parties. Don't TALK about the institution's commitment to the environment. Make it apparent by limiting mailings and increasing electronic communication that focuses on the new Sustainability major.

It might be intimidating to alter your approach to be more encompassing, but what will define our success is agility in these changing times. Even MacFarlane agrees that what works is still "creativity, innovation and beauty, same as ever." So don't leave out the gorgeous campus shots, but maybe we re-think the package it comes in.

Ads that tell you to do the WRONG thing

2009-03-17T15:11:00.003-04:00

Last time I posted about ads that appeal to our sense of altruism -- eliminating water bottle waste and supporting the American auto industry. Today I'm writing about an ad that does just the opposite. It appeals to our indulgent and greedy side -- arguably what got all of us into this economic pickle.

It's a BMW radio ad that asks, "think you can't drive your dream car? It's simply not true. Just tell us what your current car payment is and we'll find the BMW that's right for you."

I scoffed aloud in disgust when I heard this ad. And truthfully, I'm not disgusted by BMW or the ad agency (in fact, good for them for continuing to fight for their market share), I'm disgusted by the people who will hear the ad and feel encouraged to go farther into debt.

To see the math on how most Americans are throwing away huge sums of money on their cars, watch this.

Ads that make you want to do "the right thing"

2009-02-23T16:53:00.002-05:00

As a loyal DVR customer for almost five years now, I very rarely watch commercials. And now I'm so convinced of the time I save by skipping commercials, I feel almost guilty about just sitting there while they're on. But when we lost power in half our condo last week, I reluctantly watched my Thursday lineup (The Office and 30 Rock) on the TV without that blessed fast forward button. And I was intrigued by the theme in the ads I saw that play to people's sense of contributing to the common good.

For one, the Brita campaign for "responsible water." (All ads here.) It shows the bottle of water on the treadmill and the copy states: Thirty minutes on the treadmill; forever in a landfill. There are versions for home, the meeting, in traffic, all the places you might sip on that bottled water. Not only does it make you want to pledge to reduce waste, but you better do it with a Brita filter on your tap or a Brita pitcher in your fridge!

(Personally I alternate between my SIGG and Camelbak both with clever "green" slogans imprinted on the side. Everyone in my family got one of these two models for Christmas this year but I'm still trying to figure out how to handle my fiance's addiction to sparkling water. We recycle around 20-25 of those 1 liter plastic bottles each week!)

The other ad I saw was for a Chevrolet with the ending slogan, Drive American. I might not be remembering this right and I can't seem to google which manufacturer is trying to appeal to our sense of patriotism and duty. Anyway the specfics are irrelevant because again they are marketing the idea of helping your country by not buying a Honda or Toyota.

So how do we take the concept of "sustainable hydration" or "buying American" and apply it to what we sell? When I first started thinking about this I though that education should be easier to link because it already contributes to the good of society. It DOES improve lives and create jobs. And after further thought, I think we have been marketing this "make a difference" idea forever in education ala see the problems in this world? come to XYZ University and be part of the solution.

Keeping in mind that our target audiences are MORE socially aware than ever before, how do we shift the messaging for the investment in their education to show the benefits? Showcasing alumni? Everyone loves a good testimonial or outcomes story. We could say Impact made possible by an XYZ degree.

I'm going to go ahead and post this, even though I'm still pondering the right way to capitalize on influencing others to do the right thing...

Hearing back from an old "admission crush"

2009-02-19T14:04:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I got an IM from TheBigBob22* telling me that I ought to be proud of myself for giving Bob a chance to attend Tulane. He's now a senior, triple majoring in Greek, Latin and Philosophy, and about to graduate magna cum laude. Bob and I first began our AIM relationship in the fall 0f 2005 when he tracked me down as a Tulane Admission Counselor. He wasn't in my geographic region, so we never met at his high school college fair or in his hometown, but I had listed Tulane on my AIM profile and one day, Bob and I started talking about his college search process. It became clear that while Bob didn't fit the academic profile for Tulane, he was a bright and motivated student. Ultimately, when the dean asked us for our admission crushes, (If any of you actually know Richard Whiteside, you are certain that the term admission crush was invented by his staff and that he is in no way responsible. It describes the handful of prospective students that counselors were endorsing for admission to Tulane who fall outside the typical profile.) I brought up Bob.

When Bob visited campus, we met face to face and I set up faculty meetings for him and he ultimately enrolled. I ran into him occasionally for the next few years until I moved away from New Orleans. So you can imagine my surprise when I got Bob's IM yesterday, telling me he's done quite well for himself. And then he said that I should be proud of myself. I told him I knew that he deserved an opportunity and that he should be proud of himself. Now that he's gotten accepted to a Ph.D. program, I think Tulane can be proud of him, too.

* AIM Screennames altered to protect the innocent.

New Favorite Ads

2009-02-18T15:23:00.003-05:00

Featured in ypulse's daily email... check out this new ad for Active Life Movement, a non profit working against obesity.

There's definitely some impact to seeing a fat and lazy Barbie.

Other ads feature a superhero and some lego pirates.

Where are you headed?

2009-02-10T10:25:00.004-05:00

Today's post is applicable for everyone. Whether you focus on your personal and professional goals or the goals for your organization/institution, we've probably all drifted a little from what we said we would do in 2009 and toasted on New Year's Eve.

Here are Keith Ferrazzi's tips for getting back on track:

Get your priorities straight: Review why your goal is worth working toward. Create a list of reasons and share it with a friend or colleague.
Reassess your obligations: What should you take off your plate, because it's not serving your goals?
Draft new resources: Have you gotten caught in a trap of thinking you have to do it all yourself? Analyze the process and your network to see which tasks -- either those related to your goal or those that are distracting you -- might be farmed out.

We all have to do more with less.

2009-02-03T12:39:00.005-05:00

Everywhere we go, news about the economy is inescapable. Even harder to deal with are the people we love (and some people we don't quite love) who think they are alone in this. No man is an island, from Wall Street to Main Street, however you want to say it -- this touches us all.

At Stein, we are embracing it as an opportunity to closely examine where we allocate funds and why. In sales in particular, the wine and dine tactic is becoming increasingly frowned upon. And rightly so. How can our clients believe us when we say that I understand your institution and the budget cuts you're facing when I carelessly spend my company's money? So now more than ever, we thoughtfully and purposefully plan travel. I've just returned from such a trip across the great (home) state of Pennsylvania.

I was going to spend the weekend in Pittsburgh with family only four days before I needed to be in Delaware with our new client, Wesley College New Castle. Why fly back and forth to Atlanta when I could spend that time meeting with other schools between Pittsburgh and DE? 770 miles in a Chevy-Impala-without-an-ice-scraper later, I had done a LOT of introducing myself and learning about the marketing efforts these various colleges and independent schools were making.

It's clear even before I started making these visits that everyone is worried about this next class. Admission folks are torn between approaching the problem and trying to be cost-effective or throwing a lot of money at it in hopes of fixing it. There are no easy answers either, but rest assured that you'll be working with people who understand your predicament and who are thinking creatively to maximize their own resources.

Important to note that resources are not just fiscal. Time is more valuable, something I talked about a lot with schools regarding Web 2.0 which tends to be an inexpensive initiative, but demanding on time. Let's review not just where we allocate funds, but what activities consume our energy at work. Hmm...I may have to take my own advice and rethink this blog...

Let this be a lesson.

2009-01-28T22:31:00.003-05:00

I've had the opportunity over the last few days to drive all over snowy and slushy Pennsylvania and sit down with admissions/communications folks at different schools.

Here are some (paraphrased) highlights from one particularly refreshing conversation.

me: "I've noticed that your admission website links directly to a facebook page and an institutional youtube account. And after reading some of your student blogs, I guess you don't have many questions for me about Web 2.0..."

Saint Vincent College AVP for Admission and Financial Aid: "You know we gave those flip video cameras to students and they did some amazing things. And did you know we don't monitor or supervise the bloggers at all? I think it's so important for all of that to be authentic."

pleasantly surprised me: "You're exactly right! And how have you found facebook?"

SVC AVP who totally gets it: "Well I made sure my profile picture was of me holding my dog and not the same picture that's on the school website. And about 80 prospective students and I are in regular contact. We've gotten valuable feedback from them about our on-campus admission events and materials."

me admiringly: "anything else you want to tell me that will blow me away?"

"I work best with agencies who feel free to brainstorm and share ideas and I'm not uncomfortable with edgy."

Today's Freshmen Drank Less Alcohol in High School

2009-01-22T13:05:00.002-05:00

Of course there are other interesting findings to come out of UCLA's annual survey of the nation's entering students at four-year institutions. (But I didn't think they would make the best title.)

Not such a surprise:

40% of students cite cost as important in choosing a college.
A record 60% of students applied to 4 or more colleges.
The number of students reporting that they have a learning disability is steadily rising. While 0.5% of freshmen reported having a learning disability in 1983, 3% did so in 2008.
More students, 31%, identified themselves as politically liberal (highest percentage in 35 years)
74% believe "addressing global warming should be a federal priority."

Somewhat surprising:

Fewer students are getting accepted to their first-choice school (78%) and even fewer are attending their first-choice school (17% accepted to their first-choice school chose to attend a lower-choice school).
49% of students plan to get a job to help cover the costs of college. (This is more than at any other time in the last 32 years that this question has been asked)

Truly noteworthy:

Are you surprised that I didn't put anything under this category?

Blogging - Don't Publish Unless It's Good

2009-01-13T10:13:00.002-05:00

AdAge interviews big time blogger, Seth Godin about how often to post to your blog and insight into this process.

Godin says:

My blogging life is basically goalless. I like the zen nature of that, and paradoxically, it improves results.
An interesting fact, for what it's worth: Monday seems to be a good day to post a really viral idea.

For the full article. If you read this, you'll see that I'm contributing to what Godin calls "the online echo chamber" where everyone writes about everyone else's posts!