Friday 28 October 2016

We smashed it (clearing that is, not a pumpkin)


We’ve been recruiting students through clearing for many years, providing an essential service to students looking to be accepted on to an undergraduate course.  It’s an opportunity for students who are just considering university and haven't applied in main cycle, those who have not been accepted on to their chosen course and those wanting to change their decision.  But with the increasing marketisation of HE we have faced growing competition from other universities in clearing; some entering for the first time.  So this has caused us some nervousness in believing we could achieve our objectives.

However, we prepare well, draw on past performance to determine our objectives and targets and, given the changes in the external environment in which we operate, we give a significant focus to competitor response.  This year we deliberately set ourselves some challenging targets and went all out to achieve them.

Recently our bloggers have made comparisons with running and cycling challenges, so now it’s my turn and as I’m an obsessive dancer the comparison is ballroom!  

I recently attended the 64th International Ballroom Championships at the Royal Albert hall.  It's a fantastic spectacle but really hard for a spectator to judge the dancers as the pairs seem to be offering something very similar, in a confined space for a short time span (one tune) – but eventually they are knocked out and whittled down to the final six.  The dancers move around the ballroom with skill, speed and fluidity, but bump they do - politely apologise and dance on. 

Clearing feels like this - meticulously choreographed, staged, rehearsed and performed - highly competitive but in a sector that is respectful and for the most part plays within the rules, for a very finite period of time in a crowded market place. It's a performance where we are trying to outdo each other with our visual spectacle; we compete hard for the best space in front of the judges (students) and capture their attention.  

So what can I say - we definitely reached the final.  We know we smashed it (thanks Pete for this inspired phrase) in terms of the targets we set ourselves - web hits, phone calls, offers and accepts.  We know the campaign was successful because we have evidence of a strong positive correlation between campaign channels and web goals, phone calls and live chat.


But the best part of this achievement is that our success is infectious - it enthuses and inspires us to achieve more.  The language we are using is positive and uplifting ‘smashed it’ – it’s no wonder competitors go on to multiple success.  Roll on clearing 2017 – we’ll be ready for you. 

Wednesday 12 October 2016

Developing my skills

With any career it’s important to develop and learn new things. So over the last few months I’ve been looking at projects I can get involved in to help my own development.

The first project I’ve been working on is managing the print tender for the 2018 prospectuses. Don’t worry – you haven’t nodded off and missed Christmas! As you’ll know by now, we’re always working way ahead in marketing. I sourced potential suppliers (it was also open to any other suppliers who wanted to put themselves forward for the job), updated the tender documents, worked on a questionnaire for the suppliers, and evaluated the pricing and questionnaire in order to select the company who will print our 2018 publications. I’ve now selected the company we’ll be working with and they even suggested an alternative paper stock which will make us a little cost saving! The next step is to meet with the company to discuss ways of working, new paper stock, timings etc.

I’m also looking to appoint people as part of the University’s graduate development scheme and student internship scheme. These schemes allow us to take on a recent graduate or intern to work in the team for a short period of time (usually 4-6 weeks) to gain valuable work experience. So I’ll be helping to choose the applicants for the department and managing them once they are here. I’m keen to lead on this project and gain more experience in managing people. So far I’m collating a list of appropriate projects they could work on and drafting up job specs.

Some current jobs...

The team have recently started work on the undergraduate 2018 prospectus – working with the design agency on the design concepts and progressing the look and feel from the current prospectus, agreeing production schedules and sourcing photography opportunities for photoshoots next month. I’m now looking to agree the definitive course list – our course offering – for the 2018 cycle and updating course copy from the current prospectus in line with any course modifications.

And as we’re well into the winter Open Day season now, as well as working on implementing the campaign plans, I’ve started my rolling evaluation report, in the hope that if I keep on top of this after each event, when it comes to the end of the season I can wrap it up quite quickly ready for the Spring season starting in the new year.

And less work related…

I’m off to Australia on 19th October for three weeks, to visit family. I’m really looking forward to some winter sun and seeing my sister, brother-in-law and niece and nephew for the first time in almost three years!! And obviously having almost four weeks away from the office isn’t bad either. So I’ve been planning ahead over the last week or so and trying to get a head start on my projects so the team just need to send things out on my behalf while I’m not around.

Be gentle with Sarah and Sara while I’m away…enjoying the sun…and the beach…and the coral reef.

Speak soon,
K

Thursday 6 October 2016

You can never know too much

Last month I was invited to attend the "Award-winning postgraduate marketing" seminar, hosted by Find a University. The event was held in Liverpool, so I traveled up the night before and was particularly impressed with the wallpaper in my hotel room!

The next morning I had one too many pastries at the buffet breakfast and set of for the day. The seminar featured talks from marketing professionals from both home and international universities, as well as speakers from marketing agencies.

Events like this are invaluable as they provide an opportunity to network, and to learn more about what is happening in the higher education sector, both nationally and internationally. The talks identified some of the challenges the industry is facing, and the different tactics various institutions are using to combat said challenges and reach out to audiences in new ways.

The event ended with a panel discussion on Brexit and how this will impact PG recruitment. It's a very interesting topic, with most people holding very strong opinions on the subject, so it will be interesting to see how this pans out for the sector over the next few years.

Next week I'll also be attending the Higher Education Show in London. The day is filled with various talks from key speakers in the industry focusing on different areas within the sector including the student experience, marketing and admissions, facilities and technology, and research and collaboration. This will be my first time attending this particular event so I'm excited to see exactly what the day holds.

In other news, last week I was out and about around the University, photographing some of the freshers events (one of the many perks of working for the University is picking up some freebies at the freshers fayre and indulging in the £1 domino's pizza!). There were some great events happening, and it was great to be able to speak to some of our new students as they start to settle in and find their way around the campus and town. My favourite event was, of course, the puppy room. If you missed it, where were you?!