Pictures are Posted!

You can find this photo and all of the rest of our fun photos from the Eastern fairs up on shutterfly.

You can view them at www.spareparts.shutterfly.com.

marketing masks...

Is your product true to what you're promoting?

Many of you were with me for our stay at the Crowne Plaza in Ottawa for the end of the Ontario fairs. We got a really great rate, but I was disappointed with our stay for several reasons, most of which I won't go into here, but including not having our rooms ready when we arrived (after having called within the past 24 hours to confirm our already-contractually-stated arrival time), not having the internet included in the rate of some of the rooms as agreed, the front desk staff being extremely inefficient (not to mention all in blue jeans; even on a Friday this is way below my expectations of the Crowne Plaza), and... did anybody else have to practically stand on their toilet to get the bathroom door closed? While nicely furnished, this hotel had the smallest bathroom I have ever seen, and no additional outer sink/counter.

Okay, so maybe I'm getting to be a bit of a hotel snob... but there's a lot to be said for meeting expectations, especially if you're in the business of setting them. The Crowne Plaza calls themselves "The Place to Meet..." and yet two large meetings booked on the same weekend seemed to throw them all into chaos. They call themselves "the best that Ottawa has to offer," but I beg to differ (Westin here we come in 2007?!).

I was greeted with truffles and a hand signed welcome card (when, in fact, my room became available...)

"...Please do not hesitate to contact me..."

I felt like saying, "Well, if you would please not hesitate for over 15 minutes from answering the phone at the front desk, I would not hesitate to contact you..."

ANYWAY, enough ranting... my main point is this: Does your institution wear marketing masks? Do you overstate your alumni satisfaction levels, or pad your "employment rate" by not mentioning that grads may not be employed in their area of study? Do you have unrealistic depictions of your campus, residence, classrooms, or resource areas... on your display, online, in written descriptions, or otherwise?

What are some ways that you may be setting expectations too high; or worse yet, falsely? Is your "One-Year-Certificate" really that adventurous? Are your credits really that transferable? Is your discipleship program ultimately focused on discipleship?

Remember: your satisfied students are the best recruiters you will ever have for your institution. Think retention and be sure that all levels of marketing, recruitment, and alumni relations are on a realistic level of expectation management.

Dayna

the look you're looking for...

Hate to say "I told you so..." well, okay, I don't hate it that much; the new Starbucks look supports my past prediction that the 'silhouette' look is the marketing look of the future... and now that makes it the marketing look of now... Think iPod, Coke BLAK, and... Starbucks.

Do you remember the Belfast Bible College display? Go for it... it's the look that will get the looks you're looking for at fairs, events, exhibitions, etc... disclaimer: you'll have to be ready to get a new one within a couple of years!

Dayna

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday

MARY & JULIE!When's your birthday? comment below...

Five Alive

Do you ever come out of a tour or even a meeting thinking, "what did we accomplish there?" well, I am 15 minutes into my first day back from the Ontario fairs and already assessing that... I know we connected and networked and accomplished a LOT... so in case some of you are heading straight back onto the road again (bless your souls), or simply may forget some of what we did, I have a list of resources here for you that you can create your own action item list out of:

1. Pro D hand-outs: Resource List; enrolment process SOS
2. BLOGS (right nav bar)... click "comment" below and give us your blog address to have it posted on our list
3. Stats from each event (I will email you)
4. Please consider using our sponsor for your next order of promotional give-aways. Rob Penner of Talbot Marketing worked with his suppliers to provide us with the freebies that you received on the fairs (duffle bag, water bottle, portfolio, alarm clock, business card holder). I also purchased our lanyards and pens through him.
5. Past Posts: "Some Resources" ; "Tuition Increases and Google Alerts" ; "Sweet Freebies" ; Noel Levitz & Stamats ; and a Travel Tip.

There you have it... my first of what will become a spontaneous series of "Five Alive" lists... bite sized lists that you can create your own action items, ideas, plans or proposals out of.

DC

Ever tried to sift through the statcan website? It can get kind of crazy, and just when you think you found something good, you need to order it and/or pay... argh. Anyway, here's one place to start poking around if you are looking to do some population planning...

http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060927/d060927a.htm

Also note; I have added a new blog to the list
http://stopfiverecords.blogspot.com (Dan Donkers; Summit Pacific)

See some of you in Ontario Friday (I leave tomorrow)...

Dayna

lou review

There were many good things on the CCUfairs west, but this wins hands down in it's category:
Best Ladies' Bathroom
...The envelope please...
and the winner is:
Calgary: First Alliance Church!

[actual photo]

Question of the Day

Okay, so for those of you that were on the western leg of the fairs, I know you're probably expecting some slightly random brainteaser that, while unusual and seemingly ridiculous, actually spurs on some great conversation and makes the day a whole lot more fun. I don't want to disappoint you, but this question is going to have a slightly different feel to it. Without any more preamble, here's my question:

As a admissions professional, our jobs require a large amount of commitment to both travel and office time. What things do you do to refresh yourself on the road? At home? How do you maintain relationships and community? What sort of things keep you alive personally so that you can be motivated professionally?

Can't wait to hear how you all weigh in on this one!

Astro-Dunn

Hey Dunn, this one's for you... and any of you other crazies that have never heard of Astroboy (my pick as Dunn's cartoon character) click above to hear the theme song... click here to find out more about "the Aaamazing Aaastro-Boooyyyyy..."

Blog Links

Quick tip for y'all... scroll down a bit and look right... there's a list of some recruiter's blogs (not neccessarily about recruitment... mostly not...). Comment here to have yours added to the list.

5 Ways to Boost January Enrolment

Happy November! It's not hard to think of Christmas and the new year here in Calgary right now, with our blanket of snow and sub-zero temperatures... it got me thinking of enrolment trends for second semester...

Did you know that many prospective students -- even mature students, don't know that they can start classes in January? If your enrolment numbers are astoundingly high right now, you may not need to make a push for January enrolment... but if you could use a boost in enrolment, here are a few ideas:

1. Promotional campaign... a "bold sign" road side announcement proclaiming January enrolment options
2. Radio ad (see if you can get it sponsored by a local business)
3. Newspaper ad (especially effective for attracting mature students/community ed/continuing ed)
4. A special brochure or small poster for your display table focusing on January enrolment
5. Christmas "gift certificates", good for the cost of a class... promote these on your parent page and/or semester-end mailout. While you're at it, throw in a free gingerbread latte card for your campus cafe...

Most of all, don't forget that just when it feels like you're getting SICK of your brand, logo, promotional campaign... others are JUST beginning to recognize it. You are immersed in it, but many don't even know you exist, or have misconceptions about how and when you offer your services (even your own students!). Tell them how it's going to be done... tell them you're doing it, and then tell them how you did it... they'll get the picture AND pass it on.

Happy Birthday Clint!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
CLINT!

You're definitely cool enough for the name "CLINT"! ;o)
Hope you have a great Birthday!

The votes are in...

The votes are in... here's the picture for next year's CCUFairs promo:


More western fairs pictures here

Blogger Alerts...

Has anyone set up Blogger Alerts? Funny enough, I set one up to find "CCUFairs" so that I can track advertising and articles etc... and it found one of Stacey's blog posts, as well as my previous blog post.

All that to say two things: 1) set up blogger alerts, they work! and 2) check out Stacey's blog... you'll find more fantastic pictures like this one (click to go to Stacey's blog):

Schoolfinder.com Profile

Christian Higher Education Canada has a pretty sweet profile within schoolfinder.com. They are one of the sponsoring organizations of the CCUFairs, so we worked out a deal for the profile on their site (click logo above).

• The institutions with the higher profiles were already paying members of schoolfinder.com
• I am unsure how they qualified "UC" as a type, but I will look into it
• These have been up since before western fairs started (sorry I didn't tell you sooner, one of those things that got lower priority with dealing with personal things over the last few weeks).

Especially check out the "program find" option... pretty cool.

What do you think? Any suggestions?

Thank you!

Ahhh, I enjoyed a latte in my new mug, & listened to some new iTunes already... the chocolate didn't survive long enough to make it into the picture, yah, it's gone. Thanks so much for your generosity! You guys are the best.

For the record, the "Question of the Day" about the song of your life helped me pick out some new iTunes... Chris Tomlin, Amanda Falk, Third Day, John Mayer... and I was surprised that nobody named "on the road again" as their life song! Maybe in Ontario...

Anyway, thanks again, I am truly honoured.

Dayna

question of the day

Stacey had everyone thinking, talking, and getting to know one another with "Question of the Day" while we were on the western leg of the fairs. One of the questions was, "If you were a cartoon character, what cartoon character would you be?" [note that this is not asking what your favourite cartoon character is, but who you would be]...

• Patty was Dora the Explorer
• Renee was SheRa... and I think a couple of others...
• Starla was Smurfette
• Dunn was AstroBoy (although not everyone knows who that is...)----->

But Ruth Scott wins... as... HERSELF! (click pic for virtual tour of ebc!)


On that note... what was the highlight of the CCUFairs for you? What would you never change about the CCUfairs?

pay it forward...

Okay all you who attended the ProD... or even just went on the western fairs... what's your number one new "action item"? What will you now do differently as a result of your training and/or experience?

I know you're out there...

Quality vs Quantity...

Dan Donkers ladies and gentlemen, Recruiter for Summit Pacific (Abbotsford) at Kelowna's Great White North Supertour concert among a few of the several hundred attendees.

This event, and events like YC (by the way YC07 dates are May 25-27), maybe even Missionsfest; Out in Ontario and east I imagine it is things like Kingdom Bound or events at Canada's Wonderland... raises the question... should you put your eggs in the quality basket, or the quantity basket? The illustration lending itself quite nicely to my answer... don't put all your eggs in one basket!

Sometimes students don't know that they want more information from you yet until they come across you at events that are not intentionally "higher education" focused.

Thoughts?

Friday's Cry-->

^ Melanie, Tim & Andrea prepare for the rush...