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The Purpose of Institutional Advancement

The purpose of institutional advancement

From my experiences on dozens of campuses each year, I’d guess that most IA professionals feel that their greatest achievement is to tell their great stories to alumni, parents, donors, friends, legislators and prospects, and to help these constituents discover how their respective institutions relate to them. 

But I don’t think that’s the job of IA.

The purpose of institutional advancement is to discover—listen for—the great stories of our alumni, parents, donors, friends, legislators and prospects, and to figure out how those amazing stories relate to the institution. 

That’s the way for a college or university to advance in the direction of its goals.

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Custowners

Do you subscribe to Trendwatching? You probably should. The researchers and writers offer periodic tidbits of consumer behavior patterns.  

In this week’s email they offered a link to a mini-report. The second of 12 trends they described hit a chord (and accord). “Custowners” is a term they’ve coined to describe the hybrid of customers and owners, those consumers who actively invest or help to fund the product or service they are consuming. We’ve all seen examples of this trend; you can find many examples at kickstarter.com.

Reading that Trendwatching report triggered a mental connection to a conversation from a couple weeks ago. My college friends Chris and Sherrie and their daughter Kirsten and her roommate (both recent college graduates) treated me to a great ride aboard their boat on Lake Union in Seattle. We stopped at Ivar’s for fish and chips before heading out on Lake Washington to see the Gates’. I suppose Bill and Melinda weren’t home, since no one came out waving on the dock to welcome us, so we went on to see the evening lights of Bellevue. We probably should have called first. Bill and Melinda aren’t much for drop-ins.

On the way across the lake, Kristen’s roommate told the story of her dad receiving a call from her alma mater during the college’s phonathon. Her dad’s response to the ask was not atypical: “I believe I just gave you $250,000. That’s enough.” I completely understand his reply to the ask. He sees himself as a “custowner.” He invested in the product at the same time he consumed (via his daughter) the product. (You’re nervous that I used the word “product” in this example. You’d rather I use “service?” Same diff in this example.) That father helped keep the college running by “giving” tuition dollars. He played a part in helping the institution succeed, or at least survive, for four years. For now, he doesn’t feel obligated or inclined to give more. And he may feel that he has the right to a voice in the life and direction of the college.

Maybe that’s why helicopter parents feel just fine about calling the dean directly.

What if colleges and universities understood—and treated—parents as “custowners?” How would our relationships and communications change? How would our relationships and communications improve?

-Rick Bailey is the principal and founder of RHB and author of Coherence: How Telling the Truth Will Advance Your Cause (and Save the World). Follow him on Twitter @RichardHBailey.

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Focus, People

Choose. Just choose. 

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Coherence and Customer Service

Coherence and good customer service aren’t necessarily the same thing, but they should be considered in the same breath. The way you deliver service to your customers (and by customers, I mean anyone with whom you exchange—students, faculty, parents, donors, alumni, neighbors, legislators, you name it) must, or at least should mirror the values you hold and the claims you make at your institution. Remember, coherence is based on what you do, not just what you say.

I had an experience a couple weeks ago that illustrated exceptional customer service and, in this case, was highly coherent because it happened at Nordstrom, whose brand is associated with great customer care. I share this for inspiration. And to publicly thank Nordstrom for being a good example to all of us.

Tammy came home a few weeks ago talking about Jo Malone perfumes. Since Tam doesn’t usually talk about products, I figured that even bringing it up in conversation was a big indication of her interest. She was graciously signaling me. Amazingly, I was tuned in.  So, when there was an occasion to give her a gift, I found the business card of the assistant who had worked with her at the store (I didn’t have to dig hard for that since Tam “conveniently” left the card out in the open for me to discover), and called the store to set aside some bottles of the Jo Malone scents (there are dozens of options) Tam had name-dropped. I had to leave a voicemail message about my interests.

I decided to head to the store and fend for myself. On the way my phone rang. It was the Nordstrom rep I had called. “Hey, Rick. Just got your message. Thanks for calling about the Jo Malone. I think I know the scents Tammy (he called her Tammy!) wants.” He had me at “Hey Rick.” Still, he went on to flabbergast me: “Listen. I’m on vacation this week, and I’m not in the store. But I heard your voicemail and wanted to get back to you.” (You’ve got to be kidding!) There’s more: “I called my colleague at the store and he’s set aside the scents I think you’ll want to get but he’s an expert in Jo Malone and he can help you pick out what you want. When you get to the store, just ask for ‘I.’ He’s expecting you.” (I was ready to buy anything. All of it.)

I arrived at Fashion Square and parked by the Nordstrom entrance and headed into the store. No joke, ‘I’ was helping a customer when I entered the store, but he spotted me coming in, looked up and said: “You must be Rick. Hang on, I’ll be right with you.” Now, I admit, I’m a good Nordstrom customer, but not THAT good. This was sensational. When ‘I’ (that’s the name he goes by) finished with his customer, he guided me to the Jo Malone counter, gave me an informational briefing that included a series of sniffing experiences and then suggested a trio of scents that could be used individually or in any combination. I bought them all. He threw in samples and a special gift and bundled it all up in a shopping bag that looked like gift wrapping. 

Okay, you just read that story and may have said, “Yeah, but that’s retail, and it’s Nordstrom. We don’t have those kinds of exchanges.” You may be right. The exchanges we make in higher ed can be bigger, longer term and longer-lasting. But what if they were all just as remarkable? What if our insistence that we offer “personalized education” or that our faculty “really care about their students” translated into experiences that truly demonstrated our claims? What if we followed up even when we’re on vacation? Or briefed our colleagues so well that they could call prospective students or parents by name? Or what if we provided information clearly and convincingly with a meaningful demonstration? 

What if we offered sensational customer service? How coherent would that be?

-Rick Bailey is the principal and founder of RHB and author of Coherence: How Telling the Truth Will Advance Your Cause (and Save the World). Follow him on Twitter @RichardHBailey.

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Your Audience Universe

We were meeting at Warner Pacific College in Portland last week. They’re experiencing amazing growth and progress toward coherence. We love visiting there; we’ve been doing so since we began working together in 2005. Every meeting is encouraging as they tell the stories of their unfolding journey.

In the meeting, we were discussing the many and varied audiences with whom WPC communicates on a regular basis. Naturally, we were using RHB’s audience chart model in our discussion. If you’ve read Coherence: How Telling the Truth Will Advance Your Cause and Change the World, you may be familiar with the model we describe that begins with the analogy of a golf ball. You may have even created your own audience chart using that model. If you haven’t yet created your own chart for your school, you should probably add that to your to-do list for this week.

Around the primary audience of current students, faculty and administration, we draw concentric rings that look somewhat like orbiting circles. On each ring we place a different audience in a ball-shaped “planet.” Each ring represents a priority level; the closer the audiences are to the center reflects the degree of their priority.

We are often asked how to establish priorities and where to place each of their audiences. Here’s a way you might think about establishing priorities.

In the first ring, include audiences who generate income for your institution. This will likely include prospective students (and their parents) and donors. You might include trustees here as well. You might include your state’s budget committee if you are dependent on those funds.

In the second ring, consider those who contribute influence: alumni, friends of your college, church pastors, high school counselors, advisory groups and the like.

In the third ring out, show interested parties such as peer institutions, neighbors, church constituents, employers, associations and accrediting bodies.

And in the fourth ring, add informers, including media, your advertising outlets, publications, your own promotional efforts—any people or organizations whose best engagement with you yields telling others your great story.

Identify all the audiences with whom you connect, relate and communicate. Then place them by relative size in your audience universe according to priority. This exercise will help you evaluate your choices, decisions and budgets. 

-Rick Bailey is the principal and founder of RHB and author of Coherence: How Telling the Truth Will Advance Your Cause (and Save the World). Follow him on Twitter @RichardHBailey.

*Audience chart worksheet http://www.coherencethebook.com/bonus.jsp#

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Auto Coherence?

I love it when I hear stories from clients and friends about their encounters with coherence. Sometimes I’ll hear them say things like: “Oh, that’s so coherent of them” in a complimentary way. Other times, I hear: “Yikes. Coherence police needed.” I like that the idea of coherence has infiltrated their thinking.

The other day I received an email from our client/colleague/friend Bob Spatig at USF that made me grin. As a strong disciple and advocate for coherence, he was chiding me a bit for the downside of his coherence consciousness. “You've really complicated my life by introducing the concept,” he wrote. “And, I mean my personal life.”

Bob is shopping for a new car. He’s looking forward to owning his wheels; he hasn’t needed to own a car for a while. So he’s taking this purchase experience quite seriously. If you know Bob, you know he’s done his homework, investigating suitable makes and models. Because he has a significant birthday coming (30? 40? I can’t recall…) he’s thinking about something with a bit of style.

“I want a nice, sporty car—not a sports car, but a nice coupe or even convertible.  Until yesterday, I was focused on a Mini Cooper, Volvo, Audi, or VW.” I completely get that. When I had a significant birthday, I begged Tammy for an old MG I saw advertised. (Instead, I bought a Lexus.)

And here is the crux of Bob’s story: “But, then we went to kick some tires. Now, I cannot stop thinking about the 2013 Mercedes C250 and C350 that we saw. And, they're not much more expensive than the Volvo or Audi. But, thanks to you, I can't reconcile working in public higher ed (or education period) and driving a Mercedes. Somehow, it doesn't seem coherent to me [aha!], whereas the other brands don't clash with my values and seem more ‘acceptable.’”

I love this guy. He’s struggling for all the right reasons. It’s the dilemma of accountability that comes with the intention to be coherent. Will the choices I make reflect the person I am?

As personal as coherence is in this example, Bob’s quandary is precisely the challenge we face in our choices to be coherent as institutions, too. Will we live up to our own standards? Will we be what we say we are? Will we behave in a way that reflects our mission and values? Will we show our customers—by our actions—that we are the university we described on our website?

After I quit laughing, I wrote a note back to Bob explaining that one could argue that the Mercedes was likewise coherent for someone of his stature and leadership, his commitment to quality and excellence and his palate of refined taste. I told him that while he might not earn an A+ for coherence on this choice, it still aligned well with his sensibilities and values for solid investment, sustainability and resale value.

“So, thanks a lot, friend!” Bob concluded his email.

And to that, I say “thanks” back. I confess that I’m glad that the notion of coherence gets under people’s skin. It should be a call to accountability. It should challenge us and make us think. And it should inspire us to be our best.

-Rick Bailey is the principal and founder of RHB and author of Coherence: How Telling the Truth Will Advance Your Cause (and Save the World). Follow him on Twitter @RichardHBailey.

*photo source http://mbenz.us/niRIwZ

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Artificial Deadlines

Last week Sam and I spoke at the Independent College Advancement Associates conference held here in Indianapolis. We were speaking about taking the posture of coherence when it comes to fund-raising.

One of the nerves we touched—we tend to do that when we tell the truth—related to the irrelevance of June 30 to most of the donating world. Truth be told, I began my professional career as the director of the annual fund at Spring Arbor University (then, College). Let’s say it was a long time ago and not mention the exact year. We lived by two dates: December 31 (tax benefits) and June 30 (our fiscal year end). We behaved like traffic cops at the end of the month, seizing every opportunity to fill the coffers.  It took me years to let go of increasing body tension as those dates arrived.

Sometimes the way we operate in higher ed makes us (higher ed insiders) believe that the rest of the world cares in the same way we do about certain deadlines. June 30 is a common fiscal year end date for higher ed, so we work really hard to secure a balanced budget—often through giving—by that date. But most donors don’t live for June 30. That day’s nothing special for most people who can write a check.

Here’s another example: May 1 historically has been important for enrollment professionals. It’s the day we live—or die—for as it signals our sense of the yield we can expect from each year’s crop of admitted students. Although May 1 is important to schools, it’s just another day for most consumers (unless it happens to be your birthday or anniversary). 

You may have noticed that higher ed breeds a fair amount of high drama, especially when it comes to certain deadlines (“Last day to drop classes”, eg). So when May 1 or June 30 roll around each year, our breathing quickens. Provosts and presidents second-guess more. Folks get on edge.

Maybe we should rethink our strategies a bit. Maybe we should explain to consumers why those dates matter to us. But more importantly, we should determine why those dates might matter to our customers. And if they don’t, we should think about dates that do matter to our customers and work with those.

-Rick Bailey is the principal and founder of Richard Harrison Bailey/The Agency and author of Coherence: How Telling the Truth Will Advance Your Cause (and Save the World). Follow him on Twitter @RichardHBailey.

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1,300 One-offs

I heard a great expression of frustration today from one of our clients: “It’s really tough to manage being coherent while trying to work on 1,300 one-offs.” He was describing the marketing communications department on his campus having order requests from more than 100 unrelated campus offices. Each has little “jobs”—a web page here, a brochure there, a poster over there, and a banner ad over there—that consume much time and demand immediate attention. It’s difficult to weave all those little efforts together into a coherent whole.  I felt his pain and the expression on my client’s face brought every empathetic nerve in me to the surface.

That pain is exactly why efforts to know ourselves—and our ambitions—extremely well are so vitally important. The more familiar we are with our institution’s DNA, the easier it will be to come to natural solutions and recommendations. 

Let’s think about this for a minute. I’m going to get personal here. How do you respond when you hear the word “naked?” You already may be uncomfortable.  You may have just blushed. You may be appalled. Or you may be smiling. We all respond differently to that word because each of us is wired a bit differently. We’re influenced by our personalities, experiences, values, backgrounds, family histories and beliefs. You didn’t have to stop and think about how you were going to react when you saw that word here. You simply responded. You reacted naturally, from your nature.

The same thing happens when you twist your ankle, when you are surprised with a bouquet of flowers, or when you read the opening prose of a Hemingway novel. You just respond like you naturally would. Because you are you and that’s how you would respond. Whether you laugh or languish, shout or smirk, curse or cry depends on who you are.

The same is true when it comes to your institution. There’s a certain way your institution welcomes guests. A certain way you encourage donors to give. A way you reassure parents. And a way you get along with your neighbors. A way you describe academic programs. A way you show yourself in public. Your institution has its own way of being who or what it is.

What’s important is getting to know that personality, that DNA, so well that you can reflect your institution authentically every time, almost without having to think about it. When you’re bombarded with all those “one-offs”—those projects that might seem outside the scope of your big campaign—remember that all of them are part of your brand-building; they’re all part of your marketing effort. And all of them can be natural extensions of your authentic institutional self.

-Rick Bailey is the principal and founder of Richard Harrison Bailey/The Agency and author of Coherence: How Telling the Truth Will Advance Your Cause (and Save the World). Follow him on Twitter @RichardHBailey.

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The Cost of Commoditization

A couple of years ago, I began noticing that you could buy a logo design online for under $200. I freaked. I was angry that someone was endeavoring to commoditize design. I was panicked that my business would be replaced by a computer. Or at least someone really hungry on the other end of one. So I bought a new online logo for our firm…just to see. And after a few electronic exchanges with the hungry person on the other end whose name I never knew, I received one. It wasn’t deadly. But it wasn’t that great, either. Better than I expected, but nothing I’d put on our letterhead. Only three of us have ever seen it. Design, apparently, isn’t a commodity. 

My takeaway from the experience was that there would likely be, however, some prospective clients who would be satisfied with a logo they earned on their $200 investment. Some might think their $200 online logo would be just dandy. And they’d be right. So I had to admit that my pool of prospects was going to get a little smaller. But just like I wasn’t satisfied with the logo I bought online, I knew there would be some of our prospective clients who wouldn’t be satisfied with what they got online either. So, though I had a smaller pool, I still had a pool. And I knew I had to do a better job of justifying our ridiculous fees to produce logos for clients. AND, the logos we produced had to be better. Much better. Incredibly better. Logos that inspired. Logos that were memorable. Logos that told stories without words. Logos that were swooned over. Logos that lasted. 

On the way to work this morning, I passed under an outdoor sign promoting our state’s community college system. Their campaign boasts the ability to “graduate in the green”, that is, receive a diploma without college debt. I thought of that logo I bought online a couple years ago. 

When I saw the community college campaign, my first thought was to congratulate the system on identifying the issue that hampers many from attending college: cost. Consumers are freaking out about the high price of a college education. Right now, price may be the most glaring of the Four Ps of the marketing mix. And IvyTech knows that.

My second thought was how this campaign further promotes and confuses the audience to believe that higher ed is a commodity. 

Price is only a part of that famous Four Ps model from McCarthy. Product, place and promotion need to be considered as well. And the price leader can’t always deliver on the other three. The job of those who aren’t the price leaders is to explain the value—in real terms—of the experience that actually costs more. And, for the record, that’s not the opportunity for leadership in campus clubs, or an internship or a semester abroad.

At their own peril, many colleges and universities have been reluctant to define their one-of-a-kind life-changing experiences, discoveries, encounters, relationships and aha! moments. As a result, prospective customers can’t tell much difference between colleges and universities. And then, for many, it just makes more sense to go with the price leader. So, yes, the pool will become a bit smaller for some colleges and universities. Not everyone can afford a $250,000 college education. Nor is it a fit for everyone. And some will be satisfied and well served by career training. That’s okay. But with a smaller pool comes the responsibility to deliver an educational experience that people will swoon over. An education that lasts.

Higher ed isn’t a commodity. But it might be some day if we don’t wise up, differentiate and tell the truth about how wonderful it is.

-Rick Bailey is the principal and founder of Richard Harrison Bailey/The Agency and author of Coherence: How Telling the Truth Will Advance Your Cause (and Save the World). Follow him on Twitter @RichardHBailey.

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A Friendly Reminder: Rules Aren't Meant to be Broken

Having a great cause is a great thing. But it’s not the only thing. 

Your great cause may indeed be amazing. Over the top, even. But merely having a great cause doesn’t mean you can ignore marketing principles if you intend to have others join you in supporting or participating. 

Your passion may be contagious. Your evangelism efforts may be Kawasaki-esque. Still, you’ll have to abide by some basic rules. Twenty years ago, Al Ries and Jack Trout told us of 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing to follow. You should follow all of those. If 22 is too many for you (you rebel, you), at least commit to the following four principles:

You have to deliver something that the world, or at least a part of it, wants or needs. Or your cause has to solve a significant problem that excites others. And it helps if no one else has thought of it or is doing it already. Being “first” and “only” beats all other market positions. “Me too” is a tough sell.

You have to ensure first, that your price at least equals the value of what you deliver and second, that your customers can’t find the very same thing at a lower price. Sometimes “price” isn’t just the cost or a donation; sometimes it’s about identification with and the level of prestige (or lack thereof) of affiliation.

You have to be able to connect your cause with your customers. Figure out how you’ll make it available. And make it easy to get on board. Don’t require too many steps, and do make the instructions clear. 

You have to tell your story effectively. Your own enthusiasm may help sales, but you’ll want to engage your customers in sharing your great cause and then retelling your story on your behalf. And while the internet offers “free” word of mouth, that may not be enough to achieve your goals. 

Even higher ed has to follow the rules?

We invest most of our time and energies in helping the great cause of higher ed. It is a very great cause and we’re passionate about it. Every day. But I sometimes get the impression that there are those who think higher ed doesn’t have to play by these marketing principles to succeed. 

We’ve observed that some institutions are unwilling to adapt their deliverables to meet consumers’ needs. Some institutions hang on to programs, institutes, centers and methodologies long after they’ve become ineffective. Some are surprised that donations have lagged or enrollment has suffered. If an institution is really delivering the best, first or only of its kind, gifts and students won’t be a problem.

Some institutions haven’t calculated the cost of rising costs. I hear panic from clients who are “pricing themselves out of the market,” but I also hear from those same institutions that students and their families simply don’t understand the costs of higher ed. Someone’s not getting it, that’s for certain. The fact is, there are those who simply cannot afford to attend your institution.

Some institutions still struggle with the complexities of their systems and processes. We’ve seen mounting evidence of the shortcomings of administrative structures, management and operations; and much of that is making regular news headlines. No wonder customers are turning to the easiest options.

We’ve also watched as colleges and universities have trimmed marketing budgets while demanding greater results. Some institutions, determined that they are unaffected by—and consequently ignore—demographics and trends, seem to expect increases in enrollment and donations while eliminating investments in marketing. To date, that hasn’t worked well for anyone we know.

I’m not sure many of us like rules. We creatives, in fact, live to break them. We can fight them all we want. Still, they’re there. Whether your great cause feeds the hungry, houses the homeless, or educates the masses, you’ll get to your goals more readily if you follow some essential marketing rules.

-Rick Bailey is the principal and founder of Richard Harrison Bailey/The Agency and author of Coherence: How Telling the Truth Will Advance Your Cause (and Save the World). Follow him on Twitter @RichardHBailey.

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In These Challenging Times...

In these challenging times, please stop using “in these challenging times” as the opening prepositional phrase to blogs, letters, emails and appeals.

-Rick Bailey is the principal and founder of Richard Harrison Bailey/The Agency and author of Coherence: How Telling the Truth Will Advance Your Cause (and Save the World). Follow him on Twitter @RichardHBailey.

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Strategic Dynamism: Another Name for Adult ADD?

Several years ago we created a promotional brochure for one of our clients featuring celebrity alumni. The cinema critic and pundit Roger Ebert happened to be one of those. The client had difficulty securing a “quotable quote” from Mr. Ebert and asked that we draft a “sample quote” that they could present to him to serve as a guide. Not knowing much about Roger, we complied. We shouldn’t have. His reply was curt and terse about not wanting to be associated with anything of the sort. I think the words he chose to describe his sample quote were “smarmy gobbledygook.”

 When I read the Chronicle’s article about the UVA debacle this week and happened on Mr. Kiernan’s call for “strategic dynamism,” that “gobbledygook” word popped back into my head. I suddenly knew how Mr. Ebert felt about us.

 These are troubling times for higher ed to be sure. And they’re certainly dynamic, meaning we’re in a time of forced change.

 And yes, we coulda and shoulda moved faster. The writing on the wall for the past 10 years has been written in 1000-pt. Helvetica Bold CAPS.

 Still, though higher ed has many business aspects, higher ed isn’t business. And, though it sometimes behaves as a family, it’s not a family. Nor is it a combination; it’s not a family business. It’s an enterprise with seemingly countless stakeholders—stakeholders who matter and whose voices merit a hearing. And higher ed’s issues are complex; they require intense focus. That sometimes takes a bit longer. Like slow food.

 So “strategic dynamism” may not be what higher ed needs or can even aspire to. Heck, I’m not sure anyone really knows what strategic dynamism is. Even Mr. Kiernan. I think it just might be gobbledygook. Either that or adult ADD.

-Rick Bailey is the principal and founder of Richard Harrison Bailey/The Agency and author of Coherence: How Telling the Truth Will Advance Your Cause (and Save the World). Follow him on Twitter @RichardHBailey.

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Pre-Fourth of July Fireworks

I haven’t yet decided if the ouster and “back-inster” of Terry Sullivan at UVA represents the worst of higher ed or the best of our unique tribe. On one hand, UVA’s rector and board seemed irresponsible in their abrupt dismissal. In higher ed, even two years is abrupt. To usher President Sullivan out the door in a matter of days seemed more like lightning speed. On the other hand, with more—and better—information at hand, the board awkwardly reversed their decision (at even lightning-er speed). And that reversal may represent us at our best. Higher ed is, after all, all about inquiry, discovery, investigation of truth and adapting to life with new information.

Right now, I’m leaning toward the debacle side. In an already threatening environment for American higher ed, the craziness of the last week leaves a very nasty stain.

I’m guessing—and hoping—Sullivan’s brilliance will shine through and she’ll use this circumstance to resurrect UVA to a much brighter place. And in doing so, I hope some of the shimmer will fall on all of higher ed.

-Rick Bailey is the principal and founder of Richard Harrison Bailey/The Agency and author of Coherence: How Telling the Truth Will Advance Your Cause (and Save the World). Follow him on Twitter @RichardHBailey.

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Remember Those WWJD Bracelets?

Remember those WWJD bracelets? If they’d been used as a personal reminder for the wearer to behave with the set of values one believed, it would have been a really great idea. They became more a symbol of allegiance. And then we noticed that a lot of folks who were wearing them must not have been looking at them often enough because what they were doing and what Jesus would have done didn’t seem to align very well. So they became a bit of a joke and finally people just quit wearing them. Too much pressure, I’d guess.

I think we should bring those back, but modify them with the your school’s acronym. WWDD (What would Denison do?) WWBPD (What would Bay Path do?) WWIUD (What would Indiana University Do?) You get the idea. How would your school’s read?

If we could get everyone on campus to wear one, I wonder if we’d do a better job of living the truth of our institutions.

Though our clients have come to RHB for marketing and communications solutions since Day One (April 15, 1991), we've watched the scope of the questions we're asked expand to include assistance that is more management-based. That's made complete sense to us given our emphasis on coherence. Coherence isn't based on what you say, it's based on what you do. 

So the questions we are asked start to take a different shape: 

Given our brand/our story/our promise, what would we do in this circumstance? 

If we're the world's leading Catholic research university, how much should we cost? 

If we're the New American Women's College, what programs would we offer? 

If we’re the region’s finest business school, who should serve on our faculty?

If we’re an urban institution, how should we organize our marketing team? 

Be yourself

Ideally, your brand—and your claims about it—would accurately reflect the day-to-day experience to the degree that every encounter a customer has with you would further verify and cement a clear understanding of who you really are. But…people being people, and human as they are, you will always find departures from the best brand experience. Even strong brands suffer from human interaction failures. I’m sure you’ve had the occasion when you’ve ordered your favorite coffee drink and thought to yourself, “Wow, what’s happened to Starbucks? This latte isn’t right.” I’ve had encounters at the Apple store that were less than Apple-esque. Those episodes happen and they’ll be outside your control. Still, the ideal would be that the user experience has a high degree of positive consistency.

So in a perfect world, you would tell your faculty and staff to just be themselves. Do what they do so well every day. And yet, when it comes to management strategies, you can exercise plans for consistent success. You can create a coherent campus visit experience. You can ensure that the advancement team is sharing the same key messages—and that they show up in clean vehicles. You can structure the marketing communications team in the right place in your organizational chart.

You’ll find lots of opportunities to employ coherence in the details of your marketing mix: from the  product you deliver, the price of tuition, the methods you use to deliver an education, to the promotional strategies you employ. Here are six steps to start managing for coherence.

Define the ideal. Start at the very beginning: be clear about your vision. And march head first into the hard questions. What does that vision mean for us? How will our vision influence our actions today? How do we DO the truth? And how do WE do the truth? What are we doing right now that really speaks to our values? What are we doing right now that indicates we’re missing the opportunities to live into our brand?

Articulate the ideal, preferably in writing. How does your mission separate you from others?Include the distinctive behaviors that will distinguish you from peers. How do your behaviors differ from your competitors? Which of your competitors do you wish to emulate? Give examples and be specific as possible. But get it down!

Share the ideal. Don’t assume everyone knows the ideal. And don’t assume everyone is on the same page. What the New American Women’s College means to the president and provost, may not be the same thing is means for the head of the science department or the alumnae director. Make certain you verbalize the history and meaning of your brand. And don’t neglect to tell your colleagues why their behavior is so important.

Train everyone to deliver the ideal.My alma mater offers a semester long “university” experience for every new employee. The training includes readings and workshops to cover the history of the college, the values and ideals, the best practices and the logistics of delivering consistent and exceptional customer service. I love it that this isn’t a one-time experience for the entire campus, but an ongoing commitment to every individual who represents the University to each other, to students and to external customers.

Monitor the user experience. You don’t need to be a cop. But you do need to be an acute observer and listener. Be sure to ask your customers for their feedback. How well are you delivering on your promises? And check out the experiences your customers are having. How are those phonathon conversations supporting your brand? How does that college fair booth look—and does the elevator speech being delivered resonate the truth?

Retrain if necessary. Noticing a pattern of less than best practice? Then it’s time to nip that behavior in the bud. Talk about how current behaviors aren’t supporting the experience you’re trying to create or how those behaviors might diminish the trust and confidence of customers. Explain what behaviors or decisions might better support your brand.

If you lived with your WW(insert your school’s initials here)D bracelet, how might things be different? Let me know. 

-Rick Bailey is the principal and founder of Richard Harrison Bailey/The Agency and author of Coherence: How Telling the Truth Will Advance Your Cause (and Save the World). Follow him on Twitter @RichardHBailey.

image via this blog

[rhbinformed-blog]

We're Gonna Be Here Forever... With Your Help

Today we made our annual trek to Monument Circle for the Strawberry Festival. Well, not so much for the festival as for the strawberry shortcake. A local church sponsors the event—this was their 47th  one—to raise funds for distribution to local charities. We think it’s a great cause: it helps the community and it satisfies our sweet tooths (teeth?).

Yes, we did all go at the same time and yes, we closed the office for an hour. It was a great cause, remember. Still, we weren’t far from connecting the dots between what we were experiencing and what we believe.

The announcer stood to test the sound system and welcome the crowd: “Welcome to the annual Strawberry Festival. We’re going to be here forever…with your help.” I thought his was an amazing claim. Forever is a long time, after all. As I enjoyed my shortcake (and strawberries and ice cream and whipped cream), I considered what he was communicating with that amazing opening line.

This guy had a goal and a good one. We share that goal at RHB: we intend to be around forever…with your help. And I’d guess you share that goal at your institution: you want to be around forever…with the help of others. I like that visionary perspective and that positive spirit.

But clearly, this guy understood marketing, too, and he was preaching a sermon with that opening line. Here’s what he packed into it.

A. He knew had something people wanted.

B. There was demand for what he delivered.

C. His confidence in the future told us he operated a sustainable business model.

D. His model was dependent on satisfied customers. He admitted he was dependent on us.

BUT WAIT. THERE’S MORE…

And it’s clear he understood marketing., so he was telling us even more. If you’ve read my stuff, you know I like Philip Kotler’s definition of marketing. Marketing is exchange. To make that exchange you need:

E. At least two people. This guy at the Strawberry Festival had nearly 20,000, so he’s good to go.

F. Each has to have something to bring to the table. This guy brought shortcake; we brought time and cash.

G. What each brings has to be something the other wants. Like I said, this guy had amazing shortcake on a beautiful summer’s day, and we had cash. We each clearly wanted what the other brought to the table.

H. What each brings has to be of equal or greater value to the other. We clearly had that, and we needed one another to make that exchange.

I. You have to find each other. He let us know where and when. We had to walk in his direction.

J. You have to actually make the exchange. He had tents and booths that made the wait brief and the reward great. And it’s a worthy one. They’ll raise $100,000 for local charities. That’s a lot of shortcake.

That announcer clearly had the Four Ps—product, price, place and promotion—covered. And in one opening line he transparently committed to our long-lasting relationship.

Isn’t that what you want for your institution? It certainly is what we’re aiming for at RHB.

-Rick Bailey is the principal and founder of Richard Harrison Bailey/The Agency and author of Coherence: How Telling the Truth Will Advance Your Cause (and Save the World). Follow him on Twitter @RichardHBailey.

[rhbinformed-blog]

Is Coherence Necessary?

Do I have to be coherent?

You can choose not to pursue the path of coherence. Of course, you’ll invest more in making mistakes, you’ll have to work harder to cover your “untruths” and to clear up misperceptions. It will take more time to un-learn and re-teach. You’ll have a longer road to building trust.

But no, you don’t have to be coherent. It’s just much easier to be coherent once you’ve taken the journey.

Let me know if you need names of those who have elected not to be.

-Rick Bailey is the principal and founder of Richard Harrison Bailey/The Agency and author of Coherence: How Telling the Truth Will Advance Your Cause (and Save the World). Follow him on Twitter @RichardHBailey.

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[rhbinformed-blog]

Five Signs that You're Being Coherent

You’re working like crazy to be authentic. You’re telling the truth at every corner. So how do you know if you’re on the right track? 

A great way to know if you’re being coherent will be the evidence you see in progress toward your goals. Are you achieving results for annual giving? How do your enrollment numbers look? Do your students stay to graduate? Are your alumni returning to campus for events? What indications of “love” are you able to measure? 

Watching these analytics will indicate you are well on your way; but also start to watch for these telltale signs that your efforts are taking hold:

Your internal core audiences can tell your story accurately and with passion. When you tell the truth about your school, it will be easier for your entire campus community to tell your story. All they’ll have to do is tell their own stories that will accurately reflect your values, your distinctives and your vision. And, because you are living into your truth, you’ll have satisfied employees who are delighted to tell the story and deliver it with passion.

Your external constituents can retell your story. If you’re being coherent, the story you have to tell will be easy to understand, focused and easily repeatable. And because coherence is about the connections you make with your audiences, they’ll be the right people to help tell your story. And they’ll love telling it on your behalf.

You are investing less in chasing rabbits. If you are succeeding at coherence, you’ll be less tempted to spend money on marketing and sales activities that are risky. You won’t have to guess about potential results. You’ll know what works best for you and your audiences. You’ll know where to fish. You’ll know your audience—and prospective audiences—so well that every dollar you invest will yield a positive result.

You are satisfied with not being everything for everybody. When you are being coherent, you’ll gain the confidence to be you. You can differentiate from the competition. And you’ll be okay when some decide you aren’t the right fit for their dollar or their space in the residence hall. You know that not everyone belongs at your campus. You don’t offer something for everyone. And you’re good with that. 

The president and board smile more. One of the satisfactions of being coherent is the satisfaction that you are doing the right thing. You’re being true to your school. You’re telling the truth and you don’t have to devise cover-up schemes or panic when the press calls for a quote.

Working toward coherence is intensive. We’ve had a great time of late working with our clients on this important journey of self-discovery and truth telling. “Working” is the apt word; it’s a tough go for some, but so worth it. 

-Rick Bailey is the principal and founder of Richard Harrison Bailey/The Agency and author of Coherence: How Telling the Truth Will Advance Your Cause (and Save the World). Follow him on Twitter @RichardHBailey.

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