Marketing plans are well-written, thorough, and meticulously researched action plans that will be evaluated by individuals and organizations both inside and outside the college or university. Though traditionally used in businesses, this document is now considered to be indispensable for institutions of higher education. Overall, a higher education marketing plan is a document which:

• Makes team members responsible for marketing efforts look more diligently and carefully into the past marketing decisions which have been made.
• Causes marketing staff to look outside the school to better understand their target market.
• Encourages the setting of challenging, yet achievable goals for the future, while providing specific direction for the marketing efforts that will allow the college to reach those goals. These efforts will need to be understood by everyone within the organization, with support available when required.

Higher educational institutions will use marketing plans primarily for the following reasons:

• To organize and plan marketing efforts for the school.
• To introduce a new specialization, department, feature, or other “product” that will be attractive to the current target market, or appeal to a new target market.
• To establish a new solution to an existing problem.
• As a portion of the overall business plan being created for the college.

A comprehensive higher education marketing plan will typically have a nine-part approach. This format includes the following divisions:

1. Mission Statement
2. Vision Statement
3. Situational Analysis
4. Vivid Descriptors
5. Marketing Goals
6. Target Audience
7. Action Plans
8. Budgets
9. Timelines

This marketing plan style aims at specific programs, offers, and degrees, but can be adapted for overall use or more strategic purposes. Unlike the traditional six-part marketing plan used by businesses, the nine-part approach for institutions of higher education creates a marketing plan that is more than simply planning; it includes actions, budget and timelines/deadlines to ease implementation and give a sense of reality to the plan. This encourages the implementation of the marketing plan, for as many marketing plans are written by colleges, few are actually put into practice.

It is important that professional marketing principles be practiced when an effective marketing plan is being created. Often, an outside expert is hired by colleges to help with the organization of thoughts and concepts, and the application of marketing principles. It is not always common for such experts to be available in-house, and outsourcing is therefore required. Several companies in the higher education market provide such services, varying in specializations. Some work primarily with large institutions, such as Stamats and Eduventures, while others serve smaller or specialized institutions (such as alternative health colleges and universities, one of our areas of expertise).

No matter how an institution goes about developing strategic plans, such as marketing or enrollment management plans, if your institution lacks these basic tools, now is the time to get started. Next fall isn’t as far away as it may seem in the cold month of February.