Hello all,
In Intelliworks last newsletter, CEO Todd Gibby discussed the innovative eMarketing tactics that FIU (Florida International University) was implementing with their “Uncommon Thinkers” campaign. Click here for the article from FIU.
If you are marketing towards millennials in higher education, this is a campaign that I highly recommend you take a look at. Let’s take a look at the various eMarketing Techniques they have implemented (with great success and ROI!):
- Simple, fresh, and creative website. I like to say that the website is the hub of an eMarketing campaign, and their site does a nice job of drawing the user in and engaging them quickly.
- Notice their use of online video, statistics, testimonials, and simple calls-to-action. (I am surprised however nothing comes up on YouTube when I type in “Uncommon Thinkers”…hmm.)
- After watching the video, I just wanted to dive in more. As a millennial myself, I’m also attracted towards engaging media, especially stuff like this:
- Use of the hottest social networking site on the web. I don’t have to preach about how important Facebook could be for your eMarketing campaigns if you are targeting Millennials. With over 75% of college students on one website, and your ability to create a facebook page FREE, it’s literally a no-brainer. Their campaign utilized a facebook page as well as facebook advertisements. (I’m also a fan of facebook ads because of their brand-building ability…click through may not be incredibly high, but you’ll get a TON of impressions for a small investment!)
- Google and Yahoo advertisements. How do Millennials find stuff on the web? We search for it. And well over half of us are using Google. Both Google and Yahoo advertising programs are based on Click Throughs, so you’re only paying if someone clicks. Therefore, if you have an interesting ad that draws me in, and when I get to your site I’m impressed, you may secure me as a customer!
- Use of email AND text messaging. I haven’t seen the latest statistics of SMS use by Millennials, but based upon some simple market research I performed with my nephews the other day, texting is STILL hot (and will continue to be for some time.) FIU’s campaign harnessed the power of email and text to prospective students, yielding a huge increase in applications and enrollment.
- Traditional marketing. I do NOT believe that eMarketing replaces marketing. In fact, just the opposite: eMarketing is simply a component of your overall Marketing Strategy. In this day and age with thousands of emails coming to our inbox every day, tweets and facebook messages inundating us, and so on, we need several touch points in order to ‘make a move’. FIU used eMarketing techniques such as those listed above AS WELL AS traditional marketing through radio spots, TV and theatre ads, and print collateral to achieve success.
I’ll be performing a similar analysis of Valencia Community College’s eMarketing campaign very soon. Their eMarketing is one of the most out-of-the-box I have ever seen!
Happy eMarketing!
-Brad Kleinman
