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Higher Education Market Research and Strategic
Planning | |
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Higher Education is becoming more competitive
from a variety of perspectives. Internally, institutions must manage
costs, while at the same time there's a growing need to specialize and
communicate a unique message to an expanding marketplace. From the
applicant's vantage, student prospects are faced with more education
options than ever before. A solid marketing strategy can, therefore,
directly affect the bottom line of a college, university, or continuing
education institution through measurement and understanding of its
position in the marketplace and by eliminating weaknesses and building
upon strengths.
In this section, we will discuss how Forward
Analytics' products can unlock difficult, yet critical information
necessary for your institution to compete and succeed in today's
marketplace. The four primary studies we offer to higher education clients
are branding
market research, retention studies, student need assessments and economic
impact studies.
Forward Analytics is a strategic planning and
market research group that has substantial experience among higher
education clients. Our inclusive education marketing research
services span student retention and satisfaction studies, branding
market research, student needs assessments, course feasibility and
curriculum planning, site location and market analysis, economic studies
of workforce and employment, and campus planning (including student
unions, and dormitories). Through our expertise in survey questionnaire
design we collect the quantitative and qualitative data needed to empower
strategic decision-making. Below, please find detail regarding how these
services can benefit your institution.
Student Retention:We have dedicated an entire page explaining the
importance of student
retention techniques. Please click on the link above to see if this
type of service fits your needs.
Image, Awareness, and Branding Market Research and StrategyForward Analytics performs education market
research and strategic planning assignments to determine the image of an
institution held by various constituencies (high school students, parents,
guidance counselors, employers, alumni, donors, etc.) Our survey
questionnaire design evaluates both internal and external awareness and
perceptions. Moreover, as a professional marketing group, our findings are
meant to be actionable and will also identify specific market
opportunities and prioritize marketing channels.
While our marketing research consultants have an
in-depth understanding of higher education marketing research and
strategic planning, the company also has a wealth of knowledge gained from
work with corporations and various industries. Such synergy provides
valuable context to all the elements of our education market research
products: questionnaire design, offline and online surveying methods, data
analysis, findings and report recommendations. For example, Forward
Analytics incorporates Customer
Value Analysis, a complex and in-depth business strategizing tool,
into our education branding market research and strategy product.
The Customer Value Analysis (CVA) technique is
just one example of how Forward Analytics' distinguished products and
services can unlock your full market potential. CVA provides remarkable
insight as to how your institution is positioned against competitors on
the attributes that drive positive image and perceptions of universities
and their programs. While similar in appearance to traditional image,
awareness and student satisfaction studies, Customer Value Analysis
provides far more accurate and useable information for brand evaluation,
strategic planning, marketing and positioning purposes.
Through the application of our branding market
research and strategy product, we will be able to measure the relative
importance to market audiences of the key attributes and sub-attributes
that determine "quality" in higher education. Market research can
benchmark the perceived position of the education institution versus
competitors in the provision of customer value (a factor of both quality
of educational services and perceived price of education provided).
Our strategic marketing group will work with you
to design a comprehensive plan, enabling you to make positive tactical
moves to improve the awareness of your education institution, enhance key
audience satisfaction, build upon your strengths, exploit competitors'
weaknesses, and quantitatively track image improvements and changes over
time.
See the Customer
Value Analysis page in our Products
section for a more detailed explanation of this tool.
Student Needs Assessment and Course FeasibilityForward Analytics has the research tools,
techniques and experience required to provide higher education
institutions with the necessary information for a successful strategic
plan. Forward Analytics employs student needs assessments to determine
course and curriculum feasibility and campus facility needs.
It's almost cliché to talk about how everything
has changed, and yet this is precisely what institutions are discovering,
as a new generation of college students is demanding diversified
curriculum and more flexible facilities. What do students want, and how
can your institution best meet their needs? In order to solve this
equation, Forward Analytics utilizes methods that are both quantitative
and qualitative in scope.
Forward Analytics establishes a customer
(potential student) demand for specific areas of study, especially in the
areas of career training, continuing education, and academic services for
non-traditional student groups. Our student needs assessments are designed
to:
Campus Planning and Facility Needs AssessmentForward Analytics has the research tools,
techniques and experience required to provide higher education
institutions with information needed to make strategic decisions regarding
the development of new campus facilities or deciding how to meet the
changing needs of constituent groups (i.e., sports facilities, distance
learning centers, and modern gathering and recreation areas.)
To assure the success of any new campus development, our strategic planning company evaluates a full range of factors, including:
We also conduct facility needs assessments,
market feasibility studies, and economic impact projections for on and
off-campus facilities such as student housing, student unions, student
recreation centers, research and technology facilities. If you are
interested in a planning study and need to reach your core constituents,
you may be interested in our Feasibility
Study or even a New
Product Development report.
In order to serve the needs of today's diverse
student body, a campus planning project needs a design team with
experience in survey questionnaire design and interpretation, and intimate
familiarity with the modern campus. Forward Analytics often teams with
architects and planners to bring the combination of experience and
dedication that will make the planning process flow smoothly and produce
accurate and meaningful results.
Economic Impact Study and Community Benefit AnalysisForward Analytics' impact studies measure the
many social, cultural, educational and economic benefits afforded to
regions as a result of the presence and operations of higher education
institutions and their research endeavors.
There can be no doubt that higher education is a
major component of the U.S. economy. Estimates show that the nation now
expends more than $221 billion annually on higher education provided
through 4,182 colleges and universities, with over 2,400 being private
institutions.
Within their communities, universities and
colleges are usually among the larger economic engines. They employ local
staff, recruit faculty and guests lecturers from around the world, attract
education and research funds from external sources, bring students to the
community and are often focal points for regional innovation and
technology.
Forward Analytics analyzes the substantial
effects of Universities or Colleges on their communities, counties and
states. Our economic impact study will measure the direct and
indirect business volume generated by the institution, as well as the
government revenues. Our university economic impact study provides added
momentum to the school's marketing and public relations efforts. Our
research often creates a self-fulfilling loop where upon exposure of the
benefits your institution is having on the community, the community then
responds with marketing in kind. The presence and operations of your
higher education institution may not be adequately or empirically
communicated to shareholders in your region's retail, government,
corporate, and non-profit sectors.
From this list of questions, it should be clear
that economic impact and community benefits research is not only valuable
to the board of directors, but a resource that affects, and is ultimately
incorporated into a community development plan.
As a strategic marketing group, Forward
Analytics works hard to surpass its clients' expectations and deliver
truly enlightening reports. If you think your institution would benefit
from our survey questionnaire design expertise and education marketing
research services including student retention and satisfaction studies,
branding market research, student needs assessments, course feasibility
and curriculum planning, site location and market analysis, economic
studies of workforce and employment, and campus planning, please contact
us at 412-207-2114 |
Our education services are geared towards unlocking the
information needed to help your institution grow and be
successful:  Student RetentionBrand AwarenessNeeds AssessmentCampus PlanningCourse Feasibility Economic Impact |
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